Cal Poly

Degree Programs

 

Undergraduate Degree Programs

 

BS Biomedical Engineering

Biomedical engineering is an interdisciplinary field in which the principles and tools of traditional engineering fields, such as mechanical, materials, electrical, and chemical engineering, are applied to biomedical problems. Engineering plays an increasingly important role in medicine in projects that range from basic research in physiology to advances in biotechnology and the improvement of health care delivery. By its very nature, biomedical engineering is broad and requires a foundation in the engineering sciences as well as in physiology and other biological sciences.

The program offers a four-year curriculum leading to a B.S. degree, which prepares students for careers in the biomedical industry or for further education in graduate school.

The application of engineering to medicine and biology underpins a strong and growing segment of the industrial sector, is the basis for a number of federal conversion efforts and continues to be an area of inherent interest to students. The need for well educated professionals in this interdisciplinary area has become more acute as the technology being applied has become more sophisticated. Evolution in computing, electronics, signal analysis and mechatronic systems have been harbingers of improvement to diagnostic efforts, therapeutic approaches and bioindustrial applications. Studies of biological materials, physiological mechanisms, biochemical kinetics and heat and mass transport in biological systems require engineering expertise. With the advent of research into artificial organs and prosthetic devices, applied medical research and applied biological research has taken on a distinct engineering aspect. The Bioengineering Graduate Program will provide interdisciplinary exposure to students already well grounded in a particular engineering discipline. The program highlights an immediate introduction to the major, strong personal interaction with faculty, strong partnerships with industrial participants and a signature laboratory emphasis.

Biomedical engineering combines engineering expertise with medical needs for the enhancement of health care. It is a branch of engineering in which knowledge and skills are developed and applied to define and solve problems in biology and medicine. Students choose the biomedical engineering field to be of service to people; for the excitement of working with living systems; and to apply advanced technology to the complex problems of medical care.

Some of the well established specialty areas exist within the field of biomedical engineering: bioinstrumentation, biomechanics, biomaterials, systems physiology, clinical engineering, and rehabilitation engineering.

Bioinstrumentation is the application of electronics and measurement principles and techniques to develop devices used in diagnosis and treatment of disease. Computers are becoming increasingly important in bioinstrumentation, from the microprocessor used to do a variety of small tasks in a single purpose instrument to the extensive computing power needed to process the large amount of information in a medical imaging system.

Biomechanics is mechanics applied to biological or medical problems. It includes the study of motion, of material deformation, of flow within the body and in devices, and transport of chemical constituents across biological and synthetic media and membranes.

Biomaterials describes both living tissue and materials used for implantation. Understanding the properties of the living material is vital in the design of implant materials.

Systems physiology is the term used to describe that aspect of biomedical engineering in which engineering strategies, techniques and tools are used to gain a comprehensive and integrated understanding of the function of living organisms ranging from bacteria to humans.

Clinical engineering is the application of technology for health care in hospitals. The clinical engineer is a member of the health care team along with physicians, nurses and other hospital staff.

Rehabilitation engineering is a new and growing specialty area of biomedical engineering. Rehabilitation engineers expand capabilities and improve the quality of life for individuals with physical impairments.

The goal of the BS program in Biomedical Engineering is the preparation of engineering professionals who have: (a) an ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering; (b) an ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data; (c) an ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs; (d) an ability to function on multidisciplinary teams; (e) an ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems; (f) an understanding of professional and ethical responsibility; (g) an ability to communicate effectively; (h) the broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global and societal context; (i) a recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in life-long learning; (j) a knowledge of contemporary issues; (k) an ability to use the techniques, skills, and modem engineering tools necessary for engineering practice; (1) an understanding of biology and physiology; (m) an ability to apply advanced mathematics to problems at the interface of engineering and biology; (n) an ability to measure and interpret data from living systems and (o) an ability to address the problems associated with the interaction between living and nonliving systems.

BS General Engineering

The mission of the General Engineering Program is to provide students with the highest quality technical and professional engineering education, with a particular emphasis in new or evolving interdisciplinary areas, while allowing the student to participate in designing their curricula.

The primary goal of the General Engineering Program is to provide students with a theoretically rigorous and a laboratory-centered, practice-oriented, hands-on education that will allow our graduates to immediately participate and to excel in professional environments.

General Engineering graduates are expected to be ready for immediate entry into the professional engineering field. They are also expected to demonstrate an ability to satisfy their personal needs for further education, as expressed in their matriculation to graduate or professional schools in some cases, and an interest in life-long learning in all cases. They are expected to possess a solid engineering foundation which will underpin a successful career. They are expected to be leaders, based on strong communication skills, a capa-city to form teams and perform in teams, and an understand-ing of the economic and social impact of their decisions.

In addition to the abilities expected of all engineering graduates, articulated in the section of this catalog describing the College of Engineering, General Engineering graduates are expected to leave the University with special capabilities pertinent to their own concentrations.

