Bioengineering (BS)

The Bachelor of Science in Bioengineering at Florida Gulf Coast University emphasizes the application of new technology to biomaterials, biomechanics, and biomedical tools and procedures.

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Student uses a large drill in the machine lab.

Bioengineering students learn how to solve problems associated with interactions between living and non-living materials and systems.

The mission of the B.S. Bioengineering degree program is to:

Deliver graduates with a high-quality education in engineering and the life and physical sciences who are well prepared for careers in a variety of environments, including the medical device industry, health care, and biotechnology
Prepare graduates to be valued contributors in their chosen fields, as well as for further graduate study and professional training
Provide an entrepreneurial and service oriented environment and curriculum that values diversity, professionalism, and collaboration across multiple disciplines

After graduation, our students seek careers in a variety of areas, including medical device & biotechnology, healthcare, and government. They are prepared for advanced degrees in cutting edge areas such as cell and tissue engineering and advanced medical imaging technologies. The program is also an excellent stepping-stone for entry into schools and careers focused in areas such as medicine and law. With the addition of a 4-credit general biology course, graduates will meet the prerequisite requirements of most medical schools.

Bioengineering student with curly hair talks about his senior project to a judge.

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Bioengineering Facilities

Pictured below are a few of the spaces that Bioengineering students frequent.

Arthrex Biomechatronix Research Lab

The Arthrex Biomechatronix Research Lab is used for biomechanics as well as mechanical, prosthetics, and assistive devices research and development projects. The primary equipment in this lab includes an 8-camera Qualisys motion capture system with AMTI force plates that are able to record the position of passive reflective markers in the room in 3D to an accuracy of approximately 1mm. There are 3D printers and CNC engraving machines in the lab, which are used for fabrication of both class and research project prototypes.

Holmes Hall 339

This is the main bioengineering classroom for junior and senior courses with a capacity for 48 students. It is designed for class lectures as well as lab practices in accordance to the lecture-lab approach of the bioengineering department. Laboratory practices are carried out in the room for the human physiology courses, the courses of the electrical sequence, and the biomaterials courses. Equipment available for the lab practices includes 16 electrical equipment stations, each having power supply, function generator, oscilloscope, and National Instruments ELVIS II system. Equipment also includes 12 Fluke vital sign patient simulators, 12 NI portable data acquisition units, and 16 iWorx sets for acquisition and analysis of physiological signals/parameters. Additional equipment includes Arduino programming kits, multimeters, breadboards, and various electrical and electronic components.

Accreditation
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Institutional Accreditation

Information on FGCU institutional accreditation is available at www.fgcu.edu/accreditation

Program Accreditation

The B.S. Bioengineering program at FGCU is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.abet.org. Additional accreditation information can be found here.
Admissions Information
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Admissions Information for the 2024-2025 Catalog Year
If you are not yet an FGCU student, visit the Admissions Office Website
If you are a newly-admitted FGCU student please be sure to sign up for an Eagle View Orientation session. As part of this session you will be meeting with an academic advisor who will assist you in registering for classes for your major.
Admission Deadlines
Visit the Admissions Office Web site for information on admission deadlines of the university.
Program Requirements
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Program Requirements for the 2024-2025 Catalog Year
The General Education Program Website is located at https://www.fgcu.edu/academics/undergraduatestudies/generaleducation/
Program Progression and Additional Graduation Requirements
Students admitted to FGCU as a degree seeking student in good academic standing may declare a major in engineering. All engineering majors must satisfy the academic milestones as described in the student guidebook. Refer to the Bioengineering (B.S.) Student Guidebook for further information on milestones.

