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Biomedical Engineering (with foundation year) BEng (Hons)

Start date

  • Level(s) of Study: Undergraduate
  • Typical Offer: 72 UCAS tariff points
  • UCAS Code(s): H164
  • Start Date(s): September 2024
  • Duration: Four years full-time
  • Study Mode(s): Full-time
  • Campus: Clifton Campus
Information for 2024

Introduction:

We’ll support you to develop a broad knowledge of engineering, mathematics and science skills – everything you’ll need to succeed when you move on to BEng Biomedical Engineering. Biomedical engineering is a very diverse field which is also developing rapidly. To help you to become a bioengineer of the future, we work closely with industry to ensure you are as well-prepared as possible for a career in this exciting and rewarding industry.

If you want to change your direction at the end of your foundation year, that’s OK. The flexibility means that we can support you if you want to move on to one of our other engineering courses in your second year.

We’ll give you plenty of opportunities to get hands-on while developing skills to find solutions to current and future health issues. Live briefs, challenges from industry and placements all add up to give you a rounded learning experience employers want to see.

Our Biomedical Engineering courses are highly practical and use real examples and projects from industry and medicine. On this course you’ll look at current health issues and develop materials, processes and devices that help prevent or treat disease or rehabilitate patients. Areas of bioengineering covered on this course are biomaterials, bioinstrumentation, biomechanics, medical imaging, rehabilitation, and cellular, tissue, and genetic engineering.

With the focus firmly on problem-solving and live project work, we aim to give you three to four years of industry experience before you graduate. Who wouldn’t want that on their CV?

  • Top 20 in the UK for General Engineering (Complete University Guide 2024)
  • 4th in the UK for General Engineering (Guardian University Guide 2024)

Industry recognition

Accredited by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) on behalf of the Engineering Council for the purposes of fully meeting the academic requirement for registration as an Incorporated Engineer and partly meeting the academic requirement for registration as a Chartered Engineer.

This course is recognised by CDIO, a framework that has a project based learning approach. This framework stresses engineering fundamentals set in the context of Conceiving — Designing — Implementing — Operating (CDIO) real-world systems and products. The framework is dedicated to providing students with their initial grounding in engineering through live projects.

  • CDIO logo
  • IET Accredited Programme logo

What you’ll study

Each year you'll take a combination of core modules to give you a solid grounding in engineering, specialist modules where you'll gain the specific skills needed for your particular subject area, and practical and project modules where you'll work on a task or project set by industry. An optional placement year is available, this will typically take place after Year Three, and you will return to campus for your final year in Year Five.

Introductory Mathematics

This module provides an introduction to important mathematical ideas, including Algebraic rearrangement, Trigonometry, Vectors, Descriptive Statistics, Integration and Differentiation. You’ll gain an understanding of ideas that form the basis of later, more specialised, developments and you’ll be able to solve simple but realistic mathematical problems.

Intermediate Mathematics

This module aims to provide the link between Introductory Mathematics and degree level Mathematics. You’ll cover more complex topics such as the chain rule and integration by parts, the generalisation of vectors to matrices, the approximation of numerical series, logic and probability, complex numbers and mathematical proof.

Foundation Science

In this module you’ll cover topics in Physics and Chemistry including exchange, transport and conservation of energy and inorganic, organic and physical chemistry. The aim of this module is to provide a sound scientific foundation for the study of engineering or mathematics at undergraduate degree level.

Foundation Engineering

This module includes basic electrical, electronic and mechanical engineering. Mechanics considers the consequences of applying forces to physical bodies; the electrical and electronics part of the module focuses on the scientific principles relevant to circuit theory, analogue electronics and components. Laboratory-based sessions will allow you to gain practical knowledge and experience.

Practical and Professional Skills

This module aims to provide a link between the theoretical modules on the course and their practical implementation. The professional skills aspect will help you with interpreting coursework requirements, exam and revision technique, note taking and referencing. The practical sessions will cover a variety of topics that require you to make use of the scientific principles and mathematical techniques that you’re learning in the other modules on the course.

Engineering Science Fundamentals

Study the aspects of materials from a macroscopic perspective, including their key properties, and develop the core knowledge and skills that are essential to engineers and to Engineering.

