Sept 2024 Entry
4 years
Accumulation of at least 121 (for Biomedical Engineering stream students) or 131 (for Biomedical Engineering with Prosthetics and Orthotics stream students) credits plus 5 Industrial Centre training credits and 4 (for Biomedical Engineering stream students) or 8 (for Biomedical Engineering with Prosthetics and Orthotics stream students) Work-Integrated Education training credits for the award of BSc (Hons) in Biomedical Engineering.
- The credit requirements of this scheme are indicative only. They are subject to review.
- Students will be awarded the following degree upon successful completion of the graduation requirements:
- BSc (Hons) in Biomedical Engineering
- The option of enrolment in one of the following secondary majors is available to students in the BSc (Hons) in Biomedical Engineering programme. Admission to a secondary major is on a competitive basis and subject to different credit requirements for graduation. Please refer to the “Secondary Major Details” section for more information.
- Secondary Major in Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics (AIDA)
- Secondary Major in Innovation and Entrepreneurship (IE)
Biomedical engineering is recognised around the world as one of the fastest growing areas of innovation. It covers a wide spectrum of applications, such as devices used by health professionals in their diagnostic, therapeutic and rehabilitative practices; implants that are placed in patients for their health maintenance; prostheses, orthoses and assistive devices that are used by people with special needs to facilitate their daily activities; and healthcare products and exercise equipment to promote general health.
This developing global field requires professionals who understand both the health issues that motivate the development of these technologies and the engineering solutions that they offer. It needs individuals with a solid foundation in both health sciences and engineering technologies.
Our BSc (Hons) in Biomedical Engineering curriculum prepares students for such a challenging career. They have opportunities to take courses in both life sciences and engineering and to integrate these concepts into interdisciplinary applications that improve human health.
In addition to building foundational knowledge through on-campus classes, students engage in practical learning through an industrial internship/clinical attachment (a 280-hour industrial internship for BME stream students and a 560-hour clinical attachment for BME with P&O stream students). These internships/attachments offer good opportunities for students to put what they have learned into practice and to accumulate work experience. The internships/attachments occur in industry settings and hospitals, and some of our students participate in overseas placements (e.g. in Canada, China, Czech Republic, Japan, Singapore, the UK and the USA).
Exchange opportunities are available with our overseas partner institutes:
- Jonkoping University, Sweden (https://ju.se/en/study-at-ju/our-programmes/bachelor-programmes/prosthetics-and-orthotics.html);
- Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, Finland (www.metropolia.fi/en/academics/degree-programmes-in-finnish/prosthetics-and-orthotics);
- University of Pennsylvania, USA (www.seas.upenn.edu/be);
- University of Strathclyde, UK (www.strath.ac.uk/engineering/biomedicalengineering/); and
- Washington University in St Louis, USA (bme.wustl.edu).
Students also have opportunities to join Faculty-level and University-level exchange programmes.
Professional Recognition
The BSc (Hons) in Biomedical Engineering programme has been granted full accreditation by the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (HKIE).
Students who complete the prosthetics or orthotics courses offered in the programme are eligible to sit the certification examination of the Hong Kong Society of Certified Prosthetist-Orthotists (HKSCPO). The programme has been accredited by the International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics (ISPO) as a Category I professional programme.
Career Prospects
Professional Engineering Practice
- Graduates working in medical device industrial settings, hospitals, government departments, medical device regulatory firms or other biomedical institutions, can apply their knowledge of various dimensions of biomedical engineering, such as clinical engineering, entrepreneurship, quality assurance and regulatory affairs, sales and marketing and service engineering.
Professional Clinical Practice
- Graduates can find work in hospitals and other healthcare settings in roles such as prosthetics and orthotics service providers, clinical and rehabilitation engineers, hospital scientific officers and healthcare product customer service providers.
Basic and Applied Research in Engineering, Biology or Medicine
- Graduates can conduct basic and applied research in universities, hospitals and industry settings.
- The curriculum includes both academic studies and practical training in biomedical engineering.
- Year 1 subjects such as chemistry, human biology, mathematics and physics provide students with the foundational knowledge of engineering technology. The scheme has two streams: Biomedical Engineering (BME) and Biomedical Engineering with Prosthetics and Orthotics (BME with P&O). Each student selects one stream according to their interests and strengths. They are asked to indicate their chosen stream at the end of Year 1.
- Year 2 subjects further establish students’ foundational knowledge in related engineering areas such as bioelectronics, biomechanics and computer programming.
- Year 3 subjects further strengthen students’ knowledge of biomedical engineering and give them the opportunity to combine biomedical and engineering ideas and develop their critical inquiry and thinking skills. A unique feature of our scheme is that students take the Biomedical Engineering Innovation for the Community course for two consecutive semesters in Year 3, which gives them the opportunity to build an innovative medical device prototype. In this year, students can start to take BME and P&O Electives on different topics based on their streams. Biomedical engineering industrial internships/clinical attachments are arranged during the summer semester to provide students with field experience.
- Year 4 includes advanced and applied biomedical engineering subjects and a Capstone Project. Students further take BME and P&O Electives according to their streams.
Information on the courses offered can be obtained here.
