Streams Curriculum

Curriculum: For students who entered UBC in 2020W and Prior

The Biomedical Engineering program offers four streams for students to customize their degree to their interest area. Students take common core courses for their second year which prepare them for specialization in one of four streams of our undergraduate program. In third year, they focus their studies in one of the streams: Cellular Bioengineering, Biomechanics & Biomaterials, Biomedical Systems & Signals, or Biomedical Informatics.

The undergraduate program is fully accredited by the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board of the Canadian Council of Professional Engineers.

This curriculum list is unofficial. The official curriculum for a cohort (a group of students starting the same program in the same year) is determined by taking the appropriate UBC Calendar curriculum listing for four sequential years.

Curriculum: For students who entered UBC in 2020W and Prior

Category 1

Calendar page for Category 1

2020W

Entered UBC

1st year student

2021W

Entered UBC

2nd year standing

2022W

Going into Streams

3rd year standing

Category 2

Calendar page for Category 2

2021W

Entered UBC

1st year student

2022W

Entered BMEG

2nd year standing

2023W

Going into Specializations

3rd year standing

Notes:

The 2022/2023 Academic Calendar contains a note that says “the intake of students into streams was discontinued after the 2021W Year 3 Cohort”. To clarify further, this change from Streams to Specializations applies to students who entered UBC in 2021W and achieve third year standing in 2023W.

Current students with questions about their curriculum should review the Course Planning and Registration Guide or consult an advisor.

Not all courses will be available each year.

Please Note

For the Registration Guide, visit the Undergraduate Advising Canvas course.

Core Courses Breakdown

Year 2

Code

Title

Credits

BMEG 201

Technical Communication for Biomedical Engineers

3

BMEG 210

Thermodynamics in Biomedical Engineering

3

BMEG 220

Circuits and Electromagnetics with Application to Biomedical Engineering

4

BMEG 230

Biomechanics I

4

BMEG 245

The Fundamental Units of Life: From Cells To Systems

4

BMEG 250

Cellular Physiology and Biophysics

4

BMEG 257

Biomedical Engineering Design I

4

CHBE 251

Transport Phenomena I

4

CPEN 221 or CPEN 223(1)

Principles of Software Construction OR Software Design for Engineers

4

Math 253

Multivariable Calculus

3

Math 256

Differential equations

3

Math 264(2)

Vector Calculus for Electrical Engineering

1

Total

40

(1) Students interested in pursing the Biomedical Informatics or Biomedical Systems and Signals streams should take CPEN 221. (2) Delivered with BMEG 220

Year 3

BIOC 202

Introductory Medical Biochemistry

3

BMEG 310

Introduction to Bioinformatics

4

BMEG 321

Biomedical Instrumentation

3

BMEG 350

Human Structure/Function from Cells to Systems

4

BMEG 357

Biomedical Engineering Design II

3

BMEG 371

Transport Phenomena within Cells and Tissues

3

CHEM 233

Organic Chemistry for the Biological Sciences

3

CHEM 235

Organic Chemistry Laboratory

1

STAT 251

Elementary Statistics

3

Technical Electives

9

Complementary Studies Electives

3

Total

39

Year 4

BMEG 401

Economics of Heath Care Solutions

3

BMEG 455

Professionalism and Ethics in Biomedical Engineering

3

BMEG 457

Biomedical Engineering Design Project

6

STAT 300

Intermediate Statistics for Applications

3

Technical Electives

18

Complementary Studies Electives

6

Total

39

Stream Courses

Selecting Your Electives

By the end of their second year, students will be able to start focusing their learning in any of our four broad streams. This offers you the chance to make your undergraduate experience truly tailored to your interests.

Find out more.

Biomedical Informatics

The Bioinformatics stream explores the use of patient health care information to understand disease and pathophysiology, and to improve outcomes.

