An increasing number of materials engineers in Australia and overseas are involved in the development, processing, and application of materials used in many areas of biomedical engineering including orthopaedics, dental and maxilliofacial implants, artificial vascular materials, controlled drug delivery, prosthetics and orthotics, and device housings. In many areas of medical technology, a concurrent study of materials and biomedical engineering form a logical and useful training. The objectives of the dual degree program will prepare materials engineers to work in these areas of biomedical technology like many of their overseas counterparts.

The five-year dual degree program consisting of a Bachelor of Engineering (in Process Metallurgy, Physical Metallurgy, Ceramic Engineering or Materials Science) and a Master of Biomedical Engineering (BE/MBiomedE) is specifically designed to cater for students wishing to pursue a career in biomedical engineering through the technical base of materials science and engineering. The BE/MBiomedE dual degree is 240 units of credit (UOC) (5 years full-time) by allowing 18 UOC of graduate level MBiomedE courses to substitute for elective courses in the BE and one undergraduate BE elective to substitute for a MBiomedE elective. This overlap arrangement is only available to students who complete the BE/MBiomedE program. Students who discontinue the BE/MBiomedE program to complete the BE program only will have to complete the normal 192 UOC BE program but may be given credit for some of the BIOM courses completed.

Students are expected to perform at a credit average (65%) or better in their first three years to be permitted to continue with the Masters part of the program. Students who do not satisfy this requirement can revert to the Bachelor of Engineering program.

Please refer to the section above or contact the School of Materials Science & Engineering for information regarding the Program Objectives and Learning Outcomes.

The Bachelor of Engineering component of the program requires students to undertake study in one of the following four study streams:

The first two years of all streams are identical and the third and fourth years contain a number of common courses. Students can change their selection among the study streams up to the end of Semester 1 of Stage 3.

Each study stream provides a range of specialised electives. In addition, a limited number of electives can be chosen from other streams.

The following structure is applicable to all streams:

12 UOC from the full list of available Stage 1 electives available in the School of Materials Science & Engineering Program Guide 3138.

Recommended electives:

*For details of available Professional Electives for Stage 3 & 4 please click on the links below:

Students in this program must also satisfy the University's General Education requirements. For further information, please refer to the General Education Guidelines.

Please refer to Program Structure above and the School of Materials Science & Engineering Program Guide 3138 for the Academic Requirements relating to this program.

For information regarding fees for UNSW programs, please refer to the following website:  https://my.unsw.edu.au/student/fees/FeesMainPage.html

All students are required to have gained at least 12 weeks of approved industrial training before graduation and to have submitted satisfactory reports on such work. The training should be concurrent with enrolment and is usually undertaken during the summer recesses at the end of Stages 2 and 3. Further information is available on the Materials Science and Engineering website.

The Institution of Engineers, Australia recognises the Bachelor of Engineering component of the BE/MBiomedE programs as meeting the examination requirements for admission to graduate and corporate membership. Furthermore, examination requirements are met for the membership of the Institution's College of Biomedical Engineering. The degree is accorded substantial or complete recognition by overseas engineering institutions.