Bachelor of Science (Honours) Scheme in Biomedical Engineering
Only students with a cumulative GPA of 2.70 or above can be considered for enrolment in the following secondary majors:
- Secondary Major in Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics (AIDA)
- Secondary Major in Innovation and Entrepreneurship (IE)
Features
- Artificial intelligence and data analytics (AIDA) are prevailing technologies across various disciplines, including biomedical engineering. The Secondary Major in AIDA aims to develop students’ holistic understanding of AIDA’s growing role in healthcare. Students will explore how AIDA strategies have been successfully deployed in the engineering and healthcare sectors, and understand the potential for AIDA to transform healthcare, from disease diagnosis to hospital optimisation.
- Innovation and entrepreneurship are required to move healthcare forward, and rapid technological improvements are impacting health and longevity. The Secondary Major in IE aims to develop in students a spirit and mindset of innovation and entrepreneurship, whether it is applied to the commercialisation of healthcare technologies or to problem-solving in general. Students will acquire knowledge and techniques critical to analysing, planning and implementing financially viable and technically feasible innovations. Students will be provided with hands-on experience in innovative and entrepreneurial activities.
Remarks
The department offering the secondary major may set a quota and additional admission requirements apart from the above GPA requirement. Students must apply to and obtain approval from the Department of Biomedical Engineering, not later than the commencement of the second year of study, to be admitted into a secondary major.
Accumulation of at least 121 (for Biomedical Engineering stream students) or 131 (for Biomedical Engineering with Prosthetics and Orthotics stream students) credits plus 5 Industrial Centre training credits and 4 (for Biomedical Engineering stream students) or 8 (for Biomedical Engineering with Prosthetics and Orthotics stream students) Work-Integrated Education training credits for the award of BSc (Hons) in Biomedical Engineering.
Dr. Hin Chung LAU
Award(s) available in this scheme:
- BSc (Hons) in Biomedical Engineering
Please click here to view the entrance requirements for international applicants.
Other Information
- Applicants attaining good results in science subjects (Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, and/or Physics) are preferred.
For further information, please contact:
The General Office (tel: 3400 8577; email: bme.info@polyu.edu.hk).
The Biomedical Engineering (BME) programme offered at PolyU prepares students for numerous career opportunities. The combination of academic studies in multiple disciplines provides knowledge and practical training and delivers experiences that supply students with the tools necessary to thrive in the future.
There are many opportunities to assist professors in their many projects. Personally, during my first year of study, I had the opportunity to co-author a paper on individuals with unilateral transfemoral amputation with Dr Kobayashi from PolyU, a PhD student, and Dr Hobara and his team from Japan. PolyU also has funded an initiative called the Undergraduate Research and Innovation Scheme, which allowed my friends and me to propose a project to create a novel ankle-foot orthosis. The project was approved and we were provided with adequate funding, as well as a scholarship that could be used for our personal needs. We hope to produce a successful product by the end of our funding period next year.
Hong Kong is a vibrant city filled with opportunities and fun activities. My classmates are extremely friendly and I have made many friends from many different backgrounds. I hope to meet you too at PolyU!
The PolyU Biomedical Engineering programme is the ideal place for students who are looking for interdisciplinary knowledge and a flexible career path. With courses from different disciplines, students are able to think about innovative ways to apply their knowledge in the field of medicine and healthcare.
Throughout my studies, I was given many opportunities to test my ideas and flex my brain, ranging from freshman projects to sophomore R&D projects. The hands-on projects have provided me with a better understanding of the technical and nontechnical aspects of implementing an idea. If you are not satisfied with the mandatory projects, BME is always excited to see its students jump out of their comfort zone and join co-curricular activities. For example, I joined Dr Wen’s laboratory last year as a student assistant and translated my work into a project for a start-up company founded by a graduate of PolyU BME (Toby Li). I am even going to develop my work into my Capstone Project in the coming year!
PolyU also encourages students to develop healthy habits and to become wholesome individuals. I was selected as a member of the university’s men’s tennis team 3 years ago in my freshman year. Training and competition events continue to be part of my university experience, and I am blessed to have such wonderful teammates and coaches as part of my university life.
The teaching arrangement at BME creates a nice rhythm. My studies started with attending the preassigned courses, such as mathematics, physics, biology, chemistry, and academic writing, which built the knowledge foundation for later BME courses. Once I entered the senior years, I could freely choose professional elective courses such as biomaterials and biosensors based on my interests and future career directions.
Studying here was relaxing and motivating, as BME always provided us with opportunities to learn through practice and motivated us to learn. We often made field visits to hospitals, closely examined medical devices, and even had the chance to work in a research laboratory. My experience as a part-time research assistant was rewarding; it trained my critical thinking skills and prepared me for postgraduate study. The department also offers plentiful internship opportunities and exchanges to top universities overseas.
PolyU also provides platforms for all-round development. There are various extracurricular activities and social events on and off campus. I learned land survey services in Taiwan, participated in Hainan’s voluntary teaching and worked in several student societies and mental health care projects. These experiences helped me to develop and enhance my leadership and interpersonal skills.
During my four years at PolyU BME, I developed both academically and non-academically and received good preparation for my future career.
Required
To evaluate applicant's potential and interest in the scheme, and to observe student's communication skills, logical thinking, and interpersonal skills.
15 minutes
Suitable applicants will be invited for interview.
Required
If applicable
To evaluate applicant's potential and interest in the scheme, and to observe student's communication skills, logical thinking, and interpersonal skills.
15 minutes
Selected applicants will be invited for interview.