Biomedical Informatics

Core Stream Courses

Code

Title

Credits

BIOC 302*

General Biochemistry*

3

CPSC 221

Basic Algorithms and Data Structures

4

CPSC 340

Machine Learning and Data Mining

3

CPSC 121(1)

Models of Computation

4

OR

MATH 220

Mathematical Proof

3

Total

13 or 14

*This course is not required if you entered this Stream in 2022W, but it is a valid technical elective. Students who are not required to take BIOC 302 need to take an additional 3 credits of technical elective from the list below to make up a total of 27 credits of all stream courses (core and electives).
(1) CPSC will accept APSC 160 and CPEN 221 to exempt CPSC 110

Stream Electives

Choose 13 (if taking CPSC 121) or 14 credits (if taking MATH 220) from electives*

Code

Title

Credits

APSC 486

New Venture Design

6

BMEG 421 (formerly 400B)

Linear Systems in Optics

3

BMEG 422 (formerly BMEG 400C)

Modern Biomedical Optical Imaging

3

BMEG 423 (formerly BMEG 400D)

Clinical Informatics

3

BMEG 424 (formerly BMEG 400E)

Genome Informatics

3

BMEG 425 (formerly BMEG 400F)

Biomedical Robotics

3

BMEG 400H

Synthetic Biology Bootcamp

3

BMEG 400J

IMMUNOENGINEERNG

3

BMEG 400K

Wearables

3

BMEG 400L

EXP MICROFLUIDIC

3

BMEG 400Q

Medical Image Processing with Introduction to Machine Learning Methods

3

BMEG 420

Medical Imaging

3

BMEG 490A or BMEG 490B

Introduction to Academic Research

3/6

CHBE 381

Bioprocess Engineering I

3

CPEN 321

Software Engineering

4

CPEN 421

Software Project Management

4

CPEN 441

Human Computer Interfaces in Engineering Design

4

CPSC 302

Numerical Computation for Algebraic Problems

3

CPSC 304

Introduction to relational databases

3

CPSC 320

Intermediate Algorithm Design and Analysis

3

CPSC 322

Introduction to Artificial intelligence

3

CPSC 344

Introduction to Human Computer Interaction Methods

3

CPSC 425

Computer Vision

3

CPSC 445

Algorithms for Bioinformatics

3

ELEC 221

Signals and Systems

4

ELEC 321

Stochastic Signals and Systems

4

ELEC 331

Computer Communications

4

ELEC 462

Sensors and Actuators in Microsystems

3

STAT 406

Methods for Statistical Learning

3

Total

13 or 14

*A minimum of 7 credits must be taken from APSC 486; BMEG 421 (formerly BMEG 400B); BMEG 422 (formerly BMEG 400C); BMEG 423 (formerly BMEG 400D); BMEG 424 (formerly BMEG 400E); BMEG 425 (formerly BMEG 400F); BMEG 400H; BMEG 400M;BMEG 400K; BMEG 400Q; BMEG 420; BMEG490A/490B; CHBE 381; CPEN 321; CPEN 421; CPEN 441; ELEC 221; ELEC 331; ELEC 462

Note: CPSC courses are typically in high demand campus-wide, and there are no reserved seats for technical electives. SBME students will have to register in the general seat pool; this pool can fill up quickly, as these seats are available to students in other departments as well.

Biomechanics & Biomaterials

The Biomaterials & Biomechanics stream focuses on the application of principles of classical mechanics to problems in biological systems and views the body as an engineered structure.

Choose 17 credits from electives

Biomechanics & Biomaterials

Core Stream Courses

Code

Title

Credits

APSC 278

Engineering Materials

3

APSC 279(1)

Engineering Materials Laboratory

1

BMEG 330

Biomechanics II

3

MECH 260

Introduction to Mechanics of Materials

3

Total

10

(1) not required for students who started their stream in September 2019. Those students take 18 credits of stream electives.

