Biomedical Engineering Schools in North Carolina
When it comes to health care, few things are as important as the creation of new medical technologies. You can create technology that assists in the diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of disease by becoming a biomedical engineer. There are six North Carolina schools that have biomedical engineering schools. All six schools have Bachelor’s degree programs and five schools also have Master’s degree programs. The average cost of tuition in North Carolina is $17,300 per year. North Carolina also boasts an average class size of 15 students, which offers lots of opportunities for professor interaction.
The first step to starting a career in this versatile field is earning a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. A Bachelor’s degree is made up of 120 credits, which may take you four to five years of full-time study.
As a student, you may take courses in human biology, engineering, and principles that bring the two together. Some of the requires courses you may take include Physiological Systems, Biomaterials, Medical Imaging, and Biomedical Design.
Some schools give you the opportunity to further your education with additional majors, minors, or certificates. At University of Carolina at Chapel Hill, you can earn a Certificate in Medical Devices. As part of this program, you design a new medical device.
It’s clear that hands-on practice is an essential part of this field, since you need to be able to work with engineering materials to create new devices. Your engineering lab is where you can learn about the properties and applications of different types of technology.
Tuition rates vary significantly between schools, so it’s important to consider tuition and financial aid before making a school choice. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has some of the lowest tuition rates in the state. Residents can expect to pay $4,170 per semester, and non-residents can expect to pay $15,061 per semester. Wake Forest University is one of the most expensive schools in the state. Tuition is $45,638 per year for residents and non-residents.
Since engineers are in high demand, there are many engineering scholarships you can apply for to help offset the cost of your education. Consider the many scholarships awarded by the Professional Engineers of North Carolina, like the PENC Scholarship, the PENC Freshman Scholarship, and the Eastern Carolina Chapter Engineering Scholarship. You may also be able to apply for a $2,000 scholarship from the North Carolina Society of Engineers.
Before you can officially begin working as an engineer in North Carolina, you have to get your license from the North Carolina Board of Examiners for Engineers and Land Surveyors. You can submit your application with a $100 application fee, and then you must also pay a $350 exam fee. The Principles and Practice of Engineering exam is offered every April and October, and once you pass this exam, you can officially work as an engineer.
Local engineering groups are key when it comes to furthering your career and learning about new advancements in the field. Consider joining the North Carolina Healthcare Engineers Association. As a member of this association, you can be the first to learn about new changes in the field, attend networking events, and learn about new job postings.