Bachelor of Science (Honours) Scheme in Biomedical Engineering

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Aims and Characteristics

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 for general health promotion.

This developing global field requires professionals who understand both the health issues that motivate 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 subjects in both life sciences and engineering and to integrate these concepts into interdisciplinary applications to improve human health.

In addition to building foundational knowledge through classes on campus, 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 accumulate work experience for their future careers. The internships/attachments take place 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).

Curriculum

• 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 foundational knowledge of engineering technology.
• Year 2 subjects further establish students' foundational knowledge in related engineering areas such as bioelectronics, biomechanics and computer programming. The scheme has two streams: Biomedical Engineering (BME) and Biomedical Engineering with Prosthetics and Orthotics (BME with P&O). Each student can select one stream according to their interests and strengths. They are asked to indicate their chosen stream at the end of Year 2.
• Year 3 subjects further strengthen students' knowledge of biomedical engineering, 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 subject Biomedical Engineering Research and Design Studies for four consecutive semesters in Year 2 and Year 3, which gives them the opportunity to build an innovative medical device prototype. Students can start to take BME and P&O Electives on different topics according to their streams.
• 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.
• Biomedical engineering industrial internships/clinical attachments are arranged during the summer semester to broaden students' experience in the field.