1. General Information

School	School of Industrial and Information Engineering
Code Reference Law	363
Name	Biomedical Engineering
Reference Law	Ordinamento 270/04
Class of degree (¹)	L-8 - Information Technology L-9 - Industrial Engineering
Degree level	Laurea (Equivalent To Bachelor Of Science)
First year of activation	2008/2009
Official length of the programme	3
Years of the programme already activated	1,2,3
Official language(s)	Italian
Campus	Milano
Dean of the School	Antonio Capone
Coordinator of the Study programme	Luca Mainardi
Website of the School	http://www.ingindinf.polimi.it
Website of the Study programme	http://www.ccsbio.polimi.it/

(¹) The student belongs to one or the other Degree class depending on the education chose.

Central Student Office - Milano Leonardo

Address

VIA C. GOLGI, 42 (MI)

2. General presentation of the study programme

Development of Life Sciences and the contribution of Bioengineering

Currently, many of the most significant areas of scientific and technological development in the new century concern medical and biological sciences, with particular reference to health, nutritional and environmental problems, and rapid advances in the areas of gene therapy and biotechnologies. These topics require high quality and innovation in teaching, research and support to companies.

The contribution of Biomedical Engineering (Bioengineering) to the scientific and technological progress in this area is ever more relevant.

The study of:

• living systems
• interaction with the environment
• drug delivery
• tissues, prostheses and artificial organs engineering
• biomedical equipment and instrumentation
• biomedical signals and images
• ICT applications

constitutes an essential contribution to this progress and stimulates huge investments and employment opportunities.

The role of the Biomedical Engineer

Biomedical Engineering applies engineering methodologies and technologies to describe, understand and solve problems framed in the medical-biological field through a strong intersecting cooperation among engineers, medical doctors and biologists. 

Biomedical engineers are leading players in the introduction of new technologies and development of innovative methods and products by creating:

• advanced understanding of biological systems both in the healthy and pathological conditions;
• development of new devices, equipment, procedures and systems for prevention, diagnosis, therapy and rehabilitation;
• conception and development of new prostheses, artificial organs, life support systems, aids and prostheses for the disabled;
• study and research of advanced and innovative materials, of cellular behaviour for reconstruction and remodelling of biological organs and tissues;
• exploration of new, advanced technological developments in bio-and nano-technologies;
• identification of structures and services for the management of health systems, mostly from the technological and organisational point of view;
• assessment of most proper and safe use of methodologies and technologies in the health system;
• cost reduction via the optimal usage of resources according to real needs.

Development of the teaching programme in the Biomedical Engineering field at Politecnico di Milano

Politecnico di Milano has run courses in Biomedical Engineering since the end of the 60’s. In the late 70’s, this experience has generated two Bioengineering Tracks framed both in the Electronic and Mechanical Engineering programmes. In 1996, these tracks merged in the first five-year Master of Science (MS) Programme in Biomedical Engineering in Italy. The PhD programme in Bioengineering was established in 1983. 

The current Biomedical Engineering Programme started in the academic year 2000-01 pursuant to the Ministerial Decree 509/99. It was later modified according to the Ministerial Decree 270/04, and is divided into three subsequent levels:

• 3-year Bachelor of Science;
• 2-year Master of Science;
• 3-year Ph.D.

 

Teaching Regulations of the Programme

The teaching load is expressed in credits (CFU or ECTS - European Credit Transfer System). One ECTS is equivalent to 25 hours of average workload for the student (e.g. approx. 8 hours of room lectures with corresponding individual study and exam preparation). Approximately 1500 hours of work per year are equivalent to 60 ECTS.

The Programme in Biomedical Engineering is designed to meet the following general goals:

Bachelor of Science (BS)

• to design a balanced Bachelor Programme in basic engineering and biomedical engineering;
• to meet the requirements either of the Information Engineering Class (class L8) or the Industrial Engineering Class (class L9) degrees, to allow the choice of the degrees to qualify in;
• to provide adequate knowledge about the biomedical engineering profession by means of either Internships at Companies, Hospitals etc., or a Final Project in the third year.

