Biomedical Engineering

Biomedical Engineering is a dynamic multidisciplinary scientific field that combines Medicine and Engineering with Natural Sciences like Biology, Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry. At RWTH Aachen University, this Master's programme is the only programme that ends with an independent degree in Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering (BME). The major goal of this research-based Master’s programme is to apply engineering principles and design concepts to medicine to solve human health problems through early detection, diagnosis, therapy as well as prevention of diseases. The curriculum is designed to provide not only a general background in Biomedical Engineering but also a specific Aachen profile with regard to the current research in the Biomedical Engineering department. Focal points of this profile are: Medical Imaging Techniques, including the modules Medical Imaging, Image Guided Therapy and Theranostics and Image Processing and Handling Tissue Engineering, including the module Cell Culture and Tissue Engineering Materials Science, including the modules Materials Science and Processing, Advanced Biomaterials – Hard Tissue Implants and Prostheses & 3D Bioprinting Artificial Organs, including the module on Artificial Organs with focus on Heart, Kidney, Lung and Liver An absolutely unique selling point of the Master's programme is the parallel teaching of all four focus areas which offers students a broad spectrum of engineering and medical technology – thereby improving their technical skills. Our international academic environment enables students to get hands-on international, intercultural academic work experience, giving them the opportunity to further develop their soft skills. All these skills enable the graduates to work in medical technology research or development and provides the foundation for a later PhD. The graduates will have a broad in-depth theoretical and practical knowledge of Natural Sciences, Medicine and Engineering. Typical research areas include physiology of molecular and cellular systems, physiology of organ systems, medical imaging techniques, robotics and artificial organs, tissue engineering and materials science. Graduates are not only able to analyse and solve technical and scientific problems, but also to critically question the conception thereof and to handle and document complex problems in research and development independently. They are able to report the results appropriately using current technical language and terminology. The Master's programme is interdisciplinary and involves the following departments: Medicine, Computer and Natural Sciences, Mechanical Engineering, and Electrical Engineering and Information Technology. The BME programme is offered in a group size of approximately 50 students and thus enables individual support of the student as well as optimal teaching transfer and development of the technical content. The interdisciplinary programme has a modular design and is divided into mandatory, elective mandatory and optional modules. This wide range of modules offered by the four participating departments ensures that the individual interests and creativity of each student are promoted in the best possible way. The programme contains three semesters of lectures, seminars, exercises and practical modules. After each semester students are assessed with written or oral exams. Another part of the programme is the full-time six to eight-week internship in the second semester. This internship is an opportunity to put acquired knowledge into practice and gather experience in the professional surrounding of Biomedical Engineering either in an institute or a company. Another important goal of the internship is to practice various skills in a given time (planning and preparation, data collection, analysis, and writing). In the internship, either a concrete scientific problem is dealt with or practical methodological skills are trained and deepened. The Master's thesis is a prede