The Biomedical Engineering Academic Curriculum
The Biomedical Engineering curriculum consists of two course groupings:
- Compulsory core courses that prepare the student for practice in engineering and comprise 70% to 80% of the course load.
- Elective courses that comprise 20% to 30% of the course load.
The following is the current core course curriculum with the course weight shown in square brackets [ ] next to each course.
Term 1A (Fall)
- BME 101 [0.25] Communications in Biomedical Engineering-Written and Oral (2 LEC,1 TUT)
- BME 101L [0.25] Communications in Biomedical Engineering-Visualization (1 LEC,3 LAB)
- BME 121 [0.50] Digital Computation (3 LEC,1 TUT,3 LAB)
- BME 161 [0.50] Introduction to Biomedical Design (3 LEC,1 TUT)
- BME 181 [0.50] Physics 1 - Statics (3 LEC,1 TUT)
- SYDE 111 [0.50] Calculus 1 (3 LEC,3 TUT)
- SYDE 113 [0.25] Elementary Engineering Math (2 LEC,2 TUT)
Term 1B (Winter)
- BME 102 [0.00] Seminar (1 SEM)
- BME 122 [0.50] Data Structures and Algorithms (3 LEC,1 TUT)
- BME 162 [0.50] Human Factors in the Design of Biomedical and Health Systems (3 LEC,1 TUT)
- BME 186 [0.50] Chemistry Principles (3 LEC,1 TUT)
- SYDE 112 [0.50] Calculus 2 (3 LEC,2 TUT)
- SYDE 114 [0.25] Matrices and Linear Systems (2 LEC,2 TUT)
- One Complementary Studies Elective
Term 2A (Fall)
- BME 201 [0.00] Seminar (1 SEM)
- BME 182 [0.50] Physics 2 - Dynamics (3 LEC,1 TUT)
- BME 281 [0.50] Mechanics of Deformable Solids (3 LEC,1 TUT)
- BME 281L [0.25] Mechanics of Deformable Solids Laboratory (3 LAB)
- BME 282 [0.50] Materials Science for Biomedical Engineers (3 LEC,1 TUT)
- BME 285 [0.50] Engineering Biology (3 LEC,1 TUT)
- BME 285L [0.25] Engineering Biology Laboratory (3 LAB)
- SYDE 211 [0.50] Calculus 3 (3 LEC,1 TUT)
Term 2B (Spring)
- BME 202 [0.00] Seminar (1 SEM)
- BME 213 [0.50] Statistics and Experimental Design (3 LEC,1 TUT)
- BME 252 [0.50] Linear Signals and Systems (3 LEC,1 TUT)
- BME 261 [0.50] Prototyping, Simulation and Design (3 LEC,1 TUT)
- BME 284 [0.50] Physiological and Biological Systems (3 LEC,1 TUT)
- BME 284L [0.25] Physiology and Anatomy Laboratory (3 LAB)
- BME 294 [0.50] Circuits, Instrumentation, and Measurements (3 LEC,1 TUT)
- BME 294L [0.25] Circuits, Instrumentation, and Measurements Laboratory (3 LAB)
- WKRPT 200 [0.13] Work-term Report
Term 3A (Winter)
- BME 301 [0.00] Seminar (1 SEM)
- BME 355 [0.50] Physiological Systems Modelling (3 LEC,1 TUT)
- BME 361 [0.50] Biomedical Engineering Design (3 LEC,1 TUT,3 LAB)
- BME 381 [0.50] Biomedical Engineering Ethics (3 LEC,1 TUT)
- BME 393 [0.50] Digital Systems (3 LEC,1 TUT)
- BME 393L [0.25] Digital Systems Laboratory (3 LAB)
- WKRPT 300 [0.13] Work-term Report
- One Technical Elective or One Complementary Studies Elective
Term 3B (Fall)
- BME 302 [0.00] Seminar (1 SEM)
- BME 356 [0.50] Control Systems (3 LEC,1 TUT)
- BME 356L [0.25] Control Systems Laboratory (3 LAB)
- BME 362 [0.50] Biomedical Engineering Design Workshop 1 (2 LEC,3 LAB)
- BME 364 [0.50] Engineering Biomedical Economics (3 LEC,1 TUT)
- BME 384 [0.50] Biomedical Transport: Biofluids and Mass Transfer (3 LEC,1 TUT)
- BME 386 [0.50] The Physics of Medical Imaging (3 LEC,1 TUT)
Term 4A (Fall)
- BME 401 [0.00] Seminar (1 SEM)
- BME 411 [0.50] Optimization and Numerical Methods (3 LEC,1 TUT)
- BME 461 [0.50] Biomedical Engineering Design Workshop 2 (2 LEC,3 LAB)
- WKRPT 400 [0.13] Work-term Report
- One Complementary Studies Elective
- Two Technical Electives
Term 4B (Winter)
- BME 402 [0.00] Seminar (1 SEM)
- BME 462 [0.50] Biomedical Engineering Design Workshop 3 (1 LEC,3 LAB)
- One Complementary Studies Elective
- Three Technical Electives
CEAB Requirements
Elective course selections must meet CEAB requirements, including a minimum number of instruction hours in the various CEAB categories. To determine the suitability of elective courses, students should complete the CEAB planner. In addition to meeting CEAB requirements, the student's course selections (as reported in their planner) should be logical and defensible. Two planners must be completed and submitted to the director of biomedical engineering, one planner for approval purposes in the student's 3A term, and one planner for graduation purposes at the end of the student's 4A term.