Stream Electives

Choose 17 credits from electives

Code

Title

Credits

APSC 486

New Venture Design

6

BIOC 302

General Biochemistry

3

BMEG 372

Biomedical Materials and Drug Delivery

3

BMEG 373

Microfluidics

3

BMEG 400J

IMMUNOENGINEERNG

3

BMEG 400k

Wearables

3

BMEG 400L

EXP MICROFLUIDIC

3

BMEG 400Q

Medical Image Processing with Introduction to Machine Learning Methods

3

BMEG 421 (formerly 400B)

Linear Systems in Optics

3

BMEG 422 (formerly BMEG 400C)

Modern Biomedical Optical Imaging

3

BMEG 425 (formerly BMEG 400F)

Biomedical Robotics

3

BMEG 400H

Synthetic Biology Bootcamp

3

BMEG 420

Medical Imaging

3

BMEG 470 (Previously BMEG 370)

Cellular Responses to Forces and Biomaterials

3

BMEG 490A or BMEG 490B

Introduction to Academic Research

3/6

CPEN 312(1)

Digital Systems and Microcomputers

3

MECH 360

Mechanics of Materials

3

MECH 380

Fluid Dynamics

3

MECH 410D

Engineering Dynamics

3

MECH 433(2)

Biofluids

3

MECH 436

Fundamentals of Injury Biomechanics

3

MECH 462 (3)

Finite Element Analysis

3

MECH 463

Mechanical Vibrations

3

MECH 469

Dynamic System Modeling

3

BMEG 495 (formerly MTRL 495)

Biomaterials

3

Total

17

(1) BMEG students may take CPEN 312 with BMEG 220 and CPEN 221. Please note students may be required to learn diodes and transistors (BJTs and MOSEFTs) content through self-study outside of class. Contact registration@ece.ubc.ca for registration.

(2) BMEG students may take MECH 433 without MECH 380. Please contact course instructors for registration.

(3) BMEG students do not need to take MECH 375 as a pre-requisite course for MECH 462. Please contact course instructors for registration.

Biomedical Systems & Signals

Biomedical System and Signals stream provides an understanding of the fundamental processes that produce and transform signals in biological systems, and the method by which these signals are transformed to general information.

Biomedical Systems & Signals

Core Stream Courses

Code

Title

Credits

BMEG 320

Bioengineering Feedback Systems and Controls

3

ELEC 221

Signals and Systems

4

Total

7

Stream Electives

Choose 20 credits from electives*

Code

Title

Credits

APSC 486

New Venture Design

6

BIOC 302

General Biochemistry

3

BMEG 400K

Wearables

3

BMEG 400Q

Medical Image Processing with Introduction to Machine Learning Methods

3

BMEG 421 (formerly 400B)

Linear Systems in Optics

3

BMEG 422 (formerly BMEG 400C)

Modern Biomedical Optical Imaging

3

BMEG 423 (formerly BMEG 400D)

Clinical Informatics

3

BMEG 424 (formerly BMEG 400E)

Genome Informatics

3

BMEG 425 (formerly BMEG 400F)

Biomedical Robotics

3

BMEG 400H

Synthetic Biology Bootcamp

3

BMEG 400J

IMMUNOENGINEERNG

3

BMEG 400L

EXP MICROFLUIDIC

3

BMEG 420

Medical Imaging

3

BMEG 490A or BMEG 490B

Introduction to Academic Research

3/6

CHBE 381

Bioprocess Engineering I

3

CPEN 312(1)

Digital Systems and Microcomputers

3

CPSC 121

Models of Computation

4

CPSC 221

Basic Algorithms and Data Structures

4

CPSC 330

Applied Machine Learning

3

CPSC 340

Machine Learning and Data Mining

3

ELEC 321

Stochastic Signals and Systems

4

ELEC 331

Computer Communications

4

ELEC 421 or ELEC 422

Digital Signal and Image Processing OR Biosignals and Systems

3

ELEC 442

Introduction to Robotics

3

ELEC 462

Sensors and Actuators in Microsystems

3

ELEC 463

Micro/Nanofabrication and Instrumentation Laboratory

3

ELEC 464

Nanotechnology and Nature

3

ELEC 465

Microsystems Design

3

ELEC 473

Biological Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems

3

MATH 220

Mathematical Proof

3

MECH 464(2)

Industrial Robotics

3

Total

20

* A minimum of 13 credits must be taken from APSC 486; BMEG 421 (formerly BMEG 400B); BMEG 422 (formerly BMEG 400C); BMEG 423 (formerly BMEG 400D), BMEG 424 (formerly BMEG 400E), BMEG 425 (formerly BMEG 400F); BMEG 400H; BMEG 400M; BMEG 400K; BMEG 400Q; BMEG 420; BMEG 490A/490B; CHBE 381; CPEN 312; ELEC 321; ELEC 331; ELEC 421; ELEC 422; ELEC 442; ELEC 462; ELEC 463; ELEC 464; ELEC 465; ELEC 473; MECH 464.

