Duke BME students work in a design lab

Biomedical Engineering + Electrical and Computer Engineering Double Major

Become well prepared for a career in medical device design

The double major in biomedical engineering and electrical and computer engineering is an ideal option for students interested in the technical components behind biomedical engineering tools.

Students pursuing BME + ECE:

  • Complete interdisciplinary projects bridging BME, ECE and Duke Health
  • Collaborate closely with design experts and physicians as you learn how to develop practical biomedical devices and designs
  • Be well-prepared for a career in the medical equipment industry, which in the US is expected to grow to over $200 billion annually in the coming decade.

Students who pursue this curriculum will have the opportunity to participate in intensive design programs, where they can design medical devices and other hardware for physicians and researchers.

Jennifer Villa

The double major allowed me to explore two areas of study I was passionate about. As an ECE, I was able to dive deep into circuits and digital systems, and ultimately learn how computers today work. As a BME, I saw these same principles at work when learning about medical device design and electrical systems within our bodies themselves. Ultimately I was more competitive as a job applicant because I'd developed an ability to make connections across these areas and go deep in both of them.”

Jennifer Villa, ’13
Product Manager at Cruise (self-driving cars)

Sample Curriculum

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

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
  • MATH 111L Laboratory Calculus I or MATH 21
  • EGR 101L Engineering Design and Communication
  • BIO 201L Gateway to Biology: Molecular Biology
  • MATH 112L Laboratory Calculus II or MATH 122L or MATH 22
  • PHYSICS 151L Intro Mechanics or PHYSICS 25
  • CHEM 101L or Academic Writing

Sophomore Year

Fall Semester

Spring Semester

  • BME 244L Quant Physiology with Biostat Appl
  • ECE 110L 
  • MATH 212 Multivariable Calculus1
  • 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
  • STA 130
  • MATH 216 Linear Algebra and Differential Eqn3
  • Social Science or Humanities Elective

Junior Year

Fall Semester

Spring Semester

  • BME 260L Modeling Cellular and Molecular Systems
  • ECE 110L
  • ECE 230L
  • MATH 353 Ordinary and Partial Diff Equations1
  • Social Science or Humanities Elective
  • BME 354L Intro to Medical Instrumentation
  • BME Area Core Class I3
  • ECE 250L
  • Social Science or Humanities Elective
  • ECE 270L

Senior Year

Fall Semester

Spring Semester

  • BME Design 4
  • BME Advanced Elective & ECE Elective
  • BME Advanced Elective
  • Life Science Elective
  • ECE 280L
  • BME Advanced Elective5
  • BME General Elective6
  • ECE Elective
  • BME 436L or BME 464L
  • Social Science or Humanities Elective