Curriculum

The Biomedical Engineering program offers four streams for students to customize their degree to their interest area. Students take common core courses for their second year which prepare them for specialization in one of four streams of our undergraduate program. In third year, they focus their studies in one of the streams – Cellular Bioengineering, Biomechanics & Biomaterials, Biomedical Systems & Signals, or Biomedical Informatics.

The undergraduate program is not yet accredited by the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board of the Canadian Council of Professional Engineers. All undergraduate engineering programs in Canada become accredited when the first cohort graduates.

This curriculum list is unofficial. The official curriculum for a cohort (a group of students starting the same program in the same year) is determined by taking the appropriate UBC Calendar curriculum listing for four sequential years, beginning in the year a student starts the program. Current students with questions about their curriculum should review the Course Planning and Registration Guide or consult an advisor.

Not all courses will be available each year.

 

Core Courses

Year 2

CodeTitleCredits
Total
39
BMEG 201Technical Communication for Biomedical Engineers
3
BMEG 210Thermodynamics in Biomedical Engineering
2
BMEG 220Circuits and Electromagnetics with Application to Biomedical Engineering
4
BMEG 230Biomechanics I
4
BMEG 245The Fundamental Units of Life: From Cells To Systems
4
BMEG 250Cellular Physiology and Biophysics
4
BMEG 257Biomedical Engineering Design I
4
CHBE 251Transport Phenomena I
3
CPEN 221 OR CPEN 223 1Principles of Software Construction OR Software Design for Engineers
4
MATH 253Multivariable Calculus
3
MATH 256Differential equations
3
MATH 2642Vector Calculus for Electrical Engineering
1

1 Students interested in pursing the Biomedical Informatics or Biomedical Systems and Signals streams should take CPEN 221
2 Delivered with BMEG 220

Year 3

CodeTitleCredits
Total
38
BIOC 202Introductory Medical Biochemistry
3
BMEG 310Introduction to Bioinformatics
3
BMEG 350Human Structure/Function from Cells to Systems
4
BMEG 357Biomedical Engineering Design II
3
BMEG 371Transport Phenomena within Cells and Tissues
3
CHEM 233Organic Chemistry for the Biological Sciences
3
CHEM 235Organic Chemistry Laboratory
1
ELEC 371Biomedical Engineering Instrumentation
3
STAT 251Elementary Statistics
3
Stream-based Technical Electives
9
Complementary Studies Electives
3

Year 4
CodeTitleCredits
Total
39
BMEG 430Economics of Heath Care Solutions
3
BMEG 457Biomedical Engineering Design Project
6
BMEG 456Clinical and Industrial Biomedical engineering
4
STAT 300Intermediate Statistics for Applications
3
Stream-based Technical Electives
18
Complementary Studies Electives
6

Stream Courses

Students will be admitted to a stream at the end of second year by permission of the program director, based on academic achievement and demonstrated interested. Enrolment in each stream may be limited. Please note that some streams may be more restricted than others.

More information on each of the streams can be found here.

Biomedical Informatics

The Bioinformatics stream explores the use of patient health care information to understand disease and pathophysiology, and to improve outcomes.

Choose 14 (if taking MATH 220) or 13 (if taking CPSC 121) credits from electives

Core Stream Courses
CodeTitleCredits
Total
13 or 14
BIOC 302General Biochemistry
3
CPSC 221Basic Algorithms and Data Structures
4
CPSC 340Machine Learning and Data Mining
3
MATH 220Mathematical Proof
3
OR
CPSC 121Models of Computation
4

Stream Electives
CodeTitleCredits
Total
14
BMEG 390Medical Imaging
3
CHBE 381Bioprocess Engineering I
4
CPEN 321Software Engineering
4
CPEN 421Software Project Management
4
CPEN 441Human Computer Interfaces in Engineering Design
4
CPSC 302Numerical Computation for Algebraic Problems
3
CPSC 304Introduction to Relational Databases
3
CPSC 320Intermediate Algorithm Design and Analysis
3
CPSC 322Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
3
CPSC 344Introduction to Human Computer Interaction Methods
3
CPSC 404Advanced Relational Databases
3
CPSC 410Advanced Software Engineering
3
CPSC 422Intelligent Systems
3
CPSC 425Computer Vision
3
CPSC 445Algorithms in Bioinformatics
3
ELEC 221Signals and Systems
4
ELEC 331Computer Communications
4
ELEC 462Sensors and Actuators in Microsystems
3
STAT 406Methods for Statistical Learning
3

Biomaterials & Biomechanics

The Biomaterials & Biomechanics stream focuses on the application of principles of classical mechanics to problems in biological systems and views the body as an engineered structure.

