New Biomedical & Biotech Degree

Starting in the fall of 2021, Mines will have yet another new program to offer students. A Bachelor of Science in Quantitative Biosciences and Engineering will be a new degree in an attempt to combine engineering with biology. The current QBE graduate degree has only been offered here at Mines since 2018, and now there will be an undergraduate degree as well.

The intent of the degree is to interest students that are focused on healthcare and premed programs. Currently there is a limited route for students at Mines if they are interested in medicine beyond undergraduate work as well as biomedical engineering and other fields that require a strong foundation in biology.

The coursework essentially combines mathematics with biology in the way it is increasingly used in research; using mathematical models to represent and explain biological systems is one of the most important focuses of this major–undergraduate and graduate degrees alike.

Students interested in biology or possibly even the medical field with an interest or strength in math would excel greatly in this program. Mines does not offer very many biology-based degrees, however recent years have shown that this is changing quickly. Currently, the best routes for students interested in biology or medicine are to follow the biological track in chemical engineering or follow a biomedical engineering or biology minor. Now, there will be a major that has a much greater focus on biology and mathematics in a way that is much more relevant to a student looking to enter a premed program or simply one who is passionate about biology and engineering.

If students find themselves enjoying the undergraduate program, there is also the QBE master’s (thesis and non-thesis) as well as doctoral degrees to continue their education and research. The electives offered will also allow students to enrich themselves in the physical sciences and move away from engineering after their undergraduate work if desired.•