Improve the health of others (without the hefty med school bill).
Design bionic limbs. Create laser-guided surgical devices. Develop wearable tech to help athletes perform better. In Biomedical Engineering, you’ll use engineering know-how to develop better ways to diagnose illnesses, treat health problems, and enhance health.
You’ll study biomechanics, physics, chemistry, and design. With that broad knowledge, you’ll be able to collaborate with all kinds of different experts: biologists, medical practitioners, policy makers, and engineers, to name a few. You’ll also learn to model and design complex biomedical systems—and you’ll get plenty of hands-on experience through 2 years of paid co-op work terms, plus a fourth-year design project.
By the time you graduate, you’ll be ready to create tomorrow’s life-saving and life-enhancing innovations.
Biomedical Engineering admission requirements
Ontario students: 6 Grade 12 U and/or M courses including
- Advanced Functions (minimum final grade of 70% is required)
- Calculus and Vectors (minimum final grade of 70% is required)
- Chemistry (minimum final grade of 70% is required)
- Physics (minimum final grade of 70% is required)
- English (ENG4U) (minimum final grade of 70% is required)
- Admission averages: Individual selection from the mid-90s
Complete the Admission Information Form once you've applied.
Not studying in Ontario? Search our admission requirements.
First-year Biomedical Engineering courses
September to December
January to April
After first year
- See the range of courses available in Biomedical Engineering.
- View all the courses required for your degree.
Sample upper-year courses
BME 261 – Prototype, Simulation and Design
BME 361 – Biomedical Engineering Design
BME 386 – Physics of Medical Imaging
BME 450 – Sports Engineering
With 2 years of real-world co-op work experience and a major design project, you can apply your knowledge and explore career options, which range from creating new solutions for diabetic testing to designing athletic equipment.
Gain 2 years of experience in the co-op program
Apply directly to this program on your application
Earn a Bachelor of Applied Science degree
Co-op = relevant paid work experience
By alternating school terms and paid co-op work terms throughout your degree, you can explore new career areas and types of employers as your career interests evolve.
Sample co-op job titles
- Junior biomedical engineer
- Medical device software developer
- Signal processing algorithm developer
- Bioengineering research assistant
- Medical device design
- Robotics and embedded sensor research assistant
Sample co-op employers
- The Hospital for Sick Children
- Intellijoint Surgical Inc
- PointClickCare
- Synaptive Medical
- Exact Imaging
- Nest Labs
Engineering school in Canada (US News & World Report 2018)
Offered by the Faculty of Engineering
Students earn $17,800 on average per co-op term
What can I do with a degree in Biomedical Engineering?
Waterloo Biomedical Engineering graduates often pursue careers in health, design, robotics, and research. They usually work in health care centres, laboratories, and more.
Recent graduates
- Microbiologist – Apotex
- Climate Change Information Analyst – Northern Climate ExChange
- Medical Officer – Canadian Forces
- Genetics Technologist – Princess Margaret Hospital
- Lead Instructor – Stem Lab Robotics
- Epidemiologist – Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CIFA)
- Medical Radiation Therapist – University of Toronto
Possible professional designation
Be more than a number
Biomedical Engineering is one of Waterloo’s smaller engineering programs, so you'll quickly get to know your classmates and professors.
Gain a broad education
Learn from engineering professors who specialize in systems design, electrical and computer, chemical and mechanical and mechatronics.
Learn more about Biomedical Engineering
- Visit the Biomedical Engineering website
