Biomedical Engineering with a Foundation Year

A technology driven subject with a focus on enhancing human health and wellbeing, you'll gain a comprehensive understanding of core engineering principles applied to the human body and biological systems. Alongside a core biomedical engineering degree course, there is also the option to experience a Year in Industry.

Be at the forefront of the rapidly growing medical technology sector and save and improve people’s lives, through this well-established biomedical engineering with a foundation year degree.

If you don't have the usual scientific or mathematical background for an engineering degree, a foundation year is for you. After successfully completing the foundation year, you can start a BEng or MEng degree.

Our expert academic team, composed of industry experts, clinicians and academics, has been teaching biomedical engineering at Sheffield for over a decade. They’ll show you how traditional engineering principles can be used to heal the human body, by integrating disciplines from across the field of engineering.

Tissue engineering, biotechnology, mechanics and robotics – we teach you how to use technology to give people a healthier and more fulfilling life.

The BEng offers unparalleled flexibility to allow you to tailor your course to your interests. By choosing to take an MEng, you’ll be taking a longer period of study with an integrated masters.

Your first year gives an introduction to bioengineering, at the end of which you’ll begin to broadly tailor the course towards a specialism, by choosing one of the following four specialisms for the rest of the course:

• Biomedical Engineering: use engineering principles to help safeguard and enhance human health.

• Medical Devices and Systems: develop novel devices and improve clinical engineering systems.

• Biomaterials Science and Tissue Engineering: apply materials engineering and cell biology principles to repair damaged body tissues and organs.

• Biomanufacturing: apply chemical engineering and cell biology principles to the manufacture of pharmaceuticals and other biologically active substances.

Because the MEng is a year longer than the BEng, you’ll have more opportunity to complete project work – sometimes in groups – tackling industrial problems and developing your management skills.

In your third year you’ll undertake an individual project, where you’ll collaborate closely with an academic expert in your chosen specialism. This project allows you to apply your knowledge and skills to a real-world challenge, exploring your area of interest in depth. It also provides valuable experience that enhances your employability and prepares you for your future career.

Accredited by the Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine (IPEM) and 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 partially meeting the academic requirement for registration as a Chartered Engineer.

Why study this course?

• Top 5 for bioengineering and biomedical engineering - as rated by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024. We're also one of the longest-running biomedical engineering departments in the country.

• Unique, state-of-the-art facilities - use unique biomedical spaces such as the Bio mammalian and Bio bacteria labs, along with the Microfabrication room, Electronics clean room and the Pilot Plant in the Diamond.

• Broad choice of specialisms - from your second year you can choose between four specialisms: Biomedical Engineering, Medical Devices and Systems, Biomaterials Science and Tissue Engineering, or Biomanufacturing.

• Global Engineering Challenge - join teams of students to solve engineering problems in developing countries – pushing you to develop you as a professional engineer and enhancing your career prospects.