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Step by Step
Step 1: Setting Direction
Biomedical engineering (BME) seeks to leverage a wide range of traditional scientific and engineering practices to improve human life. In order to become a top biomedical engineer, a student must also be thoroughly trained in a traditional engineering discipline. Carnegie Mellon offers a unique additional major system which allows students to choose a major in a traditional engineering department in combination with a BME major curriculum track designed along one of the traditional engineering approaches. In addition, a self-designed curriculum track allows highly motivated students to pursue special directions of interest. In order to graduate, a student must meet the major requirements of both the BME and the traditional engineering department. Freshmen should determine which traditional engineering discipline is most appealing to them, e.g., electrical, mechanical, chemical, or materials. The easiest route would be to choose a traditional engineering major and a BME track that both match this interest. However, ambitious students may mix these choices, for example combining a major in Electric & Computer Engineering with a BME track in Biomechanics to lay a foundation for medical robotics (see FAQ).
Step 2: Getting Advice
Each student who declares BME as one of the majors will be assigned a BME faculty advisor, in addition to an advisor who may be assigned separately in the student’s other CIT department. Faculty or staff members in other departments may also serve as consultants for students contemplating a BME additional major or minor. Listed below are BME faculty members who are also closely associated with other departments.
In addition to faculty advisors, the BME Associate Department Head Prof. Conrad Zapanta and the BME Department Head Prof. Yu-li Wang (contact information) will help with various aspects of advising, course selection, and coordination with other departments. Students pursuing a BME minor can get help with their BME course selections from Prof. Jeffrey Hollinger.
Step 3: Applying Strategies
Talk to the advisor(s) in each department involved, particularly before course pre-registration. Before meeting with the advisor, the student should become familiar with the requirements, consider alternate schedules, and prepare any questions. Suggested schedules for various combinations of majors are on the BME website and hard copies are available in the BME Student Office, DH 2100. Remember that a B.S. degree in BME requires also successful completion of a major in a traditional engineering department. Students cannot be awarded a B.S. degree in Biomedical Engineering without satisfactorily completing the degree requirements of the other CIT major department. Take BME core courses without delay. These courses are scheduled so as to minimize conflicts with other requirements for the year and semester they are most likely to be taken. The likelihood of conflict increases in subsequent years, making it difficult to make up.
- 42-101 should be taken in the freshman year and no later than the fall semester of the sophomore year.
- 42-202 should be taken no later than the spring semester of the sophomore year.
- 42-203 should be taken no later than the spring of the sophomore year.
Take advantage of BME courses that meet the requirements of multiple departments. Watch the accumulated units against the minimal requirement for graduation, for all the departments involved. Do not wait until the last minute before asking for help. A question that seems simple on the surface may not be that easy to resolve.
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