Program Overview

Introduction to the School of Biomedical Engineering

The School of Biomedical Engineering at the University of British Columbia offers a unique and interdisciplinary program that combines engineering, medicine, and healthcare. The program is designed to provide students with a comprehensive education in biomedical engineering, preparing them for careers in industry, healthcare, or research.

Program Overview

The undergraduate program in Biomedical Engineering is fully accredited by the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board of the Canadian Council of Professional Engineers. The program is customizable, allowing students to specialize in one of five areas: Biomechanics, Cellular and Molecular Engineering, Biomedical Informatics, Biomaterials, and Signals and Systems.

Curriculum

The curriculum for the Biomedical Engineering program is as follows:

Year 2

• BMEG 201: Technical Communication for Biomedical Engineers (3 credits)
• BMEG 210: Thermodynamics in Biomedical Engineering (3 credits)
• BMEG 220: Circuits and Electromagnetics with Application to Biomedical Engineering (4 credits)
• BMEG 230: Biomechanics I (4 credits)
• BMEG 245: The Fundamental Units of Life: From Cells to Systems (4 credits)
• BMEG 250: Cellular Physiology and Biophysics (4 credits)
• BMEG 257: Biomedical Engineering Design I (4 credits)
• CPEN 221 OR CPEN 223: Principles of Software Construction OR Software Design for Engineers (4 credits)
• MATH 253: Multivariable Calculus (3 credits)
• MATH 256: Differential Equations (3 credits)
• MATH 264: Vector Calculus for Electrical Engineering (1 credit)

Year 3

• BIOC 202: Introductory Medical Biochemistry (3 credits)
• BMEG 310: Introduction to Bioinformatics (4 credits)
• BMEG 321: Biomedical Instrumentation (3 credits)
• BMEG 350: Human Structure/Function from Cells to Systems (4 credits)
• BMEG 357: Biomedical Engineering Design II (3 credits)
• BMEG 371: Transport Phenomena within Cells and Tissues (3 credits)
• CHEM 233: Organic Chemistry for the Biological Sciences (3 credits)
• CHEM 235: Organic Chemistry Laboratory (1 credit)
• STAT 251: Elementary Statistics (3 credits)
• Technical Electives (6 credits)
• Complementary Studies Electives (3 credits)

Year 4

• BMEG 401: Economics of Health Care Solutions (3 credits)
• BMEG 455: Professionalism and Ethics in Biomedical Engineering (3 credits)
• BMEG 457: Biomedical Engineering Design Project (6 credits)
• STAT 300: Intermediate Statistics for Applications (3 credits)
• Technical Electives (15 credits)
• Complementary Studies Electives (6 credits)

Technical Electives

Students must choose at least 21 credits from the following list of technical electives, totaling no fewer than 180 Accreditation Units (AUs):