Engineering Mathematics and Technical Computing

Gain the relevant mathematical and computational skills for analysis and design that underpin many areas of engineering. These core mathematical skills will inform the discipline specific mathematics and computing skills you will use in the design, manufacture of testing of engineered products in the coming years.

Innovation and Engineering Solutions

Learn the physical and IT workshop skills required in the design and manufacture of products, including basic design methods and fabrication. In Terms One and Two the module is taught through a series of lectures and short projects, and includes industry training in Autodesk Fusion 360. In Term Three the module will culminate in a three-week Grand Challenge group project in which you will bring together the skills and techniques learned in this (and other) modules to solve an engineering challenge.

Anatomy, Physiology and Biomechanics

Study the basic methods for data collection and numerical techniques for analysing data to answer simple research questions in anatomy, physiology and biomechanics.

Chemistry of Materials

Learn how Biomedical engineers use their knowledge of science and mathematics to help solve health problems. You will be equipped with the fundamental knowledge necessary to understand ‘what’ can be used and ‘why’ certain materials are chosen for particular biomedical applications.

Digital Systems and Computer Engineering

Examine the theory of digital systems and gain hands-on experience integrating computing and electronics in order to solve practical problems.

Engineering Modelling and Simulation Techniques

Study a range of analytical and numerical techniques that are needed to solve mathematical models including the approximation of functions using series; Fourier analysis; numerical integration and differentiation methods; and solutions of ordinary and partial differential equations.

Industrial Design and Product Case Studies

Through understanding the parts and materials involved in designing a product, you’ll explore how a product should be manufactured. You’ll consider the design and manufacture processes, materials, assembly, rapid prototyping, efficiency and tolerance, analysis of quality, product maintenance and safety, costs, sustainability, business and consumer needs.

Integrated Group Design Project

This module is a practical project-based module, where you will immerse yourself in engineering projects and product analysis. You will use the practical and project related skills you’ve developed so far, alongside necessary project management skills to design and produce components and / or products.

Tissue Engineering, Biomaterials and Biocompatibility

Study both medical and veterinary applications of tissue engineering, biomaterials and biocompatibility which are becoming increasingly important in medicine for the treatment of patients with a number of different conditions.

Biomedical Imaging and Sensing

Biosensing is an important development in the recognition and recording of processes in the body. In the laboratory you will develop biosensors to measure simple compounds and learn how reliability as well as accuracy is important and investigate how these might be used in a quality management system.

Core modules:

Performance Engineering

Determine appropriate methods during the product lifecycle and measure their effectiveness to reproduce products that perform the design function repeatedly, produce products that are right first time and meet the customer requirements.

Individual Engineering Project

Bring together the knowledge, understanding and skills developed during the course of your degree to undertake an individual industrial or research project of your own choosing.

You will investigate an engineering problem, implement solutions, critically evaluate and reflect on your work, and develop your abilities to communicate, self-organise and manage.

Medical Ethics, Regulation and Clinical Trials

Medical devices are regulated by a number of bodies throughout the world. Before a device or material can be used it will have to go through clinical trials to ensure the safety and efficacy of the intervention. In this module you will design and present a clinical trial that accounts for all the relevant ethical and regulatory issues.

Current Developments in Biomedical Engineering

Study the latest developments in bioengineering and help to predict future trends. By the end of the module you will understand the need for innovation and constant development in bioengineering and how you might personally develop your career in the future.

Final year options – choose one from:

Sensors and Embedded Electronics

Learn about the theory and practice of embedded electronics through the use of a small scale development project on an embedded platform. You will be equipped with a deeper understanding of electronic devices and sensor systems; from semiconductor technology through data acquisition and control to the design of embedded systems.

Human Factors Engineering

All too often, the most brilliant technical products are not used to their full potential because users are unable to operate them. This module will give you an understanding of what limits human performance including physical capability, mental agility and organisational systems. It will consider how to design products for targeted specialist users, or for the wider population.

