82.3 Biomedical Engineering

Biomedical engineering is concerned with the application of engineering and the basic sciences to the solution of problems arising in medicine and biology. In its application to human physiology, biomedical engineering involves the understanding of body processes, the diagnosis of different body conditions and the rehabilitation of bodily functions. The tremendous complexity and variety of problems associated with the aforementioned areas require the involvement of engineers of all backgrounds.

Although the Department of Biomedical Engineering does not offer an undergraduate degree, offering only the MSc and PhD degrees, there are formal undergraduate biomedical engineering options and elective sequences in the Departments of Chemical and Materials Engineering, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering. To help students understand and prepare for employment in this area, a series of undergraduate electives is available in areas such as physiology, medical instrumentation, medical imaging, modelling of biological systems, biomaterials and biomechanics. At the graduate level, there are programs in these departments as well as the Department of Biomedical Engineering which is in both the Faculty of Engineering and the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry. This latter program is offered jointly by the Universities of Alberta and Calgary.

For further information contact the Chair, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, or a Faculty advisor in any Engineering department.