Bioengineering Program (Biomedical Engineering)
Bioengineering is the application of engineering principles and techniques to problems in medicine and healthcare. Bioengineering seeks to close the gap between engineering and medicine. It combines the design and problem solving skills of engineering with medical and biological sciences to improve healthcare diagnosis and treatment. Bioengineering has recently emerged as a distinct engineering discipline, compared to many other engineering fields. Such an evolution occurs as a new field transitions from being an interdisciplinary area of study among established fields, to being a discipline in itself. Much of the work in bioengineering consists of research and development, incorporating knowledge from a broad array of fields such as healthcare, ethics, life sciences, natural sciences, mathematics, biosystems analysis and engineering design. Prominent bioengineering contributions include the development of prosthetics to restore limb function, medical devices such as surgical repair devices and implanted stimulators to restore heart and motor function, imaging systems such as MRI and ultrasound scanners to diagnose diseases, biotechnologies and biomaterials for tissue regeneration and surgical therapies, and systems for targeted drug delivery in the body.
Mission
The mission of the Bachelor of Science in Bioengineering program at North Carolina A&T State University is to prepare our students for the broad practice of bioengineering and for graduate education in bioengineering and the related fields of graduate study as well as professional schools.
Educational Objectives
Within a few years after graduating from the Bachelor of Science in Bioengineering Program, the graduates are expected to have:
- Performed effectively in bioengineering related positions in industry or in graduate/professional schools.
- Demonstrated problem solving through leadership, collaboration and teamwork and multi-disciplinary approaches.
- Been active in their communities and professional societies.
- Enhanced their professional development through life-long learning.
Program Requirements
To earn the Bachelor of Science in Bioengineering degree, the student must complete 120 credit hours following the approved departmental curriculum. Students must also satisfy all University and College of Engineering requirements.
Accreditation
The undergraduate program in Bioengineering, leading to the Bachelor of Science in Bioengineering degree, is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.abet.org. North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University is the first Historically Black College or University in the USA to offer a bachelor degree in bioengineering or biomedical engineering, and is the first to achieve ABET accreditation of the degree.
Career Opportunities
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, June 2022, bioengineers and biomedical engineers combine engineering principles with sciences to design and create equipment, devices, computer systems, and software. Bioengineers and biomedical engineers work in manufacturing, in research facilities, and for a variety of other employers. Employment of bioengineers and biomedical engineers is projected to grow 6 percent from 2020 to 2030. About 1,400 openings for bioengineers and biomedical engineers are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
Examples of specialty areas within the field of biomedical engineering are Bioinstrumentation, Biomaterials, Biomechanics, Clinical Engineering, Rehabilitation Engineering, and Systems Physiology. Bioengineering is often a good choice for students who wish to pursue further studies after graduation such as Masters and Ph.D. programs and Medical Schools.
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