This is the first version of the 2023–24 General Catalog. Please check back regularly for changes. The final edition and the historical PDF will be published during the fall semester.
The major in biomedical engineering builds on the foundation provided by the BSE core requirements, preparing students for the challenges and opportunities associated with careers in the profession.
Focus Areas
All BSE students complete a focus area within their chosen major. Students majoring in biomedical engineering select one of four preapproved focus areas: bioimaging, biomechanics and biomaterials, cellular engineering, or computational bioengineering. Each focus area may be designated pre-medicine by completing a specific set of electives.
Bioimaging
Bioimaging represents the acquisition, processing, and visualization of structural or functional images of living systems. Medical imaging and image processing are integral to the extraction of anatomical and biological information from the systems level down to the molecular level with the goal of clinically seeking to reveal, diagnose, or examine diseases, as well as to the study of normal anatomy and physiology.
Biomechanics and Biomaterials
Biomechanics is the study of structure and function. It is the application of principles from classical mechanics to problems in biological systems. This focus area emphasizes cardiovascular and/or musculoskeletal biomechanics. The study of biomaterials plays an important role in the design of implants and surgical instrumentation for both cardiovascular and musculoskeletal applications.
Cellular Engineering
Cellular engineering involves the application of engineering principles to problems in cellular and molecular biology, particularly as they relate to human health. The goal of this focus area is to equip students with the quantitative tools necessary to understand, manipulate, and control cellular and subcellular processes for a range of biomedical applications, including those related to stem cells, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine.
Computational Bioengineering
Computational bioengineering is an interdisciplinary field that develops methods and software tools for modeling and understanding biological data and systems that are typically represented by large amounts of data. Computational bioengineering is a combination of computer science, statistics, informatics, and engineering to analyze and interpret biological and genomic data. It is used for the identification of candidate genes to better understand the genetic basis of disease, unique adaptations, and differences between populations.
Educational Objectives
The department provides undergraduate students with a contemporary education in a multidisciplinary field of engineering. Its objective is to produce graduates who:
- advance the biomedical field through the responsible analysis and design of devices, systems, processes, and policies that improve human health;
- pursue a wide range of career options, including those in industry, academia, and medicine; and
- collaborate on multidisciplinary teams and become leaders in their chosen field.
The Bachelor of Science in Engineering (BSE) with a major in biomedical engineering requires a minimum of 129 s.h. of credit, plus two 1 s.h. departmental seminars. At the time of graduation, students must have a cumulative grade-point average of at least 2.00 in all college work used to complete degree requirements and in all UI coursework in order to be awarded the BSE.
All BSE students are required to take the same collegiate curriculum. For information about these collegiate requirements, see the Bachelor of Science in Engineering, BSE in the catalog. Students completing the major in biomedical engineering fulfill the collegiate statistics requirement by completing BIOS:4120 Introduction to Biostatistics or STAT:3510 Biostatistics.
The program has been designed carefully to enable students to satisfy the entrance requirements of the Graduate College.
The major in biomedical engineering includes the following departmental seminars.
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BME:1010 | First-Year Forum | 1 |
| BME:2010 | Professional Seminar: Biomedical Engineering (typically taken in the second year) | 1 |
The major in biomedical engineering requires the following coursework.
| Requirements | Hours |
|---|---|
| Collegiate Curriculum | 50 |
| Major Requirements | 46 |
| Focus Area | 33-34 |
Major Requirements
Major requirements include a set of common courses (38 s.h.) and two capstone design courses (8 s.h.).
Common Courses
Students in the bioimaging or computational bioengineering focus areas may choose between ENGR:2130 Thermodynamics or ENGR:2995 Introduction to Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Engineering.