Students that have combinations of electives that result in a plan that does not meet CEAB criteria will not be permitted to graduate.
Complementary Studies Electives
In addition to the two courses in the core curriculum (BME 364 and BME 381), at least three elective courses must be chosen to satisfy the Complementary Studies Requirements for Engineering Students. Only courses noted in Lists A, B, C, and D are Faculty-approved complementary studies elective courses. Students may arrange the sequencing of the complementary studies elective courses to suit their academic plan (and any course prerequisites).
Technical Electives
Each student in Biomedical Engineering must complete at least six approved technical electives (TEs) to meet graduation requirements. Students may arrange the sequencing of the technical elective courses to suit their plan (and any course prerequisites).
The Department of Systems Design Engineering offers a wide variety of technical elective courses in the third and fourth year. Biomedical Engineering students are encouraged to design their own elective package to develop expertise in their particular interest area. Approved technical elective courses are available from the Department of Systems Design Engineering (SYDE and BME TEs), from other Engineering departments, and from a wide list of technical courses in the faculties of Science and Mathematics. There are a variety of technical electives with biomedical content, but students can also take technical electives on other topics. Only courses from Engineering and Computer Science will contribute towards CEAB hours in the categories of "Engineering Science" and "Engineering Design." Some examples are listed below.
Biomedical Engineering
- BME 499 Elective Biomedical Research Project
- BME 550 Sports Engineering
- BME 551 Biomechanics of Human Movement
- BME 581 Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology
- BME 587 Special Topics in Biomedical Signals
- BME 588 Special Topics in Biomechanics
- BME 589 Special Topics in Biomedical Devices
Civil Engineering
Electrical and Computer Engineering
- ECE 224 Embedded Microprocessor Systems
- ECE 252 Systems Programming and Concurrency
- ECE 254 Operating Systems and Systems Programming
- ECE 356 Database Systems
- ECE 358 Computer Networks
- ECE 406 Algorithm Design and Analysis
- ECE 457B Fundamentals of Computational Intelligence
- ECE 459 Programming for Performance
- ECE 484 Digital Control Applications
Management Sciences
- MSCI 343 Human-Computer Interaction
- MSCI 432 Production and Service Operations Management
- MSCI 446 Introduction to Machine Learning
- MSCI 555 Scheduling: Theory and Practice
Mechanical Engineering
- ME 574 Engineering Biomechanics
Mechatronics Engineering
- MTE 241 Introduction to Computer Structures & Real-Time Systems
- MTE 325 Microprocessor Systems and Interfacing for Mechatronics Engineering
- MTE 544 Autonomous Mobile Robots
Systems Design Engineering
Specializations
Students may choose to take their technical electives from a more restricted list to receive the Neural Engineering Specialization or the Sports Engineering Specialization.
