Program Overview

Introduction to the Undergraduate Program

The Lampe Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering offers students access to state-of-the-art equipment and facilities at the University of North Carolina and NC State University. This unique relationship provides opportunities for research, group collaboration, coursework, and exposure to experts in medicine and engineering across both campuses.

What is Biomedical Engineering?

Biomedical engineering provides a well-rounded science education to students interested in changing the world through medicine, engineering, and technology. It covers a wide field of interests, including rehabilitation engineering, pharmacoengineering, drug delivery devices, prosthetic devices, and medical imaging technology development (such as MRI, CT, Ultrasound, and X-ray).

Career Prospects

The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that entry-level jobs available to biomedical engineering undergraduates will continue to grow faster than average over the next decade. Biomedical engineers are typically employed by hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, medical device companies, consulting firms, government agencies, universities, and biotechnology companies. Some graduates will go on to further their education by attending graduate or professional school.

The Joint Program Experience

An undergraduate degree in biomedical engineering can be completed entirely through courses hosted at a student’s home campus. However, students may choose to take courses on either campus to suit their individual educational needs. The Joint Department offers the distinct benefit of permitting students to access courses and resources across both universities.

• Key aspects of the joint program include:
  • Students are never required to travel to the partner campus.
  • NC State and UNC-Chapel Hill ensure students are entitled to full standing across each university system.
  • After completing core courses and being accepted to the joint program, students are provided affiliate credentials to the partner campus.
  • This partnership provides students the flexibility to access both academic and non-academic opportunities at both campuses.

Program Accreditation and Degree

Upon completion of the program, students are awarded a degree in Biomedical and Health Sciences Engineering, which is accredited by ABET’s Engineering Accreditation Commission. The diploma bears the seals and signatures of both universities.

The UNC | NC State Partnership

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University formally brought together their strengths and reputations to establish the Joint Department in 2003. This partnership provides an ideal environment for biomedical engineers to develop dynamic competencies in the pursuit of clinical-based problems facing society.

• Key aspects of the partnership include:
  • The nationally ranked UNC Health System and UNC School of Medicine impart an innovative clinical environment for students.
  • NC State’s College of Engineering is one of the world’s best engineering programs.
  • The university is also home to a nationally top-ranked College of Veterinary Medicine.

Program Overview

The Joint Department is committed to excellence in teaching and research, providing students with a comprehensive education in biomedical engineering. The program is designed to prepare students for a wide range of career opportunities in the field.