Master of Biomedical Engineering (MC-BIOMENG)
Masters (Coursework)Year: 2025 Delivered: On Campus (Parkville)
About this course
Contact
This course is available in My Course Planner
Coordinator
Lionel Lam
Overview
| Award title | Master of Biomedical Engineering |
|---|---|
| Year & campus | 2025 — Parkville |
| CRICOS code | 106103A |
| Fees information | Subject EFTSL, level, discipline and census date |
| Study level & type | Graduate Coursework |
| AQF level | 9 |
| Credit points | 300 credit points |
| Duration | 36 months full-time or 72 months part-time |
The Master of Biomedical Engineering is an entry-to-practice degree that provides students with the necessary knowledge and skills to enter the international workplace as biomedical engineers. Graduates are skilled in biomedical engineering principles and have the ability to apply these skills to complex, open-ended engineering tasks and problems.
Within the degree, students acquire core skills in the areas of biomechanics, biomaterials, biomedical imaging, bioinstrumentation, biosignal processing, biofluid mechanics, bioengineering data analytics, and bioengineering management and regulations. Students will also be able to focus on key discipline areas that include biomechanical engineering, bioinformatics, neuroengineering and tissue engineering.
The degree culminates in a major design and/or research project subject. Students have the opportunity to participate in overseas study, industry-based projects and supervised research.
Distinction
Upon completion of the Master of Biomedical Engineering, it is possible for a student to be awarded Master of Biomedical Engineering with Distinction provided a student has achieved a high level of academic performance. Eligibility of the Distinction award is dependent on a calculated distinction score.
The distinction score will only take into account Level 9 subjects undertaken at the University of Melbourne. This means Study Abroad and Exchange subjects will not be considered. One 12.5 point subject with the lowest mark will be omitted in the calculation of the distinction score. All level 9 subjects with credit points of more than 12.5 points must be included in the calculations. Only marks from the first attempt at a subject will be used. The average mark will be weighted by the credit points of the subjects. A Master of Engineering with Distinction will be awarded if the score is 80 or above.
Hurdle Requirement
In order to achieve the Engineering Practice Hurdle requirement, students will need to document the attainment of professional skills that demonstrates successful completion of any of the following:
- Skills Towards Employment Program (STEP)
- ENGR90033 Internship subject
- An agreed level of internship at an approved engineering form (without receiving University credit)
Completion of the degree will not be approved until this requirement has been met.
Links to further information
This course is available in My Course Planner
My Course Planner is an interactive web application that allows you to explore your study options and decide which subjects and major(s), minors and/or specialisations are right for you.
Entry requirements
1. In order to be considered for entry, applicants must have completed:
- An undergraduate degree with a weighted average mark of at least H3 (65%) or equivalent, and
- Maths pre-requisites, and science pre-requisites. The maths pre-requisites are 25 points of appropriate tertiary-level Mathematics, equivalent to MAST10006 Calculus 2 and MAST10007 Linear Algebra. The science pre-requisites are 25 points of appropriate tertiary-level Biology OR at least 25 points of appropriate tertiary-level Chemistry OR 12.5 points of 2nd year Engineering Mathematics, equivalent to MAST20029 Engineering Mathematics.
Meeting these requirements does not guarantee selection.
2. In ranking applications, the Selection Committee will consider;
- Prior academic performance; and if relevant
- Professional experience
3. The Selection Committee may seek further information to clarify any aspect of an application in accordance with the Academic Board rules on the use of selection instruments.
4. Applicants are required to satisfy the University’s English language requirements for graduate courses. For those applicants seeking to meet these requirements by one of the standard tests approved by the Academic Board, performance band 6.5 is required.
Note.
Applicants with the following may be awarded up to 100 points of credit:
- Graduates of Melbourne Model BSc undergraduate degree who complete the Bioengineering Systems majors with a weighted average mark of at least H3 (65%) or equivalent;
- A Bachelor of Engineering, or equivalent as recognised by the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, in a cognate discipline appropriate to the stream of the Master of Engineering into which entry is sought with a weighted average mark of at least H3 (65%) or equivalent.