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| All of these: | ||
| BME:2200 | Systems, Instrumentation, and Data Acquisition (with lab) | 4 |
| BME:2210 | Bioimaging and Bioinformatics (with lab) | 4 |
| BME:2260 | Quantitative Physiology | 3 |
| or HHP:3500 | Human Physiology | |
| BME:2400 | Cell Biology for Engineers (with lab) | 3 |
| BME:2500 | Biomaterials and Biomechanics (with lab) | 4 |
| BIOL:1411 | Foundations of Biology | 4 |
| CHEM:1120 | Principles of Chemistry II | 4 |
| ENGR:2110 | Statics | 2 |
| ENGR:2120 | Electrical Circuits | 3 |
| ENGR:2130 | Thermodynamics | 3 |
| PHYS:1612 | Introductory Physics II (with lab) | 4 |
Capstone Design Courses
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Both of these: | ||
| BME:4910 | Biomedical Engineering Senior Design I | 4 |
| BME:4920 | Biomedical Engineering Senior Design II | 4 |
Focus Area
Students must select focus area courses according to guidelines established by the Roy J. Carver Department of Biomedical Engineering. Biomedical engineering students choose one of four preapproved focus areas: bioimaging, biomechanics and biomaterials, cellular engineering, or computational bioengineering. For details about focus areas and their requirements, visit Curriculum Focus Areas on the department's website.
Each focus area has a group of four required courses (12–13 s.h.) and a list of suggested electives (21 s.h.).
Pre-Medicine Focus Area Electives
Students who choose to pursue pre-medicine can select any focus area and take five of the following courses (16–17 s.h.) as their additional electives.
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Five of these: | ||
| BMB:3110 | Biochemistry | 3 |
| BIOL:1412 | Diversity of Form and Function | 4 |
| BIOL:2512 | Fundamental Genetics | 4 |
| CHEM:2210 | Organic Chemistry I | 3 |
| CHEM:2220 | Organic Chemistry II | 3 |
| CHEM:2410 | Organic Chemistry Laboratory | 3 |
Bioimaging
Required Bioimaging Courses
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| All of these: | ||
| BME:5210/ECE:5470/IGPI:5206 | Medical Imaging Physics | 3 |
| ECE:3330/IGPI:3330 | Introduction to Software Design | 3 |
| ECE:5480/IGPI:5480 | Digital Image Processing | 3 |
| ENGR:2730 | Computers in Engineering | 3 |
Bioimaging Electives
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Two of these: | ||
| BME:5200/IGPI:5212 | Biomedical Signal Processing | 3 |
| BME:5251/IGPI:5251 | Advanced Biosystems | 3 |
| ECE:5330/IGPI:5331 | Graph Algorithms and Combinatorial Optimization | 3 |
| ECE:5450/IGPI:5450 | Machine Learning | 3 |
| ECE:5490 | Multi-Dimensional Image Analysis Tools and Techniques | 3 |
Additional Electives–Bioimaging
The following courses are suggested additional electives for the bioimaging focus area. Students are encouraged to consult their academic advisor when selecting electives.
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| At least 15 s.h. from these: | ||
| BME:5340 | Contemporary Topics in Biomedical Engineering | 3 |
| BME:5441 | Numerical and Statistical Methods for Bioengineering | 3 |
| CS:2210 | Discrete Structures | 3 |
| CS:2230 | Computer Science II: Data Structures | 4 |
| ECE:5460/IGPI:5460 | Digital Signal Processing | 3 |
| MATH:3800/CS:3700 | Introduction to Numerical Methods | 3 |
| Additional courses from the "Bioimaging Electives" list above | 3 | |
| Courses from the "Pre-Medicine Focus Area Electives" list above | 3-4 | |
Biomechanics and Biomaterials
Required Biomechanics and Biomaterials Courses
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| All of these: | ||
| ENGR:2510 | Fluid Mechanics | 4 |
| ENGR:2710 | Dynamics | 3 |
| ENGR:2720 | Materials Science | 3 |
| ENGR:2750 | Mechanics of Deformable Bodies | 3 |
Biomechanics and Biomaterials Electives
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Two of these: | ||
| BME:2710 | Engineering Drawing, Design, and Solid Modeling | 3 |
| BME:5101 | Biomaterials and Implant Design | 3 |
| BME:5510 | Cardiovascular Engineering | 3 |
| BME:5525 | Cardiopulmonary Design and Modeling | 3 |
| BME:5610 | Musculoskeletal Biomechanics | 3 |
Additional Electives–Biomechanics and Biomaterials
The following courses are suggested additional electives for the biomechanics and biomaterials focus area. Students are encouraged to consult their academic advisor when selecting electives.