The Bachelor of Science degree in General Engineering is designed to allow students the latitude in course selection required to educate themselves either in the classical study of engineering or in new and evolving interdisciplinary technologies such as bioengineering and mechatronics. The degree is an excellent preparation for an applied terminal masters degree in these interdisciplinary fields such as the Blended BS+MS program described in the MS Engineering section of this catalog. General Engineering can also accommodate those students who wish to major in engineering but have not presently decided in which specific program their interest is centered. The curriculum builds a sound foundation in the fundamental principles of engineering and engineering systems during the early years of study. During their final quarters of study, students customize their study plan with the help of a faculty advisor and are given the opportunity to focus their education while still at the undergraduate level. The BS degree in General Engineering is, therefore, a direct path to employment in a classic engineering field or in an area of emerging technology. It is also a natural step toward a professional or a graduate degree.

General Engineering students are encouraged to participate in the Blended BS+MS program. This program recognizes that the expertise required of entry level engineers in many field, particularly new and evolving technological fields, implies that a masters degree is a prerequisite for success. The program allows motivated students to reduce the time necessary to earn both degrees.

All practitioners of engineering must have an understanding of the physical sciences and mathematics. Further, they must have a firm grasp of engineering sciences. The General Engineering curriculum provides the framework for this matrix of understanding, upon which the practitioner may begin to develop a unique area of expertise.

The General Engineering program focuses on synthesis, the integration of diverse elements to produce a single entity - an integral activity in the engineering profession. The Synthesis plan of study, developed with the support of the National Science Foundation, stresses integrated design, open-ended problem solving, experimentation, and manufacturing and construction. The program emphasizes phenomenological theory as well as analytical, experimental, and design skills - not in compartmentalized courses, but as a unified entity. The curriculum accents societal context, multidisciplinary teamwork and communication skills. It also emphasizes practical applications as well as principles. The laboratories in many of the courses are constantly evolving, so students benefit from a variety of state-of-the-art equipment.

This program is for directed, highly motivated students. The technical elective courses are selected to be consistent with a sharply defined career goal. Each student will be required to submit a study plan to the coordinator prior to the end of the first quarter of their junior year. Study plans selected in the past have emphasized engineering physics, biomedical engineering, and ocean engineering. Plans that are currently popular include biochemical engineering and synthesis.

The application of engineering to medicine and biology underpins a strong and growing segment of the industrial sector and continues to be an area of inherent interest to students. The need for well educated professionals in this area has become more acute as the technology being applied has become more sophisticated. Evolution in computing, electronics, signal analysis and mechatronic systems have been harbingers of improvement to diagnostic efforts, therapeutic approaches and bioindustrial applications. Studies of biological materials, physiological mechanisms, biochemical kinetics and heat and mass transfer in biological systems require engineering expertise. Applied medical and biological research has taken on a distinct engineering aspect.

Mechatronics, another popular student focus, is defined as the application of decision making to physical systems. Today's engineered products are complex, composed of integrated mechanical and electronic components and operate with the aid of control software. Design and fabrication of such products requires knowledge of manufacturing, mechanical engineering, electronics and materials as well as experience with concurrent engineering tools. Embedded computers of all sizes and capabilities are used in the decision making elements of products which daily affect the lives of essentially each resident in the developed world. Microcontrollers and mechatronic systems are found in devices as mundane as lawnmowers and as esoteric as deep space probes - and every system in between.

Bioengineering Concentration. Provides students with interdisciplinary exposure in a burgeoning field. The program highlights an immediate introduction to the major, strong personal interaction with faculty, strong partnerships with industrial participants and a signature laboratory emphasis. Rooted in a strong engineering exposure, the curriculum allows students to pursue applied biotechnical research in practical, interdisciplinary settings. Students and faculty are concerned with the design, analysis, integration and operation of engineered materials and engineered systems in biological applications. Typical areas of study include bioinstrumentation, bioelectric signals and communication, remediation and bioindustrial systems.

Biomedical Engineering Concentration. Prepares students to enter the increasingly technical world of medicine and medical services. Steeped in a rigorous exposure to engineering, the curriculum allows students to explore biomedical engineering in practical interdisciplinary settings. Students and faculty are concerned with the design, analysis, integration and operation of engineered materials and engineered systems in biomedical applications. Graduates work or go on to graduate study in areas including biomedical instrumentation and medical device development and manufacture, biomaterials production and development, biomechanics or similar areas.

Individualized Course of Study. Permits students to pursue a course of study which meets their individual needs and interests. Courses are selected by the student with the advice and approval of the student's academic advisor and department chair.

Graduate Degree Programs

  • Blended (4+1) Bachelors + Masters Program

Concentrations

  • Bioengineering Concentration
  • Biomedical Engineering Concentration
  • Individualized Course of Study

Specializations