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Sponsored by the Office of the Provost
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2020-2021

Biomedical engineering

College of Engineering

 
Program description

Biomedical engineering provides in-depth study in a variety of specialization areas including biomedical imaging systems, orthopaedic biomechanics, tissue and cellular engineering, biomaterials, artificial organs, human-computer interfaces, cardiovascular devices, rehabilitation and human factors engineering. The programs allow students to participate in cutting-edge research in one of the nation’s most advanced engineering facilities. The department has ongoing collaborations with numerous industries, federal laboratories, the VCU science departments, the university’s MCV Campus, the Hunter Holmes McGuire Veterans Affairs Medical Center, the Virginia BioTechnology Research Park and numerous biomedical and clinical programs throughout the VCU Medical Center’s MCV Hospitals.

Career opportunities

Biomedical engineers develop devices and procedures that solve medical and health-related problems by combining their knowledge of biology and medicine with engineering principles and practices. Many do research, along with medical scientists, to develop and evaluate systems and products such as artificial organs, prostheses (artificial devices that replace missing body parts), instrumentation, medical information systems, and health management and care delivery systems. Biomedical engineers also may design devices used in various medical procedures, imaging systems such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and devices for automating insulin injections or controlling body functions. Most engineers in this specialty need a sound background in another engineering specialty, such as mechanical or electronics engineering, in addition to specialized biomedical training. Some specialties within biomedical engineering are biomaterials, biomechanics, medical imaging, rehabilitation engineering, and orthopedic engineering.   

Change of major requirements

VCU GPA of 3.0 or greater, with a minimum of 12 VCU credit hours earned. Completion of MATH 200, MATH 201, BIOL 151, and BIOZ 151, all with grades of "B" or higher. If attempted, CHEM 101, CHEZ 101, MATH 301, MATH 310, and PHYS 207 all must be completed with a grade of "B" or higher. All requirements must be completed in fewer than 56 VCU credit hours.

Bachelor-level job titles
  • Business consultant
  • Clinical engineer
  • Human factors engineer
  • Manufacturing engineer
  • Patent examiner
  • Policy analyst
  • Product development engineer
  • Quality engineer
  • Regulatory affairs specialist
  • Research and development engineer
  • Sales engineer
Graduate and professional level job titles
  • College Professor
  • Device Engineer
  • Director of Clinical Research
  • Medical Equipment Design & Development Engineer
  • Project Leader
  • Research & Development Engineer
  • Research Scientist
Professional associations and resources
Degree requirements in Bulletin
Plan of study in Bulletin
Requirements
Highest level of math required
  • MATH 301, MATH 310
Science required
  • 5+ additional science courses
Foreign language requirements
  • No
Additional tuition/fees
  • Yes
GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)
  • 2.0

Contact information

Department name:
Department of Biomedical Engineering
Building/room location:
Institute for Engineering and Medicine, 601 West Main Street
Phone:
(804) 828-7958
Email:
biomedicalengr@vcu.edu
https://egr.vcu.edu/departments/biomedical/
Campus (where 75% of courses are taken):
Monroe Park
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Major map

Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Attend Ready, Set, Go – Sophomore Transition Experience.  
  • Map out a 4-year course plan in Degree Works' Student Educational Planner.
  • Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor to review your CSI self-report, start goal planning, and to discuss tutoring, electives, & degree progression.
  • Take a tour to learn about library spaces, services, & how to get research help.
  • Register for EGRB 101 and EGRB 102.
  • Register for the highest level math you can.
  • Attend all SI sessions and seek tutoring.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Access your free credit report and begin making responsible credit choices to prepare for your future.
  • Build a LinkedIn profile, connect to at least 10 people, and check out the VCU alumni page.
  • Explore “What Can I Do With This Major” to learn about employers in your field of study.
  • Join Students Today Alumni Tomorrow (STAT) to connect to VCU traditions, networking opportunities, and fellow Rams.
  • Attend Engineering Internship/Career Fairs.

