Biomedical engineering is an interdisciplinary field that combines the math, physics and engineering courses typical of an engineering degree with coursework in the life sciences focusing on biology and medicine. The field encompasses a wide range of specialties, from pharmaceuticals and drug delivery systems to medical device development to software and programming.

At the University of Nevada, Reno, our bachelor's degree in biomedical engineering emphasizes topics related to electrical engineering, such as biomedical instrumentation, sensors, signal processing and image processing. With a few additional courses, graduates of the program have the option to apply for admission to medical school. The Department of Electrical and Biomedical Engineering also cooperates with local industry to offer a number of summer internships for qualified undergraduate students.

What will I learn?

Our program has been designed in accordance with criteria from ABET, the accrediting agency for engineering programs. Upon graduation, you'll be able to:

• Apply principles of engineering, biology, human physiology, chemistry, calculus-based physics, mathematics (through differential equations) and statistics
• Solve bio/biomedical engineering problems, including those associated with the interaction between living and non-living systems
• Analyze, model, design, and realize bio/biomedical engineering devices, systems, components, or processes
• Make measurements on and interpret data from living systems

Careers in biomedical engineering

Because biomedical engineering is a broad field, graduates have a wide range of employment and career options. Biomedical engineers can be found working in all aspects of medicine, from device design to pharmaceuticals to research and development to rehabilitation. Because of our strong focus on electrical engineering, graduates of our biomedical engineering degree program will be well prepared for careers that involve designing and working with medical devices.

A bachelor's degree in biomedical engineering is also a strong foundation for other health care careers, including training to become a doctor, sales and marketing for a medical device company, or management. Many biomedical engineering graduates also choose to go to graduate school to prepare them for a career in research and device development.