BME Minor

The BME minor offers a core sequence of five courses that articulates the Meinig School’s multiscale vision. This core series is supported by electives in biomedical mechanics, imaging and instrumentation, biomaterials and tissue engineering. An introductory freshman course (BME 1310) provides an overview of the breadth of BME. The core courses for the minor are taught by tenure-track faculty in BME. Instruction for associated laboratories is performed by a senior lecturer (Dr. Shivaun Archer). This minor allows students to build expertise in quantitative engineering analysis of human biology, physiology, and pathology that complements their major discipline training for a broad range of industrial, academic, and professional careers.

To apply to the BME minor, contact the BME Undergraduate Coordinator in 121 Weill Hall, bmeugrad@cornell.edu.

Heather Lukas

I liked that BME taught engineering concepts in the context of medicine. You constantly face challenges in solving real-world problems in lecture, homework, and projects.

— Heather Lukas, B.S. '19

BME Minor Overview

Objectives

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Students in the College of Engineering graduating with a BME minor will:

  • Have gained exposure to the breadth and depth of biomedical engineering offerings at Cornell’s Meinig School
  • Be prepared for advanced studies in biomedical engineering 
  • Obtain transcript recognition for their interest and capability in this rapidly growing field

Requirements

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All undergraduates in the College of Engineering, College of Arts and Sciences, and College of Agriculture and Life Sciences are eligible to participate in the BME minor, as long as they have met the following requirements:

  • A letter grade of C- or better for each course in the minor and a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better for all courses in the minor
  • Two courses need to be in Category 1 (Introductory Biology), and/or Category 2 (Advanced Biology) with no more than one course from Category 1
  • Four courses must come from Category 3 (Molecular and Cellular Biomedical Engineering), Category 4 (BME Analysis of Physiological Systems), and Category 5 (Biomedical Engineering Applications), with courses from at least two of these categories represented
  • At least four of the six courses must not be specifically required Major degree courses or cross-listings

Curriculum

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Category 1. Introductory Biology (maximum of 4 credits; 3-8 credits count as one course for this category of the BME minor)

  • A score of “5” on (CEEB) Advanced Placement Biology Exam
  • ENGRI 1310 - Introduction to Biomedical Engineering
  • BIOMG 1350 - Principles of Cell and Developmental Biology
  • BIOG 1440 - Introduction to Comparative Physiology
  • CHEME 2880 - Biomolecular Engineering: Fundamentals and Applications

Category 2. Advanced Biology

  • BIOAP 3160 - Celllular Physiology
  • BIOMG 3300 - Principles of Biochemistry, Individualized Instruction
  • BIOBM 3310 - Principles of Biochemistry: Proteins and Metabolism
  • BIOMG 3320 - Principles of Biochemistry: Molecular Biology
  • BIOBM 3330 - Principles of Biochemistry: Proteins, Metabolism, and Molecular Biology
  • BIOMG 2800 - Genetics
  • BIONB 2220 - Neurobiology and Behavior II: Introduction to Neurobiology
  • BIOMI 2900 - General Microbiology Lectures

Category 3. Molecular & Cellular Biomedical Engineering

  • BME 3600/BEE 3600 - Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering
  • BME 3010/CHEME 4010* - Cellular Principles of Biomedical Engineering
  • BME 3020/CHEME 4020* - Molecular Principles of Biomedical Engineering
  • BTRY 4840 - Computational Genetics and Genomics

Category 4. Biomedical Engineering Analysis of Physiological Systems

  • BIONB/BME/COGST/PSYCH 3300 - Introduction to Computational Neuroscience
  • BIONB - Principles of Pharmacology
  • BME 4910/BIONB 4910 - Principles of Neurophysiology
  • BME 4010/MAE 4660* - Biomedical Engineering of Metabolic and Structural Systems
  • BME 4020* - Electrical and Chemical Physiology
  • BME 4810/CHEME 4810 - Biomedical Engineering
  • BME 4640/MAE 4640 - Orthopedic Tissue Mechanics
  • BME 5830 - Cell-Biomaterials Interactions
  • MSE 5130 - Mechanobiology of Materials and Cells

Category 5. Biomedical Engineering Applications

  • BME 5700/A&EP 4700/BIONB 4700 - Biophysical Methods
  • BEE 4500 - Bioinstrumentation
  • BEE 4530/MAE 4530 - Computer-Aided Engineering: Applications to Biomedical Processes
  • BME 5810/MAE 5680 - Soft Tissue Biomechanics 
  • BME 5780/ECE 5780 - Computer Analysis of Biomedical Images
  • MSE 4610 - Biomedical Materials and their Applications
  • BME 5620/MSE 5620 - Biomineralization: The Formation and Properties of Inorganic Biomaterials
  • BME 5390/FSAD 4390 - Biomedical Materials and Devices for Human Body Repair
  • BME 6210 - Engineering Principles for Drug Delivery

* For full course descriptions please visit the Cornell University courses of study website.

* Students interested in professional practice as biomedical engineers should consider the M.Eng. degree in BME. The recommended sequence for admission to the M.Eng. BME will be two courses from Category 1 and 2, as well as BME 3010, 3020, 4010, and 4020. The M.Eng. BME program will require a knowledge of molecular and cellular BME, and of BME analysis of physiological systems.

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