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Biomedical Engineering, B.S.

Biomedical Engineering, B.S.

What is a biomedical engineering degree?

Biomedical Engineering MS

The exciting field of biomedical engineering involves developing devices and procedures that solve medical and health-related problems by combining a knowledge of biology and medicine with engineering principles and practices.

Whether you want a career in medicine, public health, or in the rapidly growing biotechnology industry, a biomedical engineering degree from Florida Tech gives you a strong background in biology and engineering with experience in biomedical instrumentation and biomechanics.

Gain Practical Experience

Our biomedical engineering program integrates biological sciences, engineering, and applied technical training—perfect preparation for medical school and professional careers. Collaborative efforts between Florida Tech faculty and the local medical community offer unique research learning experiences for students working toward a biomedical engineering degree. In addition, the biomedical engineering learning experience is enriched through design courses, where students work as teams to solve biomedical engineering problems, and interactions with local practicing physicians through internships.

Other opportunities students seeking a biomedical engineering degree find at Florida Tech include:

  • A senior design project in collaboration with a team of your peers that involves interaction with local physicians, medical institutes, and hospitals such as those for Veteran Affairs. Together, you’ll conceptualize, design, construct and present a machine, gadget or structure that fulfills a real-world need. You’ll also present your project to industry leaders and employers, and may participate in international events.
  • Learning in labs dedicated to experimentation and research in lasers, instrumentation, medical imaging, microscopy, neural imaging, physiology, biomaterials, and biomechanics.

These activities give you practical experience, an expanded professional network and perhaps even a pre-graduation job offer.

Why pursue a biomedical engineering degree at Florida Tech?

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Get the facts about graduate studies at Florida Tech

You have two graduate study opportunities:

  1. On Campus
  2. Download the Grad Guide!

  3. At an Education Center near you
  4. Get the Education Center Brochure

You have three graduate study opportunities:

  1. On Campus
  2. Download the Grad Guide!

  3. At an Education Center near you
  4. Get the Education Center Brochure

  5. 100% Online
  6. Learn more about Florida Tech Online

You have two graduate study opportunities:

  1. On Campus
  2. Download the Grad Guide!

  3. 100% Online
  4. Learn more about Florida Tech Online

You have two graduate study opportunities:

  1. At an Education Center near you
  2. Get the Education Center Brochure

  3. 100% Online
  4. Learn more about Florida Tech Online

The biomedical engineering program at Florida Tech is a close-knit community with faculty members who are passionate about student success. As one of the top biomedical engineering schools, our students benefit from one-on-one guidance from professors and industry leaders, made possible by small class sizes, research and internship opportunities, and the dedication of our faculty and industry partners to mentor students.

AccreditationABET | Engineering Accreditation Commission

The undergraduate biomedical engineering program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.abet.org. Additional information can be found on the department’s ABET information page.

An Internationally Recognized Faculty

Our low student-to-faculty ratio encourages close collaboration and mentorship as well as individual creativity and leadership.

Florida Tech’s faculty is a main reason we’re one of the top biomedical engineering schools. Many faculty members are involved in research related to biomedical engineering and are experts in mechanical and aerospace engineering, chemical engineering, electrical and computer engineering, and computer science.

These same professors showcase their biomedical engineering expertise in a variety of areas, including optical tomography for cancer detection, blast-related injury research, speech production, artificial intelligence, and orthopedics and medical trauma prevention.

State-of-the-Art Laboratories and Facilities

The many resources and facilities on campus help make Florida Tech one of the top biomedical engineering schools—supporting student research and projects in numerous areas of biomedical engineering. These include:

  • Machine shop
  • Electronic shop
  • Laser, optics, and instrumentation laboratory
  • Structural testing laboratory
  • Applied perception laboratory
  • Materials laboratory

In addition, students can make use of the High Resolution Microscopy and Advanced Imaging Center in the Department of Biological Sciences, which also houses facilities for the culture of eukaryotic cells.

Location, Location, Location

Florida Tech is the perfect place for a biomedical engineering degree. The 130-acre campus is located on the Space Coast (so named because of the presence of NASA and the Kennedy Space Center on Cape Canaveral just north of us), minutes away from the Indian River Lagoon, the most diverse estuary in North America.

The area has the fifth largest high-tech workforce in the country, with more than 5,000 high-tech corporations and government and military organizations located nearby. This workforce also provides a variety of internship and employment opportunities.

Florida Tech is just over the causeway from the Atlantic Ocean with its 72 miles of beautiful beaches, and is a short trip to the Florida Keys or the Orlando theme parks. We also have a rich campus life that includes a wide range of intramural and collegiate sports, clubs, and social activities.

