Biomedical Engineering
What can you do with a degree in Biomedical Engineering (BME)? BME is among the most versatile degrees you can earn to make a difference at the intersection of engineering and medicine. Biomedical engineers work in clinical research, in the medical device or pharmaceutical industries, for government agencies such as the FDA or US Patent and Trademark Office, and often pursue advanced degrees in BME, medicine, management, or law. Where will your degree take you? This rigorous program prepares you for a career in the medical industry and is an ideal stepping-stone to graduate, medical, or law school. Biomedical Engineering majors may pursue our Six-year Engineering/Law program to work as a patent attorney in the medical field, saving time and tuition.
Why Choose Biomedical Engineering?
Biomedical engineers directly impact the health and well-being of people across the world. With knowledge of both engineering and biological principles, biomedical engineers are at the cutting edge of medical breakthroughs such as novel surgical technologies or individualized cancer treatments. By imagining and developing devices and procedures, biomedical engineers can change the face of medicine.
What Will You Study?
Our core curriculum spans the field of biomedical engineering with courses such as bioinstrumentation, engineering physiology, biomechanics, and biomaterials. To apply knowledge learned in the classroom, you will complete four laboratory courses where you’ll hone your experimental skills. In your junior and senior years, you will chose four “sequence electives” that will allow you to specialize in a particular field. The curriculum is capped off by your two-semester Senior Design Project. You will also have the opportunity to study Global Health and Technology in a unique study abroad summer seminar in Guatemala.
We also offer programs to accelerate your studies to achieve your personal goals. These programs include:
- Five-year Bachelor/Master of Science in Engineering Management
- Five-year Bachelor/MBA Program
- Six-year Engineering/Law Program
Each of these accelerated programs allows you to finish both your Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering and one of the graduate programs a year earlier, saving you both time and money.
Program Educational Objectives and Student Outcomes
Educational Objectives
Graduates of the Western New England University Biomedical Engineering Program will, in their professional endeavors,
- function successfully in a variety of environments including industry, hospitals/clinics, government, graduate school, or professional school;
- function as productive team members and leaders to solve engineering problems, including those at the interface of medicine and engineering;
- have an awareness of safety, ethics, sustainability, and/or societal concerns,
- communicate complex technical concepts, both in written and oral communication, to diverse audiences; and
- be actively engaged in life-long learning such as participating or leading in relevant professional societies, continuing their education, or attending relevant workshops, meetings, or seminars.
Student Outcomes
The outcomes for the Biomedical Engineering program were chosen so that graduates will be prepared to meet the program objectives. Thus, graduates of the Biomedical Engineering program will have:
- an ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering;
- an ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data;
- an ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs within realistic constraints such as economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, manufacturability, and sustainability;
- an ability to function on multidisciplinary teams;
- an ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems;
- an understanding of professional and ethical responsibility;
- an ability to communicate effectively;
- the broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global, economic, environmental, and societal context;
- a recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in life-long learning;
- a knowledge of contemporary issues; and
- an ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice.
Enrollment and Degree Statistics
Enrollment
|
2009
|
2010
|
2011
|
2012
|
2013
|
2014
|
2015
|
2016
|
|
| Full-time |
36
|
57
|
74
|
86
|
91
|
92
|
114
|
108
|
| Part-time |
2
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
5
|
3
|
3
|
Bachelor's Degrees Awarded
| Academic Year |
2008-09
|
2009-10
|
2010-11
|
2011-12
|
2012-13
|
2013-14
|
2014-15
|
2015-16
|
| Degrees |
6
|
7
|
7
|
8
|
11
|
18
|
17
|
20
|
Career Opportunities
Graduates of the Biomedical Engineering program find employment in the medical device and pharmaceutical industries, as well as in hospitals, research organizations, and government agencies. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, biomedical engineering employment is predicted to grow 27% from 2012 to 2022, much faster than the average occupation.