Sustainability in Engineering Design

What happens to a product when it reaches the end of its useful life? As technology advances rapidly, many of the things we use become obsolete very quickly. This module considers designing for sustainability, and choosing materials and components that can be reused, repurposed or recycled.

Fundamentals of industry 4.0

Understand Industry 4.0 and how Cyber-Physical System (CPS) technology is attempting to make the products and systems smart and autonomous. By using real case studies from industry, you’ll explore the challenges and solutions that Industry 4.0 poses and gain insights into how ‘smartness’ is being harnessed from data.

Machine Learning for Engineers

Gain a foundation in mathematical methods and practical implementation of Machine Learning (ML) for engineering applications. This module covers methods for supervised, unsupervised, reinforcement and deep learning and you’ll reinforce your learning in our hands-on computer labs. You’ll also study Python programming, probability and statistics, regression and classification models as well as Markov decision processes.

Don’t just take our word for it, hear from our students themselves

Student Profiles

Marta Broniszewska

The atmosphere in the Engineering department is really great, with friendly and very supportive staff.

Leona Derby

Biomedical Engineering

At NTU, I feel more comfortable being myself than I've ever felt in my life. It's like a home away from home.

Rodney M. Moses

I would say that if you can explore other countries and cultures whilst you are studying in the UK, take the opportunity. It’s a mind-opening experience you can’t learn from any book.

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How you’re taught

You will be taught through a variety of teaching and learning experiences which will include:

  • lectures
  • workshops
  • seminars
  • visits
  • group projects
  • case studies
  • oral presentations
  • laboratory assessments and reports.

All our engineering courses are taught through problem-solving and developing the right abilities to make you the very best engineer you can be. This is achieved by developing your engineering skills and knowledge through participation in several industry-led projects each year. These projects are put forward by industry to make you think, work and behave like a professional engineer. You'll also get to use the equipment used by engineering organisations across the globe.

These projects will inspire your creativity and give you experience in taking your idea from concept through to production. Year One projects include:

RevEng – Reverse Engineering

You will deconstruct everyday objects in order to gain understanding in design principles and consider potential improvements in terms of sustainability, manufacturing processes and cost.

Autodesk – Design Challenge

A three-day CAD training course on Autodesk Fusion, a powerful industry standard software package, followed by a Design Challenge set by industry. You will work in groups, applying the CAD skills you gained, to meet the brief set by industry.

Mars Lander

Design a landing system to carry a given payload from orbit to the surface of Mars, using the engineering fundamental principles you have learned during your Year One modules.

Laser cutting, 3D printing (Bridge, Light Pier support)

An industry standard software package will be used to design and model a bridge and a light pier support structure. You will be trained in using laser cutting and 3D printing, to build prototypes. Using the skills you gained during your modules you will make structures to withstand a given load.

Grand Challenge

Mark the end of your first year with this concept design project set by industry. You’ll present your results at an end of year show.

Contact hours

Year 1 - lectures/seminars/workshops (30%) and independent study (70%)

Year 2 - lectures/seminars/workshops (28%) and independent study (72%)

Year 3 - lectures/seminars/workshops (25%) and independent study (75%)

Year 4 - lectures/seminars/workshops (22%) and independent study (78%)

A placement year may be taken between year 3 and year 4 of study

Research informed teaching

Our research is tackling real-world issues – and the people working on this research will be teaching you. It also informs the subjects you’ll be studying with us so you can be sure your knowledge will be cutting-edge in your field. In the last Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021) - the UK's system for assessing the quality and impact of research in universities - we’re proud that 98% of NTU's Engineering submission was assessed to be world-leading or internationally excellent.

Learn a new language

Alongside your study you also have the opportunity to learn a new language. The University Language Programme (ULP) is available to all students and gives you the option of learning a totally new language or improving the skills you already have. Find out more about the ULP.

Staff Profiles

Neil Mansfield - Executive Dean - Research and International Reputation

School of Science and Technology – Engineering

Professor Neil Mansfield - Executive Dean of Research and International Reputation staff profile. Neil has research published in areas of human factors, engineering and sports performance.

Hemantha Kodikara Arachchi - Principal Lecturer

School of Science & Technology

Find out more about Hemantha Kodikara Arachchi, Principal Lecturer in the Department of Engineering at Nottingham Trent University.

