Create your own path. Biomedical Engineering is constantly evolving to stay at the forefront of innovation. Biomedical Engineering degrees at SBME are customizable to reflect the interdisciplinary and interconnected nature of engineering, medicine and healthcare. Beginning in third year, you can specialize your technical electives, giving you an excellent background for a career in the ever-changing areas of industry, healthcare or research.
Your biomedical engineering degree is interdisciplinary, and your technical electives can reflect this based on what you choose. For example, you may want to take courses related to the five following areas:
- Biomechanics
- Cellular and Molecular Engineering
- Biomedical Informatics
- Biomaterials
- Signals and Systems
Key Details
At the end of your degree, whichever direction you choose to go, you’re a Biomedical Engineer. Specializations are not listed on your transcript, but they will help guide you as you move forward into your career.
The undergraduate program is fully accredited by the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board of the Canadian Council of Professional Engineers. As such, technical electives must meet the minimum Accreditation Units (AU) assigned to each course. To see all technical electives and their AU’s, review the “Technical Electives” section below.
CORE COURSES
The below tables detail courses that all Biomedical Engineering Students take during their degree.
YEAR 2
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BMEG 201 | Technical Communication for Biomedical Engineers | 3 |
| BMEG 210 | Thermodynamics in Biomedical Engineering | 3 |
| BMEG 220 | Circuits and Electromagnetics with Application to Biomedical Engineering | 4 |
| BMEG 230 | Biomechanics I | 4 |
| BMEG 245 | The Fundamental Units of Life: From Cells To Systems | 4 |
| BMEG 250 | Cellular Physiology and Biophysics | 4 |
| BMEG 257 | Biomedical Engineering Design I | 4 |
| CPEN 221B OR CPEN 223 1 | Principles of Software Construction OR Software Design for Engineers | 4 |
| MATH 253 | Multivariable Calculus | 3 |
| MATH 256 | Differential equations | 3 |
| MATH 2642 | Vector Calculus for Electrical Engineering | 1 |
| Total | 37 |
1 CPEN 221 is recommended for those interested in Bioinformatics and/or Biomedical Systems & Signals
2 Delivered with BMEG 220
YEAR 3
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIOC 202 | Introductory Medical Biochemistry | 3 |
| BMEG 310 | Introduction to Bioinformatics | 4 |
| BMEG 321 | Biomedical Instrumentation | 3 |
| BMEG 350 | Human Structure/Function from Cells to Systems | 4 |
| BMEG 357 | Biomedical Engineering Design II | 3 |
| BMEG 371 | Transport Phenomena within Cells and Tissues | 3 |
| CHEM 233 | Organic Chemistry for the Biological Sciences | 3 |
| CHEM 235 | Organic Chemistry Laboratory | 1 |
| STAT 251 | Elementary Statistics | 3 |
| Technical Electives | 6 |
|
| Complementary Studies Electives | 3 |
|
| Total | 36 |
YEAR 4
SELECTING YOUR ELECTIVES
The Biomedical Engineering program offered by the UBC SBME is accredited following guidelines from the Accreditation Board of Engineers Canada (ABEC).
According to these guidelines, our program must meet a minimum of Engineering Science and Engineering Design content, quantified for each course as a single number called the Accreditation Unit (AU).
For your Technical Electives, you must choose at least 21 credits from the course list below:
- Totaling no fewer than 180 AUs.
- A maximum of 7-8 credits (2 courses) of 100 or 200 level courses.
- A minimum of 9 credits of 400 level courses.
Important Notes:
- For students considering Graduate school, additional 400 level courses may be necessary.
- Not all courses will be available each year and the BMEG program cannot guarantee seats as many electives are non-BMEG courses.
- The AUs are designed to capture engineering content, which varies with the topic, and is not a representation of the relevance or usefulness of the course material to your education and career.
CODE | COURSE NAME |
CREDITS | ACCREDITATION UNITS |
APSC 278 | Engineering Materials | 3 | 36.6 |
APSC 279 | Engineering Materials Laboratory | 1 | 6.1 |
|
New Venture Design |
6 | 72 | |
|
Bioengineering Feedback Systems and Control |
3 | 42.7 | |
|
Biomechanics II |
3 | 42.7 | |
|
Biomedical Materials and Drug Delivery |
3 | 42.7 | |
|
Microfluids |
3 | 36.6 | |
|
Cellular Bioengineering Lab |
3 | 18.3 | |
|
Linear Optical Systems |
3 | 36.6 | |
|
Modern Biomedical Optical Imaging |
3 | 36.6 | |
|
Clinical Informatics |
3 | 32.94 | |
|
Genome Informatics |
3 | 32.94 | |
|
Bioionics and Robotics |
3 | 36.6 | |
| Synthetic Biology Bootcamp | 3 | 40 | |
|
Medical Imaging |
3 | 36.6 | |
|
Cellular Responses to Forces and Biomaterials |
3 | 9.15 | |
| Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine |
3 | 36.6 | |
|
Introduction to Academic Research |
3 | 39.9 | |
