Bioengineering

Undergraduate Degree: Electives

Although it may seem as though the degree is full of pre-determined requirements, students actually have the freedom to select many courses, especially after completing the first two years.

Both the BSE and the BAS degrees allow considerable flexibility in fulfilling the elective categories listed below.

Career Path/Technical Electives

These electives are to be chosen in consultation with your faculty advisor.

5 for the BAS option:

  • 2 engineering, math, science, or technology in business and society (TBS)
  • 3 engineering, math, science, TBS, business, or health-related

3 for the BSE option:

  • 1 engineering
  • 2 engineering, math, science, or TBS

For more information on the TBS electives category, visit the Engineering Undergraduate Handbook.

Instructions about Career Path/Technical Electives Courses:

  1. The Career Path is essentially the path that you take through the bioengineering curriculum that either prepares you for a specific post-graduate option and/or allows you to systematically explore bioengineering and other career options that are of interest to you.
  2. For the curricular aspect of the Career Path, you must choose a set of elective courses. Elective courses fall under different categories. The different categories on the electronic worksheet include: Science, Math, Engineering, Social Science and Humanities, Free Electives, and Career Path. Broadly speaking, it is the sum of all the elective courses that make up the Career Path.
  3. The Career Path category offers more flexibility than other CPG categories. This is important especially for students who pursue dual curricula or have a well-defined career goal. For example, premed students may select requirements such as organic chemistry as fulfilling science electives in the career path.
  4. To formulate your Career Path you need to give some thought about what you are trying to get out of your program. Then select the courses on some rational, non-random basis so that you have the sense that they are leading you somewhere or helping you to explore academic fields and opportunities.

Professional Environment Electives

BE303: Bioengineering Ethics

Professional electives: EAS448, 545, 546, 400/500, 401/501, 402/502, 449/549; BE402/502, 515; ESE400/540, 444/544; or MEAM 415/515

Free Electives

You can take most courses, with some exceptions (please check the “no credit” list for details).  If you are a dual degree student or are interested in a minor, you can use this category to enrich your bioengineering program and fulfill requirements in other programs.

Social Science and Humanities (SSH) Electives

In this category too, you can select courses from an extremely broad range. The Engineering School lists include courses in topics such as economics, political science, linguistics, and more.