Neural Engineering Specialization
The Neural Engineering Specialization consists of seven courses covering a wide range of neuroscience topics and computational applications in neuroscience. Students are also required to do their capstone design project (BME 461 or GENE 403 or SYDE 461 and BME 462 or GENE 404 or SYDE 462) with a focus on neuroscience applications. The project must be approved by the co-ordinator of the Neural Engineering Specialization. A minimum average of 60% in the seven specialization courses and a grade of at least 50% in each of the courses is required. Students who satisfy the requirements for Options, Specializations and Electives for Engineering Students will have the appropriate designation shown on their diploma and transcript.
Required courses:
- BME 461 Biomedical Engineering Design Workshop 2, or GENE 403 Interdisciplinary Design Project 1, or SYDE 461 Systems Design Capstone Project 1
- BME 462 Biomedical Engineering Design Workshop 3, or GENE 404 Interdisciplinary Design Project 2, or SYDE 462 Systems Design Capstone Project 2
- SYDE 552 Computational Neuroscience, or SYDE 556 Simulating Neurobiological Systems
Two courses from List A: Anatomy and Physiology of the Nervous System):
One course from List B: Computational Applications in Neuroscience):
- AMATH 451 Introduction to Dynamical Systems
- AMATH 382/BIOL 382 Computational Modelling of Cellular Systems
- BME 499 Elective Biomedical Research Project (requires approval from the co-ordinator of the Neural Engineering Specialization)
- BME 587 Special Topics in Biomedical Signals (requires approval from the co-ordinator of the Neural Engineering Specialization)
- STAT 441 Statistical Learning - Classification
- STAT 444 Statistical Learning - Advanced Regression
- SYDE 522 Foundations of Artificial Intelligence
- SYDE 552 Computational Neuroscience
- SYDE 556 Simulating Neurobiological Systems
- SYDE 572 Introduction to Pattern Recognition
One additional course from either List A or List B.
Notes
- It is the student's responsibility to ensure that their course selection meets the Biomedical Engineering requirements as well as the CEAB requirements, which include a minimum number of instruction hours in the various CEAB categories. Some courses in List A (PHIL 256/PSYCH 256 and PSYCH 307) can be counted towards Complementary Studies Requirements.
- Biomedical Engineering students may lack prerequisites for some of these courses and should ensure that they obtain the prerequisite courses prior to taking such courses. However, there are several courses in the list (BIOL 376, PHIL 256/PSYCH 256, SYDE 522, SYDE 552, SYDE 556, and SYDE 572) where students will have the appropriate prerequisites.
Sports Engineering Specialization
The Sports Engineering Specialization consists of two specific required TE courses, which provide the necessary background on the musculoskeletal dynamics and optimal performance of athletes as well as sports equipment design, training devices, and their interaction with the athlete, plus three additional courses drawn from the provided list. Students are also required to do their capstone design project (BME 461 or GENE 403 or SYDE 461 and BME 462 or GENE 404 or SYDE 462) with a focus on the design of a new sport equipment or training device. The project must be approved by the co-ordinator of the Sports Engineering Specialization. A minimum average of 60% in the seven specialization courses and a grade of at least 50% in each of the courses is required. Students who satisfy the requirements for Options, Specializations and Electives for Engineering Students will have the appropriate designation shown on their diploma and transcript.
Required courses:
- BME 461 Biomedical Engineering Design Workshop 2, or GENE 403 Interdisciplinary Design Project 1, or SYDE 461 Systems Design Capstone Project 1
- BME 462 Biomedical Engineering Design Workshop 3, or GENE 404 Interdisciplinary Design Project 2, or SYDE 462 Systems Design Capstone Project 2
- BME 550 Sports Engineering
- BME 551 Biomechanics of Human Movement
Any three courses from the following list must also be taken:
- BME 499 Elective Biomedical Research Project (requires approval from the co-ordinator of the Sports Engineering Specialization)
- BME 588 Special Topics in Biomechanics
- CIVE 460 Engineering Biomechanics
- ECE 417 or SYDE 575 Image Processing
- KIN 340 Musculoskeletal Injuries in Sport and Activity
- ME 362 Fluid Mechanics 2
- ME 533 Non-metallic and Composite Materials
- ME 559 Finite Element Methods
- SYDE 544 Biomedical Measurement and Signal Processing
- SYDE 553 Advanced Dynamics
Note
It is the student's responsibility to ensure that their course selection meets the Biomedical Engineering requirements as well as the CEAB requirements, which include a minimum number of instruction hours in the various CEAB categories.