Available credit for other University of Melbourne graduates and graduates of other universities is normally evaluated on a case-by-case basis, but the Academic Board may approve standard credit arrangements for specified entry pathways.
Graduate Degree Packages for School Leavers
The University of Melbourne offers Graduate Degree Packages to high achieving school leavers, allowing them to secure places (Commonwealth Supported Places for domestic students or International fee places) in the Master of Engineering provided that they meet certain requirements.
For a Commonwealth Supported Place or an International Fee Place, the applicant must:
- Complete an Australian Year 12 or the International Baccalaureate (IB) in 2018 or later either:
— In Australia; or
— Outside Australia and be an Australian citizen;
- Achieve an ATAR (or notional ATAR) of at least 95.00 to enter the Bachelor of Biomedicine/Master of Biomedical Engineering GDP or,
- Achieve an ATAR (or notional ATAR) of at least 93.00 to package the Master of Biomedical Engineering with the Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Design or Bachelor of Science;
- Apply for a University of Melbourne Graduate Degree Packages for commencement in the year following completion of Year 12 or IB via VTAC;
- Enrol immediately or be granted deferral in the year following Year 12;
- Successfully complete a Bachelor of Biomedicine, Commerce, Design or Science at the University of Melbourne including all the specified prerequisite subjects; and
- Commence the Master of Engineering within 18 months of completing the undergraduate degree.
Applicants should refer to the University handbook for the additional entry requirements for the undergraduate degrees in the Graduate Degree Packages.
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The Master of Biomedical Engineering welcomes applications from students with disabilities. It is University and degree policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student’s participation in the degree.
The Master of Biomedical Engineering requires all students to enrol in subjects where they will require:
• The ability to comprehend complex science, technology and engineering related information;
• The ability to clearly and independently communicate a knowledge and application of science, technology and engineering principles and practices during assessment tasks; and,
• The ability to actively and safely contribute in laboratory, and fieldwork/excursion activities.
Students must possess behavioural and social attributes that enable them to participate in a complex learning environment. Students are required to take responsibility for their own participation and learning. They also contribute to the learning of other students in collaborative learning environments, demonstrating interpersonal skills and an understanding of the needs of other students. Assessment may include the outcomes of tasks completed in collaboration with other students.
There may be additional inherent academic requirements for some subjects, and these requirements are listed within the description of the requirements for each of these subjects.
Students who feel their disability will impact on meeting this requirement are encouraged to discuss this matter with the relevant Subject Coordinator and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/
Professional accreditation
EUR-ACE® (EURopean- ACcredited Engineer)
The Master of Biomedical Engineering is fully accredited by Engineers Australia and EUR-ACE® (EURopean- ACcredited Engineer)
Engineers Australia and EUR-ACE® (EURopean- ACcredited Engineer)
The Master of Biomedical Engineering is fully accredited by Engineers Australia and EUR-ACE® (EURopean- ACcredited Engineer)
Intended learning outcomes
On completion of this course, graduates will:
- Apply knowledge and practice in medical technologies, health informatics and healthcare to generate societal and economic impact through innovation, translation and commercialisation;
- Demonstrate knowledge and practice in the design and operation of devices and processes, and the application of engineering skills to new medical treatments, instruments and machines;
- Apply knowledge and practice across the fields of anatomy and physiology, biomechanics, biofluid mechanics, biomaterials, electronic circuits, bioinstrumentation, and biomedical engineering regulation;
- Apply knowledge and practice in advanced biomedical engineering topics, which might include computational biomechanics, medical imaging, neural information processing, computational genomics, tissue and soft matter engineering, and systems and synthetic biology
- Demonstrate problem solving and trouble shooting skills that may be applied in professional practice;
- Apply knowledge and practice in biomedical engineering management including economics, intellectual property, ethics, regulation, and the law as it applies to the biomedical engineering profession;
- Demonstrate the ability to complete a piece of original research either within an industrial setting or in a laboratory, involving the collection of data, its quantitative analysis and interpretation;
- Demonstrate effective verbal and written communication skills that enable a meaningful contribution to the biomedical engineering community and broader society;
- Demonstrate effective team membership and leadership skills;
- Demonstrate and epitomise professional ethical behaviour and responsibilities towards the profession and community, including having positive and responsible approaches to personal safety, management of information, and professional integrity.
