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Sponsored by the Office of the Provost
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2026-2027

Biomedical Engineering

College of Engineering

 
Program description

Biomedical engineering applies engineering expertise to analyze and solve problems in biology and medicine in order to enhance health care. Students involved in biomedical engineering learn to work with living systems and to apply advanced technology to the complex problems of medical care. Biomedical engineers work with other health care professionals including physicians, nurses, therapists and technicians toward improvements in diagnostic, therapeutic and health delivery systems. Biomedical engineers may be involved with designing medical instruments and devices, developing medical software, tissue and cellular engineering, developing new procedures or conducting state-of-the-art research needed to solve clinical problems.


Students take hands-on REAL laboratories in each year of the curriculum. These required labs include EGRB 104, EGRB 209, and EGRB 310. All students complete a year-long capstone with REAL experience in EGRB 401 and EGRB 402.  All of these experiences prepare biomedical engineering students to become integrators of physiology, life science, and engineering to become innovative contributors to medical research and industry.

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 with a grade of B or better. If attempted, CHEM 101, CHEZ 101, MATH 301, MATH 310, and PHYS 207 must be completed with grades of "B" or better. All must be completed in fewer than 56 VCU credit hours. These are requirements for assured admission; however, Engineering reviews all applying students and considers admission to the major on a case by case basis.

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 and MATH 310 and STAT 441
Science required
  • 5+ additional science courses
Foreign language requirements
  • No
Additional tuition/fees
  • Yes
GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)
  • Minimum overall and minimum in-major GPA: 2.0. All engineering, math, and physics courses must be completed with grades of “C” or better.
Transfer Maps

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
Major map compass icon
Major map

Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
EXPAND YOUR COMMUNITY
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Apply to be a Division of Student Affairs peer leader.
  • Attend one career event sponsored by Career Services.
  • Complete and activate your Handshake profile and opt-in to industry email lists.
  • Consider applying for a federal work-study job on- or off-campus in Handshake.
  • Learn more about potential careers by using Forage in the Navigate 360 app.
  • Review your Career Works 4 year career planning tool and start working on your milestones.
  • Seek research opportunities by checking out the Undergraduate Research and Creative Inquiry webpage.
  • Attend alumni and industry presentations that describe BME careers and fields.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Access your free credit report and begin making responsible credit choices to prepare for your future.
  • Build a resume and LinkedIn profile with help from VCU Career Services, make at least 10 connections, and check out the VCU alumni career programs page.
  • Connect with the Student Alumni Council to connect to VCU alumni.
  • Make a 4-year affordability plan with your financial counselor.
  • Attend the College of Engineering’s internship and career fair.

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Get familiar with the research process with the VCU Libraries Research Basics Guide.
  • Schedule an appointment with your major advisor to explore minors, certificates, and plan your required REAL experience.
  • Continue progression in engineering and mathematics coursework.
EXPAND YOUR COMMUNITY
  • Discuss personal and professional interests with faculty.
  • Investigate globally-focused courses in your major by pursuing language coursework or setting language proficiency goals with advisors and faculty and apply for the Critical Languages Scholarship.
  • Take a service-learning class to get involved with local organizations while earning credit.
  • Volunteer to address a social issue and check out Hands on Greater Richmond for opportunities.
  • Join a cultural or identity-related organization.
  • Participate in RamHacks or HealthHacks.
  • Consider tutoring for the College of Engineering in your strongest subjects.
  • Identify ways in which you are culturally uninformed and 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 and internship fairs and other professional development events.
  • Build a professional resume and upload it to Handshake.
  • Complete a gap analysis with your career advisor to identify key skills required for your professional field.
  • Pursue a digital badge to highlight the knowledge, skills, and experiences employers and graduate schools value.
  • Seek out practical experience through independent skill-building, internships, shadowing, or part-time work.
  • Attend Alumni and Industry presentations that describe BME careers and fields.
  • Take ENGR 395 and gain key skills for finding internships, co-ops, or research opportunities.
  • Apply for internships, co-ops, and VIP Teams.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Ask a faculty or staff member to be your academic and professional mentor and to provide future letters of recommendation.
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of professional interest.
  • Connect with alumni on VCULink for career advice, industry contacts, and meaningful professional relationships.
  • Meet with a coach at the Financial Success Center to set financial goals, understand student loans, and create spending plans.
  • Attend the College of Engineering’s internship and career fair.
  • Consider attending a regional or national career fair like BEYA, SWE, SHPE, NSBE, or oSTEM to gain exposure to more employers.

