Biomedical Engineering, B.S.

Admissions

Entrance Requirements

Admission requirements and processes for freshman, transfer students, and former students seeking readmission are managed by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

Transfer applicants from regionally accredited colleges and universities must have a cumulative 2.75 GPA on a 4.00 scale to enter the College of Engineering and Computing.  In addition, transfer applicants for the Aerospace Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or Mechanical Engineering majors must also have completed a four semester-hour calculus course equivalent to MATH 141 with a grade of “C” or better.  

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.   In addition, such applicants for the Aerospace Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or Mechanical Engineering majors must also have completed a four semester-hour calculus course equivalent to MATH 141 with a grade of “C” or better.  

Degree Requirements (122-136 hours)

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

Program of Study

Requirements Credit Hours
1. Carolina Core Requirements 34-46
2. College Requirements 0
3. Program Requirements 52-54
4. Major Requirements 36

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 (34-46 hours)

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

ARP – Analytical Reasoning and Problem Solving (8 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 (52-54 hours)

Supporting Courses (52-54 hours)

Foundational Courses (18 hours)

Complete all of the following:

Course Title Credits
CHEM 112General Chemistry II (must be passed with a grade of C or higher)3
CHEM 112LGeneral Chemistry II Lab (must be passed with a grade of C or higher)1
CHEM 333Organic Chemistry I (must be passed with a grade of C or higher)3
CHEM 331LEssentials of Organic Chemistry Laboratory I1
or CHEM 333L Comprehensive Organic Chemistry Laboratory I
MATH 242Elementary Differential Equations (must be passed with a grade of C or higher)3
PHYS 211Essentials of Physics I (must be passed with a grade of C or higher)3
PHYS 211LEssentials of Physics I Lab (must be passed with a grade of C or higher)1
STAT 509Statistics for Engineers3
Total Credit Hours18

Biomedical Engineering 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.  In addition, BMEN courses numbered 700 and above may be used to satisfy this requirement, provided the student is admitted to an Accelerated Bachelor’s/Graduate Program.

Course Title Credits
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

Program Electives (3 hours)

Course Title Credits
Any Biomedical Engineering Elective
Any CSCE course at a 200 level and above
Any ECHE course at a 300 level and above
Any ELCT course at a 300 level and above
Any EMCH course at a 300 level and above
BIOL 102Biological Principles II3
BIOL 102LBiological Principles II Laboratory1
BIOL 250Microbiology3
BIOL 250LMicrobiology Laboratory1
BIOL 270Introduction to Environmental Biology3
BIOL 270LIntroduction to Environmental Biology Laboratory1
BIOL 301Ecology and Evolution3
BIOL 302LCell and Molecular Biology Laboratory1
BIOL 303Fundamental Genetics3
BIOL 415Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy4
BIOL 460Advanced Human Physiology3
BIOL 505Developmental Biology3
BIOL 530Histology4
BIOL 531Parasitology4
or ENHS 661 Parasitology
or EPID 661 Parasitology
BIOL 534Animal Behavior3
BIOL 553Genomics3
BIOL 610Hallmarks of Cancer3
BIOL 612Virology - Classical and Emerging Concepts3
BIOL 620Immunobiology3
BIOL 635Neurophysiology4
BIOL 653Bioinformatics3
BIOL 655Biotechnology3
BIOL 656Experimental Biotechnology4
BIOL 662Signal Transduction and Pathogenesis3
BIOL 665Human Molecular Genetics3
BIOL 667Molecular and Genetic Mechanisms of Disease Pathogenesis3
BIOL 690Ultramicroscopy3
CHEM 321Quantitative Analysis3
or CHEM 322 Analytical Chemistry
CHEM 321LQuantitative Analysis Laboratory1
or CHEM 322L Analytical Chemistry Laboratory
CHEM 334Organic Chemistry II3
CHEM 332LEssentials of Organic Chemistry Laboratory II1
CHEM 340Elementary Biophysical Chemistry3
CHEM 541Physical Chemistry3
CHEM 541LPhysical Chemistry Laboratory2
CHEM 542Physical Chemistry3
CHEM 545Physical Biochemistry3
CHEM 550Biochemistry3
or BIOL 541 Biochemistry
CHEM 550LBiochemistry Laboratory1
or BIOL 541L Biochemistry Laboratory
CSCE 145Algorithmic Design I4
EMCH 111Introduction to Computer-Aided Design3
EXSC 330Exercise Physiology3
EXSC 562Impairments of the Human Motor System3
MATH 344Applied Linear Algebra3
or MATH 526 Numerical Linear Algebra
MATH 374Discrete Structures3
MATH 520Ordinary Differential Equations3
MATH 524Nonlinear Optimization3
MATH 544Linear Algebra3
MATH 546Algebraic Structures I3
MATH 547Algebraic Structures II3
MATH 550Vector Analysis3
MATH 552Applied Complex Variables3
MGMT 371Principles of Management3
PHYS 212Essentials of Physics II3
PHYS 212LEssentials of Physics II Lab1
PHYS 515Mathematical Physics I3
PHYS 516Mathematical Physics II3
PHYS 517Computational Physics3
STAT 516Statistical Methods II3
STAT 518Nonparametric Statistical Methods3
STAT 519Sampling3
STAT 520Forecasting and Time Series3
or MGSC 520 Forecasting and Time Series
STAT 523Financial Mathematics II3
STAT 525Statistical Quality Control3
or MGSC 525 Statistical Quality Control
STAT 528Environmental Statistics3
STAT 530Applied Multivariate Statistics and Data Mining3
STAT 582Bayesian Networks and Decision Graphs3
or CSCE 582 Bayesian Networks and Decision Graphs
UNIV 101The Student in the University3

Lower Division Engineering (19-21 hours)

Complete all of the following:

Course Title Credits
BMEN 101Introduction to Biomedical Engineering1-3
or ENCP 101 Introduction to Engineering
BMEN 212Fundamentals of Biomedical Systems (must be passed with a grade of C or higher)3
BMEN 240Cellular and Molecular Biology with Engineering Applications (must be passed with a grade of C or higher)4
BMEN 271Introduction to Biomaterials3
BMEN 340Biochemistry with Engineering Applications4
BMEN 345Human Anatomy and Physiology for Biomedical Engineers4
Total Credit Hours19-21

4. Major Requirements (36 hours)

Major Courses (36 hours)

Course Title Credits
BMEN 263Introduction to Biomechanics (must be passed with a grade of C or higher)3
BMEN 290Thermodynamics of Biomolecular Systems (must be passed with a grade of C or higher)3
BMEN 302Professional Development and Ethics in Biomedical Engineering2
BMEN 321Biomonitoring and Electrophysiology3
BMEN 354Biotransport3
BMEN 363Biomedical Instrumentation3
BMEN 381Biomedical Engineering Laboratory I2
BMEN 382Biomedical Engineering Laboratory II2
BMEN 391Kinetics in Biomolecular Systems3
BMEN 411Modeling and Simulation of Biomedical Systems3
BMEN 420Control Systems in Biomedical Engineering3
BMEN 427Senior Biomedical Engineering Design I3
BMEN 428Senior Biomedical Engineering Design II3
Total Credit Hours36

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.S