Generic skills
- An understanding of the changing knowledge base in biomedical engineering;
- An ability to evaluate and synthesise the research and professional literature in the biomedical engineering discipline;
- Skills and techniques applicable to biomedical engineering;
- Well-developed problem-solving abilities, characterised by flexibility of approach;
- Competencies in engineering professional expertise and scholarship;
- A capacity to articulate their knowledge and understanding in oral and written forms of communications;
- A thorough understanding of the international context and sensitivities of biomedical engineering;
- An appreciation of the design, conduct and reporting of original research;
- A capacity to manage competing demands on time, including self-directed project work;
- A profound respect for truth and intellectual integrity, and for the ethics of scholarship;
- An appreciation of the ways in which advanced knowledge equips the student to offer leadership in the specialist area;
- The capacity to value and participate in projects which require team-work;
- An understanding of the significance and value of their knowledge to the wider community (including business and industry);
- A capacity to engage where appropriate with issues in contemporary society; and,
- Working skills in the application of computer systems and software and a receptiveness to the opportunities offered by new technologies.
Course structure
The Master of Biomedical Engineering requires the successful completion of 300 credit points.
The Master of Biomedical Engineering is a 3 year degree (full time). This degree has one Business specialisation.
To obtain the degree (no specialisation) students must complete:
- 162.5 credit points of compulsory subjects
- 25 credit points of selectives
- 25 credit points of Year 3 capstone project subject(s)
- 87.5 credit points of electives including
- 62.5 credit points of Bioengineering electives
- 25 credit points of approved electives
To obtain the degree with Business specialisation, students must instead complete:
- 150 credit points of compulsory subjects
- 25 credit points of Year 1 selectives
- 62.5 credit points of Year 2 and 3 specialisation subjects including
- 50 credit points of core specialisation subjects
- 12.5 credit points of Bioengineering electives
- 25 credit points of Year 3 capstone project subject(s)
- 37.5 credit points of electives including
- 12.5 credit points of Bioengineering electives
- 25 credit points of Approved electives
Note:
1. Students entering the course with advanced standing who plan on completing a specialisation may need to enrol in core specialisation subjects in their commencing semester. Please check and follow the structure outlined for your intended specialisation and seek course planning advice.
2. Students may alternatively take BMEN90030 BioDesign Innovation (50 points) in place of BMEN90018 Biomedical Engineering Capstone Project and 25 points of Bioengineering Electives or Approved Electives. Permission to enrol in BMEN90030 must be granted by the Subject Coordinator.
As an alternative to BMEN90018 Biomedical Engineering Capstone Project, students may also take BMEN90031 Biomedical Engineering Capstone Project Part 1 and BMEN90032 Biomedical Engineering Capstone Project Part 2. These subjects must be taken in 2 consecutive semesters. Students commence BMEN90031 in Semester 2 and continue BMEN90032 in the consecutive semester (Semester 1 in the following year). Upon successful completion of this project, students will receive 25 points credit.
Students can make this request via submission of an enrolment assistance form:
3. Any student interested in completing the Doctor of Medicine / Master of Biomedical Engineering Pathway will need to follow the Master of Biomedical Engineering recommended study plan to ensure eligibility.
For further information:
Doctor of Medicine / Master of Biomedical Engineering Pathway
4. Students who commenced prior to 2025 can complete their degree following the course structure as per their year of entry/admission. Students in this group can also complete ENGR90051 as part of their Year 2 selective subject options.
