<p>If a school doesn’t have bio-medical engineering, what would be a good alternative major/minor combo??</p>
<p>Does it have other types of engineering? Electrical or mechanical engineering would be a good undergrad degree, then grad school in biomedical engineering would be possible. A lot of folks on the engineering board recommend that approach, rather than getting a biomedical engineering bachelor’s degree. If you get a biomed BS, you pretty much HAVE to go to grad school or medical school. My son DID choose to major in biomed, because he’s sure he wants an advanced degree of some type.</p>
<p>mom2, I’m married to a biomedical engineer. IMHO it is not a good choice for a BS degree anyway. Much better to major in another engineer discipline (would recommend ME, EE or CHemE) and then get a masters in BME. If he wants a minor to make him more attractive to the industry he could do biology.</p>
<p>In the early days BME was only an option at the graduate level. I am an MS BME but was an EE undergrad. I did take bio, chem, biophysics and did BME research at a local medical school (computer modeling of cardiac signals) as an undergrad. Pick EE or ME and if there is enough elective space minor in bio, chem or biochem. But, if you want to do BME grad school you need an engineering degree undergrad, not bio or chem.</p>
<p>Possible majors: Electrical Engineering / Instrumentation eng.
Possible minors: Bio Informatics, Biology, Nuclear physics</p>
<p>Possible majors: Mechanical Engineering / Engineering Mechanics
Possible minors: Biology, Materials Science (bio materials), Nuclear physics, Electro mechanical eng., Robotics, Bio informatics, instrumentation eng., </p>
<p>Possible majors: Chemical Engineering / Materials Science
Possible minors: Biology/biochemistry, Nano or biotechnology, Nuclear physics, Bio informatics, Genetics, Neuroscience,</p>
<p>*mom2, I’m married to a biomedical engineer. IMHO it is not a good choice for a BS degree anyway. Much better to major in another engineer discipline (would recommend ME, EE or CHemE) and then get a masters in BME. If he wants a minor to make him more attractive to the industry he could do biology. *</p>
<p>This was my opinion, too. I’m not a huge fan of the undergrad Bio-med engineering major, either. </p>
<p>I was thinking that a degree in MechE or ChemE with a bio minor (or extra bio classes) would be a good alternative. Looking over the list of offered bio courses that many colleges offer, there seems to be several courses that would give a MechE or ChemE major that bio-med exposure without it being a major.</p>
<p>It seems like many kids (some who want to go to med school anyway) are limiting themselves by only looking at schools with bio-med engineering for undergrad.</p>
<p>Undergrad bio engineering programs are increasing. The students will still likely need a masters but the programs now DO exist. DD just graduated with a dual majors in bioengineering and biology. </p>
<p>I would think that for an undergrad, it would be good to know whether the student is interested in the mechanical side of biomedical engineering or whether they are more interested in the biology side. </p>
<p>Mechanical engineering would be good with a minor in biology.</p>
<p>I would favor MechE (or EE) over ChemE. ChemE used to be, and may still be, more process engineering oriented - rather than incorporating chemistry into engineering.</p>
<p>I had my doubts about the major, too, but my son is certainly enjoying it. He’s going to get to start doing research in the department labs in the spring, as a second semester freshman. He is more interested in the biology side, so I don’t think he would have liked a traditional EE or ME program.</p>
<p>MaineLonghorn, my daughter also decided she liked the biology end of bioengineering. She would NOT have known that if she had pursued a mechanical engineering or electrical engineering major. Bioengineering required a ton of biology (and chemistry) courses too. In the end, she ended up with enough courses for a double major and that ended up being GOOD. The biology one is the one she will likely pursue. So…for her, the undergrad bioengineering major was a good choice…gave her the ability to view the engineering AND biology options.</p>
<p>[Alfred</a> University - Inamori School of Engineering - Biomedical Materials Engineering Science (BMES) - Bachelor of Science](<a href=“http://engineering.alfred.edu/undergrad/bmes/]Alfred”>http://engineering.alfred.edu/undergrad/bmes/)</p>
<p>Alfred University (NY) offers Biomedical Materials Engineering Science (BMES) </p>
<p>I find the discussion on Engineering Majors interesting as my H hires engineers or business majors.</p>
<p>I hope no one minds me asking this question but my D has just started thinking about engineering. Why is biomedical engineering a poor undergraduate option? I haven’t even found the engineering forums yet but I guess it’s time to go start some reading…</p>
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<p>I agree with you that ChemE is oriented toward processing. However, I think materials science would be a good fit for someone interested in the interface between chem and engineering. </p>
<p>The problem with biomedical engineering as an undergrad major is that biomedical engineering is so broad a subject. Some biomedical engineers are software engineers, others build mechanical objects, others apply circuits to biology, and still others manipulate microbes for industrial use. It is better to study the fundamentals of one core field and then apply it to biology. Biomedical engineering tends to be a survey.</p>
<p>You can basically major in any science or engineering field and go to grad school in biomedical engineering.</p>
<p>Although the folks who have responded clearly know what they are talking about, I want to also suggest that your son talk to his professors; to get their take. This kind of question is the perfect opportunity for him to start building a relationship with them, to get to talk to them one on one, and for them to come to know him as more than a student number (if they don’t already). I’m sure they’d be happy to assist. They will probably know of the best courses available on your son’s particular campus. I’m sure he’s far from the first student who has been the same situation there. And this might be the start of a relationship that will be very useful as he continues in engineering.</p>
<p>(sorry to bump this thread, but I had a question concerning this subject)</p>
<p>my school doesnt have biomedical engineering major as well, I dont really mind since I think I am going to major in electrical engineering and in the future go to graduate school for biomedical engineering if I decide thats really what I want to do…
I found out recently that my school offers a biomedical engineering minor for undergraduate students, and my question is: should I choose biology or biomedical engineering as a minor?</p>
<p>lol mom2college… go to UAB instead! :)</p>
<p>This Q. wasn’t for my child… :)</p>
<p>*my school doesnt have biomedical engineering major as well, I dont really mind since I think I am going to major in electrical engineering and in the future go to graduate school for biomedical engineering if I decide thats really what I want to do… *</p>
<p>That’s fine. From what I’ve heard, getting the undergrad in biomed is not necessary.</p>
<p>Post #15 from starbright in Nov gave good advise. It would be good for students to talk with the local profs.</p>
<p>I can see the wisdom of doing a more basic BS (Mech E, Chem E, Elec Eng, heck maybe even Comp E). But having said that, I have an engineering student who was mildly interested in bio med. He wasn’t sure since he only had pre-IB bio in HS. So using his IB credits and bucking the system a bit, as an undecided eng he took bio his freshman year of college. You know what? He didn’t really like it as much as expected. My point is that at least a few bio electives could be a good idea.</p>