Yvonne Reinwald - Senior Lecturer

School of Science & Technology

Find out more about Yvonne Reinwald, Senior Lecturer in Biomedical Engineering in the Department of Engineering at Nottingham Trent University.

How you’re assessed

Year 1 - coursework (60%) and written (40%)

Year 2 - coursework (60%) and written (40%)

Year 3 - coursework (58%) and written (42%)

Year 4 - coursework (65%) and written (35%)

A placement year may be taken between year 3 and year 4 of study

Careers and employability

Placements

Top 10 for the number of biomedical engineering students on year-long placements (HESA 2021/22)

NTU is one of the most employment-focused universities. Increasingly, employers want to recruit graduates who have real-world work experience. That’s why all of our courses, across every subject area, offer you a work experience opportunity. Our experts help build and support your future with a range of career programmes and events.

On this course, after your third year, you will have the opportunity to take a year's work placement (sandwich placement). This will give you the chance to gain vital experience and put your knowledge into practice. You're also twice as likely to secure a graduate job within six months if you take a work placement.

Our recent Engineering students have taken placements across a wide range of companies including Pirelli, Mercedes and the Government Operational Research Service. They secured varied roles such as Operational and Research Assistant, Quality Engineer and Engineering Assistant.

You'll be supported and assessed throughout your placement year and will write a reflective report and diary at the end of your placement. When you successfully complete your placement, you will be eligible to receive an additional award of a Diploma in Professional Practice.

Find out more about work placements.

Careers

You’ve probably already got some idea of the career path you want to take. Many of our graduates go on to work in engineering-based roles, but it’s worth remembering that the skills you learn on an engineering degree are transferable to a variety of careers. Research, presentation, team working and analytical skills are highly valued by employers in various professions, both related and unrelated to engineering.

Engineering graduates are in demand as they are attractive to a wide range of employers due to their analytical thinking, problem-solving, and strong numeracy skills. You’ll be well-placed to secure a career in a range of sectors, including the armed forces, logistics, teaching, IT, and banking. Recent NTU graduates have gone onto engineering positions in a variety of organisations including Pitney Bowes, the RAF, Rolls Royce, and Siemens.

Many graduates also choose to undertake further study on Masters-level courses, or MPhil and PhD research degrees.

NTU Enterprise

You'll also have the opportunity to turn your ideas into a viable business with help from NTU Enterprise, NTU's purpose-built Centre for Entrepreneurship and Enterprise, a support centre to help students create, develop and grow their own businesses.

Campus and facilities

Take your first step to becoming an engineer with hands-on learning in our state-of-the-art Engineering Building. You’ll benefit directly from using some of the very latest cutting-edge facilities and equipment.

We’ve worked with engineering companies to find out the very latest techniques and equipment they’d want top-class graduates to have experience of. Armed with this knowledge, we’ve designed our dedicated biomedical engineering facilities that are filled with the equipment you’ll need to become an accomplished engineer in your field.

Entry requirements

  • 72 UCAS tariff points from three A-levels or equivalent
  • GCSE Maths grade B / 6 and English C / 4

Other qualifications and experience

We may also consider credits achieved at other universities and your work/life experience through an assessment of prior learning. This may be for year one entry, or beyond the beginning of a course where applicable, for example, into year 2. Our Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer Policy outlines the process and options available for this route.

Meeting our entry requirements

Hundreds of qualifications in the UK have UCAS tariff points attached to specific grades, including A levels, BTECs, T Levels and many more. You can use your grades and points from up to three different qualifications to meet our criteria. Enter your predicted or achieved grades into our tariff calculator to find out how many points your qualifications are worth.

Getting in touch

If you need more help or information, get in touch through our enquiry form

  • 72 UCAS tariff points from three A-levels or equivalent

International qualifications

We accept qualifications from all over the world – check yours here:

English language entry requirements

You can meet our language requirements by successfully completing our pre-sessional English course for an agreed length of time, or by submitting the required grade in one of our accepted English language tests, such as IELTS:

Undergraduate preparation courses (Foundation)

If you don’t yet meet our entry requirements, we offer Foundation courses through our partner Nottingham Trent International College (NTIC), based on our City Campus:

Advanced standing (starting your undergraduate degree in year 2 or 3)

You may be able to start your undergraduate course in year 2 or 3 based on what you have studied before.  This decision would be made in accordance with our Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer Policy.

