Biomedical Engineering (BS)

Program Requirements

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
FallHours
CHEM 101 General Chemistry I 3
CHEM 101L General Chemistry I Lab 1
DEPT 193 FYS: 3
MATH 157 Calculus and Analytic Geometry I 4
COMM 100 Communication and Speech 3
PHIL 101 Reasoning 3
 Hours17
Spring
ENGL 101 Writing 3
MATH 258 Calculus and Analytic Geometry II 4
BIOL 105 Information Flow in Biological Systems 3
BIOL 105L Information Flow in Biological Systems Lab 1
MENG 291 Introduction to Mechanical Engineering Design 2
MENG 291L Introduction to Mechanical Engineering Design Lab 1
PHIL 201 Philosophy of Human Nature 3
 Hours17
Second Year
Fall
MATH 259 Calculus and Analytic Geometry III 4
PHYS 121 Physics I 4
PHYS 121L Physics I Lab 1
ENSC 205 Statics 3
Approved Computing Course 3
Computer Science I  
Special Topics  
Programming for Engineers  
or as approved by Biomedical Engineering Department Chair
 
BIOL 106 Energy Flow in Biological Systems 3
 Hours18
Spring
MATH 260 Ordinary Differential Equation 3
MATH 321 Statistics for Experimentalist 3
ENSC 306 Dynamics 3
ENSC 301 Mechanics of Materials I 3
Ethics Core Elective 3
RELI XXX World or Comparative Religion 3
 Hours18
Third Year
Fall
CHEM 230
230L
Organic Chemistry I
and Organic Chemistry Lab I
4
EENG 201
201L
Circuit Analysis I
and Circuit Analysis I Lab
4
HPHY 241
241L
Human Anatomy and Physiology
and Human Anatomy and Physiology Lab
4
1st Core Broadening Requirement: (History, Literature, Social and Behavioral Science) 3
 Hours15
Spring
PHYS 122
122L
Physics II
and Physics II Lab
5
Select one of the following:  
Bio Thermo/Fluids  
Thermal Science  
Technical Elective 3
2nd Core Broadening Requirement: (History, Literature, Social and Behavioral Science) 3
RELI XXX Christianity and Catholic Traditions 3
 Hours14
Fourth Year
Fall
BENG 410 Biotransport 3
Select one of the following: 3-4
Biomedical Signals and Systems  
Signals and Systems I  
Select one of the following: 3
Introduction to Control Systems  
System Dynamics and Control  
ENSC 491 Senior Design Project I 2
Technical Elective 3
Technical Elective 3
 Hours17-18
Spring
ENSC 400 Foundations of Engineering Exam 0
ENSC 492 Senior Design Project II 3
BENG 421
421L
Modeling of Biomedical Systems
and Modeling of Biomedical Systems Lab
4
BENG 415 FDA Regulations and Ethics 2
Technical Elective 3
BENG 432 CIS: (CIS: ) 3
 Hours15
 Total Hours131-132

Technical Electives

The courses used to satisfy the technical elective requirements must normally be selected from the following list. However, students may take other courses for technical elective credits but only with the prior approval of both the student’s academic advisor and the Director of the Biomedical Engineering program. The actual technical elective courses offered from the list below varies from year to year and the program may on occasion offer one or more pre-approved technical elective courses that are not listed below. By following the above curriculum, students are not guaranteed to have all the necessary prerequisites for every course on this list. Students wishing to take these courses should plan well in advance in order to comply with all admission requirements prior to enrolling in the course. All students must complete at least 12 credits of technical electives. At least 3 credits must be from engineering courses (i.e. BENG, CPEN, EENG, MENG, or ENSC).

BIOL 207Genetics3
BIOL 207LGenetics Lab1
BIOL 351Advanced Cell Biology3
BIOL 351LAdvanced Cell Biology Lab1
BIOL 370Microbiology3
BIOL 370LMicrobiology Lab1
BIOL 456Molecular Biology3
BIOL 456LMolecular Biology Lab1
CHEM 231Organic Chemistry II3
CHEM 231LOrganic Chemistry Lab II1
CHEM 307Biochemistry I3
CHEM 307LBiochemistry I Lab1
CHEM 308Biochemistry II3
CHEM 405-CHEM 480 Special Topics Electives3
HPHY 242Human Anatomy and Physiology II3
HPHY 242LHuman Anatomy and Physiology Lab II1
HPHY 274Musculoskeletal Dynamics and Physiology3
HPHY 375Biomechanics3
HPHY 375LBiomechanics Lab1
CPSC 222Introduction to Data Science3
CPEN 231Embedded Computer Systems3
CPEN 436Machine Learning in Biomed3
EENG 322Signals and Systems II3
EENG 401Lower Power Bioelectronics3
EENG 424Digital Signal Processing3
MENG 221Materials Engineering3
MENG 330Machine Design3
MENG 468Biomaterials and Biomechanical Engineering3
MENG 456Design for Manufacturing3
MENG 465Introduction to Finite Element3
MENG 477Materials Selection for Design3
MENG 479Tribology3
ENSC 481Special Topics in Engineering1-6
PHYS 452Optics3
PHYS 456Biophysical Systems and Modeling3
1

