Bioengineering device Programme code: A144
Start date: 28 September 2024
Duration: 1 academic year full-time
LocationSouth Kensington

The Department of Bioengineering offers a one-year programme for current medical students interested in learning more about bioengineering as part of their training.

Bioengineering is at the interface of engineering and medicine. It is a discipline that advances knowledge in engineering, biology and medicine, and improves human health through cross-disciplinary activities that integrate the engineering sciences with the biomedical sciences and clinical practice.

Applicants should be enthusiastic about engineering and are required to possess a strong mathematical ability, demonstrated through having achieved a minimum of Grade ‘B’ at A-Level in Mathematics, or equivalent.

Information about the intercalated programme

Overview

Our one-year intercalated BSc programme will educate future clinicians and medical leaders in engineering as applied to healthcare challenges and position them well for interdisciplinary careers at the forefront of healthcare innovation.

The programme is available to medical students both from Imperial College London and from other institutions.

The programme is delivered across three terms, and will comprise pre-sessional learning, core modules, elective modules and a group research project. You will be able to specialise by choosing some elective modules to suit your individual interests. Throughout the year, collaboration with other bioengineering students is encouraged; and specifically in the group research project, medics and bioengineers will work together to produce original research relating to real-world challenges.

Structure

Modules shown are for the current academic year, and are subject to change depending on your year of entry. Please note that not all combinations of optional modules may be possible due to timetabling constraints.

You will follow a structured programme including pre-sessional learning, core modules, elective modules and a group research project.

Pre-sessional learning
This pre-sessional study module is designed to build your confidence and abilities in core mathematical concepts and programming to prepare for the formally assessed modules.  The content is designed to: revise aspects of A-level (or equivalent) mathematics that will be built upon in mechanics and electrical engineering and to provide an introduction to computational thinking and simple programming.

The module content will be delivered through distance learning over 6 weeks. This will comprise weekly mathematics and programming activites, and online tutorials. You will also have access to videos of lectures and demonstrations, regular formative online quizzes to enable self-assessment, and self-directed learning opportunities.

You will be expected to spend around 8 hours per week in scheduled learning activities for the pre-sessional learning, and to dedicate adequate time to independent study in preparation for the start of the programme in October.

Core modules

  • Pre-sessional learning: Mathematics & Programming
  • Fundamentals of Biomedical Engineering
  • Probability and Statistics for Bioengineering
  • Journal Club


Elective modules
You must choose 4 elective modules from the selection below:

  • Advanced physiological monitoring and data analysis
  • Principles of Biomedical imaging
  • Cellular and Molecular Mechanotransduction 
  • Image Processing
  • Medical Device Certification
  • Orthopaedic Biomechanics
  • Biomimetics
  • Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine
  • Medical Device Entrepreneurship
  • Biomedical Instrumentation
  • Neuroscience
  • Bioengineering Approaches to Cancer
  • Ionising Tissue and Flow Imaging 

Group Research Project

  • You will work in collaboration with undergraduate students from the Department’s other undergraduate programmes, to define a problem, devise engineering solutions and evaluate experimental data.  You will produce an interim group report, an individual written technical report, and produce a project pitch. 

Teaching and Assessment

You will learn through lectures, tutorials, study groups, laboratory sessions and project work. The laboratory sessions will include wet laboratories, computing and mathematics laboratories, which provide a practical side to teaching and assessment.

Assessment varies between modules, but for the majority it involves a combination of written exams, practical and continuous assessment of coursework. You may also complete online progression tests, give presentations and conduct practical laboratory exercises.

Rules of progression:

To successfully pass the year, you must:

  • Achieve an overall aggregate mark of at least 40%
  • Achieve a pass in the mastery assessment for relevant modules
  • Achieve a mark of at least 40% in each module

Final degree classifications:

  • First – a student must achieve an aggregate mark of 70%
  • Upper second – a student must achieve an aggregate mark of 60%
  • Lower second – a student must achieve an aggregate mark of 50%
  • Third – a student must achieve an aggregate mark of 40%

Entry requirements

Academic requirements
Applicants must be registered on a General Medical Council (GMC) recognised MBBS degree (or equivalent). Students must have successfully completed the first two years of that programme. No break in studies is permitted between the programme at the other institution and the beginning of the programme for the BSc degree.

Imperial College London Medicine (A100) candidates who have successfully completed their third year are required to take a BSc, of which this degree is one option.

Intercalating students need to demonstrate that they are likely to receive a 2.1 or 1st by supplying an academic transcript from their home institution.

All applicants will normally be required to have achieved a minimum of Grade ‘B’ at A-Level in Mathematics, or equivalent. Strong mathematical ability is essential for this programme so please ensure you meet this criteria if you intend to apply.

English Language Requirement
Applicants must already have been registered for study for at least two years and fulfil the English language requirements for entry (IELTS 6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in each element or equivalent).

Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS)

Please note: an ATAS certificate is not required for overseas students applying for this course.

For more information about the Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS), please see the International Student Support website.

Tuition fees

Find out about tuition fees for 2022-23.

Please contact our Registry Tuition Fees Team at tuition.fees@impeiral.ac.uk if you require clarification of your 2023-24 intercalated BSc tuition fee.

Bursaries and scholarships

To find out more about the range of financial support available please see our Fees and Funding website.

How to apply

All internal applicants must apply via the normal process in the School of Medicine, by selecting the programme as a preferred choice. 

All external applicants must apply online via - https://www.imperial.ac.uk/medicine/study/undergraduate/intercalated-bsc-programme/biomedical-engineering/.

The deadline for applications for 2023 entry has now passed.

External applicants (those who are not already studying at Imperial College London) will be asked to provide a letter of permission from their home university stating that they are permitted to apply for an intercalated programme at Imperial  for 2023-24.

Note that the application system used is also used for postgraduate students and states that two references are required. You may provide two if you wish but for the intercalated BSc application one will be enough.

Selection Process
Selection for external students is based on 3 supporting documents:

  • Academic transcript covering your marks (from university) up to and including 2022-23. There is no official cut-off for academic performance but students who are accepted onto our courses are generally on track to achieve a 2.1 or higher.
  • One academic reference from an academic member of staff at your university (GPs can become referees but are not preferred). You will be asked to provide the contact details of your referee in the application form. The referee will then be emailed to request a reference. It is your responsibility to make sure your referee does submit a reference by the submission deadline (March 2023).
  • Personal Statement explaining why you have chosen to apply for the programme, why you think you should be selected for it, how the BSc relates to your interests in medical science and your future career goals.

For more information about applying, please see the Faculty of Medicine’s Intercalated BSc programme information.