Overview

Biomedical Engineering, taken within the Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) at The University of Western Australia, applies engineering methods to problems in health and medicine. Students combine design thinking with mathematics, computing, life sciences and medical knowledge to develop technologies that help detect, treat and prevent illness and disability. The work reaches into areas such as surgical imaging, medical instruments and devices, and tissue regeneration, which gives the discipline a direct effect on people's lives.

What You'll Learn

• Engineering foundations, including mathematics, physics, computational thinking with Python, engineering drawing and materials

• Human form and function, and cellular physiology

• Solid and fluid mechanics, together with electrical fundamentals, circuits and electronics

• Data structures and algorithms

• Engineering and the human body, and the behaviour of biomaterials

• Embedded systems, measurement and instrumentation

• Biomedical instrumentation and biomechanics

• Advanced biomedical topics such as tissue engineering, medical imaging and biosignal processing

• Design and research projects, project management and engineering practice

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, students will be able to define and break down engineering problems in health and medicine, analyse them, and carry solutions through planning, design, build and day-to-day operation. They will apply critical thinking and established engineering methods to create innovative answers to complex issues, supported by the mathematics that underlies biomedical engineering. Students will develop a practical grasp of core biomedical concepts and extend it into specialised areas including bioinstrumentation, biomaterials, biomechanics, tissue engineering, medical imaging and biosignal processing. They will also contribute to teams with leadership and accountability when tackling real-world problems. Graduates will be prepared to work to professional engineering standards in sectors such as biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, medical devices and healthcare research.