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Enhance your business, software, technology, and creative skills using LinkedIn Learning.
  • Meet with your academic and career advisors to discuss graduation progress and career planning.
  • Attend or present a poster at a scientific meeting or conference.
  • Begin consideration of your technical elective and preferred program “track.”
EXPAND YOUR COMMUNITY
  • Attend civic meetings, such as school board, neighborhood association, city council, or state legislative sessions.
  • Build language proficiency and cultural competence by carrying out your plans for study abroad, internships, and service-learning.
  • Design a community-engaged research project.
  • Explore new cultures at one of Richmond’s wide array of festivals.
  • Make an appointment with the National Scholarship Office to explore post-graduate scholarship and fellowship opportunities.
  • Motivate your peers by presenting at Leaders Unleashed: Student Leadership Conference or at TEDxVCU.
  • Further explore the City of Richmond and the Commonwealth of Virginia.
  • Consider joining an in-major mentoring network.
  • Practice communication and interpersonal skills that embrace cultural differences, particularly in professional settings.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Apply for the Graduate School Mentorship Program to learn more about graduate school and the graduate student experience.
  • Take advantage of mock interview opportunities through Big Interview or meeting with a career advisor.
  • Update your ePortfolio.
  • Work on developing your professional online presence in LinkedIn and Github.
  • Attend the Senior Capstone Expo in April.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Have a personal statement or cover letter reviewed by Career Services or the Writing Center.
  • Make a plan with your academic, career, and faculty advisors for applying to graduate school or land a micro-internship.
  • Prepare for job offer negotiation by researching salaries, benefits, and other opportunities for flexibility.
  • Study for and complete any standardized exams required for graduate school the summer before senior year. 
  • Attend the College of Engineering’s internship and career fair.
  • Research graduate programs to determine competitive applicant profiles, including GPA, prerequisite coursework, and entrance exam scores.

Excel
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Apply to graduate for your undergraduate degree.
  • Choose REAL electives to diversify your skillset and round out your degree.
  • Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor the semester before you graduate to ensure that all graduation requirements will be met.
  • Choose courses emphasizing content and skills relevant to your preferred post-graduation opportunities.
  • Declare any outstanding minors for which you may already have credit like math, chemistry, or physics.
EXPAND YOUR COMMUNITY
  • Attend professional association conferences that offer student rates or scholarships.
  • Carry out globally-oriented research projects with multilingual faculty and international partners.
  • Read scholarly articles about internationalization in your field.
  • Serve in a leadership role on campus in 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.
  • 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
  • Apply for post-graduation programs like Peace Corps, Literacy Lab, or AmeriCorps.
  • Meet with your academic or professional mentor and identify examples of your experiential learning to share with employers.
  • Publish your original research in Auctus: The Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creativity.
  • Present your research through the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) or another discipline-specific conference.
  • Reflect on your experiential learning thus far with current or potential mentors like peers, faculty, advisors, alumni, or industry professionals.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Connect with the Office of VCU Alumni Relations at Grad Fair, Grad Bash, and the VCULink Industry Network or alumni chapter.
  • Fill out VCU’s First Destination Survey.
  • Prepare for graduation by making a plan to complete licensing exams, applications, and self-marketing activities.
  • Single out prospective employers and create a job or graduate school search strategy at least 8 months before graduation.
  • Attend the College of Engineering’s internship and career fair.
  • Research prospective employers and create a job or graduate school search strategy at least 8 months prior to graduation.
Visit majormaps.vcu.edu for the online version with links.
Sponsored by the Office of the Provost
Major map compass icon
2026-2027