Approved courses are: CPSC 121 Computer Science I, ENSC 201 Programming for Engineers, CPSC 215 Special Topics, or as approved by the Biomedical Engineering Program Director

University Core

In addition to their major and minor areas of study, all undergraduate students follow a common program designed to complete their education in those areas that the University considers essential for a Catholic, Jesuit, liberal, and humanistic education. The University Core Curriculum consists of forty-five credits of course work, with additional designation requirements that can be met through core, major, or elective courses.

The University Core Curriculum is a four-year program, organized around one overarching question, which is progressively addressed through yearly themes and questions. Hence, core courses are best taken within the year for which they are designated. First year core courses encourage intellectual engagement and provide a broad foundation of fundamental skills. Second and third year courses examine central issues and questions in philosophy and religious studies. The fourth year course, the Core Integration Seminar, offers a culminating core experience. Taken at any time throughout the four years, broadening courses intersect with the core themes and extend students’ appreciation for the humanities, arts, and social and behavioral sciences. Finally, the designation requirements (writing enriched, global studies, and social justice) reflect important values and reinforce students’ knowledge and competencies.

Overarching Core Question: As students of a Catholic, Jesuit, and Humanistic University, how do we educate ourselves to become women and men for a more just and humane global community?

Year 1 Theme and Question: Understanding and Creating: How do we pursue knowledge and cultivate understanding?

  • The First-Year Seminar (DEPT 193, 3 credits): The First-Year Seminar (FYS), taken in the fall or spring of the first year, is designed to promote an intellectual shift in students as they transition to college academic life. Each small seminar is organized around an engaging topic, which students explore from multiple perspectives. The FYS is offered by many departments across the University (click here [PDF] for list of FYS courses).
  • Writing (ENGL 101 Writing, 3 credits) and Reasoning (PHIL 101 Reasoning, 3 credits): The Writing and Reasoning courses are designed to help students develop the foundational skills of critical reading, thinking, analysis, and writing. They may be taken as linked sections. Writing (ENGL 101 Writing) carries one of the three required writing-enriched designations (see below).
  • Communication & Speech (COMM 100 Communication and Speech, 3 credits): This course introduces students to interpersonal and small group communication and requires the application of critical thinking, reasoning, and research skills necessary to organize, write, and present several speeches.
  • Scientific Inquiry (BIOL 104 Scientific Inquiry:/BIOL 104L Scientific Inquiry LabCHEM 104 Scientific Inquiry/CHEM 104L Scientific Inquiry Lab, or PHYS 104 Scientific Inquiry/, 3 credits): This course explores the scientific process in the natural world through evidence-based logic and includes significant laboratory experience. Students pursuing majors that require science courses will satisfy this requirement through their major.
  • Mathematics (above Math 100, 3 credits): Mathematics courses promote thinking according to the modes of the discipline—abstractly, symbolically, logically, and computationally. One course in mathematics, above Math 100, excluding MATH 193 FYS: and including any math course required for a major or minor, will fulfill this requirement. MATH 100 College Algebra (College Algebra) and courses without the MATH prefix do not fulfill this requirement.

Year 2 Theme and Question: Being and Becoming: Who are we and what does it mean to be human?

  • Philosophy of Human Nature (PHIL 201 Philosophy of Human Nature, 3 credits): This course provides students with a philosophical study of key figures, theories, and intellectual traditions that contribute to understanding the human condition; the meaning and dignity of human life; and the human relationship to ultimate reality.
  • Christianity and Catholic Traditions (RELI, 3 credits). Religious Studies core courses approved for this requirement explore diverse topics including Christian scriptures, history, theology, and practices as well as major contributions from the Catholic intellectual and theological traditions (click here [PDF] for a list of approved courses).

Year 3 Theme and Question: Caring and Doing: What principles characterize a well lived life?

  • Ethics (PHIL 301 Ethics or RELI, 3 credits): The Ethics courses are designed to help students develop their moral imagination by exploring and explaining the reasons humans should care about the needs and interests of others. This requirement is satisfied by an approved ethics course in either Philosophy (PHIL 301 Ethics) or Religious Studies (click here [PDF] for a list of approved courses).
  • World/Comparative Religion (RELI, 3 credits): Religious Studies courses approved for this core requirement draw attention to the diversity that exists within and among traditions and encourage students to bring critical, analytical thinking to bear on the traditions and questions considered. These courses carries one of the required two global-studies designations (see below) (click here [PDF] for a list of approved courses).