• APSC 278: Engineering Materials (3 credits, 36.6 AUs)
• APSC 279: Engineering Materials Laboratory (1 credit, 6.1 AUs)
• APSC 486: New Venture Design (6 credits, 72 AUs)
• BMEG 320: Bioengineering Feedback Systems and Control (3 credits, 42.7 AUs)
• BMEG 330: Biomechanics II (3 credits, 42.7 AUs)
• BMEG 372: Biomedical Materials and Drug Delivery (3 credits, 42.7 AUs)
• BMEG 373: Microfluids (3 credits, 36.6 AUs)
• BMEG 374: Cellular Bioengineering Lab (3 credits, 18.3 AUs)
• BMEG 400J: Immunoengineering (3 credits, 36.6 AUs)
• BMEG 400K: Wearables (3 credits, 36 AUs)
• BMEG 400L: Microfluidics (3 credits, 27.45 AUs)
• BMEG 400Q: Medical Image Processing with Introduction to Machine Learning (3 credits, 42 AUs)
• BMEG 400R: Prototyping Intensive (1.5 credits, 19 AUs)
• BMEG 420: Medical Imaging (3 credits, 36.6 AUs)
• BMEG 421: Linear Optical Systems (3 credits, 36.6 AUs)
• BMEG 422: Modern Biomedical Optical Imaging (3 credits, 36.6 AUs)
• BMEG 423: Clinical Informatics (3 credits, 36.6 AUs)
• BMEG 424: Genome Informatics (3 credits, 36.6 AUs)
• BMEG 425: Bioionics and Robotics (3 credits, 36.6 AUs)
• BMEG 426: Synthetic Biology Intensive (3 credits, 40 AUs)
• BMEG 470: Cellular Responses to Forces and Biomaterials (3 credits, 18.3 AUs)
• BMEG 474: Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine (3 credits, 36.6 AUs)
• BMEG 490A/B: Introduction to Academic Research (3/6 credits, 39.9/79.8 AUs)
• CHBE 251: Transport Phenomena I (3 credits, 14.64 AUs)
• CHBE 381: Biological Engineering and Bio-Manufacturing I (3 credits, 29.89 AUs)
• CHBE 481: Bioprocess Engineering II (4 credits, 32.025 AUs)
• CPEN 312: Digital Systems and Microcomputers (3 credits, 42.7 AUs)
• CPEN 321: Software Engineering (4 credits, 48.8 AUs)
• CPEN 421: Software Project Management (4 credits, 32.208 AUs)
• CPEN 441: Human Computer Interfaces in Engineering Design (4 credits, 48.8 AUs)
• CPSC 121: Models of Computation (4 credits, 36.6 AUs)
• CPSC 221: Basic Algorithms and Data Structures (4 credits, 36.6 AUs)
• CPSC 302: Numerical Computation for Algebraic Problems (3 credits, 18.3 AUs)
• CPSC 303: Numerical Approximation and Discretization (3 credits, 18.3 AUs)
• CPSC 304: Introduction to Relational Databases (3 credits, 42.7 AUs)
• CPSC 320: Intermediate Algorithm Design and Analysis (3 credits, 42.7 AUs)
• CPSC 322: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (3 credits, 27.45 AUs)
• CPSC 330: Applied Machine Learning (3 credits, 32.025 AUs)
• CPSC 340: Machine Learning and Data Mining (3 credits, 32.025 AUs)
• CPSC 344: Introduction to Human Computer Interaction Methods (3 credits, 48.8 AUs)
• CPSC 425: Computer Vision (3 credits, 27.45 AUs)
• CPSC 445: Algorithms in Bioinformatics (3 credits, 18.3 AUs)
• ELEC 221: Signals and Systems (4 credits, 48.8 AUs)
• ELEC 331: Computer Communications (4 credits, 48.8 AUs)
• ELEC 421: Digital Systems and Image Processing (3 credits, 27.45 AUs)
• ELEC 422: Biosignals and Systems (3 credits, 36.6 AUs)
• ELEC 442: Introduction to Robotics (3 credits, 36.6 AUs)
• ELEC 462: Sensors and Actuators in Microsystems (3 credits, 36.6 AUs)
• ELEC 463: Micro/Nanofabrication and Instrumentation Laboratory (3 credits, 42.7 AUs)
• ELEC 465: Microsystems Design (3 credits, 36.6 AUs)
• ELEC 473: Biological Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (3 credits, 36.6 AUs)
• MECH 260: Introduction to Mechanics of Materials (3 credits, 42.7 AUs)
• MECH 360: Solid Mechanics (3 credits, 42.7 AUs)
• MECH 380: Fluid Dynamics (3 credits, 32.025 AUs)
• MECH 410D: Engineering Dynamics (3 credits, 27.45 AUs)
• MECH 433: Biofluids (3 credits, 42.7 AUs)
• MECH 436: Fundamentals of Injury Biomechanics (3 credits, 32.025 AUs)
• MECH 462: Finite Element Analysis (3 credits, 33.55 AUs)
• MECH 463: Mechanical Vibrations (4 credits, 48.8 AUs)
• MECH 464: Industrial Robotics (3 credits, 25.62 AUs)
• MECH 469: Dynamic Systems Models (3 credits, 36.6 AUs)
• BMEG 495: Biomaterials (3 credits, 26.352 AUs)
• BIOC 302: General Biochemistry (3 credits, 0 AUs)
• CAPS 421: Advanced Cellular & Molecular Physiology (3 credits, 0 AUs)
• CHEM 211: Introduction to Chemical Analysis (4 credits, 0 AUs)
• MATH 220: Mathematical Proof (3 credits, 0 AUs)
• MICB 202: Introductory Medical Microbiology and Immunology (3 credits, 0 AUs)
• MICB 212: Introductory Immunology and Virology (3 credits, 0 AUs)
• MICB 302: Immunology (3 credits, 0 AUs)
• MICB 306: Molecular Virology (3 credits, 0 AUs)
• PHYS 305: Introduction to Biophysics (3 credits, 23.79 AUs)
• STAT 406: Methods for Statistical Learning (3 credits, 0 AUs)