Year 1:
- 75 credit points of Year 1 compulsory subjects
- 25 credit points of Year 1 selectives
Year 2:
87.5 credit points of Year 2 core subjects (No specialisation) or 87.5 credit points of Year 2 compulsory subjects (Business specialisation)
- 12.5 credit points of Bioengineering electives
Year 3:
- 25 credit points of Year 3 capstone project subjects
- 50 credit points of subjects including
- 12.5 credit points of Bioengineering electives
37.5 credit points of Bioengineering electives or 37.5 credit points of compulsory specialisation subjects
- 25 credit points of approved electives
Progression
The core subject lists are divided into specific year levels, reflecting the recommended order of completing the course. There is, however, some flexibility between Year 2 and 3 core subjects, depending on the requisites set between them. Check the individual Handbook entries of these subjects for more detail.
Engineering Practice Hurdle Requirement
Students enrolled in the master of engineering degree will need to satisfy the requirements of the Engineering Practice hurdle prior to being awarded the degree. Students will be introduced early in their degree to the online e-portfolio system as a way of documenting their attainment of graduate attributes which accord with University and professional accreditation standards. Students will keep a record of their stepwise attainment of these capabilities throughout their engineering studies at Melbourne. The artifacts recorded in the e-portfolio may include formal study elements, such as design reports, as well as reflections on extracurricular activities such as employment and volunteering activities.
Hurdle Requirement
In order to achieve the Engineering Practice Hurdle requirement, students will need to document the attainment of professional skills that demonstrates successful completion of any of the following:
Skills Towards Employment Program (STEP)
ENGR90033 Internship subject
An agreed level of internship at an approved engineering form (without receiving University credit)
Completion of the degree will not be approved until this requirement has been met.
Subject Options
Year 1 compulsory subjects
| Code | Name | Study period | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| BMEN20002 | Anatomy & Physiology for Bioengineering | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| BMEN20003 | Applied Computation in Bioengineering | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| BMEN30010 | Mechanics for Bioengineering | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| BMEN30006 | Circuits and Systems | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| BMEN30009 | Introduction to Biomaterials | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| BMEN30008 | Biosystems Design | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
Year 1 selectives
Students should complete the equivalent of all Year 1 selective subjects across both their undergraduate and graduate degrees to ensure they meet all the prerequisite requirements of their course subjects.
| Code | Name | Study period | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| BIOL10009 | Biology: Life's Machinery | Not available in 2025 | 12.5 |
| CHEM10003 | Chemistry 1 |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
| MAST20029 | Engineering Mathematics |
Summer Term (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
| BIOL10008 | Foundational Biology: Life's Machinery |
Summer Term (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
NOTE: The following rule strictly applies to students commencing the Master of Biomedical Engineering mid-year. Students should take BIOL10010 - Foundational Biology: Life's Complexity. Students will need to complete an enrolment assistance form but will not need to seek coordinator approval.”
NOTE: Mid-Year commencing students will need to complete BMEN30008 in semester 2, year 2 (third semester of degree) in order to meet prerequisite requirements.
Year 2 compulsory subjects
| Code | Name | Study period | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| BMEN90038 | Biomechanics | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| BMEN90037 | Bioengineering Data Analytics | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| BMEN90033 | Bioinstrumentation | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| BMEN90039 | Biomedical Eng Management & Regulations | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| BMEN90036 | Biofluid Mechanics | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| BMEN90035 | Biosignal Processing | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| ENGR90051 | Interdisciplinary Design for Engineers |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
Note: Students who commenced prior to 2025 can complete their degree following the course structure as per their year of entry/admission. Students in this group can also complete ENGR90051 as part of their Year 2 selective subject options.
