Undergraduate Students

We Prepare Engineers for Careers in the Medical and Biological Engineering Industries

UC San Diego Bioengineering Undergraduate Program

Welcome to the undergraduate educational programs of the UC San Diego Department of Bioengineering! Since 1966, UC San Diego has offered an undergraduate major in Bioengineering. Over the past fifty years, UC San Diego Bioengineering has established a reputation of innovation and excellence in education.

Bioengineering is an interdisciplinary field in which the principles and tools of mechanical, materials, electrical, and chemical engineering are applied to biomedical and biological problems. Bioengineering plays an important role in medicine in projects that range from basic research in physiology to advances in biotechnology and the improvement of health care delivery in the clinic. By its very nature, bioengineering is broad and requires a foundation in mathematics as well as in the physical, chemical, and biological sciences.

Mission Statement

The mission of all engineering programs at UC San Diego is to:

• Educate Tomorrow’s Technology Leaders
• Conduct Leading Edge Research and Drive Innovation
• Transfer Discoveries for the Benefit of Society

In addition, the mission for UC San Diego’s Department of Bioengineering is to provide our students with an excellent education that enables successful, innovative, and lifelong careers in bioengineering industries and professions.

Explore our Majors VIDEO

Educational Objectives

Bioengineering (BS) accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org/

 

Bioengineering (BS) accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org/

The Bioengineering program aims to provide students with the breadth required for participation in the interdisciplinary field of bioengineering and the depth required by engineers to advance the practice in the discipline. Our objective is to graduate students who are able to successfully pursue:

• Advanced studies leading to research and graduate degrees in biomechanics, microcirculation, physiology, or biomedical imaging. 
• Professional engineering practice and design in industries serving the advancement of medicine in areas of medical device development, manufacturing, quality control, or prosthetic design. 
• Advanced professional education in medicine, health, or related medical sciences.
• Continuous professional development to serve innovation and entrepreneurship in bioengineering and related technical fields.

 

Bioengineering: Biotechnology (BS) accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org/ 

 

Bioengineering: Biotechnology (BS) accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org/ 

The Bioengineering: Biotechnology program aims to provide students with the breadth required for participation in the interdisciplinary field of biotechnology and the depth required by engineers to advance the practice in the discipline. Our objective is to graduate students who are able to successfully pursue:

• Advanced studies leading to research and graduate degrees in cell and tissue engineering, biomolecular engineering, or genetic engineering.
• Professional engineering practice and design in industries serving the advancement of medicine in areas of bioprocess engineering, biomaterials, therapeutics, or design of diagnostics. 
• Advanced professional education in medicine, health, or related medical sciences.
• Continuous professional development to serve innovation and entrepreneurship in biochemical engineering and related technical fields.

 

Bioengineering: BioSystems (BS) accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org/ 

 

Bioengineering: BioSystems (BS) accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org/ 

The Bioengineering: BioSystems program aims to provide students with the breadth required for participation in the interdisciplinary field of bioengineering and the depth required by engineers to advance the practice in our discipline. Our objective is to graduate students who are able to successfully pursue:

• Advanced studies leading to research and graduate degrees in computational and systems biology, biomedical instrumentation, or biosystems modeling and control.  
• Professional engineering practice and design in industries serving the advancement of medicine in areas of bioinstrumentation, quality control, or biomedical computation. 
• Advanced professional education in medicine, health, or related medical sciences.
• Continuous professional development to serve innovation and entrepreneurship in biosystems engineering and related technical fields.

 

Bioengineering: Bioinformatics (BS)  NOT accredited

 

Bioengineering: Bioinformatics (BS) NOT accredited 

The Bioengineering: Bioinformatics program aims to provide students with the breadth required for participation in the interdisciplinary field of bioinformatics and the depth required by engineers to advance the practice in the discipline. Our objective is to graduate students who are able to successfully pursue:

• Advanced studies leading to research and graduate degrees in computational biology and biological systems data analysis.
• Professional engineering practice and design in industries serving the advancement of medicine in areas of genetic, transcriptional, proteomic, or metabolic data analysis applied to living systems. 
• Advanced professional education in medicine, health, or related medical sciences.
• Continuous professional development to serve innovation and entrepreneurship in bioinformatics and related technical fields.

 

Student Outcomes

Bioengineering (BS) accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org/

 

Bioengineering (BS) accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org/

Upon the completion of the Bioengineering program, graduates will be able to:

1. Identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics.
2. 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.
3. Communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
4. 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.
5. Function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives.
6. Develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions.
7. Acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.
8. Develop innovative thinking to solve bioengineering problems with creativity and entrepreneurship.

 

Bioengineering: Biotechnology (BS) accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org/ 

 

Bioengineering: Biotechnology (BS) accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org/ 

Upon completion of the Bioengineering: Biotechnology program, graduates will be able to:

1. Identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics.
2. 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.
3. Communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
4. 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.
5. Function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives.
6. Develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions.
7. Acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.
8. Develop innovative thinking to solve bioengineering problems with creativity and entrepreneurship.

 

Bioengineering: BioSystems (BS) accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org/ 

 

Bioengineering: BioSystems (BS) accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org/ 

Upon completion of the Bioengineering: BioSystems program, graduates will be able to:

1. Identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics.
2. 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.
3. Communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
4. 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.
5. Function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives.
6. Develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions.
7. Acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.
8. Develop innovative thinking to solve bioengineering problems with creativity and entrepreneurship.

 

Bioengineering: Bioinformatics (BS) NOT accredited 

 

Bioengineering: Bioinformatics (BS) NOT accredited 

Upon completion of the Bioengineering: Bioinformatics program, graduates will be able to:

1. Identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics.
2. 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.
3. Communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
4. 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.
5. Function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives.
6. Develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions.
7. Acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.
8. Develop innovative thinking to solve bioengineering problems with creativity and entrepreneurship.

 

As indicated above, the UC San Diego Department of Bioengineering has an educational mission and targeted outcomes for its undergraduate major programs. Four undergraduate majors are available to current students, entering students, freshmen, and transfer students applying to enter in Fall 2022:

• Bioengineering (BS) accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org/ 
• Bioengineering: Biotechnology (BS) accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org/ 
• Bioengineering: BioSystems (BS) accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org/ 
• Bioengineering: Bioinformatics (BS) NOT accredited

Enrollment and Degrees Conferred

Questions?

Prospective Students

 

Please contact our office via email at be-uginfo@ucsd.edu for question regarding undergraduate advising.

 

Current Students

 

Please use Virtual Advising Center via TritonLink  for questions regarding undergraduate advising.

Questions sent through email by current students will not be answered.

 

Advising Services

Open Advising Office Hours 

 

Open Advising services will remain available remotely via Zoom.

Open Advising Office Hours Schedule

Monday-Friday 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM

• In order to remotely sign-in for open advising hours during the above days and times, please go here.
• Students will be seen in the order that they sign in.

Open Advising Office hours are designed for quick questions. If you wish to make an academic plan or have more complicated questions, please consider scheduling a one-on-one appointment.

 

One-on-one Appointments

 

One-on-one appointments can be requested either in person or virtually via Zoom by making a request via the
Virtual Advising Center with proposed days and times and preferred method (in-person or remote).

Please send a message via the Virtual Advising Center with:

• Your availability
• Type of Appointment (In-person or via Zoom)

You will receive confirmation and calendar invitation (with a Zoom meeting link, if remote) once scheduled.