Choose 18 credits from electives

Core Stream Courses
CodeTitleCredits
Total
9
APSC 278Engineering Materials
3
BMEG 330Biomechanics II
3
MECH 260Introduction to Mechanics of Materials
3

Stream Electives
CodeTitleCredits
Total
18
BIOC 302General Biochemistry
3
BMEG 370Cellular Responses to Forces and Biomaterials
3
CPEN 312Digital Systems and Microcomputers
3
MECH 360Solid Mechanics
3
MECH 380Fluid Dynamics
3
MECH 433Biofluids
3
MECH 435Orthopaedic Biomechanics
3
MECH 436Fundamentals of Injury Biomechanics
3
MECH 462Finite Element Analysis
3
MECH 463Mechanical Vibrations
3
MECH 469Dynamic System Modeling
3
MTRL 495Biomaterials
3

Biomedical Systems & Signals

Biomedical System and Signals stream provides an understanding of the fundamental processes that produce and transform signals in biological systems, and the method by which these signals are transformed to general information.

Choose 20 credits from electives

Core Stream Courses
CodeTitleCredits
Total
7
BMEG 320Bioengineering Feedback Systems and Controls
3
ELEC 221Signals and Systems
4

Stream Electives
CodeTitleCredits
Total
20
BIOC 302General Biochemistry
3
BMEG 390Medical Imaging
3
CHBE 381Bioprocess Engineering I
4
CPEN 312Digital Systems and Microcomputers
3
CPSC 121Models of Computation
4
CPSC 221Basic Algorithms and Data Structures
4
CPSC 340Machine Learning and Data Mining
3
ELEC 321Stochastic Signals and Systems
4
ELEC 331Computer Communications
4
ELEC 421Digital Signal and Image Processing
3
ELEC 422Biosignals and Systems
3
ELEC 442Introduction to Robotics
3
ELEC 462Sensors and Actuators in Microsystems
3
ELEC 463Micro/Nanofabrication and Instrumentation Laboratory
3
ELEC 464Nanotechnology and Nature
3
ELEC 465Microsystems Design
3
ELEC 473Biological Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems
3
MATH 220Mathematical Proof
3
MECH 464Industrial Robotics
6

Cellular Bioengineering

Cellular Bioengineering stream applies the engineering principles of design, analysis, and methodology to cellular and molecular biology for the development cell-based therapeutics in regenerative medicine and drug delivery.

Choose 18 credits from electives

Core Stream Courses
CodeTitleCredits
Total
9
BIOC 302General Biochemistry
3
BMEG 370Cellular Responses to Forces and Biomaterials
3
CHBE 381Bioprocess Engineering I
3

Stream Electives
CodeTitleCredits
Total
18
BIOC 403Enzymology
3
BMEG 372Biomedical Materials and Drug Delivery
3
BMEG 373Microfludics
3
BMEG 474Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine
3
CAPS 4211Advanced cellular & molecular physiology
3
CHBE 481Bioprocess Engineering II
3
CHEM 221Introduction to Chemical Analysis
4
MICB 2022Introductory Medical Microbiology and Immunology
3
MICB 302Immunology
3
MICB 306Molecular Virology
3

1 CAPS 421 will accept all of BMEG 245, BMEG 250, BMEG 350 as pre-requisites for this course. Please contact course instructors for registration
2 MICB 202 will accept all of BMEG 245 and BMEG 250 as pre-requisites for this course. Please contact undergrad@bme.ubc.ca for registration.