 Master of Science (MS)

• to allow the choice among suggested curricula related to the fundamental disciplines of biomedical engineering, also enabling individual choices of specific courses by the student;
• to focus the completion of a methodological training with laboratory activities in the chosen areas;
• to allow a sound and autonomous development of a final thesis work, under the guidance of a supervisor.

3. Learning objectives

The main goal of the Bachelor of Science Course is to provide the students with a solid background in engineering methodologies and technologies applied to the medical/biological field, namely:

• to provide a sound mathematical and scientific preparation;
• to provide adequate preparation in medical/biological fundamentals;
• to provide the fundamentals of Biomedical Engineering in the Electronic, Information, and Mechanical areas, by a unified and wide-spectrum preparation;
• to provide engineering fundamentals either in the Information or Industrial Engineering sectors;
• to develop skills to analytically describe, simulate and analyse medical/biological problems;
• to offer at the third year of the Bachelor degree, the possibility to deepen the knowledge in specific areas of Biomedical Engineering.

4. Organization of the study programme and further studies

4.1 Structure of the study programme and Qualifications

4.2 Further Studies

The qualification grants access to "Laurea Magistrale" (2nd degree), "Corso di Specializzazione di primo livello" (1st level Specialization Course) and "Master Universitario di primo livello" (1st level University Master)

The most straightforward progression is towards the Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering, offered by the School of Industrial and Information Engineering of Politecnico di Milano at the Milan Leonardo Campus. The Biomedical Engineering programme allows the access to the Master's Degree in Biomedical Engineering without curricular integrations for students who have "Introduction to Numerical Methods" (Calcolo Numerico) in their study plan (for those enrolled starting from the academic year 22-23, the course "Introduction to Numerical Methods" is already in the approved plan, while students enrolled in previous academic years must include it in the 3rd year plan). See the "Educationl Rules" document of the Master of Science for admission requirements. 

Students who are willing to apply to a Master program of Politecnico di Milano different from the Master in Biomedical Engineering, can submit an autonomous study plan (up to 15 CFU), which will differ from those automatically approved. It is worth noting that:

• The admission to a different Master programme is subjected to the admission criteria and rules of that particular programme, as detailed in its "educational rule" document.
• The submission of an autonomous study plan does not guarantee the access (without integration) to the Master degree in Biomedical Engineering.

High ranked students can apply for the Alta Scuola Politecnica Programme, which is jointly organised by Politecnicodi Milano and Politecnico di Torino (see: http://www.asp-poli.it) 

5. Professional opportunities and work market

5.1 Professional status of the degree

The biomedical engineering graduate integrates an engineering preparation to a knowledge of medical and biological applications and can operate in the following fields: management of devices and systems in the hospital; development and production of medical devices and systems; technical and commercial assistance to biomedical products; technical consulting in the biomedical field.

The Bachelor of Science in biomedical Engineering (Pursuant to Italian Legislative Decree no. 270/04) is based both on the Information Engineering (L/8) and the Industrial Engineering (L/9) Classes; however, the degree title is unique. 

According to the law, the Bachelor of Science degree in Biomedical Engineering is awarded by Politecnico in only one of the two Classes (L8-Information Technology Engineering or L9-Industrial Engineering). The choice of the Class has to be done since the first year, each time the study plan is filled in. However, the choice made at the 1st and 2nd year can be changed. 

The choice of the Class at the beginning of the 3rd year cannot instead be changed as it will allow the application to the Junior qualifying examination to become chartered engineer in the chosen Class.

