Biomedical Engineering, B.A.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Ability to understand and apply basic science and perform technical skills to solve problems related to health and healthcare.
  2. Ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
  3. Ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.
  4. Ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives.
  5. Ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in healthcare, and understand societal and global impact of biomedical engineering solutions.

Academic Standards
Program GPA

Program GPA requirement policies are described in the Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing section of this bulletin. For the purpose of these policies, the following courses are used to determine the Program GPA for the Biomedical Engineering B.A. program: all Biomedical Engineering Major courses and all courses used to satisfy Biomedical Engineering Electives.

Entrance Requirements

Admission requirements for freshman are established by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Admissions requirements for transfer, major change and readmitted students are established by the College of Engineering and Computing.  For the BA Biomedical Engineering program, transfer applicants from regionally accredited colleges and universities must have a cumulative 2.75 GPA on a 4.00 scale. Current University of South Carolina students who wish to enter the College of Engineering and Computing, and former students seeking readmission, must have an institutional GPA of 2.50 or better on at least 15 hours earned at USC.   

Degree Requirements (120-126)

See College of Engineering and Computing for progression requirements and special academic opportunities.

Program of Study

Requirements Credit Hours
Carolina Core Requirements 32-42
College Requirements 0
Program Requirements 46-52
Major Requirements 36-38

Founding Documents Requirement

All undergraduate students must take a 3-credit course or its equivalent with a passing grade in the subject areas of History, Political Science, or African American Studies that covers the founding documents including the United State Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, the Emancipation Proclamation and one or more documents that are foundational to the African American Freedom struggle, and a minimum of five essays from the Federalist papers.  This course may count as a requirement in any part of the program of study including the Carolina Core, the major, minor or cognate, or as a general elective.  Courses that meet this requirement are listed here.

1. Carolina Core Requirements (32-42 hours)

CMW – Effective, Engaged, and Persuasive Communication: Written (6 hours)

ARP – Analytical Reasoning and Problem Solving (6-7 hours) 

must be passed with a grade of C or higher

SCI – Scientific Literacy (8 hours)

must be passed with a grade of C or higher

GFL – Global Citizenship and Multicultural Understanding: Foreign Language  (0-6 hours)

Score two or better on foreign language placement test; or complete the 109 and 110 courses in FREN, GERM, LATN or SPAN; or complete the 121 course in another foreign language.

GHS – ​Global Citizenship and Multicultural Understanding: Historical Thinking (3 hours) 

GSS – Global Citizenship and Multicultural Understanding: Social Sciences (3 hours) 

AIU – Aesthetic and Interpretive Understanding (3 hours)

CMS – Effective, Engaged, and Persuasive Communication: Spoken Component1 (0-3 hours)

INF – Information Literacy1 (0-3 hours)

VSR – Values, Ethics, and Social Responsibility1 (0-3 hours)

1

Carolina Core Stand Alone or Overlay Eligible Requirements — Overlay-approved courses offer students the option of meeting two Carolina Core components in a single course. A maximum of two overlays is allowed. The total Carolina Core credit hours for this program must add up to a minimum of 34 hours.

2. College Requirements (0 hours)

No college-required courses for this program.

3. Program Requirements (46-52 hours)

Supporting Courses (46 hours)

Foundational Courses (19 hours)

Complete the following:

Course Title Credits
BIOL 102Biological Principles II3
BIOL 102LBiological Principles II Laboratory1
PHYS 201General Physics I3
PHYS 201LGeneral Physics Laboratory I1
CHEM 112General Chemistry II3
CHEM 112LGeneral Chemistry II Lab1
CHEM 333Organic Chemistry I3
CHEM 331LEssentials of Organic Chemistry Laboratory I1
or CHEM 333L Comprehensive Organic Chemistry Laboratory I
CSCE 106Scientific Applications Programming (Scientific Applications Programming)3
Total Credit Hours19

Specialty Courses (27 hours)

Students must take 27 credit hours of specialty electives. Undergraduate courses that may be used to satisfy this requirement are listed below.