CHBE 251 | Transport Phenomena I | 3 | 14.64 |
|
Bioprocess Engineering II |
3 | 32.025 | |
|
Digital Systems and Microcomputers |
3 | 42.7 | |
|
Software Engineering |
4 | 48.8 | |
|
Software Project Management |
4 | 32.208 | |
|
Human Computer Interfaces in Engineering Design |
4 | 48.8 | |
CPSC 121 | Models of Computation | 4 | 36.6 |
CPSC 221 | Basic Algorithms and Data Structures | 4 | 36.6 |
CPSC 302 | Numerical Computation for Algebraic Problems | 3 | 18.3 |
CPSC 303 | Numerical Approximation and Discretization | 3 | 18.3 |
| Introduction to relational databases |
3 | 42.7 | |
|
Intermediate Algorithm Design and Analysis |
3 | 42.7 | |
|
Introduction to Artificial intelligence |
3 | 27.45 | |
|
Applied Machine Learning |
3 | 32.025 | |
|
Machine Learning and Data Mining |
3 | 32.025 | |
|
Introduction to Human Computer Interaction Methods |
3 | 48.8 | |
|
Computer Vision |
3 | 27.45 | |
CPSC 445 | Algorithms in Bioinformatics | 3 | 18.3 |
ELEC 221 | Signals and Systems | 4 | 48.8 |
|
Stochastic Signals and Systems |
4 | 19.52 | |
|
Computer Communications |
4 | 48.8 | |
|
Digital Systems and Image Processing |
3 | 27.45 | |
|
Biosignals and Systems |
3 | 36.6 | |
|
Introduction to Robotics |
3 | 36.6 | |
|
Sensors and Actuators in Microsystems |
3 | 36.3 | |
|
Micro/Nanofabrication and Instrumentation Laboratory |
3 | 42.7 | |
|
Microsystems Design |
3 | 36.6 | |
|
Biological Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems |
3 | 36.6 | |
| MECH 260 | Introduction to Mechanics of Materials | 3 | 42.7 |
|
Solid Mechanics |
3 | 42.7 | |
|
Fluid Dynamics |
3 | 32.025 | |
|
Engineering Dynamics |
3 | 27.45 | |
|
Biofluids |
3 | 42.7 | |
|
Fundamentals of Injury Biomechanics |
3 | 32.025 | |
|
Finite Element Analysis |
3 | 33.55 | |
|
Mechanical Vibrations |
4 | 48.8 | |
|
Industrial Robotics |
3 | 25.62 | |
|
Dynamic Systems Models |
3 | 36.6 | |
| Biomaterials |
3 | 26.352 | |
BIOC 302 | General Biochemistry | 3 | 0 |
CAPS 421 | Advanced Cellular & Molecular Physiology | 3 | 0 |
CHEM 211 | Introduction to Chemical Analysis | 4 | 0 |
MATH 220 | Mathematical Proof | 3 | 0 |
MICB 202 | Introductory Medical Microbiology and Immunology | 3 | 0 |
MICB 212 | Introductory Immunology and Virology | 3 | 0 |
MICB 302 | Immunology | 3 | 0 |
MICB 306 | Molcular Virology | 3 | 0 |
STAT 406 | Methods for Statistical Learning | 3 | 0 |
EXAMPLE SPECIALIZATION GUIDES
The course lists below are example pathways for each specialization. These pathways meet the accreditation requirements including necessary pre-requisite courses; however, you can adjust these lists to meet your interests and fit with your course schedule.
Biomaterials
CODE | COURSE NAME |
CREDITS | ACCREDITATION UNITS |
|
Biomedical Materials and Drug Delivery |
3 | 42.7 | |
|
Microfluids |
3 | 36.6 | |
|
Cellular Responses to Forces and Biomaterials |
3 | 9.15 | |
CHBE 251 | Transport Phenomena I | 3 | 14.64 |
| Biomaterials | 3 | 26.352 | |
APSC 278 | Engineering Materials | 3 | 36.3 |
| Micro/Nanofabrication and Instrumentation Laboratory | 3 | 42.7 |
Biomechanics
CODE | COURSE NAME |
CREDITS | ACCREDITATION UNITS |
| Introduction to Mechanics of Materials | 3 | 42.7 | |
|
Solid Mechanics |
3 | 42.7 | |
CHBE 251 | Transport Phenomena I | 3 | 14.64 |
|
Engineering Dynamics |
3 | 27.45 | |
|
Biofluids |
3 | 42.7 | |
|
Fundamentals of Injury Biomechanics |
3 | 42.7 | |
|
Biomechanics II |
3 | 42.7 |
Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering
CODE | COURSE NAME |
CREDITS | ACCREDITATION UNITS |
BMEG 374 | Cellular Bioengineering Lab | 3 | 18.3 |
BMEG 400H | Synthetic Biology Bootcamp Please note: This course is held in the Summer term, and has limited availability. Students will need to plan ahead if considering this course | 3 | 40 |
BMEG 470 | Cellular Responses to Forces and Biomaterials | 3 | 9.15 |
BMEG 474 | Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine | 3 | 36.6 |
| BMEG 490A | Introduction to Academic Research | 3 | 39.9 |
| CHBE 481 | Bioprocess Engineering II | 3 | 32.025 |
CHBE 381 | Bioprocess Engineering I | 3 | 29.89 |
Biomedical Informatics
CODE | COURSE NAME |
CREDITS | ACCREDITATION UNITS |
CPSC 121 | Models of Computation | 4 | 36.6 |
CPSC 221 | Basic Algorithms and Data Structures | 4 | 36.6 |
|
Intermediate Algorithm Design and Analysis |
3 | 42.7 | |
|
Genome Informatics |
3 | 32.94 | |
|
Biosignals and Systems |
3 | 36.6 | |
|
Computer Vision |
3 | 27.45 | |
CPSC 445 | Algorithms in Bioinformatics | 3 | 18.3 |
Signals and Systems
CODE | COURSE NAME |
CREDITS | ACCREDITATION UNITS |
ELEC 221 | Signals and Systems | 4 | 48.8 |
|
Digital Systems and Image Processing |
3 | 27.45 | |
|
Applied Machine Learning |
3 | 32.025 | |
|
Medical Imaging |
3 | 36.6 | |
|
Bioionics and Robotics |
3 | 36.6 | |
|
Sensors and Actuators in Microsystems |
3 | 36.3 | |
|
Micro/Nanofabrication and Instrumentation Laboratory |
3 | 42.7 |