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Get familiar with the research process with the VCU Libraries Research Basics Guide. Ask questions about how to use the library.
  • Schedule an appointment with your advisor and explore minors, certificates, and skills-based value added courses.  
  • Talk to your professors about research interests, picking future classes, and strategies for success in your program.
  • Continue progression in engineering and mathematics coursework.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Consider short-term, semester and year-long Study Abroad opportunities.
  • Get to know other VCU students and meet new friends from all over the world at a monthly Global Café.
  • Join a cultural or identity-related organization.
  • Identify ways in which you are culturally uninformed. Begin to learn the historical and current events that have shaped cultures to which you have been underexposed.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Attend Career & Internship Fairs and other professional development events. 
  • Complete a “Gap Analysis” Strategic Plan with your academic or career advisor.
  • Create an ePortfolio to document academic/professional experiences, accomplishments, and reflections.
  • Gain practical experience related to career goals through internships, shadowing, part-time work, or independent skill building.
  • Apply for internships, co-ops, and VIP Teams.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Conduct an informational interview or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
  • Consider who you would ask to serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.   
  • Get plugged into VCULink to connect with students and alumni.
  • Meet with a coach at The Money Spot to set financial goals, understand student loans, and create spending plans.
  • Attend Engineering Internship/Career Fairs.
  • Consider attending a national career fair (SWE, SHPE, NSBE) for employer exposure.

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Deepen your expertise at finding information in your discipline by working with your subject expert librarian & using research guides.
  • Enhance your business, software, technology and creative skills using LinkedIn Learning.
  • See your academic and career advisors regularly to discuss your progress towards graduation and career planning.
  • Attend or present a poster at a scientific meeting or conference.
  • Begin consideration of your technical elective and preferred program “track.”
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
  • Attend civic meetings, such as school board, neighborhood associations, city council, or state legislative sessions.
  • Continue to find opportunities and organizations through SOC that can help you make a difference and make your mark.
  • Create a community-engaged research project.
  • Make an appointment with the National Scholarship Office to explore post-graduate scholarship and fellowship opportunities, such as the Fulbright Student Scholarship.
  • Further explore the City of Richmond and the Commonwealth of Virginia.
  • Consider joining an in-major mentoring network.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Apply to be a Diversity Ambassador with the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs.
  • Richmond is known for hosting a wide array of festivals! Learn about new cultures, food, and music by attending one of these events.
  • Update your engineering resume to include how you have developed your communication and interpersonal skills for future work on multidisciplinary and multicultural teams.
  • Attend culturally diverse events like art, music, and food festivals and exhibitions at VCU and beyond.
  • Practice communication and interpersonal skills that embrace cultural differences, particularly in professional settings.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Prepare for job offer negotiation by researching salaries, benefits, and other opportunities for flexibility.
  • Research graduate/professional schools at least 1 year in advance of deadlines. Study for and complete any exams the summer before senior year. 
  • Talk to advisors, faculty, and Engineering Career Services about graduate school versus a job.
  • Research graduate programs to determine the competitive applicant profile, including GPA, prerequisite coursework, and entrance exam scores.
  • Attend Engineering Internship & Career Fair.