Year 4 Theme and Question: Imagining the Possible: What is our role in the world?” 

  • Core Integration Seminar (DEPT 432, 3 credits). The Core Integration Seminar (CIS) offers students a culminating core experience in which they integrate the principles of Jesuit education, prior components of the core, and their disciplinary expertise. Some CIS courses may also count toward a student’s major or minor. The CIS is offered by several departments across the University (click here [PDF] for list of CIS courses).

The Broadening Courses

  • Fine Arts & Design (VART, MUSC, THEA, 3 credits): Arts courses explore multiple ways the human experience can be expressed through creativity, including across different cultures and societies. One approved course in fine arts, music, theatre, or dance will fulfill this requirement (click here [PDF] for a list of approved courses).
  • History (HIST, 3 credits): History courses are intended to develop students’ awareness of the historical context of both the individual and the collective human experience. One course in History (HIST 101 Foundations of the WestHIST 102 The West and the WorldHIST 112 World HistoryHIST 103 United States History IHIST 104 United States History II) will fulfill this requirement.
  • Literature (3 credits): Literature courses foster reflection on how literature engages with a range of human experience. One approved course in Literature (offered by English, Classics, or Modern Languages) will fulfill this requirement (click here [PDF] for a list of approved courses).
  • Social & Behavioral Sciences (3 credits): Courses in the social and behavioral sciences engage students in studying human behavior, social systems, and social issues. One approved course offered by Criminal Justice, Economics, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, or Women and Gender Studies will fulfill this requirement (click here [PDF] for a list of approved courses).

The Designations

Designations are embedded within already existing core, major, minor, and elective courses. Students are encouraged to meet designation requirements within elective courses as their schedule allows; however, with careful planning students should be able to complete most of the designation requirements within other core, major, or minor courses.

  • Writing Enriched (WE; 3 courses meeting this designation): Courses carrying the WE designation are designed to promote the humanistic and Jesuit pedagogical ideal of clear, effective communication. In addition to the required core course, Writing (ENGL 101 Writing), which carries one of the WE designations, students must take two other WE-designated courses (click here [PDF] for a list of approved courses).
  • Global-Studies (GS; 2 courses meeting this designation): Courses carrying the GS designation are designed to challenge students to perceive and understand human diversity by exploring diversity within a context of constantly changing global systems. In addition to the required core course, World/Comparative Religion (RELI 300-level), which carries one of the GS designations, students must take one other GS-designated course (click here [PDF] for a list of approved courses).
  • Social-Justice (SJ; 1 course meeting this designation): Courses carrying the SJ designation are designed to introduce students to one or more social justice concerns. Students must take one course that meets the SJ designation (click here [PDF] for a list of approved courses).

Major-specific adaptations to the University Core Curriculum

All Gonzaga students, regardless of their major, will complete the University Core Curriculum requirements. However some Gonzaga students will satisfy certain core requirements through major-specific programs or courses. Any major-specific adaptations to the core are described with the requirements for the majors to which they apply.

Honors Program Requirements

Students must take the following courses to complete their Honors degree

HONS 100Multi-modal Communications3
PHIL 101Reasoning3
HONS 193FYS:3
HONS 432CIS3
HONS 499Honors Senior Project3
Select five of the following: 115-16
Science Inquiry
and Science Inquiry Lab
Honors Human Nature
Honors Special Topics: Mathematics
Honors Christian Catholic Traditions
Honor World or Global Religion
Foundations of the West
Asian&PacificIslanderAmerHist
Honors Special Topics in History
Honors Special Topics in Art
Honors Special Topics in Literature
Honors Ethics
HONS 290Honors Colloquium 23
HONS 390Honors Colloquium 23
1

These courses are cross-listed with regular University courses, and can fulfill core or major requirements.

2

Course numbers may be repeated for credit.

In order to remain an Honors student in good standing, a student must:

  1. Complete the Honors First Year Block (HONS 193 FYS:HONS 100 Multi-modal Communications, and PHIL 101H Reasoning: Honors) or the transfer equivalent within one academic year of joining the program.
  2. Must either complete 6 credit hours of HONS courses (or courses with the Honors Designation) per academic year, or be within 12 credit hours of completing the Honors requirements. Exceptions will be made for students studying abroad during the academic year.
  3. Must achieve a cumulative GPA of 3.3 at the time of graduation and good academic standing throughout their tenure at Gonzaga (as defined by the undergraduate catalogue). Students who drop below a 3.0 for two consecutive semesters will be removed from the program (subject to Director review).

Students who fail to meet these requirements will be removed from the program and will no longer qualify for the Honors scholarship.