In addition to the program requirements, students must:
- Complete a minimum of 129 credits.
- Complete at least 48 of the 129 credits at the upper division (3000-4999 level).
- Earn a cumulative GPA of 2.0 for all coursework attempted at FGCU.
- Satisfy the College-Level Skills and foreign language entrance requirements.
- Satisfy the Service-Learning requirement.
- Satisfy Civic Literacy requirement.
- Satisfy the residency requirement: 32 of the last 60 credits, including 12 credits in the major must be completed at FGCU. Also, BME 4884 and BME 4885 must be taken at FGCU.
- Complete the summer course enrollment requirement.
- Submit an application for graduation by the deadline listed in the FGCU Academic Calendar.
Program Requirements
1. FGCU General Education Program (https://www.fgcu.edu/academics/undergraduatestudies/generaleducation/)
  To prevent or minimize excess hours, select general education courses that satisfy common prerequisite requirements for your intended major.
2. Common Program Prerequisites
  For this major, common prerequisite courses with an asterisk (*) require prior knowledge and skills demonstrated through degree acceleration programs (e.g., the College Board's Advanced Placement Program [AP], International Baccalaureate Program [IB], College-Level Examination Program [CLEP], Advanced International Certificate of Education Program [AICE]); dual enrollment; placement exam; or college coursework.
  
  FGCU Course: BSC 1010C Gen’l Biology w/Lab I (4) Minimum grade of C
  Acceptable Substitute: [BSCX010 and (BSCX010L or BSCX044L)] or BSCX010C
  
  FGCU Course: *CHM 1045 General Chemistry I (3) and CHM 1045L General Chemistry I Laboratory (1) Minimum grade of C
  Acceptable Substitute: (CHMX045 and CHMX045L) or CHMX045C or CHSX440C or (CHMX095 and CHMX095L) or (CHSX440 and CHSX440L)[Prerequisites of MAT 1033 minimum grade of C then MAC 1105 minimum grade of C; or relevant accelerated credit; or placement exam]
  
  FGCU Course: CHM 1046 General Chemistry II (3) and CHM 1046L General Chemistry II Lab (1) Minimum grade of C
  Acceptable Substitute: CHMX046C or (CHMX046 and CHMX046L) or (CHMX096 and CHMX096L)
  
  FGCU Course: CHM 2210 Organic Chemistry I (3) and CHM 2210L Organic Chemistry I Laboratory (1) Minimum grade of C
  Acceptable Substitute: CHMX210C or (CHMX210 and CHMX210L) or CHMX217
  
  FGCU Course: *MAC 2311 Calculus I (4) and MAC 2312 Calculus II (4) and MAC 2313 Calculus III (4) Minimum grade of C
  Acceptable Substitute: (MACX311 and MACX312 and MACX313) or (MACX281 and MACX282 and MACX283)
  [Prerequisites of MAT 1033 minimum grade of C then MAC 1105 minimum grade of C then MAC 1147 minimum grade of C; or relevant accelerated credit; or placement exam]
  
  FGCU Course: MAP 2302 Differential Equations (3) Minimum grade of C
  Acceptable Substitute: MAPX302 or MAPX305 or ECHX301
  
  FGCU Course: PHY 2048 General Physics I (3) and PHY 2048L General Physics I Laboratory (1) Minimum grade of C
  Acceptable Substitute: PHYX048C or [PHYX048 and (PHYX048L or PHYX064L)]
  
  FGCU Course: PHY 2049 General Physics II (3) and PHY 2049L General Physics II Laboratory (1) Minimum grade of C
  Acceptable Substitute: PHYX049C or [PHYX049 and (PHYX049L or PHYX064L)]
  
  FGCU Course: STA 2023 Statistical Methods (3) Minimum grade of C
  Acceptable Substitute : STAX023 or STAX037
3. Engineering Common Core (10 credits)
  A minimum grade of C is required in each course
  
  EGM 3420C Engineering Mechanics (4)
  EGN 1041C Computational Tools for Eng (2)
  EGN 3060C Intro to Mechatronic Design (3)
  EGS 1006L Intro to the Engineering Prof. (1)
4. Required Courses in the Major (47 credits)
  A minimum grade of C is required in each course
  