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| At least 15 s.h. from these: | ||
| BME:3710 | Medical Device Design: The Fundamentals | 3 |
| BME:4710 | Medical Device Design Studio | 3 |
| BME:5340 | Contemporary Topics in Biomedical Engineering | 3 |
| BME:5421 | Cell Material Interactions | 3 |
| BME:5430 | Biotransport | 3 |
| BME:5431 | Biofabrication for Tissue Engineering | 3 |
| BME:5441 | Numerical and Statistical Methods for Bioengineering | 3 |
| BME:5460 | Principles of Microfluidics | 3 |
| BME:5540 | Quantitative Studies of Respiratory and Cardiovascular Systems | 3 |
| BME:5620 | Introduction to Applied Biomedical Finite Element Modeling | 3 |
| BME:5630 | Kinetics of Musculoskeletal Systems | 3 |
| BME:5715 | Advanced Medical Device Design Studio | 3 |
| HHP:1100 | Human Anatomy | 3 |
| HHP:4130 | Skeletal Muscle Physiology | 3 |
| HHP:4460 | Cardiovascular Physiology | 3 |
| ISE:2360 | Design for Manufacturing | 3 |
| or ME:2300 | Manufacturing Processes | |
| ME:4110/CEE:4515 | Computer-Aided Engineering | 3 |
| ME:5143 | Computational Fluid and Thermal Engineering | 3 |
| ME:5150/CEE:5540 | Intermediate Mechanics of Deformable Bodies | 3 |
| ME:5160/CEE:5369 | Intermediate Mechanics of Fluids | 3 |
| ME:5167/CEE:5137 | Composite Materials | 3 |
| OEH:4310 | Occupational Ergonomics: Principles | 3 |
| Additional courses from the "Biomechanics and Biomaterials Electives" list above | 3 | |
| Courses from the "Pre-Medicine Focus Area Electives" list above | 3-4 | |
| May include one of these: | ||
| CEE:4533/IGPI:4115 | Finite Element I | 3 |
| ME:4117 | Finite Element Analysis | 3 |
Cellular Engineering
Required Cellular Engineering Courses
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| All of these: | ||
| BME:5421 | Cell Material Interactions | 3 |
| BME:5430 | Biotransport | 3 |
| BME:5435 | Systems Biology for Biomedical Engineering | 3 |
| ENGR:2750 | Mechanics of Deformable Bodies | 3 |
Cellular Engineering Electives
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Two of these: | ||
| BME:4310/BMB:4310 | Computational Biochemistry | 3 |
| BME:5441 | Numerical and Statistical Methods for Bioengineering | 3 |
| BME:5445 | Stem Cells in Regenerative Engineering | 3 |
| BME:5451 | Research Methods in Cellular Engineering | 3 |
| ECE:5480/IGPI:5480 | Digital Image Processing | 3 |
Additional Electives–Cellular Engineering
The following courses are suggested additional electives for the cellular engineering focus area. Students are encouraged to consult their academic advisor when selecting electives.
