Major Advising Page: Biomedical Engineering
In today’s global marketplace, there is an increasing need for broadly educated engineering graduates with cross-cultural skills, international understanding, and proficiency in more than one language. The College of Engineering is committed to providing international opportunities that will assist engineering students in obtaining these important skills.
Engineering students can go abroad on programs through the College of Engineering, International Academic Programs, or any others for which they meet the eligibility requirements. Students are awarded P/F grades for programs through the College of Engineering, whereas they will earn A-F grades for programs through other advising locations.
Course considerations
Biomedical engineering considerations abroad
Biomedical engineering has several elective course titles, so when applying for ‘Special Topics’ credit in the department, make sure to choose the most appropriate title to match the content of the course abroad:
- BME 601: Special Topics in Biomedical Engineering
- BME 603: Special Topics in Bioinstrumentation and Medical Devices
- BME 604: Special Topics in Biomedical Imaging and Optics
- BME 605: Special Topics in Biomechanics
- BME 606: Special Topics in Biomaterials, Cellular and Tissue Engineering
You will miss a design course and will need to complete this requirement through another option, which can be discussed with your advisor. You may not substitute BME 201 or BME 400 for abroad experiences. It is recommended to go abroad during the fall semester of Junior year, missing BME 300.
Since Biomechanics (BME 315), Biomaterials (BME 430), and Bioinstrumentation (BME 310) are only offered in specific semesters, you will need to plan these courses carefully. You may be able to take one or more of these abroad or take them in different years than suggested on the flow chart. Discuss your options with your academic advisor.
Area technical electives are fairly easy to find abroad, which adds options and flexibility to your program selection. For example, you can take any ECE course to count as your bioinstrumentation area electives, any ME course for the biomechanics track, or any MSE or CBE course for the biomaterials track. The Biomaterials, Cell, and Tissue Engineering track. Remember, it is generally advisable to find courses that relate to your interests.
Institutions will offer courses that we might not offer (for example, Cellular Biomechanics). In this case, you can request a special topics course number, such as BME 601, which, if not already approved for an area elective, could be reviewed as such.
If you are considering medical school, it’s important to note that most medical schools would look upon a study abroad experience favorably, especially in a unique destination/or a program that provides unique opportunities. It is recommended that, in general, you avoid taking core courses abroad and plan to take those in Madison instead, so you can focus on electives in your program.
College of Engineering course considerations abroad
If you are hoping to take specific courses abroad that haven’t already been equated, it is strongly recommended that you equate them before applying to go abroad. You can do so by sending a request with the host institution’s course info and the proposed UW equivalent course to the program’s Enrollment Manager (EM), which you can find listed here.
All majors have engineering electives as part of the degree requirements. It is recommended to save these courses for your time abroad. Having this added flexibility will ensure continued progress towards your degree and also provide you with access to unique courses.
- Physics 202: Plan to take this course in Madison, or on the University College Dublin Physics summer program.
- InterEGR 397: Plan to take the required InterEGR 397 (Technical Communication) course in Madison. It is rare to find an equivalent course or department abroad.
Certificate in International Engineering
The Certificate in International Engineering provides recognition for your efforts to prepare for an international career by learning about one or more regions outside the United States. An undergraduate student in the College of Engineering or the Department of Biological Systems Engineering can earn the certificate by completing at least 13 credits worth of courses with a primary focus on the language, culture, history, geography, society, or institutions of a particular country or region of the world.
Students are encouraged to submit applications as soon as they have met progression requirements. The one-credit capstone seminar required for this certificate is offered in the fall only and must be completed after your international experience.
Map your experience as a
biomedical engineering student
Freshman year
Not recommended to study abroad unless it is in the summer after your first year. You must complete your first year at UW in order to apply for progression and be admitted to your department and going abroad can delay your progress and jeopardize your progression status. Programs through the College of Engineering require that you meet progression requirements before applying.
Sophomore year
Not recommended to study abroad unless it is over winter intersession, spring break, or during the summer.
Junior year
Studying abroad during your third year in the fall term works best. While you can definitely fulfill specific degree requirements while abroad, completing engineering elective courses abroad gives you more flexibility to take unique courses not offered in Madison and still make progress towards your degree.
Senior year
Most engineering programs have a senior design requirement in their last year. It is not likely that this design requirement can be met abroad, and students should check with their advisor when considering studying abroad in their second-to-last semester. Please note that engineering students cannot study abroad in their last semester. Due to the College’s residency requirement, engineering students must complete their last two semesters in Madison. It is possible to request a waiver to study abroad in your second-to-last semester (contact international@engr.wisc.edu for more information on this possibility), or in your fourth year if your degree will take longer.
Ask questions
- What classes must I complete for my degree (breadth/depth, major requirements, etc.)?
- Do I need to be on UW–Madison’s campus for any courses in my major?
- Are there any courses required for my degree that are only offered in a specific semester at UW?
- Are there any courses required for my degree that I must take in a specific sequence?
- How many engineering electives are required for my degree?
- Does my department have a preference that I take certain courses in Madison or abroad?
- What classes can I take abroad in a particular program?
- How and when do I select courses for my program?
- Can I establish new course equivalents for my program?
- What is the class structure like abroad?
- What skills do careers related to my major require, and how might participating in a particular program help me gain those skills?
- When would be the best time to participate in a program based on my career goals?
- How will participating in a study abroad, study away, or international internship make me stand out?
- Why do I want to participate on a program?
- How long do I want to participate on a program for – a few weeks, a semester, a year?
- How does participating on a program fit into my academic, personal, and/or professional goals?
- What career skills or proficiencies will I strive to acquire or enhance on my program?
Discover programs that are right for you
Courses offered as part of these programs may not be guaranteed to be the best fit for you, depending on where you are in the major. Make sure to verify in which semester courses are offered, as many courses are offered in one semester or the other but not both, or may no longer be offered by the host institution. Remember to explore additional course options in Electrical Engineering (especially for those in the Bioinstrumentation or Imaging tracks) or Mechanical Engineering (especially for those in the Biomechanics track), or Materials Science and Chemical & Biological Engineering (especially for those in Biomaterials/Cell/Tissue tracks) to add options to your program selection. You can do so by looking at the MAPs for those majors, or further exploring additional courses from the options below.
In this section
These opportunities are not an exhaustive list of all programs.
Semester and academic year programs
Short-term programs
Ireland
University College Dublin Physics (summer)
Sweden
DIS – Study Abroad in Scandinavia (semester and summer)
International Internships
International internships allow you to apply your academic skills to the real world and gain valuable professional experience abroad while earning UW–Madison course credit.
As you consider your academic and professional goals for studying abroad, explore the different internship options, including UW Signature internships, internship-focused programs, part-time internships, or applying for credit for an external internship.
Check with your academic advisor to see if earning credit for your internship abroad can fulfill a major or certificate requirement.
Hear from students in your major
Explore student blogs and reflections to see how your peers have connected international experiences to their studies. Discover real stories about the skills, challenges, and professional insights gained through our programs.
Photo credit: Hannah Kendzor (Ireland)
Want more information?
Dive deeper into how courses and credits work on our programs, or connect with an advisor to find the best fit for your goals.
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