Biomedical Engineering + Computer Science

Become well prepared for a career in software development and health care

Students interested in the intersection of technology and medicine greatly enhance their Duke experience by pursuing a double major in biomedical engineering (BME) and computer science (CS).

Students pursuing BME + CS:

• Gain practical experience in computer programming and biomedical engineering concepts
• Develop a deep understanding of the evolving relationship between technology and health care
• Become well prepared for careers in software development and health care

This double-major option capitalizes on the collaborative histories of the two Duke academic departments. And, it makes it easier for students to explore courses on topics such as biological computing, software engineering, and machine learning for biomedical imaging.

• Browse a sample curriculum »
• More about Duke Computer Science »

“I’m really glad I did the Duke BME Double Major. It helped me get my career at Google Health. I have unique and helpful ways to contribute because of what I learned about health care from my biomedical engineering courses.”

Suyash Kumar, ’16
Software Engineer, Google Health

Sample Curriculums

Students pursuing the BME + CS double major must complete 37 credits from both programs:

BME (BSE)/ CompSci (BA) Second Major (matriculating classes of 2018, 2019 and 2020)

First Year
Fall Semester	Spring Semester
CHEM 101DL Core Concepts in Chemistry or CHEM 110DL or CHEM 21 or Academic Writing 101 EGR 103L Computational Methods in Engineering or, with AP CS credit, CS 201 Data Structures & Algorithms MATH 111L Laboratory Calculus I or MATH 21 EGR 101L Engineering Design and Communication	BIO 201L Gateway to Biology: Molecular Biology or, with Bio AP=5, Bio 203L MATH 112L Laboratory Calculus II or MATH 122L or MATH 22 PHYSICS 151L Intro Mechanics or PHYSICS 25 Academic Writing 101 or Chem 101DL Core Concepts in Chemistry or Chem 110DL or Chem 21
Sophomore Year
Fall Semester	Spring Semester
BME 244L Quant Physiology with Biostat Appl ECE 110L Fund Electr and Comput Eng MATH 212 Multivariable Calculus PHYSICS 152L Intro Electr Magn Opt or PHYSICS 26 CS 201 (if not already taken to replace EGR 103L)	EGR 201L Mechanics of Solids CHEM 210DL Mod Apps Chem Principles or Chem 201DL Organic Chem BME 260L Modeling Cellul and Molecular Systems MATH 216 Linear Algebra and Differential Eqn Social Science and Humanities Elective
Junior Year
Fall Semester	Spring Semester
CS 210 Introduction to Computer Systems or CS 250 Computer Architecture BME 271D Signals & Systems BME 221L Biomaterials or ME 221L Structure and Properties of Solids MATH 353 Ordinary and Partial Diff Equations Social Science and Humanities Elective	BME 354L Intro to Medical Instrumentation BME Area Core Class I BME Area Core Class II One of CS 310, 316, 356, 351, or 350 Social Science and Humanities Elective
Senior Year
Fall Semester	Spring Semester
BME Design or 1st course of 2-semester BME Design (counts as an advanced elective) BME Advanced Elective BME Advanced Elective CS Elective or CS 330 Introcution to Design and Analysis of Algorithms Social Science and Humanities Elective	BME Advanced Elective or 2nd course of 2-semester BME Design (counts as Design Requirement) BME General Elective CS 330: Introduction to Design and Analysis of Algorithms or CS Elective Social Science and Humanities Elective

BME (BSE)/CompSci (BA) Second Major (matriculating class of 2021)

First Year
Fall Semester	Spring Semester
EGR 101L Engineering Design and Communication Chem 101DL Core Concepts in Chemistry or Chem 110DL or Chem21 or Academic Writing 101 Math 111L Laboratory Calculus I or Math 21 EGR 103L Computational Methods in Engineering or, with AP CS credit, CS 201 Data Structures & Algorithms	Bio 201L Gateway to Biol: Molecular Biology or, with Bio AP=5, Bio 203L Academic Writing 101 or Chem 101DL Core concepts in Chemistry or Chem 110DL or Chem 21 Math 112L Laboratory Calculus II or Math 122L or Math 22 Physics 151L Intro Mechanics or Phy 25
Sophomore Year
Fall Semester	Spring Semester
BME 244L Quant Physiology with Biostat Appl ECE 110L Fund Electr and Comput Eng MATH 218D-2 Matrices and Vectors PHYSICS 152L Intro Electr Magn Opt or PHYSICS 262 CS 201 (if not alreay taken to replace EGR 103L)	EGR 201L Mechanics of Solids CHEM 210DL Mod Apps Chem Principles or Chem 201DL Organic Chem Math 219 Multivariable Calculus BME 260L Modeling Cellul and Molecular Systems Social Science and Humanities Elective
Junior Year
Fall Semester	Spring Semester
CS 210 Introduction to Computer Systems or CS 250 Computer Architecture BME 271 Signals & Systems or ECE 280L BME 221L Biomaterials or ME 221L Structure and Properties of Solids MATH 353 Ordinary and Partial Diff Equations Social Science and Humanities Elective	BME 354L Intro to Medical Instrumentation BME Area Core Class I BME Area Core Class II One of CS 310, 316, 356, 351, or 350 Social Science and Humanities Elective
Senior Year
Fall Semester	Spring Semester
BME Design or 1st course of 2-semester BME Design (counts as an advanced elective) BME Advanced Elective BME Advanced Elective CS Elective or CS 330 Introcution to Design and Analysis of Algorithms Social Science and Humanities Elective	BME Advanced Elective or 2nd course of 2-semester BME Design (counts as Design Requirement) BME General Elective CS 330 Introduction to Design and Analysis of Algorithms or CS Elective Social Science and Humanities Elective