Course Title Credits
ACCT 222Survey of Accounting3
ANTH 101 and above
BIOL 120 and above
CHEM (except CHEM 111/CHEM 111L, CHEM 112/CHEM 112L, CHEM 333, CHEM 333L, CHEM 331L)
CLAS 220 and above
CRJU 101 and above
CYBR 390Special Topics in Cyber Intelligence3
CSCE higher than 106
ECHE 200 and above (except for ECHE 310)
ECIV 200 and above
ECON 224Introduction to Economics3
EDCE 210Career Planning and Development3
EDCE 340Counseling Through a Multicultural Lens: Understanding Self and Others3
EDCE 350Interpersonal Communication Skills3
EDCE 360Introduction to the Counseling Profession3
EDEX 205Understanding the Foundations of Disability3
EDEX 301Introduction to Students with Autism3
EDEX 523Introduction to Exceptional Children3
EDFI 300Schools in Communities3
EDFI 361Comparative and International Education3
EDLP 317Law and Policy Studies in Education3
EDPY 401Learners and the Diversity of Learning3
EDTE 202Global Citizenship and Social Responsibility through Education3
EDTE 218Convergence and Divergence in African American and Jewish Relations: Historical and Contemporary3
ELCT 200 and above
EMCH 200 and above
ENCP 200 and above
ENGL 300 and above
ENHS 223 and above
ENTR 201Entrepreneurism and Free Enterprise3
ENTR 301Startup Finance, Legal Structures, and Business Systems3
ENTR 401Applied Entrepreneurship3
ENTR 501Independent Study in Entrepreneurship1-3
ENVR 101 and above
EPID 349 and above
EXSC 191 and above (except EXSC 335 if used as Biomedical Elective)
FINA 333Finance and Markets3
HGEN 400 and above
HPEB 300 and above
HSPM 401 and above
ITEC 200 and above
MATH (except MATH 122)
MGMT 371Principles of Management3
MGSC 290Computer Information Systems in Business3
MKTG 350Principles of Marketing3
NSCI 300 and above
PEDU 302Foundations of Coaching3
PEDU 420Motor Learning in Physical Education3
PEDU 520Observational Analysis of Sports Techniques and Tactics3
PHIL 200 and above
PHYS 200 and above (except PHYS 101/PHYS 101L, PHYS 102/PHYS 102L, PHYS 151/PHYS 151L, PHYS 155/PHYS 155L, PHYS 201/PHYS 201L
POLI 101 and above
PSYC 101 and above
PUBH 302 and above
SOCY 101 and above
SPCH 200 and above
STAT except for STAT 201, STAT 205, or STAT 206
UNIV 101The Student in the University3

Electives (0-6 hours)

A minimum of 120 hours are required for the Biomedical Engineering, B.A. Electives are required if needed to reach to that total. Any course in the university can be used to satisfy the elective requirement (including additional electives in the major).

4. Major Requirements (36-38 hours)

Major Courses (24-26 hours)

Course Title Credits
BMEN 101Introduction to Biomedical Engineering1-3
or ENCP 101 Introduction to Engineering
BMEN 240Cellular and Molecular Biology with Engineering Applications (must be passed with a grade of C or better)4
BMEN 345Human Anatomy and Physiology for Biomedical Engineers4
BMEN 270Materials in Medicine3
BMEN 360Biomedical Analysis3
BMEN 302Professional Development and Ethics in Biomedical Engineering2
BMEN 340Biochemistry with Engineering Applications4
BMEN 363Biomedical Instrumentation3
Total Credit Hours24-26

Biomedical Engineering Major Electives (12 hours)

Students must take 12 credit hours of Biomedical Engineering electives.  Of these 12 credit hours, at most 3 credit hours may come from BMEN 499.  Undergraduate courses that may be used to satisfy this requirement are listed below.

Course Title Credits
BMEN 212Fundamentals of Biomedical Systems (must be passed with a grade of C or better)3
BMEN 263Introduction to Biomechanics3
BMEN 290Thermodynamics of Biomolecular Systems3
BMEN 342Infectious Disease & Immunology for Biomedical Engineers3
BMEN 346Medical Microbiology for Biomedical Engineers3
BMEN 389Special Topics in Biomedical Engineering for Undergraduates1-3
BMEN 392Fundamentals of Biochemical Engineering3
BMEN 499Independent Research1-3
BMEN 532Micro/nanofluidics and Lab-on-a-Chip3
BMEN 537Bio Nano/Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems3
BMEN 546Delivery of Bioactive Agents3
BMEN 547Immunoengineering3
BMEN 548Cardiovascular System: From Development to Disease3
BMEN 565Advanced Biomechanics3
BMEN 572Tissue Engineering3
BMEN 575Engineering of Soft Materials3
BMEN 589Special Topics in Biomedical Engineering1-3
ECHE 430Chemical Engineering Kinetics3
EMCH 580Mechanics of Solid Biomaterials3
EXSC 335Biomechanics of Human Movement3

Major Map

A major map is a layout of required courses in a given program of study, including critical courses and suggested course sequences to ensure a clear path to graduation.

Major maps are only a suggested or recommended sequence of courses required in a program of study. Please contact your academic advisor for assistance in the application of specific coursework to a program of study and course selection and planning for upcoming semesters.

Biomedical Engineering, B.A.