Bachelor in Bioengineering | Bachelor's degree | Engineering & Technology | On Campus | Harvard College | USA

Bioengineering lies at the intersection of the physical and life sciences, incorporating principles from physics and chemistry to understand the operation of living systems. As in other engineering fields, the approach is highly quantitative: mathematical analysis and modeling are used to capture the function of systems from subcellular to organism scales. The bachelor in biomedical engineering enables students to translate abstract hypotheses and scientific knowledge into working systems (e.g., prosthetic devices, imaging systems, and biopharmaceuticals). The undergraduate curriculum in bioengineering emphasizes a solid background in the chemical and biological aspects of bioengineering, with ample opportunity to learn about state-of-the-art technologies. In particular, students will take courses in systems modeling to understand and mathematically model non-linear complex biological systems, thermodynamics to appreciate the basic driving forces underlying biological and chemical systems, the fundamental processes of heat and mass transport that often control the rates of system changes, and molecular to tissue level engineering of biological systems. Through this coursework, students also gain experience in the engineering design process, the engineering activity that requires creative synthesis as well as analysis.