Would you like some advice on your study plans?

Our international teams are highly experienced in answering queries from students all over the world. We also have members of staff based in Vietnam, China, India and Nigeria and work with a worldwide network of education counsellors.

Fees and funding

Preparing for the financial side of student life is important, but there’s no need to feel anxious and confused about it. We hope that our fees and funding pages will answer all your questions.

What do the course fees cover?

All mandatory costs for the course are covered in the course fee. In addition, most study modules will recommend one or more core textbooks, which most students choose to purchase. Book costs vary between courses and further information is available in the University’s bookshop. A good supply of these essential textbooks are available in the University libraries which students can easily borrow or access directly whilst studying in the library.

Students may choose to apply for a placement option during their course. If successful, students will be expected to pay for accommodation, travel and living costs whilst on placement.

Students will also be required to pay additional costs for printing, poster preparation and final dissertation copies in their final year - estimated costs approximately £20 - £50.

Getting in touch

For more advice and guidance, you can contact our Student Financial Support Service on telephone +44 (0)115 848 2494.

Tuition fees 

Tuition fees are payable for each year that you are at the University. The level of tuition fees for the second and subsequent years of your undergraduate course may increase in line with inflation and as specified by the UK government. See our fees.

Scholarships

We offer scholarships of up to 50% of your tuition fee. You can apply for your scholarship when you have an offer to study at NTU.

Living costs

Get advice on the cost of living as an international student in Nottingham and how to budget:

Paying fees

Find out about advanced payments, instalment plan options and how to make payments securely to the University:

Would you like some advice on your study plans?

Our international teams are highly experienced in answering queries from students all over the world. We also have members of staff based in Vietnam, China, India and Nigeria and work with a worldwide network of education counsellors.

What do the course fees cover?

All mandatory costs for the course are covered in the course fee. In addition, most study modules will recommend one or more core textbooks, which most students choose to purchase. Book costs vary between courses and further information is available in the University’s bookshop. A good supply of these essential textbooks are available in the University libraries which students can easily borrow or access directly whilst studying in the library.

Students may choose to apply for a placement option during their course. If successful, students will be expected to pay for accommodation, travel and living costs whilst on placement.

Students will also be required to pay additional costs for printing, poster preparation and final dissertation copies in their final year - estimated costs approximately £20 - £50.

How to apply

How to apply

Ready to join us? Then apply as soon as you can. Just click the Apply button at the top of the page and follow the instructions for applying. Make sure you check the entry requirements above carefully before you do.

Writing your application and personal statement

Be honest, thorough and persuasive in your application. Remember, we can only make a decision based on what you tell us. So include all of your qualifications and grades, including resits or predicted grades.

Your personal statement is a really important part of your application. It’s your chance to convince us why we should offer you a place! You’ve got 4,000 characters to impress us. Make sure you use them to show how your skills and qualities are relevant to the course(s) you’re applying for. For more hints and tips, take a look at our page on how to write a good personal statement.

Keeping up-to-date

After you’ve applied, we’ll be sending you important emails throughout the application process so check your emails regularly, including your junk mail folder.

You can get more information and advice about applying to NTU on our Your Application page. Good luck with your application!

You can apply for this course through UCAS. If you are not applying to any other UK universities, you can apply directly to us on our NTU applicant portal.

Application advice

Apply early so that you have enough time to prepare – processing times for Student visas can vary, for example.  After you've applied, we'll be sending you important emails throughout the application process – so check your emails regularly, including your junk mail folder.

Writing your personal statement

Be honest, thorough, and persuasive – we can only make a decision about your application based on what you tell us:

Would you like some advice on your study plans?

Our international teams are highly experienced in answering queries from students all over the world. We also have members of staff based in Vietnam, China, India and Nigeria and work with a worldwide network of education counsellors.

The University's commitment to delivering the educational services advertised.

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