Biomedical Engineering, BEng

Biomedical Engineering is one of the fastest-growing industries that offers some of the highest entry‑level salaries with career paths range from medical‑device research and development to allied‑health professions and clinical regulator. The School of Engineering, Technology & Design at Canterbury Christ Church University (CCCU) is a fast-growing department and an exciting place to be right now, we have a new building facility with impressive and well-equipped laboratories, workshops and classrooms. The course has been designed and developed in collaboration with Kent and Medway Engineering, Design, Growth and Enterprise (EDGE) Hub for delivering innovative engineering solutions to biomedical problems and contributing to improving our health and saving lives through the CDIO pedagogy approach.

In 2023, CCCU ranked first in the UK for graduates in employment, with our biomedical engineering graduates placed in reputed organizations such as NHS, Osteotec, BAE, ICU Medical etc. The Biomedical Engineering courses at CCCU are committed to developing you to be a graduate who is intellectually curious, skilled and ethically engaged with the world. You can enhance your knowledge of human anatomy and physiology, biomechanics, healthcare technology, electromechanical systems, digital health, and medical regulations while pursuing the course.

We can proudly say that CCCU is a very student-friendly place to study, so I believe you will have an enjoyable and productive time with us. Our motto within the School of Engineering, Technology and Design is “Don’t be afraid to ask questions and always do ask questions”, we are here to support your personal and professional development in engineering, and employability skills and enable you to graduate as an engineer. We have aligned our course to make you adaptive with concurrent technology and relevant job scenarios.

State-of-the-Art Engineering Facilities: Our newly built £65 million Verena Holmes building features state-of-the-art engineering facilities, including traditional machine tools and modern equipment such as a metal 3D printer, 3D scanner, laser cutter, CPET, Vitalograph, Gait and biomechanics lab, providing an ideal platform for learning to enhance your hands-on skills.

Explore our facilities

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYOH3Wfr7RY

CDIO Learning Methods and Industry Integration

Aligned with pioneering CDIO (Conceive, Design, Implement & Operate) learning methods and industry-outsourced projects, this course emphasizes hands-on skills and industry integration at all levels, unlocking your creative potential. During the last two academic years, biomedical engineering students have completed several industry-outsoured projects such as electrotherapy for haemorrhoids treatment, automatic insulin pump for diabetic patients, prosthetic foot, Artificial Kidney project and Artificial liver transportation box etc.

Success story: From Classroom to Clinic: The Journey of the CDIO student project on Electrotherapy Device for Haemorrhoid Treatment supported by eXroid Ltd

We are currently working towards IMechE and IET accreditation. We recently hosted a visit from the IMechE panel and have been recommended for IMechE accreditation, pending final approval.

The course is designed to be completed over three academic years, with successful progression required each year to achieve your degree. The academic calendar at Canterbury Christ Church University is divided into two semesters: the first runs from September to January, and the second from late January to May. Each semester, you will undertake 60 credits of modules covering a variety of subject areas. The courser is designed to offer a transformative educational experience, fostering critical and imaginative thinking alongside compassionate responsibility. It aims to develop your knowledge, understanding, and skills in biomedical engineering, preparing you for employment across a range of industries that provide technology solutions for allied health sectors. Graduates will be equipped to develop, support, implement, and maintain biomedical technologies.

Year 1 Core modules:

Semester 1

• Computer Aided Engineering
• Professional Engineering Skills
• Applied Mathematics and Programming

Semester 2

• Material Science and Testing
• Integrated Electro-mechanical Systems and Practices

You might find it useful to read these resources before starting your course:

• Read an Introduction to Biomedical Engineering
• Discover more about what Biomedical Engineers do
• Learn why Biomedical Engineering is part of a bigger picture in Kent and Medway EDGE Hub
• Watch the CCCU Welcome Video

Additional learning support is available from the academic sessional and skills development team for math, report writing, project dissertations etc. You will get continuous support from the academic team for any academic, learning or other student-related issues such as accommodation, well-being and financial hardship. Besides, CCCU career enterprise team can guide you with professional CV and personal statement letter when applying for internships, graduate roles and higher study.

Your welcome and induction will be w/c 15th September 2025 - we look forward to meeting you then.

Community

On the social side, the Student Union (CCSU) has a huge range of clubs and societies – all of which have unique social calendars of their own and offer endless opportunities to make lifelong friends and discover new hobbies. And you can always create your own society and cultivate your own community!

CCSU will be hosting their Welcome Fayre on Wednesday 17th September 2025. Make sure you keep checking the CCSU website for further details and how to get involved.

We understand that you may be nervous about your first few weeks on campus but rest assured - you'll be joining a nurturing and supportive environment where diversity, equality and individuality are part of everything we do.

You can find out more about our welcoming community and making friend.

If you are an International Student joining us then please see our International Student Support pages for further information and guidance.

Below are some ideas for pre-course reading that you may wish to take a look at.  Please note this is not mandatory and we do not expect that you will read them all!

Semester 1 modules

Computer Aided Engineering

• Simmons, Maguire, & Phelps (2012). Manual of Engineering Drawing: Technical Product Specification and Documentation to British and International Standards. Butterworth-Heinemann
• Willis & Dogra (2021). Autodesk Fusion 360: A Power Guide for Beginners and Intermediate Users (5th Edition)
• CADCIM Technologies (2023) Autodesk Inventor Professional 2024 for Designers (24th Edition)
• Specialist Software: AutoDesk Fusion 360 and Autodesk Inventor    

Professional Engineering Skills

• Ikonomov, Pavel. Cad/CAM Applications - Cnc Milling. N.p.: Independently Published, 2020.
• Kumar, Kaushik., Ranjan, Chikesh., Davim, J. Paulo. CNC Programming for Machining. Germany: Springer International Publishing, 2020.
• ALAVALA, CHENNAKESAVA R. CAD/CAM: CONCEPTS AND APPLICATIONS. India: PHI Learning, 2008.
• Smid, Peter. CNC Programming Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide to Practical CNC Programming. United States: Industrial Press, 2003.

Applied Mathematics and Programming

• James, G. (2019) Modern Engineering Mathematics. 6th edn. Harlow: Pearson. James, G. and Burley, D. (2010)
• Advanced Modern Engineering Mathematics, 4th Ed., Addison-Wesley.
• Specialist Software: MATLAB, Microsoft Excel, Arduino

Semester 2 modules

Material Science and Testing

• ASHBY, M.F., SHERCLIFF, H. and CEBON, D., (2019). Materials Engineering, Science, Processing and Design. Butterworth-Heinemann, ISBN-Print: 9780081023761 CALLSITER, W.D. and RETHWISCH D.G., (2015).
• Materials Science and Engineering. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN-Print: 9781118319222 David R.H. Jones, Michael Ashby, (2018).
• Engineering Materials 1 An Introduction to Properties, Applications and Design. Butterworth-Heinemann, ISBN-Print: 9780081020517

Integrated Electro-mechanical Systems and Practices

• Bolton, W. Mechatronics: Electronic Control Systems in Mechanical and Electrical Engineering. Pearson, 2018.
• Alciatore, D.G. and Histand, M.B. Introduction to Mechatronics and Measurement Systems. McGraw-Hill Education, 2018.