Skip to content

Studies & Degrees in Bioengineering

Bioengineering applies the methods of engineering to living systems. Bioengineers use mathematics, physics, electronics, materials science and computing to design medical devices, imaging systems, implants, engineered tissues, diagnostic tools and the software that runs them. Stanford University describes its bioengineering major as a way to treat biology as a new engineering paradigm and to apply engineering principles to medical problems and biological systems.

The name overlaps with biomedical engineering, and many universities use the two as near synonyms. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics treats them as one occupation. It notes that biomedical engineers concentrate on technology and medicine, developing devices and equipment that improve human health, while the work of bioengineers spans many fields. Spanish universities such as the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M) use the name Ingeniería Biomédica.

What students learn

The first years build a base in science and engineering. At Stanford, students acquire a solid background in chemistry, physics, biology and mathematics and take engineering fundamentals that include computer programming. The first semester of the Grado en Ingeniería Biomédica at UC3M has calculus, linear algebra, chemistry, programming and an introduction to bioengineering.

Later courses cover the fields of the profession. UC3M names medical instrumentation and imaging, biomaterials, tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, and implantable medical devices. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, bachelor's programmes typically include fluid and solid mechanics, circuit design and biomaterials, with substantial training in engineering design. Students usually specialise towards the end: at McGill University in Montreal they can choose a subfield from the third year. Students at the University of Washington complete a research capstone project with research or clinical faculty, and UC3M students do rotations in health-care settings and placements in companies, hospitals or research centres.

Qualifications and levels

  • Bachelor's degrees. The UC3M degree lasts four years and has 240 credits, the standard length of a Spanish bachelor's degree (grado). In the United States the usual first degree is a Bachelor of Science in Bioengineering, as at Stanford and the University of Washington.
  • Master's degrees. Stanford's MS in Bioengineering can be completed in about one year and has no thesis requirement; students concentrate on a focus area such as biomedical computation, regenerative medicine and tissue engineering, biomedical imaging or biomedical devices. The University of Washington offers a one-year, full-time Master of Applied Bioengineering and a part-time online Master of Pharmaceutical Bioengineering that is generally completed in two years. In Spain official master's degrees have 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits; the Instituto de Bioingeniería of the Universidad Miguel Hernández (UMH) in Elche lists a master's in biotechnology and bioengineering.
  • Doctorates. UMH offers a Doctorado en Bioingeniería through its institute, which works where biology, medicine, engineering, chemistry, physics and materials meet.

Check programme accreditation, because it is granted degree by degree. In the United States ABET accredits programmes, not institutions; the University of Washington's undergraduate bioengineering programme is ABET-accredited. The BEng Biomedical Engineering of the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow is accredited by three engineering institutions on behalf of the Engineering Council, and the UC3M degree holds the EUR-ACE label.

Where to study

SpainExchange lists 30 active schools for bioengineering. Twenty are in the United States and three in the United Kingdom. Spain has two, and Canada, Australia, China, Ireland and Switzerland have one each. The US list includes Stanford University, the University of Washington, the University of California campuses at Berkeley, Los Angeles and San Diego, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Pittsburgh and The Pennsylvania State University. In the United Kingdom the list has The University of Sheffield, the University of Strathclyde and University College London. Elsewhere it includes McGill University, ETH Zurich and Technological University Dublin.

The two Spanish schools are UC3M and UMH. The UC3M degree is taught in English at the Leganés campus.

Careers

Bioengineers design equipment such as artificial organs, replacements for body parts and diagnostic machines, and they install and support biomedical equipment. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that they frequently work in research and development or quality assurance, in manufacturing and in research facilities. Stanford notes that many of its graduates continue to graduate or medical school, while others work in biotechnology, government service, medical devices or medical imaging.

In the United States the occupation is small and growing: 23,800 jobs in 2025, with employment projected to grow 8 percent from 2025 to 2035, much faster than the average for all occupations. Entry typically requires a bachelor's degree in bioengineering, biomedical engineering or a related engineering field, and some positions require a graduate degree.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between bioengineering and biomedical engineering?

The two overlap, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics describes them together. Biomedical engineering concentrates on devices and technology for human health. Bioengineering is the broader term and also covers work on cells, biological materials and biological systems outside medicine.

How long does it take to study bioengineering?

The bachelor's degree at UC3M takes four years and 240 credits. A master's adds one to two years: Stanford's MS takes about one year.

Can I study bioengineering in English in Spain?

Yes. The Grado en Ingeniería Biomédica of the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid is taught in English.

Do I need a master's degree to work as a bioengineer?

Not always. In the United States a bachelor's degree is the typical entry requirement, although some positions require a graduate degree, and research careers usually lead through a PhD.