Biomedical Engineering with Foundation Year

Biomedical engineering applies engineering principles and methods to problems in biology and medicine, designing and developing the devices, systems, and processes that underpin modern healthcare. The field spans prosthetics and implants, diagnostic imaging, biosensors, drug delivery systems, and the modelling of physiological processes, and it requires graduates who are fluent in both the engineering sciences and the biological and clinical contexts in which their work will be used. It is an interdisciplinary discipline of growing importance as medical technology becomes ever more central to healthcare delivery and patient outcomes.

At the University of Surrey, this four-year full-time programme includes a foundation year that provides the mathematical, scientific, and technical foundations needed before you progress to the main degree curriculum. Surrey's biomedical engineering programmes are taught by academics with extensive experience in training biomedical engineers, drawing on more than fifty years of expertise in the field. You will develop competence across core areas including biomechanics, bioelectronics, medical imaging, materials for clinical applications, and the regulatory frameworks that govern the development and approval of medical devices.

The foundation year route makes the programme accessible to a wider range of students with the potential to succeed at this demanding and rewarding subject.

Biomedical engineering graduates work in the medical devices industry, NHS engineering and clinical physics departments, pharmaceutical companies, healthcare technology start-ups, and research institutions. Common roles include medical device engineer, clinical engineer, research and development engineer, and regulatory affairs specialist. The interdisciplinary nature of the training also means graduates move into roles in adjacent areas such as materials science, electronics, and healthcare management.

Many go on to postgraduate study in biomedical engineering, clinical science, or related disciplines, and the degree provides a strong foundation for those who want to pursue research at the boundary between engineering and medicine.