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| At least 15 s.h. from these: | ||
| BME:5340 | Contemporary Topics in Biomedical Engineering | 3 |
| BME:5431 | Biofabrication for Tissue Engineering | 3 |
| BME:5460 | Principles of Microfluidics | 3 |
| BME:5525 | Cardiopulmonary Design and Modeling | 3 |
| BMB:3120 | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I | 3 |
| BMB:3130 | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology II | 3 |
| ENGR:2510 | Fluid Mechanics | 4 |
| ENGR:2710 | Dynamics | 3 |
| ENGR:2720 | Materials Science | 3 |
| ENGR:2730 | Computers in Engineering | 2-3 |
| ME:5179/CEE:5179 | Continuum Mechanics | arr. |
| Additional courses from the "Cellular Engineering Electives" list above | 3 | |
| Courses from the "Pre-Medicine Focus Area Electives" list above | 3-4 | |
Computational Bioengineering
Required Computational Bioengineering Courses
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| All of these: | ||
| BME:4310/BMB:4310 | Computational Biochemistry | 3 |
| BME:5335 | Computational Bioinformatics | 3 |
| ECE:3330/IGPI:3330 | Introduction to Software Design | 3 |
| ENGR:2730 | Computers in Engineering | 3 |
Computational Bioengineering Electives
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Two of these: | ||
| ECE:5330/IGPI:5331 | Graph Algorithms and Combinatorial Optimization | 3 |
| ECE:5450/IGPI:5450 | Machine Learning | 3 |
| ECE:5820/CS:5820 | Software Engineering Languages and Tools | 3 |
| ENGR:2130 | Thermodynamics (may not count as an elective if taken to fulfill major requirements) | 3 |
| ENGR:2995 | Introduction to Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Engineering (may not count as an elective if taken to fulfill major requirements) | 3 |
Additional Electives–Computational Bioengineering
The following courses are suggested additional electives for the computational bioengineering focus area. Students are encouraged to consult their academic advisor when selecting electives.
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| At least 15 s.h. from these: | ||
| BME:5340 | Contemporary Topics in Biomedical Engineering | 3 |
| BME:5435 | Systems Biology for Biomedical Engineering | 3 |
| BME:5441 | Numerical and Statistical Methods for Bioengineering | 3 |
| ANTH:2320/GHS:2320 | Origins of Human Infectious Disease | 3 |
| BIOL:3314/IGPI:3314 | Genomics | 3 |
| BIOL:4213/GENE:4213/IGPI:4213 | Bioinformatics | 2,4 |
| CHEM:5431 | Statistical Thermodynamics I | 3 |
| CHEM:5436/IGPI:5436 | Electronic Structure and Informatics in Chemistry | 3 |
| CS:3330 | Algorithms | 3 |
| CS:5350 | Design and Analysis of Algorithms | 3 |
| ECE:5800/CS:5800 | Fundamentals of Software Engineering | 3 |
| ECE:5995 | Contemporary Topics in Electrical and Computer Engineering (when topic is applied machine learning) | 3 |
| Additional courses from the "Computational Bioengineering Electives" list above | 3 | |
| Courses from the "Pre-Medicine Focus Area Electives" list above | 3-4 | |
Undergraduate to Graduate (U2G Programs)
Bachelor of Science in Engineering students in biomedical engineering may pair their degree with an Undergraduate to Graduate (U2G) program, which allows the student to earn a bachelors and masters degree in five years of study. BME undergraduates are eligible to apply for the below U2G graduate programs and any other participating U2G programs. See the Undergraduate to Graduate (U2G) website for available programs.
BSE/MS in Biomedical Engineering
The College of Engineering offers a combined Bachelor of Science in Engineering/Master of Science for biomedical engineering undergraduate students who intend to earn an MS in biomedical engineering. Students admitted to this program are allowed to apply up to 12 s.h. of graduate coursework towards both the BSE and MS degree requirements, and attend and participate in the departmental graduate seminar. Students may begin to work on their coursework or master's thesis starting as early as the summer following the junior year of undergraduate studies.
Students applying to the BSE/MS program in biomedical engineering must meet the following criteria at the time of application:
- a minimum of 80 s.h. completed towards their BSE degree;
- a cumulative grade-point average of 3.50 or higher; and
- identification of a research mentor if pursuing a thesis master's degree.
