Bioengineering

What is Bioengineering?

Bioengineering combines the analytical and experimental methods of the engineering profession with the biological and medical sciences to achieve a more detailed understanding of biological phenomena and to develop new techniques and devices.

What do Bioengineers do?

Bioengineers deal with a wide variety of problems. Students with bioengineering degrees may work as biomedical engineers with medical practicioners to develop new medical techniques, medical devices, and instrumentation for manufacturing companies. Clinical engineers work in hospitals and clinics to maintain and improve the vast amount of technological support required in modern medicine. With advanced degrees in the various fields of bioengineering, some graduates perform basic research related to biology and medicine in the research laboratories of educational and governmental institutions or in the medical industries.

Bioengineering at UIUC

The curriculum requires 132 hours for graduation and is divided into four components. The largest component, basic sciences, dominates the first two years of study. It includes mathematics, physics, and chemistry through biochemistry, and is capped with upper-level life science classes. The bioengineering component begins in the sophomore year and is a quantitative approach employing engineering analysis and design to problems drawn from the life sciences. The third component is the concentration track in which each student developes depth in one area of bioengineering:

Biosignals, Systems, Control, and Modeling Electronics
Imaging
Cellular and Molecular Microengineering
Computational Biology
Biomaterials
Biomechanics
Biomolecular Engineering
Cell and Tissue Engineering
Premedical

The fourth component comprises the general education and free elective coursework that gives balance to a student's education.

Career Opportunities

Students completing the undergraduate curriculum in bioengineering will be prepared for professional careers in businesses related to medical diagnostics, prosthetic devices, and implants, the pharmaceutical industry, and consulting in health-related fields. Bioengineering positions are found in industry, commerce, education, and government. Some students may choose to continue their formal education at a graduate school of their choice.

Why Bioengineering?

We are entering the era of bioengineering and biotechnology, building on the tremendous advances in all engineering fields plus the genetic revolution. Almost all observers expect an explosion of bioengineering activity, devices, understanding, and breakthroughs to dominate society during the working careers of students entering college today. The new Bioengineering Department at the University of Illinois unites the fields of engineering, biology, and medical science.

Department Contact Information:

Department of Bioengineering
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
3120 Digital Computer Laboratory
1304 W. Springfield Avenue
Urbana, IL 61801

Telephone: 217-333-1867
Web page: http://www.bioen.uiuc.edu

Engineering Guide | Tau Beta Pi | College of Engineering