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Biomedical Engineering with a Foundation Year

Course details
  • BEng (Hon)
  • 4 Years
  • Full-time
  • 21 September 2026
  • Undergraduate
Course location
Bay Campus

Course summary

Biomedical Engineering applies engineering principles to the human body, in pursuit of an advanced and personalised style of future healthcare.

Combining engineering with the instrumentation used in modern medicine promises to generate important new technologies which touch and extend all our lifetimes. You can be at the heart of it.

The integrated Engineering Foundation Year programme can lead to any full engineering degree. It is not a qualification in its own right, but the first year of a four-year BEng degree.

Our Biomedical Engineering degrees have three themes:

  • Biomechanics and materials – the development and analysis of materials for strength and biocompatibility

  • Instrumentation – advanced diagnostic and therapeutic techniques

  • Bioprocesses – physical and chemical processes in the human body

This degree will train you for a rewarding career in a range of sectors, including the design and manufacture of medical instrumentation and devices. You will gain engineering skills while learning about anatomy and physiology and how to communicate with clinicians. You will use analytical skills and tools to solve engineering problems relevant to medical devices and instruments industry. The degree will also provide a foundation for you to aim for the prized Chartered Engineer status.

You will study in and around a thriving research community. This includes the Biomedical Engineering Simulation & Testing (BEST) Lab which is a fantastic space for interdisciplinary researchers to grow ideas from concept through to manufacture, instrumentation, and testing.

Accreditation
The Biomedical Engineering course at Swansea University is accredited by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) and The Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine (IPEM) on behalf of the Engineering Council for the purposes of fully meeting the academic requirement for registration as an incorporated Engineer and partially meeting the academic requirement for registration as a Chartered Engineer.

All of our courses are available with a Year in Industry or Year Abroad
These placement years increase our students confidence and communication skills as well as help them to gain valuable experiences that will ultimately enhance their employability. To find out more go to www.swansea.ac.uk/engineering/undergraduate

Modules

Below is a sample of some of the modules that you might expect to study during the Foundation year of the BEng Medical Engineering with a Foundation Year degree (it should be noted that these do vary from year to year):

  • Development of Key Skills for Engineers
  • Fundamentals of Materials
  • Basic Engineering Analysis
  • Foundation Chemistry
  • Engineering Science
  • Electricity and Magnetism
  • Mechanics
  • Thermofluid Mechanics
  • Basic Engineering Analysis

How to apply

Apply by
14 January

This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.

Application codes

Course code:
HBC9
Institution code:
S93
Campus name:
Bay Campus
Campus Code:
B

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Foundation

International applicants

If you are an International Student, please visit our International pages for more information about entry requirements:- http://www.swansea.ac.uk/international/students/requirements/

Open days

Entry requirements

A level CCC - CDD

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016) DDD

With D in all Maths modules

Access to HE Diploma

Considered on an individual basis.

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme 26 points

To include 4 at Higher Level or 5 at Standard Level English Language.

WJEC Level 3 Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales

Swansea University accepts the Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales as fully equivalent to x1 A-Level.

Welsh Baccalaureate - Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (last awarded Summer 2024)

Accepted in lieu of one non-subject specific grade at A Level.

Extended Project

We recognise the EPQ as an excellent indicator of success.

If you are predicted a grade B or above in the EPQ, you will receive an offer with a one
grade reduction, to include your EPQ with a grade B.

GCSEs: Minimum of two A grades to include a minimum grade B in Mathematics and two other Science subjects.

English language requirements

For applicants whose first language is not English we require a minimum overall IELTS score of 6.0 (or equivalent) and no less than 5.5 in each component.

English Language Requirements at Swansea University https://www.swansea.ac.uk/admissions/english-language-requirements/

Contextual admissions

Universities and colleges consider more than grades when assessing applications and may make offers based on a range of criteria. Learn more about contextual offers.

UK applicants who meet course requirements are guaranteed a conditional offer. We assess applications on individual merit. We consider making reduced offers, eg. to Care Leavers or students with extenuating circumstances. We encourage you to disclose any relevant circumstances.

The Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales is considered as equivalent to one full A-Level and students can take x2 A-levels alongside this. EPQ students predicted Grade B or above will receive a one-grade offer reduction.

Learn more on the Swansea University website

Historical entry grades data

This section shows the range of grades that students who received offers were previously accepted on to this course with (learn more).

It is designed to support your research but does not guarantee whether you will or won't get a place.

Admissions teams consider various factors, including interviews, subject requirements, and entrance tests. Check all course entry requirements for eligibility.

Not enough data available

We are unable to show previous accepted grades for this course. This could be because the course is new, it's a postgraduate course, there isn't enough historical data, or the provider has opted out of sharing their entry grades data for this course - learn more.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

No fee information has been provided for this course

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website.

Additional fee information

For the latest fee information, please check the individual course page on our website. Our full range of programmes are listed here: https://www.swansea.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/

Further information on tuition fees can be found here: https://www.swansea.ac.uk/undergraduate/fees-and-funding/tuition-fees/

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