BSE/MPH (Occupational and Environmental Health Subprogram)
The combined BSE in biomedical engineering/MPH with the occupational and environmental health subprogram enables undergraduate students majoring in biomedical engineering to begin work toward the MPH degree while completing their bachelor's degree. Students may count 15 s.h. of credit toward both the BSE and the MPH degree requirements. See the Master of Public Health, MPH (occupational and environmental health subprogram) in the catalog.
BSE/MS in Electrical and Computer Engineering
BSE students majoring in biomedical engineering who are interested in earning a Master of Science in electrical and computer engineering may apply to the combined BSE/MS program offered by the College of Engineering. The combined program permits students to count a limited amount of credit toward the requirements of both degrees. See the MS in electrical and computer engineering in the catalog.
BSE (Biomechanics and Biomaterials Track)/MS in Occupational and Environmental Health (Industrial Hygiene Subprogram)
BSE students majoring in biomedical engineering in the biomechanics and biomaterials track who are interested in earning a Master of Science in occupational and environmental health with an industrial hygiene subprogram may apply to the combined BSE/MS program offered by the College of Engineering and the College of Public Health. The combined program permits students to count a limited amount of credit toward the requirements of both degrees, enabling them to begin the study of public health before they complete the bachelor's degree. See the MS in occupational and environmental health Undergraduate to Graduate (U2G) information on the Department of Occupational and Environmental Health (College of Public Health) website.
BSE graduates with a major in biomedical engineering may pursue career opportunities in biomedical industries, such as design and development of biomedical instrumentation, diagnostic aids, life support systems, prosthetic and orthotic devices, and man-machine systems; or they may pursue traditional career opportunities in industry, such as those rooted in mechanical or electrical engineering disciplines. Other career options are available in government (Food and Drug Administration, Environmental Protection Agency, National Institutes of Health, Veterans Affairs). Some biomedical engineering graduates elect to continue formal education in engineering, medicine, or law. On average, 93–98% of graduates are employed in their field of study or pursuing advanced education within seven months of graduation.
Engineering Career Services develops and promotes experiential education and professional opportunities for students in the College of Engineering. Professional staff coordinate the college's co-op and internship program, engage in employer outreach, and provide opportunities for students to network with employers, including an engineering career fair each semester and other programming related to career development.
Engineering Career Services offers individual advising and class presentations on résumé and cover letter preparation, job and internship search strategies, interviewing skills, job offer evaluation, and much more. Engineering Career Services partners with the Pomerantz Career Center to facilitate on-campus interviewing, postgraduation outcome collection, and the university's online recruiting system, Handshake.
Sample Plan of Study
Sample plans represent one way to complete a program of study. Actual course selection and sequence will vary and should be discussed with an academic advisor. For additional sample plans, see MyUI.
Biomedical Engineering, BSE
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | |
| RHET:1030 | Rhetoric a | 4 |
| CHEM:1110 | Principles of Chemistry I a, b | 4 |
| MATH:1550 | Engineering Mathematics I: Single Variable Calculus c, d | 4 |
| ENGR:1100 | Introduction to Engineering Problem Solving e | 3 |
| ENGR:1000 | Engineering Success for First-Year Students e | 1 |
| CSI:1600 | Success at Iowa | 0 |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| MATH:1560 | Engineering Mathematics II: Multivariable Calculus c | 4 |
| MATH:2550 | Engineering Mathematics III: Matrix Algebra a | 2 |
| CHEM:1120 | Principles of Chemistry II a | 4 |
| PHYS:1611 | Introductory Physics I c | 4 |
| ENGR:1300 | Introduction to Engineering Computing c | 3 |
| BME:1010 | First-Year Forum f | 1 |
| Hours | 18 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| MATH:2560 | Engineering Mathematics IV: Differential Equations a | 3 |