BME (BSE)/CompSci (BS) Second Major (matriculating classes of 2018, 2019, and 2020)

First Year
Fall Semester	Spring Semester
CHEM 101DL Core Concepts in Chemistry or CHEM 110DL or CHEM 21 or Academic Writing 101 EAP CS credit, CS 201 Data Structures & Algorithms MATH 111L Laboratory Calculus I or MATH 21 EGR 101L Engineering Design and Communication	BIO 201L Gateway to Biology: Molecular Biology, or with Bio AP=5, Bio 203L MATH 112L Laboratory Calculus II or MATH 122L or MATH 22 PHYSICS 151L Intro Mechanics or PHYSICS 25 Academic Writing 101 or Chem 101DL Core Concepts in Chemistry or Chem 110DL or Chem 21
Sophomore Year
Fall Semester	Spring Semester
BME 244L Quant Physiology with Biostat Appl ECE 110L MATH 212 Multivariable Calculus PHYSICS 152L Intro Electr Magn Opt or PHYSICS 262 Social Science or Humanities Elective	EGR 201L Mechanics of Solids Chem 210DL Mod Apps Chem Principles or Chem 201DL Organic Chem Math 216 Linear Algebra and Differential Equations BME 260L Modeling Cullul and Molecular Systems Social Science and Humanities Elective
Junior Year
Fall Semester	Spring Semester
BME 271D Signals & Systems BME 221L Biomaterials or ME 221L Structure and Properties of Solids Math 353 Ordinary and Partial Diff Equations Social Science and Humanities Elective CS Elective	One of CS 310, 316, 356, 351, 350 BME Area Core Class I BME Area Core Class II BME 354L Intro to Medical Instrumentation Social Science and Humanities Elective
Senior Year
Fall Semester	Spring Semester
BME Design or 1st course of 2-semester BME Design (counts as an advanced elective) BME Advanced Elective & CS Elective: BME 547 Medical Software Design BME Advanced Elective CS Elective or CS 330 Introcution to Design and Analysis of Algorithms Social Science and Humanities Elective	BME Advanced Elective or 2nd course of 2-semester BME Design (counts as Design Requirement) BME General Elective CS 330: Introduction to Design and Analysis of Algorithms or CS Elective Social Science and Humanities Elective CS Elective

BME (BSE)/CompSci (BS) Second Major (matriculating class of 2021)

First Year
Fall Semester	Spring Semester
EGR 101L Engineering Design and Communication Chem 101DL Core Concepts in Chemistry or Chem 110DL or Chem 21 or Academic Writing 101 Math 111L Laboratory Calculus I or Math 21 AP CS credit, CS 201 Data Structures & Algorithms	BIO 201L Gateway to Biology: Molecular Biology, or with Bio AP=5, Bio 203L MATH 112L Laboratory Calculus II or MATH 122L or MATH 22 PHYSICS 151L Intro Mechanics or PHYSICS 25 Academic Writing 101 or Chem 101DL Core Concepts in Chemistry or Chem 110DL or Chem 21
Sophomore Year
Fall Semester	Spring Semester
BME 244L Quant Physiology with Biostat Appl ECE 110L MATH 212 Multivariable Calculus PHYSICS 152L Intro Electr Magn Opt or PHYSICS 262 Social Science or Humanities Elective	EGR 201L Mechanics of Solids Chem 210DL Mod Apps Chem Principles or Chem 201DL Organic Chem Math 216 Linear Algebra and Differential Equations BME 260L Modeling Cullul and Molecular Systems Social Science and Humanities Elective
Junior Year
Fall Semester	Spring Semester
BME 271D Signals & Systems BME 221L Biomaterials or ME 221L Structure and Properties of Solids Math 353 Ordinary and Partical Diff Equations Social Science and Humanities Elective CS Elective	One of CS 310, 316, 356, 351, or 350 BME Area Core Class I BME Area Core Class II BME 354L Intro to Medical Instrumentation Social Science and Humanities Elective
Senior Year
Fall Semester	Spring Semester
BME Design or 1st course of 2-semester BME Design (counts as an advanced elective) BME Advanced Elective & CS Elective: BME 547 Medical Software Design BME Advanced Elective CS Elective or CS 330 Introcution to Design and Analysis of Algorithms Social Science and Humanities Elective	BME Advanced Elective or 2nd course of 2-semester BME Design (counts as Design Requirement) BME General Elective CS 330: Introduction to Design and Analysis of Algorithms or CS Elective Social Science and Humanities Elective CS Elective