What is Biomedical Engineering? | Hawaii Pacific University
Biomedical Engineering

Biomedical Engineering

Program Overview

4 YEAR, FULL-TIME UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM AT HPU, STARTING SPRING 2019*

The Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering degree at HPU involves the application of engineering principles to design and develop diagnostic or treatment solutions for biological, medical and/or physiological problems. Students may undertake a variety of courses in computational biomechanics, biomedical optics, biomedical signal processing, computer simulation and processing, medical image processing and instrumentation, tissue engineering, biosensing, and device design, in addition to the study of topics in physics, chemistry and electrical engineering toward future employment in the healthcare and/or healthcare technology sector.

The HPU Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering degree is a 4 year program. HPU Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering graduates will find employment working with scientists and healthcare experts in areas such as artificial organ and prosthesis development, medical imaging and instrumentation systems, healthcare delivery and management systems, and development of medical assistive technologies for intervention and/or diagnosis.

Graduates of the Biomedical Engineering program will:

    1. Actively and effectively engage in engineering practice to develop biomedical instrumentation and solutions to health-related challenges, or in the pursuit of related fields.
    2. Be liberally informed engineers who are leaders within industry and the community.
    3. Solve real-world problems and challenges related to medical applications, with creativity, innovation and professional responsibility.
    4. Serve as engineering ambassadors in the community by conforming to the highest ethical and professional standards, continuing professional skill development and actively participating in the learning and development of those they are supervising and their peers.

Biomedical Engineering degrees require General Education courses, where students select one course from each Category for a total of 12 General Education courses. Three categories comprise courses that are required for the Major (ENGE 1000, CHEM 2050, MATH 2214).

The first 1.5 years of the Program requires Major courses that strengthen student background in Calculus, Computer Science, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Fundamentals in Engineering, including Introduction to Engineering Systems and Professional Practice, and Linear Circuits.

Year 2 semester 2 and Year 3 focus on developing technical prowess in areas of Biomechanics, Signals, Cell and Molecular Biology, Physiology, Bioengineering Thermodynamics, Electromagnetics, Transport Phenomena, Biomedical Imaging and Simulation, Biomedical Instrumentation and Device Fabrication. Students also undertake a one year project course where they work in teams to design and develop a novel Engineering solution to a real-world problem.

Year 4 focuses on specialization by choice of electives in advanced areas, such as Optics, Biomedical Signal Processing, Biosensors, Neuroscience and Cancer Biology.


Number of Undergraduate Biomedical Engineering Majors

Fall 2019 Fall 2020 Fall 2021 Fall 2022
10 13 15 17


Number of Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering Graduates

2021-2022 2022-2023
5 1

Biomedical Engineering Resources