Year 2 Bioengineering electives
| Code | Name | Study period | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| BMEN90021 | Medical Imaging | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| BMEN90002 | Neural Information Processing | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| BMEN90040 | Process Eng for Biomedical Technologies | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| BMEN90011 | Tissue Engineering & Stem Cells | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| BMEN90029 | Soft Tissue and Cellular Biomechanics | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| BMEN90022 | Computational Biomechanics | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| BMEN90027 | Systems and Synthetic Biology | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| COMP90016 | Computational Genomics | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| COMP90014 | Algorithms for Bioinformatics | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| CHEN90039 | Pharmaceutical & Biochemical Production | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
Year 3 capstone project subjects
| Code | Name | Study period | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| BMEN90018 | Biomedical Engineering Capstone Project |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Year Long (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
25 |
| BMEN90031 | Biomed Eng Capstone Proj Part 1 | Semester 2 (Extended) (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| BMEN90032 | Biomed Eng Capstone Proj Part 2 | Semester 1 (Early-Start) (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
Note: *Students may alternatively take BMEN90030 BioDesign Innovation (50 points) in place of BMEN90018 Biomedical Engineering Capstone Project and 25 points of Bioengineering Electives or Approved Electives. Permission to enrol in BMEN90030 must be granted by the Subject Coordinator.
As an alternative to BMEN90018 Biomedical Engineering Capstone Project, students may also take BMEN90031 Biomedical Engineering Capstone Project Part 1 and BMEN90032 Biomedical Engineering Capstone Project Part 2. These subjects must be taken in 2 consecutive semesters. Students commence BMEN90031 in Semester 2 and continue BMEN90032 in the consecutive semester (Semester 1 in the following year). Upon successful completion of this project, students will receive 25 points credit.
Students can make this request by submitting an Enrolment Variation Form via:
Bioengineering electives
| Code | Name | Study period | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| BMEN90021 | Medical Imaging | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| BMEN90002 | Neural Information Processing | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| BMEN90040 | Process Eng for Biomedical Technologies | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| BMEN90011 | Tissue Engineering & Stem Cells | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| BMEN90029 | Soft Tissue and Cellular Biomechanics | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| BMEN90022 | Computational Biomechanics | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| BMEN90027 | Systems and Synthetic Biology | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| COMP90016 | Computational Genomics | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| COMP90014 | Algorithms for Bioinformatics | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| CHEN90039 | Pharmaceutical & Biochemical Production | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
Approved electives
An approved elective is any postgraduate level subject. Third-year undergraduate subjects may be permitted on application to the Course Coordinator. The following subjects are recommended as approved electives:
| Code | Name | Study period | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| ENGR90033 | Internship |
Summer Term (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)
Semester 1 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)
Semester 2 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)
|
25 |
| ENGR90024 | Computational Fluid Dynamics | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| MCEN90048 | Artificial Intelligence for Engineers | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| COMP90007 | Internet Technologies |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
| COMP90038 | Algorithms and Complexity |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
| COMP90041 | Programming and Software Development |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
| ELEN90054 | Probability and Random Models | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| ELEN90055 | Control Systems |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
| MAST90007 | Statistics for Research Workers | Winter Term (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| MKTG90022 | Commercialisation of Science | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| SCIE90011 | From Lab to Life | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| SKIL90004 | Project Management in Science | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| CHEN90038 | Product Design and Analysis | Summer Term (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| BMEN90041 | Biomedical Eng Summer Research Project | Summer Term (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| SCIE90017 | Science and Technology Internship |
Summer Term (Off Campus)
Semester 1 (Off Campus)
Semester 2 (Off Campus)
|
12.5 |
| ENGR90026 | Engineering Entrepreneurship | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| ENGR90034 | Creating Innovative Engineering | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
Note
All students must meet any requisite prior to enrolling in a subject.
Students may need written permission from other faculties to enrol in some subjects; please check with the Subject Coordinator.
Compulsory specialisation subjects
Please see the compulsory specialisation subjects in the Specialisations page.
Majors, minors & specialisations
Master of Biomedical Engineering- Specialisations
| Name | Credit Points |
|---|---|
| Business | 62.5 |
Last updated: 14 March 2025