Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Wright State University Dayton

Program Overview

The B.S. in Biomedical Engineering at Wright State University combines engineering, science and medicine to prepare students to design technologies that improve healthcare and quality of life. Students can choose a Traditional track focused on engineering careers or a Pre-Med track designed to support progression into medical, dental and other post-baccalaureate health-profession programs.

Curriculum Structure

First Year: Students establish their engineering and scientific foundation through General Chemistry I, Calculus I and Intro to Computer Programming, alongside physics, psychology and core courses. This combination develops the mathematics, computing, physical-science and human-focused knowledge needed for later biomedical engineering study.

Second Year: Students move into subjects that connect engineering mechanics with human biology, including Statics, Human Anatomy and Physiology I and Differential Equations with Matrix Algebra. They also progress through General Chemistry II, Human Anatomy and Physiology II, physics and Mechanics of Materials, building the foundation for biomedical materials, devices and physiological systems.

Third Year: The program becomes more distinctly biomedical through courses such as Biomaterials, Biotransport and Electronic Devices and Circuits, supported by Analog Circuit Theory, Statistics for Engineers and Continuous and Discrete Linear Systems. Students can also take Applied Machine Learning or another approved technical elective, adding computational and analytical skills to their engineering toolkit.

Fourth Year: Students apply their accumulated knowledge through Bioinstrumentation, Design of Medical Devices and the two-semester Senior Design I and Senior Design II sequence. Technical electives and courses such as Ergonomics allow students to tailor their final year toward particular engineering interests while completing a substantial design experience.

Focus areas

Bioinstrumentation, biomaterials, biomechanics, medical imaging, orthopedic engineering, rehabilitation engineering, systems physiology, medical devices, biomedical systems, tissue engineering, neuroengineering

Learning outcomes

Students develop the ability to solve complex engineering problems using mathematics and science, design solutions with consideration for health and safety, communicate effectively, work in diverse teams, conduct experiments, analyze data, make engineering judgments and continue acquiring new knowledge.

Professional alignment (accreditation)

The B.S. in Biomedical Engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET under the criteria for Bioengineering and Biomedical and Similarly Named Engineering Programs. Both the Traditional and Pre-Med BME curricula are ABET-accredited.

Reputation (employability rankings)

Rather than relying on an external ranking, Wright State’s official program information provides current program statistics and graduate destinations: the BME program reported 63 students enrolled in Fall 2024 and 12 graduates from Summer 2023 through Spring 2024. Wright State also identifies graduates employed by organizations including Medtronic, Battelle, Midmark, Akorn Pharmaceuticals, Norwood Medical, NuVasive Manufacturing and Prosthetic Design Inc.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Wright State’s Biomedical Engineering program gives students multiple ways to move beyond classroom theory into practical engineering work. Students can participate in undergraduate research, internships, co-ops, service learning and study abroad, while the senior design sequence requires BME students to work on real-world problems with real-world clients.

The department’s specialist laboratories provide particularly strong opportunities to work with biomedical instrumentation, biomaterials, biomechanics, tissue engineering, medical imaging and neuroengineering technologies:

Bioinstrumentation Lab: Students use instrumentation, test equipment, hardware and software for electronics and biomedical engineering experiments, including electronic circuit analysis, ECG generation and manipulation, and sensor-based activities.
Biomechanics and Tissue Engineering Lab: Students test materials for properties such as hardness, strength and toughness, examine implant damage using microscopes, create 3D implant models, use computer simulations and work with 3D body scanners and walking-profile digitization.
Human-Centric Lab: Students can explore human-centered engineering using tools and methods including eye-tracking, EEG, brain imaging, simulation and naturalistic observation.
Nanomedicine Lab: The facility supports nanostructured-material production and characterization, microfabrication of PDMS-based microfluidic devices, and bacterial-culture work for biofilm development.
Neuro Engineering Rehabilitation and Degeneration Lab: Students from engineering, neuroscience and biology backgrounds conduct biomedical experiments involving computer modeling, electrophysiology, immunohistochemistry and behavioral studies related to neurodegenerative disease, neuroprosthetics and brain-machine interfaces.
Tissue Culture Facility: Students and researchers work with mammalian cell cultures using laminar-flow hoods, incubators, centrifuges, microscopes and automated cell counters.
Smart Manufacturing Lab: Students gain hands-on experience with a Yaskawa GP8 six-axis robotic arm, vision equipment and Baxter robot technology, connecting engineering design with human-machine teaming and manufacturing.
Senior Design: BME students complete a capstone sequence in which they work with real-world clients. Recent projects include a real-time motion-monitoring system for functional MRI and a 3D-printed tumor model for measuring interstitial fluid pressure.
Internships and co-ops: BME internships can be incorporated as technical electives through BME 3940 BME Internship I and BME 4940 BME Internship II. The college also operates the Work Forward Internship Program and provides access to corporate partners and internship opportunities.
Undergraduate research: Students may use BME 4950 Undergraduate Research in Biomedical Engineering, BME 4960 Departmental Honors Research or BME 4990 Independent Study in Biomedical Engineering as approved technical-elective experiences.

Progression & Future Opportunities

A B.S. in Biomedical Engineering from Wright State can lead directly into biomedical engineering, medical-device development, clinical engineering, research and related engineering careers. The university’s graduate destinations include employers such as Medtronic, Battelle, Midmark and Norwood Medical, while the Pre-Med track provides an additional pathway toward medical, dental and other health-profession programs.

Typical job roles include: Biomedical Engineer, Clinical Engineer, Design Engineer, Field Engineer

Students can strengthen their transition from study to professional work through:

Career Hub: Wright State’s Career Hub provides career advising, Handshake access, workshops, career fairs, employer-hosted events, internships, co-ops, fellowships and job opportunities. Students can also use career consultants and peer career coaches for résumé, cover-letter, interview and job-search support.
Employment and salary information: Wright State’s official BME career-prospects page reports a $97,410 median annual wage for biomedical engineers, with the lowest 10% earning less than $60,680 and the highest 10% earning more than $157,750; these figures are U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics occupational data, not Wright State graduate salaries.
Graduate employers: Wright State identifies graduates working for Akorn Pharmaceuticals, Battelle, Medtronic, Midmark, Norwood Medical, NuVasive Manufacturing, Prosthetic Design Inc., Talis Clinical and the USAF 711th Human Performance Wing, demonstrating links to pharmaceutical, medical-device, research and government-related environments.
Industry-facing experience: The College of Engineering and Computer Science’s Work Forward Internship Program creates a workforce pipeline with corporate partners including Copeland, Leidos, Marque Engineering, MSI Lab, National Engineering, NexSens, Radiance Technologies, Reynolds and Reynolds, and Winsupply.
Career fairs: Wright State’s Career & Internship Fair connects students directly with employers recruiting for internships, co-ops and full-time positions.
Accreditation value: ABET accreditation provides an established professional-quality framework for the B.S. Biomedical Engineering curriculum, with program outcomes covering engineering problem solving, design, experimentation, communication, teamwork, ethics and continued learning.
Program outcomes: Wright State’s BME educational objectives expect graduates to progress in engineering or related fields, adapt to changing technology and workforce needs, create engineering solutions, work effectively in diverse teams and maintain professional and ethical standards.

Further Academic Progression: After the B.S., students can continue into Wright State’s M.S. in Biomedical Engineering, pursue the department’s combined B.S./M.S. program and complete both degrees in five years, or move into graduate study in related engineering and life-science areas. The Pre-Med curriculum also supports students preparing for medical, dental, veterinary and other post-baccalaureate health-profession programs.