Biomedical Engineering, BSBE

Pre-Medicine Concentration

Program Description

The Department of Biomedical, Industrial, and Human Factors Engineering offers an undergraduate program in biomedical engineering leading to the Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering. The Bachelor of Science program in Biomedical Engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, www.abet.org, under the General Criteria and the Program Criteria for Bioengineering and Biomedical and Similarly Named Engineering Programs. Biomedical engineering is concerned with solving and understanding problems in biology and medicine by using principles, methods, and approaches drawn from engineering science and technology. Biomedical engineering students work in modern teaching laboratories structured around computer-based engineering workstations and receive intensive academic training in engineering design and analysis principles as well as life science concepts. The senior design course integrates learning in previous engineering courses to solve actual biomedical engineering problems that help prepare students for employment or graduate study. The curriculum provides a solid foundation of courses in physical, life, and engineering sciences, as well as mathematics. Courses in biomedical engineering advance and apply the engineering science to medical devices and living systems.

Current efforts in biomedical engineering at Wright State University include developing medical and surgical instrumentation, designing rehabilitative assistive and intelligent prosthetic/orthotic devices, biomimetics, orthopedic implants, tissue engineering constructs with stem cells (heart, chronic wounds, bone, central nervous system), nanomedicine (nanoparticles for treating various types of cancer and atherosclerosis), and biomedical microdevices. Many of these areas require interfacing complex systems with computer data acquisition and subsequent modeling and analysis with modern engineering software.

Two separate curricula are available. Curriculum A is the traditional ABET-accredited degree program. Curriculum B, in addition to being ABET accredited, prepares students to apply for medical school or other medical/health science graduate programs. Students who transfer between curricula must complete the final curriculum in total.

Biomedical engineers are employed in industry, hospitals, research facilities, government laboratories, and universities in areas such as artificial organs, biomechanics, drug delivery systems, automated patient monitoring, artificial joints, prosthetics, and medical imaging technologies. Graduates may also pursue graduate studies in engineering or life sciences.

Admission Requirements

Biomedical engineering students must meet the following requirements for full admission into the BSBE program: 

• Completion of 24 or more semester hours of college level work
• 2.25 cumulative GPA at Wright State and in all academic work
• C or higher in ENG 1100   (or any Wright State Core First-Year Writing Course)
• C or higher in CHM 1210 /CHM 1210L   or PHY 2400 /PHY 2400L  
• C or higher in EGR 1010  or MTH 2300  

Program Objectives

The BSBE Program Educational Objectives (PEOs) are for graduates to attain within a few years of graduation.  Our biomedical engineering graduates:

1. Have worked successfully in an engineering or related field, leading to advancement and opportunities for greater responsibility or increased level of skill.
2. Have expanded their knowledge and capabilities by adapting to evolving technology and workforce needs through sustained learning applicable to the discipline through self-study, professional training programs, and graduate education.
3. Have created engineering solutions and put engineering principles into practice, while successfully leading, managing, or working in diverse and cross-functional teams.
4. Have demonstrated ongoing consideration of engineering work ethics and professionalism consistent with societal and environmental needs.
5. Inspire and serve as mentors for the next generation of engineers

Program Learning Outcomes

As a result of their learning experiences, students graduating from the Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering program have:

• An ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics
• An ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors
• An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences
• An ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts
• An ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives
• An ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions
• An ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.

For More Information

• Biomedical Engineering, BSBE
• Department of Biomedical, Industrial and Human Factors Engineering
• College of Engineering and Computer Science