Biomedical Engineering applies engineering principles to solve complex medical problems and focuses at improving the quality of health care by advancing technology and reducing costs. Examples include advanced biomedical imaging systems, the design of microscale diagnostic systems, drug delivery systems, and tissue engineering. Specializations are available that focus student’s technical expertise on BioPhotonics or BioMems.
Students interested in changing their major to Biomedical Engineering: We cannot guarantee a 4-year graduation plan due to impacted courses. Please expect to be placed on a 5-year plan.
Degree Requirements
Sample Program PDF
The sample template below is to help you create your own 4-year plan. Please note some courses may get full and when that happens you will have to adjust your schedule accordingly. You are welcome to speak to an advisor if this happens or if you have questions about moving classes around.
Technical Electives (required)
APPROVED ELECTIVES (updated 2024)
Students select 12 units from:
| BME 60D | ENGR 7A & 7B** |
| BME 114 | ENGRMSE 141 |
| BME 132 | ENGRMSE 155 |
| BME 135 | ENGRMSE 175 |
| BME 136 | EECS 179 |
| BME 137 | EECS 180A |
| BME 138 | EECS 188 |
| BME 142 | ENGRMAE 183 |
| BME 147 | |
| BME 148 | |
| BME 160 | |
| BME 161 | |
| BME 195 (4 UNIT CLASS) | |
| BME 199* |
- *Only a maximum of 4 units of BME 199 may be taken for technical elective credit.
- **ENGR 7A & 7B must both be taken to count as a lower division technical elective. ENGR 7A & 7B are available only to first year student in Fall & Winter quarters.
- BME 198 is not approved as a TE.
OPTIONAL SPECIALIZATIONS
*BIOPHOTONICS: Requires 3 of the following: BME 135, BME 136, BME 137, BME 138, EECS 180A
*MICRO & NANO BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING: Requires 3 of the following: BME 142, BME 147,
BME 148, MSE 141, MAE 153.
*Students may petition for undergraduate research performed in another department to count
towards fulfilling BME elective requirements, instead of using BME 199 (4 units for 1 elective only). In
order for the BME undergraduate advisor to evaluate whether your research experience is suitable,
please describe your specific research goals for the quarter and how you will be working to achieve
those goals. Please also provide the full name of the professor who will be supervising your research.
Academic Counselor
Ushma Patel
upatel@uci.edu
Biomedical Engineering is a major within the Biomedical Engineering department