Alternatively, our graduates pursue advanced degrees in fields such as biomedical engineering, engineering management, medicine, dentistry, prosthetics and orthotics, and public health. Recent graduates have been accepted at prestigious institutions including Cornell University, Duke University, St. Louis University, University of Arizona, University of Maryland, University of Michigan, University of Pittsburgh, Wake Forest University, West Virginia University, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
Internships and Study Abroad
Internships
Students are encouraged to take on internships to apply their classroom knowledge to the engineering industry. Recent internship sites include BIND Therapeutics, Boyd Technologies, CIRTEC Medical Systems, Coherent, Inc., Sano-Genzyme, AngioDynamics, Innovate, Inc., Materion Corporation, Medtronic/Covidien, and Stryker Orthobiologics.
Engineering Abroad
Biomedical Engineering students may participate in the University-wide Global Health & Technology course that includes a 10-day trip to Guatemala for healthcare assessments in both rural and urban settings.
Research Opportunities
Our students participate in research projects with faculty and collaborate on projects within their majors and beyond. They also have opportunities to travel regionally and nationally to present their design projects and research papers at professional conferences.
Recent examples of research include:- Working with Dr. Anthony English on the development of test platforms for cancer drug research, which could have a significant impact on cancer drug development
- Creating a breathalyzer device that accurately tests the blood sugar of people with diabetes with Dr. Michael Rust and Dr. Ronny Priefer
Student Competitions
There are several student competitions each year that allow you to present your hard work and go head-to-head with students from other schools. Entries include design projects, academic papers, and research conducted with faculty members. Students have recently won awards from the American Society for Engineering Education Northeast Conference and the Northeast Bioengineering Conference.
Labs and Facilities
Sleith Hall, home to the Department of Biomedical Engineering, has recently completed a $12.8 million renovation and expansion. Constructed and renovated as part of the project, the Biomedical Engineering Labs include a Bioinstrumentation Lab, a Hospital Suite built to simulate a hospital room environment, and a Physiology Lab with capabilities to analyze mammalian cells and physiological systems. Our students use our laboratories for design projects, experiments, and study.
Clubs & Organizations
Biomedical Engineering students may have interests in: Biomedical Engineering Society, Society of Women Engineers, National Society of Black Engineers, Society of Women Engineers (SWE), FIRST® Robotics Club, Math Club, Entrepreneurship Club, Pre-Med Club, and Pre-Law Society. Many of our students also participate in varsity and intramural sports, special interest groups, and student government.
Faculty
Nationally recognized for their teaching, research, and professional service, the Biomedical Engineering faculty will serve as mentors and advisors as well as your professors. With expertise spanning the biomedical engineering field, they will educate you on the latest topics in the field from biomaterials, bioinstrumentation, cell and tissue engineering, biomechanics, and beyond. Our Biomedical Engineering faculty have extensive experience in industry as well as academic and government labs.
Accreditation
Program leading to BS in Biomedical Engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, www.abet.org.
Unique Learning Opportunities
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First Year Program
"Design, innovation and entrepreneurial thinking from day one" is the cornerstone of engineering education at Western New England University. Our first year engineering program teams students up to design, code, and prototype a robot to compete in the Bot Battle at the end of the first semester. In the second semester, data acquisition and processing, ethical standards, communication, and business skills are developed. Student teams design a product to improve lives through the application of smart technology. The prototypes are presented at the Emerging Engineers Expo at the end of the year.
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Senior Design Projects
Working with our clinical or industrial partners, you will take what you've learned in the classroom and use it to solve a real problem. You'll apply FDA design controls to your design, mimicking the regulatory processes you will follow in the medical industry, preparing you to make immediate contributions upon graduation. Several projects have resulted in patents for their designs. Examples of recent projects include a device to stop excessive bleeding following a biopsy and a portable breathalyzer to measure the blood sugar level in people with diabetes.
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HERE'S WHAT OUR STUDENTS HAVE TO SAY
What does a Fulbright Scholar researching regenerative medicine in the Netherlands, the president of his own startup company begun from a campus entrepreneurship competition, and recent law graduates pursuing careers in patent law have in common? They all graduated from the BME program. Read why they think you should, too!
In their Own Words