(1) BMEG students may take CPEN 312 with BMEG 220 and CPEN 221. Please note students may be required to learn diodes and transistors (BJTs and MOSEFTs) content through self-study outside of class. Contact registration@ece.ubc.ca for registration.
(2) MECH 464 will accept BMEG 320 as pre-requisite for this course.

Note: CPSC courses are typically in high demand campus-wide, and there are no reserved seats for technical electives. SBME students will have to register in the general seat pool; this pool can fill up quickly, as these seats are available to students in other departments as well.

Cellular Bioengineering

Cellular Bioengineering stream applies the engineering principles of design, analysis, and methodology to cellular and molecular biology for the development cell-based therapeutics in regenerative medicine and drug delivery.

Cellular Bioengineering

Core Stream Courses

Code

Title

Credits

BIOC 302

General Biochemistry

3

BMEG 374

Cellular Bioengineering: Laboratory and Design

3

BMEG 470

Cellular Responses to Forces and Biomaterials

3

CHBME 381(1)

Bioprocess Engineering I

3

Total

12

(1) CHBE 381 will accept BMEG 245 instead of BIOL 112. Please contact us for registration requests.

Stream Electives

Choose 15 credits from electives*

Code

Title

Credits

APSC 486

New Venture Design

6

BMEG 372

Biomedical Materials and Drug Delivery

3

BMEG 373

Microfludics

3

BMEG 400K

Wearables

3

BMEG 400Q

Medical Image Processing with Introduction to Machine Learning Methods

3

BMEG 421 (formerly 400B)

Linear Systems in Optics

3

BMEG 422 (formerly BMEG 400C)

Modern Biomedical Optical Imaging

3

BMEG 423 (formerly BMEG 400D)

Clinical Informatics

3

BMEG 424 (formerly BMEG 400E)

Genome Informatics

3

BMEG 425 (formerly BMEG 400F)

Biomedical Robotics’

3

BMEG 400H

Synthetic Biology Bootcamp

3

BMEG 400J

IMMUNOENGINEERNG

3

BMEG 400L

EXP MICROFLUIDIC

3

BMEG 474

Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine

3

BMEG 490A or BMEG 490B(1)

Introduction to Academic Research

3/6

CAPS 421(2)

Advanced cellular & molecular physiology

3

CHBE 481

Bioprocess Engineering II

4

CHEM 221

Introduction to Chemical Analysis

4

MICB 202(3)

Introductory Medical Microbiology and Immunology

3

MICB 212(4)

Introductory Immunology and Virology

3

MICB 302

Immunology

3

MICB 306

Molecular Virology

3

PHYS 305 (5)

Introduction to Biophysics

3

Total

15

* A minimum of 9 credits must be taken from APSC 486; BMEG 372; BMEG 373; BMEG 421 (formerly BMEG 400B); BMEG 422 (formerly BMEG 400C); BMEG 423 (formerly BMEG 400D); BMEG 424 (formerly BMEG 400E); BMEG 425 (formerly BMEG 400F); BMEG 400H; BMEG 400J; BMEG 400K; BMEG 400Q; BMEG 474; BMEG 490A/490B; CHBE 481.

(1) Credit will only be given to either BMEG 490A or BMEG 490B, not both.

(2) CAPS 421 will accept all of BMEG 245, BMEG 250, BMEG 350 as pre-requisites for this course. Please contact course instructors for registration.

(3) MICB 202 will accept all of BMEG 245 and BMEG 250 as pre-requisites for this course. Please contact us for registration requests.

(4) MICB 212 will be accepted as an equivalent of MICB 202 during years that MICB 202 is not offered. Three (3) credits for either MICB 202 OR MICB 212 will count towards the total elective credits for the Cellular Bioengineering stream.

(5) PHYS 305 will accept BMEG 210 as pre-requisite for this course. Please contact ugcoord@phas.ubc.ca for registration.