Specialization Course Combinations

The following are examples of specialization course combinations:

• Biomaterials:
  • APSC 278: Engineering Materials (3 credits, 36.3 AUs)
  • BMEG 372: Biomedical Materials and Drug Delivery (3 credits, 42.7 AUs)
  • BMEG 373: Microfluids (3 credits, 36.6 AUs)
  • BMEG 470: Cellular Responses to Forces and Biomaterials (3 credits, 18.3 AUs)
  • BMEG 495: Biomaterials (3 credits, 26.352 AUs)
  • BMEG 400L: Experimental Microfluidics (3 credits, 27.45 AUs)
  • ELEC 463: Micro/Nano-fabrication and Instrumentation Laboratory (3 credits, 42.7 AUs)
• Biomechanics:
  • BMEG 330: Biomechanics II (3 credits, 42.7 AUs)
  • CHBE 251: Transport Phenomena I (3 credits, 14.64 AUs)
  • MECH 260: Introduction to Mechanics of Materials (3 credits, 42.7 AUs)
  • MECH 360: Solid Mechanics (3 credits, 42.7 AUs)
  • MECH 410D: Engineering Dynamics (3 credits, 27.45 AUs)
  • MECH 433: Biofluids (3 credits, 42.7 AUs)
  • MECH 436: Fundamentals of Injury Biomechanics (3 credits, 42.7 AUs)
• Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering:
  • BMEG 374: Cellular Bioengineering Lab (3 credits, 18.3 AUs)
  • BMEG 400J: Immunoengineering (3 credits, 36.6 AUs)
  • BMEG 470: Cellular Responses to Forces and Biomaterials (3 credits, 18.3 AUs)
  • CHBE 481: Biological Engineering and Biomanufacturing II (4 credits, 32.025 AUs)
  • BMEG 474: Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine (3 credits, 36.6 AUs)
  • BMEG 373: Microfluidics (3 credits, 36.6 AUs)
  • CHBE 381: Biological Engineering and Biomanufacturing I (3 credits, 29.89 AUs)
• Biomedical Informatics:
  • BMEG 424: Genome Informatics (3 credits, 36.6 AUs)
  • CPSC 121: Models of Computation (4 credits, 36.6 AUs)
  • CPSC 221: Basic Algorithms and Data Structures (4 credits, 36.6 AUs)
  • CPSC 320: Intermediate Algorithm Design and Analysis (3 credits, 42.7 AUs)
  • CPSC 425: Computer Vision (3 credits, 27.45 AUs)
  • BMEG 423: Clinical Informatics (3 credits, 36.6 AUs)
  • ELEC 422: Biosignals and Systems (3 credits, 36.6 AUs)
• Signals and Systems:
  • BMEG 420: Medical Imaging (3 credits, 36.6 AUs)
  • BMEG 425: Bioionics and Robotics (3 credits, 36.6 AUs)
  • CPSP 330: Applied Machine Learning (3 credits, 32.025 AUs)
  • ELEC 221: Signals and Systems (4 credits, 48.8 AUs)
  • ELEC 421: Digital Systems and Image Processing (4 credits, 27.45 AUs)
  • ELEC 462: Sensors and Actuators in Microsystems (3 credits, 36.3 AUs)
  • ELEC 463: Micro / Nano-fabrication and Instrumentation Laboratory (3 credits, 42.7 AUs)

Conclusion

The School of Biomedical Engineering at the University of British Columbia offers a comprehensive and interdisciplinary program that prepares students for careers in industry, healthcare, or research. The program is customizable, allowing students to specialize in one of five areas: Biomechanics, Cellular and Molecular Engineering, Biomedical Informatics, Biomaterials, and Signals and Systems. With a strong focus on technical electives and specialization course combinations, students can tailor their education to meet their individual interests and career goals.