Excel
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor a semester before your anticipated graduation to ensure all graduation requirements will be met. 
  • Choose courses teaching content and skills most relevant to your preferred post-graduation opportunities.
  • Declare any outstanding minors for which you may already have credit (Math, Chemistry (premed), Physics).
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
  • Apply for a year-long service or fellowship opportunity after graduation through programs like Peace Corps, Fulbright Student Scholars, Literacy Lab, Richmond Teacher Residency, or AmeriCorps.
  • Attend professional conferences that offer student rates or scholarships (see professional organizations listed above).
  • Continue to find opportunities and organizations through SOC that can help you make a difference and make your mark.
  • Serve in a leadership role on campus or as a board member of a local community organization.
  • Participate in civic organizations related to your interests; like tutoring and engineering outreach with local schools.
  • Volunteer at an organization devoted to the arts, environment, education, or policy.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Read scholarly articles about diversity in your field.
  • Reflect on your own cultural competency, and be prepared to answer interview questions that outline how you have worked with diverse populations.
  • Continue to explore cultures beyond your own through scholarly and recreational avenues.
  • Visit the Museum District’s many offerings, such as the VMFA and the Virginia Museum of History and Culture.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Continue to engage in research to create more content for your ePortfolio.
  • Present your research at conference/meeting such as UROP Undergraduate Research Symposium or other conferences. 
  • Reflect on the experiential learning you have engaged in thus far, and discuss with current or potential mentors (peers, faculty, advisors, alumni, professionals).
  • Present your research at conference/meeting such as UROP Undergraduate Research Symposium or other discipline- specific conference.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Complete exams, applications, or self-marketing activities for after graduation.
  • Consider training to become an educator through programs like RTR, which prepares graduates from a variety of majors to become effective teachers in high-need schools.
  • Engage with the VCU Alumni Association at Grad Fair, Grad Bash, and by joining a VCULink Industry Network and alumni chapter as you prepare to graduate.
  • Have a personal statement or cover letter reviewed and do a mock interview through InterviewStream or with a career advisor.
  • Research prospective employers and create a job or graduate school search strategy at least 8 months before graduation.
  • Attend Engineering Internship/Career Fairs.
Visit majormaps.vcu.edu for the online version with links.
Sponsored by the Office of the Provost
Major map compass icon
2020-2021