| BIOL:1411 | Foundations of Biology a | 4 |
| ENGR:2110 | Statics a | 2 |
| ENGR:2120 | Electrical Circuits a | 3 |
| ENGR:2995 or ENGR:2130 |
Introduction to Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Engineering g or Thermodynamics |
3 |
| BME:2010 | Professional Seminar: Biomedical Engineering e | 1 |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| BIOS:4120 or STAT:3510 |
Introduction to Biostatistics h or Biostatistics |
3 |
| BME:2200 | Systems, Instrumentation, and Data Acquisition c | 4 |
| HHP:3500 or BME:2260 |
Human Physiology or Quantitative Physiology |
3 |
| BME:2400 | Cell Biology for Engineers c | 3 |
| BME:2500 | Biomaterials and Biomechanics c | 4 |
| Hours | 17 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| GE: Approved Course Subjects i | 3 | |
| GE: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion j | 3 | |
| PHYS:1612 | Introductory Physics II a | 4 |
| BME:2210 | Bioimaging and Bioinformatics c | 4 |
| Focus Area: required course k | 3 | |
| Hours | 17 | |
| Spring | ||
| GE: Engineering Be Creative l | 3 | |
| GE: Approved Course Subjects i | 3 | |
| Focus Area: required course k | 3 | |
| Focus Area: topic elective k | 3 | |
| Focus Area: additional elective k, m | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| BME:4910 | Biomedical Engineering Senior Design I e | 4 |
| Focus Area: required course k | 3 | |
| Focus Area: required course k | 3 | |
| Focus Area: topic elective k | 3 | |
| Focus Area: additional elective k, m | 3 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| GE: Approved Course Subjects i | 3 | |
| BME:4920 | Biomedical Engineering Senior Design II f | 4 |
| Focus Area: additional elective k, m | 3 | |
| Focus Area: additional elective k, m | 3 | |
| Focus Area: additional elective k, m | 3 | |
| Degree Application: apply on MyUI before deadline (typically in February for spring, September for fall) n | ||
| Hours | 16 | |
| Total Hours | 131 | |
- a
- Typically this course is offered in fall, spring, and summer sessions. Check MyUI for course availability since offerings are subject to change.
- b
- Enrollment in chemistry courses requires completion of a placement exam.
- c
- Typically this course is offered in fall and spring semesters. Check MyUI for course availability since offerings are subject to change.
- d
- Enrollment in math courses requires completion of a placement exam.
- e
- Typically this course is offered in fall semesters only. Check MyUI for course availability since offerings are subject to change.
- f
- Typically this course is offered in spring semesters only. Check MyUI for course availability since offerings are subject to change.
- g
- Students in the bioimaging or computational bioengineering focus areas can choose to take either ENGR:2130 or ENGR:2995; students in the biomechanics and biomaterials or cellular engineering focus areas are required to take ENGR:2130.
- h
- BIOS:4120 typically is offered in fall, spring, and summer sessions; STAT:3510 typically is offered in fall and spring sessions. Check MyUI for course availability since offerings are subject to change.
- i
- See General Catalog for list of approved course subjects.
- j
- Students select a course from one of two GE CLAS Core areas: Diversity and Inclusion or Values and Culture.
- k
- Students majoring in biomedical engineering select one of four preapproved focus areas: bioimaging, biomechanics and biomaterials, cellular engineering, or computational bioengineering. Each focus area consists of a group of four required courses (12-13 s.h.), two focus area-specific elective courses (6 s.h.), and additional suggested electives (15 s.h.). See General Catalog or consult an advisor for more information.
- l
- See General Catalog for list of approved courses. Students who intend to enroll in a Be Creative course with prerequisites must request a waiver by completing the Request Prerequisite Special Permission form on MyUI.
- m
- Students who choose to pursue pre-medicine can select any focus area and take five of the following courses as their additional electives: BMB:3110, BIOL:1412, BIOL:2512, CHEM:2210, CHEM:2220, or CHEM:2410.
- n
- Please see Academic Calendar, Office of the Registrar website for current degree application deadlines. Students should apply for a degree for the session in which all requirements will be met. For any questions on appropriate timing, contact your academic advisor or Graduation Services.