Build Lasting Professional Relationships through Campus Organizations

Beyond the classroom, biomedical engineering degree majors build career experience through participation in academic organizations like Tau Beta Pi (the engineering honor society), the Premed Club (campus chapter of the American Medical Student Association), athletics and over 100 other campus-wide student organizations.

Beta Beta Beta (TriBeta) is a biology honor society that teaches students from all disciplines about biology and its importance, and recognizes students for outstanding academic achievements. This active group holds events such as guest lectures, as well as social events such as BBQs, fishing outings and more. Membership is the perfect way to network with other biological sciences students to learn about biology internships, research students and hands-on activities.

How will a biomedical engineering degree prepare me for the future?

Those working in biomedical engineering careers engage in research to develop and evaluate systems and products such as artificial organs, prostheses, instrumentation, medical information systems and systems for health management and health care delivery. Florida Tech prepares graduates for careers in biomedical engineering, giving them a college experience that immerses them in clinical experience and exposes them to engineers and health professionals who mentor them to be ready for employment.

Peerless Study and Internship Opportunities

Biomedical engineering internships with Florida Tech take place at medical centers and hospitals around Brevard County. While completing their biomedical engineering internships, Florida Tech students gain real-world experience and training that help them better compete for jobs after college.

Through the ProTrack Engineering Cooperative program and capstone projects, students work closely with industry leaders from companies such as Apple Inc., Google, and Electronic Arts and with a faculty advisor and local physicians in hospitals and medical institutions.

These guided programs give our students a valuable and unforgettable experience led by real practicing physicians to prepare students for biomedical engineering internships and careers.

Stunning Undergraduate Research Opportunities

In addition to biomedical engineering internships, students can also participate in faculty-led research that includes:

  • Lasers for cancer detection and therapy
  • Medical imaging
  • Cardiovascular engineering
  • Neural engineering
  • Orthopedic biomechanics
  • Biosensors
  • Ophthalmology

The culmination of the biomedical engineering experience is the senior capstone project, a three-semester sequence that results in a presentable, professional project that will stand out on a résumé. Students working in collaboration with area physicians are provided with specific projects that are of interest to clinicians and can have potential applications for device manufacturers, allowing students to better focus their projects for real-world use.

What can you do with a biomedical engineering degree?

As noted above, careers in biomedical engineering are centered among the systems, products, and instrumentation of the medical industry. While graduates of this program gain expertise in engineering and biology to do these jobs, they also often design computer software to run complicated instruments, such as three-dimensional x-ray machines; use their knowledge of chemistry and biology to develop new drug therapies; and rely on their mathematics and statistics skills to build models to understand the signals transmitted by the brain or heart.

Get Recruited Upon Graduation

Employers that have recruited graduates with a biomedical engineering degree from Florida Tech for internships and careers include

  • NASA (Kennedy Space Center)
  • The National Institutes of Health (NIH)
  • The Midwest Research Institute
  • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

 Career Outlook

The US Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) publishes a resource called the Occupational Outlook Handbook that provides detailed information about hundreds of jobs, including data about median pay, projected growth in employment, and specifics about what the jobs entail and prerequisites.

According to the labor bureau, employment of biomedical engineers is projected to grow by 62% through 2020; this is mostly due to our aging baby-boomer population and their demand for medical devices and procedures to maintain healthy, active lifestyles. Check the handbook for complete information on the many careers in biomedical engineering.

Another excellent source of information about employment choices is available from the Biomedical Engineering Career Alliance. The alliance is a nonprofit organization, and seeks to facilitate interactions between biomedical engineering/bioengineering programs and industry, connecting biomedical engineering students with prospective employers.

Career Options

Because careers in biomedical engineering are still relatively new, this field provides an opportunity to be on the cutting edge of not only the work performed, but also in defining the profession itself.

Careers in biomedical engineering include:

  • Biomedical engineer
  • Design engineer
  • Product engineer
  • Plant engineer
  • Medical scientist
  • Physician and surgeon
  • Health care policy advisor
  • Health care consultant
  • Clinical engineer
  • Medical imaging specialist
  • Rehabilitation engineer
  • Systems physiologist
  • Biomechanical engineer

Graduate and Doctoral Programs

After receiving their biomedical engineering degree, many of our students go on to pursue advanced degrees, either at Florida Tech or at other prestigious graduate schools.

Careers in biomedical engineering are as diverse as they are challenging, requiring a strong, quantitative background in biomechanics, bioelectronics, and biotransport—all of them critical because of the ever-increasing utilization of biomedical technology. Many students go on to attend medical school, and the course curriculum offered by Florida Tech satisfies the entrance requirements of most medical schools. Medical schools that have recently admitted Florida Tech graduates include Boston University, Florida State University, and the University of Maryland.

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