Biomedical engineering

College of Engineering

Concentration(s):
No concentration
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
Explore Year 1
  • Attend Ready, Set, Go – Sophomore Transition Experience.  
  • Map out a 4-year course plan in Degree Works' Student Educational Planner.
  • Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor to review your CSI self-report, start goal planning, and to discuss tutoring, electives, & degree progression.
  • Take a tour to learn about library spaces, services, & how to get research help.
  • Register for EGRB 101 and EGRB 102.
  • Register for the highest level math you can.
  • Attend all SI sessions and seek tutoring.
  • Access your free credit report and begin making responsible credit choices to prepare for your future.
  • Build a LinkedIn profile, connect to at least 10 people, and check out the VCU alumni page.
  • Explore “What Can I Do With This Major” to learn about employers in your field of study.
  • Join Students Today Alumni Tomorrow (STAT) to connect to VCU traditions, networking opportunities, and fellow Rams.
  • Attend Engineering Internship/Career Fairs.
Experience Year 2
  • Get familiar with the research process with the VCU Libraries Research Basics Guide. Ask questions about how to use the library.
  • Schedule an appointment with your advisor and explore minors, certificates, and skills-based value added courses.  
  • Talk to your professors about research interests, picking future classes, and strategies for success in your program.
  • Continue progression in engineering and mathematics coursework.
  • Consider short-term, semester and year-long Study Abroad opportunities.
  • Get to know other VCU students and meet new friends from all over the world at a monthly Global Café.
  • Join a cultural or identity-related organization.
  • Identify ways in which you are culturally uninformed. Begin to learn the historical and current events that have shaped cultures to which you have been underexposed.
  • Attend Career & Internship Fairs and other professional development events. 
  • Complete a “Gap Analysis” Strategic Plan with your academic or career advisor.
  • Create an ePortfolio to document academic/professional experiences, accomplishments, and reflections.
  • Gain practical experience related to career goals through internships, shadowing, part-time work, or independent skill building.
  • Apply for internships, co-ops, and VIP Teams.
  • Conduct an informational interview or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
  • Consider who you would ask to serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.   
  • Get plugged into VCULink to connect with students and alumni.
  • Meet with a coach at The Money Spot to set financial goals, understand student loans, and create spending plans.
  • Attend Engineering Internship/Career Fairs.
  • Consider attending a national career fair (SWE, SHPE, NSBE) for employer exposure.
Year 3
  • Deepen your expertise at finding information in your discipline by working with your subject expert librarian & using research guides.
  • Enhance your business, software, technology and creative skills using LinkedIn Learning.
  • See your academic and career advisors regularly to discuss your progress towards graduation and career planning.
  • Attend or present a poster at a scientific meeting or conference.
  • Begin consideration of your technical elective and preferred program “track.”
  • Attend civic meetings, such as school board, neighborhood associations, city council, or state legislative sessions.
  • Continue to find opportunities and organizations through SOC that can help you make a difference and make your mark.
  • Create a community-engaged research project.
  • Make an appointment with the National Scholarship Office to explore post-graduate scholarship and fellowship opportunities, such as the Fulbright Student Scholarship.
  • Further explore the City of Richmond and the Commonwealth of Virginia.
  • Consider joining an in-major mentoring network.
  • Apply to be a Diversity Ambassador with the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs.
  • Richmond is known for hosting a wide array of festivals! Learn about new cultures, food, and music by attending one of these events.
  • Update your engineering resume to include how you have developed your communication and interpersonal skills for future work on multidisciplinary and multicultural teams.
  • Attend culturally diverse events like art, music, and food festivals and exhibitions at VCU and beyond.
  • Practice communication and interpersonal skills that embrace cultural differences, particularly in professional settings.
  • Prepare for job offer negotiation by researching salaries, benefits, and other opportunities for flexibility.
  • Research graduate/professional schools at least 1 year in advance of deadlines. Study for and complete any exams the summer before senior year. 
  • Talk to advisors, faculty, and Engineering Career Services about graduate school versus a job.
  • Research graduate programs to determine the competitive applicant profile, including GPA, prerequisite coursework, and entrance exam scores.
  • Attend Engineering Internship & Career Fair.
Excel Year 4
  • Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor a semester before your anticipated graduation to ensure all graduation requirements will be met. 
  • Choose courses teaching content and skills most relevant to your preferred post-graduation opportunities.
  • Declare any outstanding minors for which you may already have credit (Math, Chemistry (premed), Physics).
  • Apply for a year-long service or fellowship opportunity after graduation through programs like Peace Corps, Fulbright Student Scholars, Literacy Lab, Richmond Teacher Residency, or AmeriCorps.
  • Attend professional conferences that offer student rates or scholarships (see professional organizations listed above).
  • Continue to find opportunities and organizations through SOC that can help you make a difference and make your mark.
  • Serve in a leadership role on campus or as a board member of a local community organization.
  • Participate in civic organizations related to your interests; like tutoring and engineering outreach with local schools.
  • Volunteer at an organization devoted to the arts, environment, education, or policy.
  • Read scholarly articles about diversity in your field.
  • Reflect on your own cultural competency, and be prepared to answer interview questions that outline how you have worked with diverse populations.
  • Continue to explore cultures beyond your own through scholarly and recreational avenues.
  • Visit the Museum District’s many offerings, such as the VMFA and the Virginia Museum of History and Culture.
  • Continue to engage in research to create more content for your ePortfolio.
  • Present your research at conference/meeting such as UROP Undergraduate Research Symposium or other conferences. 
  • Reflect on the experiential learning you have engaged in thus far, and discuss with current or potential mentors (peers, faculty, advisors, alumni, professionals).
  • Present your research at conference/meeting such as UROP Undergraduate Research Symposium or other discipline- specific conference.
  • Complete exams, applications, or self-marketing activities for after graduation.
  • Consider training to become an educator through programs like RTR, which prepares graduates from a variety of majors to become effective teachers in high-need schools.
  • Engage with the VCU Alumni Association at Grad Fair, Grad Bash, and by joining a VCULink Industry Network and alumni chapter as you prepare to graduate.
  • Have a personal statement or cover letter reviewed and do a mock interview through InterviewStream or with a career advisor.
  • Research prospective employers and create a job or graduate school search strategy at least 8 months before graduation.
  • Attend Engineering Internship/Career Fairs.