A Duke engineering student works in a mechanical engineering laboratory

Biomedical Engineering + Mechanical Engineering Double Major

Become well prepared for a career in biomaterials or biomechanics

Students pursuing BME + ME:

  • Collaborate with researchers and faculty in Duke’s nationally recognized biomaterials and materials science community
  • Complete research projects that may involve biological and electronic materials and interfaces, therapeutic ultrasound and nanostructures.
  • Gain valuable preparation for a career in the industrial or research sectors. 

The double major in biomedical engineering and mechanical engineering and materials science draws on the collaborative relationship between the two departments to support students interested in work involving biomechanics, materials science, biomaterials and  mechanobiology.

Sample Curriculum

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

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 11L 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 Lab Calculus II or Math 122L or Math 22
  • Physics 151 L Intro Mechanics or Phy 25
  • EGR 121L Engineering Innovation

Sophomore Year

Fall Semester

Spring Semester

  • BME 244L Quant Physiology with Biostat Appl
  • EGR 201L Mechanics of Solids
  • Chem 210DL Mod Apps Chem Principles or Chem 201DL Organic Chemistry
  • Math 212 Multivariable Calculus
  • Physics 152L Intro Electr Magn Opt or Phy 21
  • ECE 110L Fund Elect and Comput Eng
  • BME 221L Biomaterials or ME 221L Structure and Properties of Solids
  • Math 216 Linear Algebra and Differential Equations
  • EGR 244L Dynamics
  • Social Science and Humanities Elect

Junior Year

Fall Semester

Spring Semester

  • BME 260L Modeling Cellul and Molecul Systems
  • BME 271D Signals & Systems
  • Math 353 Ordinary and Partial Diff Equations
  • ME 331L Thermodynamics
  • ME 321L ME Analysis for Design
  • BME 354L Intro to Medical Instrumentation
  • BME 302L Fund Biomechanics/Biomaterials
  • ME 335L Fluid Mechanics
  • Social Science and Humanities Elective

Senior Year

Fall Semester

Spring Semester

  • ME 344L Control fo Dynamic Systems
  • ME 421L Mechanical Design
  • ME 431L Heat and Mass Transfer
  • ME Elective 1
  • Social Science and Humanities Elective
  • ME 424L Mechanical Design
  • BME Advanced Elective in BB Area of Focus
  • ME Elective
  • Social Science and Humanities Elective
  • Social Science and Humanities Elective

updates for Matriculating 2021 students

Current first-year engineering students pursuing the BME + ME double major must also complete 37 credits from both programs, but they will pursue a sequence with different math courses. These changes include:

  • Math 218D-2 Matrices and Vectors instead of Math 212 Multivariable Calculus
  • Math 219 Multivariable Calculus instead of Math 216 Linear Algebra and Differential Equations