Biomedical Engineering

College of Engineering

MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING EXPAND YOUR COMMUNITY EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
Explore Year 1
  • Apply to be a Division of Student Affairs peer leader.
  • Attend one career event sponsored by Career Services.
  • Complete and activate your Handshake profile and opt-in to industry email lists.
  • Consider applying for a federal work-study job on- or off-campus in Handshake.
  • Learn more about potential careers by using Forage in the Navigate 360 app.
  • Review your Career Works 4 year career planning tool and start working on your milestones.
  • Seek research opportunities by checking out the Undergraduate Research and Creative Inquiry webpage.
  • Attend alumni and industry presentations that describe BME careers and fields.
  • Access your free credit report and begin making responsible credit choices to prepare for your future.
  • Build a resume and LinkedIn profile with help from VCU Career Services, make at least 10 connections, and check out the VCU alumni career programs page.
  • Connect with the Student Alumni Council to connect to VCU alumni.
  • Make a 4-year affordability plan with your financial counselor.
  • Attend the College of Engineering’s internship and career fair.
Experience Year 2
  • Get familiar with the research process with the VCU Libraries Research Basics Guide.
  • Schedule an appointment with your major advisor to explore minors, certificates, and plan your required REAL experience.
  • Continue progression in engineering and mathematics coursework.
  • Discuss personal and professional interests with faculty.
  • Investigate globally-focused courses in your major by pursuing language coursework or setting language proficiency goals with advisors and faculty and apply for the Critical Languages Scholarship.
  • Take a service-learning class to get involved with local organizations while earning credit.
  • Volunteer to address a social issue and check out Hands on Greater Richmond for opportunities.
  • Join a cultural or identity-related organization.
  • Participate in RamHacks or HealthHacks.
  • Consider tutoring for the College of Engineering in your strongest subjects.
  • Identify ways in which you are culturally uninformed and begin to learn the historical and current events that have shaped cultures to which you have been underexposed.
  • Attend career and internship fairs and other professional development events.
  • Build a professional resume and upload it to Handshake.
  • Complete a gap analysis with your career advisor to identify key skills required for your professional field.
  • Pursue a digital badge to highlight the knowledge, skills, and experiences employers and graduate schools value.
  • Seek out practical experience through independent skill-building, internships, shadowing, or part-time work.
  • Attend Alumni and Industry presentations that describe BME careers and fields.
  • Take ENGR 395 and gain key skills for finding internships, co-ops, or research opportunities.
  • Apply for internships, co-ops, and VIP Teams.
  • Ask a faculty or staff member to be your academic and professional mentor and to provide future letters of recommendation.
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of professional interest.
  • Connect with alumni on VCULink for career advice, industry contacts, and meaningful professional relationships.
  • Meet with a coach at the Financial Success Center to set financial goals, understand student loans, and create spending plans.
  • Attend the College of Engineering’s internship and career fair.
  • Consider attending a regional or national career fair like BEYA, SWE, SHPE, NSBE, or oSTEM to gain exposure to more employers.
Year 3
  • Enhance your business, software, technology, and creative skills using LinkedIn Learning.
  • Meet with your academic and career advisors to discuss graduation progress 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 association, city council, or state legislative sessions.
  • Build language proficiency and cultural competence by carrying out your plans for study abroad, internships, and service-learning.
  • Design a community-engaged research project.
  • Explore new cultures at one of Richmond’s wide array of festivals.
  • Make an appointment with the National Scholarship Office to explore post-graduate scholarship and fellowship opportunities.
  • Motivate your peers by presenting at Leaders Unleashed: Student Leadership Conference or at TEDxVCU.
  • Further explore the City of Richmond and the Commonwealth of Virginia.
  • Consider joining an in-major mentoring network.
  • Practice communication and interpersonal skills that embrace cultural differences, particularly in professional settings.
  • Apply for the Graduate School Mentorship Program to learn more about graduate school and the graduate student experience.
  • Take advantage of mock interview opportunities through Big Interview or meeting with a career advisor.
  • Update your ePortfolio.
  • Work on developing your professional online presence in LinkedIn and Github.
  • Attend the Senior Capstone Expo in April.
  • Have a personal statement or cover letter reviewed by Career Services or the Writing Center.
  • Make a plan with your academic, career, and faculty advisors for applying to graduate school or land a micro-internship.
  • Prepare for job offer negotiation by researching salaries, benefits, and other opportunities for flexibility.
  • Study for and complete any standardized exams required for graduate school the summer before senior year. 
  • Attend the College of Engineering’s internship and career fair.
  • Research graduate programs to determine competitive applicant profiles, including GPA, prerequisite coursework, and entrance exam scores.
Excel Year 4
  • Apply to graduate for your undergraduate degree.
  • Choose REAL electives to diversify your skillset and round out your degree.
  • Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor the semester before you graduate to ensure that all graduation requirements will be met.
  • Choose courses emphasizing content and skills relevant to your preferred post-graduation opportunities.
  • Declare any outstanding minors for which you may already have credit like math, chemistry, or physics.
  • Attend professional association conferences that offer student rates or scholarships.
  • Carry out globally-oriented research projects with multilingual faculty and international partners.
  • Read scholarly articles about internationalization in your field.
  • Serve in a leadership role on campus in 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.
  • Visit the Museum District’s many offerings such as the VMFA and the Virginia Museum of History and Culture.
  • Apply for post-graduation programs like Peace Corps, Literacy Lab, or AmeriCorps.
  • Meet with your academic or professional mentor and identify examples of your experiential learning to share with employers.
  • Publish your original research in Auctus: The Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creativity.
  • Present your research through the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) or another discipline-specific conference.
  • Reflect on your experiential learning thus far with current or potential mentors like peers, faculty, advisors, alumni, or industry professionals.
  • Connect with the Office of VCU Alumni Relations at Grad Fair, Grad Bash, and the VCULink Industry Network or alumni chapter.
  • Fill out VCU’s First Destination Survey.
  • Prepare for graduation by making a plan to complete licensing exams, applications, and self-marketing activities.
  • Single out prospective employers and create a job or graduate school search strategy at least 8 months before graduation.
  • Attend the College of Engineering’s internship and career fair.
  • Research prospective employers and create a job or graduate school search strategy at least 8 months prior to graduation.