  BME 3100C Introduction to Biomaterials (3)
  BME 3261C Biofluid Mechanics (3)
  BME 3403C Human Physiology Engineers I (3)
  BME 3404C Human Physiology Engineers II (3)
  BME 3506C Circuits for Bioengineers (3)
  BME 3507C Signals Syst Bioengineers (3)
  BME 4211C Biomechanics (3)
  BME 4332C Cellular & Tissue Engineering (3)
  BME 4503C Biomedical Instrumentation (3)
  BME 4632C Biotransport Phenomena (3)
  BME 4722 Health Care Engineering (3)
  BME 4800C Bioengineering Product Design (3)
  BME 4884 Bioengineering Senior Design I (2)
  BME 4885 Bioengineering Sr Design II (3)
  EGN 3433C Design for Manufacturing (3)
  
  Complete one from the following:
  BME 3101C Bio Performance of Materials (3)^
  BME 4504C Bioelectricity (3)^
  BME 4513C Bioengineering Data Acqn&Ctrl (3)^
  BME 4930 Special Topics Bioengineering (3)^
  ^Courses used to satisfy a required course in the major cannot be used to satisfy a restricted elective.
5. Restricted Electives in the Major (6 credits)
  A minimum grade of C is required in each course
  
  The Restricted Electives must total a minimum of 6 credits, are typically upper division (3000-4999 level), and can include any of the following or other selected courses as approved by the Academic Unit housing the degree program or major (assuming all course prerequisites are fulfilled). Restricted electives in general should provide increased depth in engineering, science, business, entrepreneurship, mathematics or another area that is pertinent to a career served by the Bioengineering (B.S.) degree.
  
  For depth in engineering and bioengineering
  BME 3101C Bio Performance of Materials (3)^
  BME 4504C Bioelectricity (3)^
  BME 4513C Bioengineering Data Acqn&Ctrl (3)^
  BME 4930 Special Topics Bioengineering (1-3)^
  EGN 3343C Thermodynamics (3)
  EGN 3441C Data Sci & Eng Sys Analysis (3)
  EGN 3641C Engineering Entrepreneurship (3)
  
  For depth in biology and biotechnology
  PCB 2336 Human Genetics (3)
  PCB 3023C Cell Biology (4)
  PCB 3063C Genetics (4)
  PCB 4233C Immunology (3)
  MCB 2010C Microbiology with Lab (4)
  MCB 3020C General Microbiology (4)
  
  For depth in chemistry and biochemistry
  BCH 3023C Biochemistry (3)
  CHM 2211C Organic Chem w/Lab II (4)
  CHM 3120 Analytical Chemistry (3)
  CHM 3120L Analytical Chemistry Lab (1)
  
  For depth in mathematics, modeling, and computation
  MAD 3107 Discrete Mathematics (3)
  MAD 4401 Numerical Analysis (3)
  MAP 3161 Math for Science & Engineering (3)
  MAS 3105 Linear Algebra (3)
  MHF 2191 Mathematical Foundations (3)
  
  For depth in business and entrepreneurship
  ENT 3004 Entrepreneurship & Creativity (3)
  MAN 3025 Principles of Management (3)
  MAN 3046 Leading Teams (3)
  MAN 3600 International Business (3)
  MAR 3023 Introduction to Marketing (3) (junior standing required)
  
  Pre-med and other health professions students should typically take
  BCH 3023C Biochemistry (3)
  CHM 2211C Organic Chem w/Lab II (4)
  
  ^Courses used to satisfy a required course in the major cannot be used to satisfy a restricted elective.
6. University Requirements (3 credits)
  Select one of the following:
  IDS 3920 University Colloquium (3)
  Or at least 3 credits in sustainability coursework (SCGR Attribute)
7. Additional Electives - as needed to reach total credit hours required for the degree
Or at least 3 credits in sustainability coursework (SCGR Attribute)
Total Credits Required: 129
Degree Map
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Course Description
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Official Course Descriptions

Search for official course descriptions by using the Course Description Search utility.

Go to the Course Descriptions Search Web page, then follow these steps:
1. Select an Academic Year from the TERM dropdown (required)
2. Select a course prefix from one of the SUBJECT dropdowns (required)
3. Enter search words in the TEXT field (optional, but will narrow the search results)
4. Press Search
Course Schedule
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Getting Started With the Course Schedule Search

Search for program courses by using the Course Schedule Search utility.

