Biomedical Engineeering
Biomedical engineering applies engineering principles to the challenges of healthcare and medicine, creating technologies that transform the diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of disease. It is the discipline behind medical imaging systems, prosthetic limbs, heart valves, drug delivery devices, wearable health monitors, and the computational tools that model physiological systems. Biomedical engineers must understand both the engineering principles that underpin device design and the biological and clinical contexts in which those devices will be used, making the field one of the most genuinely interdisciplinary in engineering.
At Exeter this three-year full-time programme is available with a foundation year, making it accessible to students who need additional scientific and mathematical preparation before beginning the main degree. The programme has been developed in close partnership with industry and in consultation with accrediting bodies, reflecting its commitment to producing graduates who are ready for professional practice. Across the programme you will develop grounding in the engineering fundamentals of mechanics, materials, electronics, and systems alongside the biomedical science needed to understand the physiological contexts in which your work will be applied.
You will explore areas such as biomechanics, medical imaging, biosensors, and device design, developing both analytical rigour and the practical engineering skills that industry requires.
Biomedical engineering graduates work in the medical device industry, in clinical engineering roles within the NHS, in pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, in research institutions, and in consultancies advising on the adoption of new medical technologies. The engineering foundation also opens pathways in adjacent technology sectors. Many graduates continue to postgraduate study in biomedical engineering, medical physics, or a biomedical research field.
The professional body accreditation the programme holds supports progression towards chartered engineer status for graduates who pursue the required professional development.