UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State’s Department of Biomedical Engineering (BME) has established new discipline options for its undergraduate degrees to align with the distinct healthcare sectors the program serves.
“These tracks are more industry-aligned and communicate the expertise that our students have more clearly to our industry partners,” said Daniel J. Hayes, head of the Department of Biomedical Engineering. “It helps students recognize market segments at an earlier point in their career and allows students to align their interests within those spaces.”
The new disciplines will further BME’s approach to creating a competitive bachelor’s degree for students to enter the workforce immediately without requiring a master’s or doctoral degree.
The disciplines, with examples of practical applications, are listed below.
- Biopharmaceuticals: This program track focuses on biological medical products, including antibody therapies, stem cell-based therapies, tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, as well as drug delivery strategies.
- Biomechanics: This program track focuses on mechanical devices to replace physiological processes, including artificial hearts, artificial heart valves, prosthetics and more.
- Medical Imaging: This program track will study the engineering of systems that allow for visual representations of the body’s interior to diagnose, monitor and treat injuries. These systems include MRIs, CT scanners, ultrasounds and photoacoustic imaging systems.
- Medical Device Design: This program track focuses on the creation of equipment that can be used to treat, diagnose or prevent medical conditions. Examples include continuous glucose monitors and insulin pumps, dental implants, implantable sleep apnea devices, pacemakers and more.
Students are expected to declare their major between 29 and 55 credits — and can choose a discipline once they are in the major, although the discipline declaration is more flexible.
“Biomedical engineering as a discipline is the application of life sciences and engineering fundamentals to advance needs within healthcare,” said Justin Brown, who serves as associate department head and undergraduate program director. “As people age, they tend to require more healthcare. We are training students to serve our societal needs.”
Brown said the department believes these degree tracks will provide clarity to industry professionals about the training students have received in BME and help students identify potential career paths.
Students interested in learning more can email bmemajor@engr.psu.edu.