Go to the Course Schedule Search Web page, then follow these steps:
1. Select an Academic Year from the TERM drop down (required)
2. Select one or more of the search options to narrow your results (for example, CAMPUS, COLLEGE, DEPARTMENT, LEVEL, PREFIX*, COURSEATTRIBUTE**). For virtual or web courses, select VIRTUAL in the CAMPUS field.
3. Press Search.
*A course prefix is a three-letter designator for a major division of an academic discipline (for example, ACG for Accounting , BSC for Biological Science, ENC for English Composition). See the Degree Requirements page for a list of courses (with prefix and number) that can be used to fulfill degree requirements.

**A course attribute identifies specific characteristics of courses that can be used in a Degree Evaluation to satisfy a degree requirement. (Course attribute examples are Humanities courses - GEHM and Social Science courses - GESO.)
Educational Objectives and Student Outcomes
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Program Educational Objectives and Student Outcomes

The Bioengineering Program has formulated the following Program Educational Objectives, which describe the career and professional accomplishments that our B.S. Bioengineering degree program is preparing graduates to attain. In support of these objectives, the faculty have also identified the following Student Outcomes, which describe what students are expected to know and be able to do by the time of graduation. 

Program Educational Objectives
Graduates of the FGCU B.S. Bioengineering degree program are expected to attain within a few years of graduation:

technical competence as bioengineers and recognition as contributors in their communities as professionals or in the pursuit of advanced education,

accomplishment in communicating and working collaboratively in a diverse, dynamic, multidisciplinary environment, and

proficiency in making use of entrepreneurial and/or learning skills to successfully adapt to a global society.

Student Outcomes
Students by the time of graduation will have attained:
an ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics

an ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors

an ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences

an ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts

an ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives

an ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions

an ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.
Learning Outcomes
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Academic Learning Compact

Consistent with its mission and guiding principles, Florida Gulf Coast University is committed to academic excellence and continuous quality improvement, as supported by a sound teaching-learning process. Within this process, students and instructors share responsibility for learning that is a movement from the simple to the complex, the concrete to the abstract, and the dependent to the independent. The Academic Learning Compact (ALC) initiative supports the teaching-learning process by clearly identifying expected core student learning outcomes in the areas of content/discipline knowledge and skills, communication skills, and critical thinking skills; aligning curricula with expectations; and using assessment to guide continuous improvement. 
Content/Discipline Knowledge and Skills
Graduates will be able to:
1. Apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified bioengineering needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and sustainability factors. 
2. Recognize professional and ethical responsibilities in bioengineering and make informed judgments.
3. Develop and conduct appropriate experimentation necessary for bioengineering practice practice. 
Content/discipline knowledge and skills are assessed at the college and departmental levels through oral and written presentations, exams, design projects, laboratory activities and other assignments throughout the curriculum.
Communication Skills
Graduates will be able to:
Select, organize, and relate ideas and information in written, oral, and graphic form with coherence, clarity, and unity.

Develop and present consistent arguments to select and diverse audiences. 
Communication skills are assessed at the University, College, and Department levels through oral and written presentations, exams, projects, laboratory activities and other assignments throughout the curriculum.

Critical Thinking Skills
Graduates will be able to:
1. Identify problems and the critical information needed for their solution.
2. Analyze and synthesize information, and draw reasoned inferences.
3. Use appropriate learning strategies to acquire and apply new knowledge.
Critical thinking skills are assessed at the University, College, and Departmental levels through oral and written presentations, exams, projects, laboratory activities, and other assignments throughout the curriculum.
Tuition, Fees, and Financial Assistance
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Tuition and Fees

Information on Tuition, Fees and estimated total Cost of Attendance is available on the Office of the Bursar website.

Financial Aid Opportunities

Visit FGCU's Financial Aid Website for information about grants, additional scholarships, loans, and student employment.

Bioengineering Facilities

Experience FGCU