If you have ever gotten any sort of medical test done or received a new type of treatment for an illness or disease, you have benefited from the field of biomedical engineering. You can become part of this exciting field by earning a biomedical engineering degree from one of the two main schools in South Dakota. Both of these schools have Bachelor’s-level and Master’s-level programs. The average cost of tuition is $6,700 per semester. South Dakota boasts a surprisingly small average class size of 16 students, which is beneficial for professor interaction.
Getting a Bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering is the very first step to a career in this exciting field. You will have to earn 120 credits over the course of four years while taking general education classes, human physiology classes, and engineering courses.
Since biomedical engineering spans so many different industries, your school’s curriculum is likely very diverse. Courses you may be required to take include Thermodynamics, Bioimaging & Biosensing, Physiological Systems, and Biomedical Nanotechnology.
You’ll be able to use your knowledge gained from the courses listed above in your required lab courses. Many schools require you to take a lab course every semester. You may start by learning about individual engineering materials and work up to working with multiple materials at the same time.
As you approach the end of your degree program, you may have the opportunity to conduct research in a specific niche of biomedical engineering. Research specialties vary from school to school, so you may want to choose a school that fits your specific learning goals. At the University of South Dakota, for example, the research focus is on biomaterials for drug delivery, tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, and nanomaterials for biological sensing.
Tuition rates at the two biomedical engineering schools in South Dakota are very similar, so it is easy to budget for your education. South Dakota School of Mines & Technology is the slightly more affordable option. Tuition is $8,240 per year for residents and $11,170 per year for non-residents. The University of South Dakota is slightly more expensive. Tuition for residents is about $9,600 per year, and tuition for non-residents is about $12,000 per year.
South Dakota has many scholarship foundations and engineering companies that can help you save money on your education. The South Dakota Engineering Society awards scholarships like the Black Hills Chapter Scholarship and the Central Chapter Scholarship. The Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation also awards scholarships to prospective engineers.
Before you can begin your career as a biomedical engineer in South Dakota, you must earn your license from the South Dakota Board of Technical Professions. Submit your application and a $100 application fee to the Board. You can then sit for the Principles and Practice of Engineering Exam, which is offered twice per year. You get your license after you successfully pass this exam.
There are several benefits of joining the South Dakota Healthcare Engineers Society. You can attend continuing education courses on new types of technology, network with prospective employers, and attend professional development events. Since this group is specifically for health care engineers, you can attend events that are relevant to your specific field.