5.2 Careers options and profiles

The Bachelor degree allows Graduates to work in the private or in the public sectors, namely as:

• product specialists in the biomedical field;
• production engineers biomedical manufacturing companies;
• health information technology systems engineers;
• health quality services, safety and organisation engineer;
• technical instrumentation and equipment managers in Pharma or Biotech companies;
• engineers in different fields of Industrial or Information engineering.

as examples some employment opportunities for graduates are listed (ref. ATECO 2007, ISTAT):

• companies and industries designing, manufacturing and selling biomaterials, medical devices, equipment and medical systems (26.6 Manufacture of irradiation systems,  electro-medical and electro-therapeutic devices, 32.5 Manufacture of medical and dental devices and related supplies);
• management of devices, equipment, systems and plants in hospitals and in the pharmaceutical field (technical/management role for activity group, 86 Health care, 21 Manufacture of basic pharmaceutical products and pharmaceutical preparations);
• management of technical and IT services in hospitals and health care institutions (84.12.1 Regulation of activity of heath care organisms);
• evaluation of the biological impact of industrial products and ergonomics of production activity (71.2 Technical test and analysis);
• industrial, hospital, university and other research laboratories (72.1 Experimental research and development in the natural science and engineering field).

Politecnico di Milano Career Service (http://www.careerservice.polimi.it) notifies employment opportunities and organises company presentations for BS undergraduates and graduates. It also coordinates Internships for students and graduates (http://www.polimi.it/en/programmes/stages-and-internships/).

Internship is a highly recommended choice for those graduates not intending to apply to a Master of Science degree. The Study Programme Board will notify students of Internship opportunities and guide them in the choice of the academic tutors who will support them in the project.

5.3 Qualification profile

Biomedical engineer

Profile in a work context
Graduate students in Biomedical Engineering have a strong background in engineering fields, with a basic preparation in the biological medical sector with knowledge of the specific applications, tools and language of the professional world.
This profile can therefor work as a manager of medical devices and systems in hospitals, a technical or a product specialist for production or marketing of medical devices and systems in industries, and as a laboratory technician in the biomedical/pharmaceutical field.

The Bachelor qualification in Biomedical Engineering is achieved in one of the laurea classes required by ministerial regulations (L8-Information Engineering or L9-Industrial Engineering). The choice of the Laurea class is made at the time of enrolment in the 3rd year of the programme, and allows to take the Junior State Examination, in order to enrol for professional employment, in the laurea class chosen.

Skills of this function
Specific skills:
 - to apply the acquired skills in engineering methods and technologies to the medical-biological field;
 - to apply the principles of Bioengineering in the fields of electronics, information, mechanics and chemistry;
 - to analytically describe, simulate, analyse and solve problems in the medical-biological field;
 - to provide specific technical skills to ensure the management of medical devices meeting the clinical and market needs, with      particular reference to safety and competitiveness.

6. Enrolment

6.1 Access requirements

Italian secondary school leaving qualification or other comparable foreign qualification (level 4 EQF)

Admission to the Biomedical Engineering Bachelor degree is obtained upon the result of the admission test which is the same for all Politecnico di Milano Engineering Bachelor degrees admission.

Students who are already enrolled in other Bachelor degree programmes of the Politecnico di Milano or at other Universities and wish to move to Biomedical Engineering Programme can request acknowledgement of any ECTS they have already earned. Requests from Politecnico di Milano students who want to move to the Bachelor Degree are accepted only if the student has submitted the request of evaluation of her/his career within the deadline (usually middle of August) and if tghe student has reached, by enrollment date of the 2nd year, a number of registered ECTS greater or equal to 35, including supplementary courses in the student's study plan. The Commission in charge of student transfers for the Degree Programme will determine which of these courses will be acknowledged as useful for attaining the degree.

The commission will accept any transfer requests only after evaluating the student's educational curriculum and considering the number of available seats.

If the number fo requests exceeds the available seats, a ranking will be generated on the bases of a score which considers a set of academic indicators (number of obtained CFU, numbee of CFU pertinent to the Biomedical curricula, average score), as described in the following document (link).

For further information:
http://www.polinternational.polimi.it/ 

6.2 Requested knowledge

6.3 Deadlines for admission and number of places available

Transfer requests from students of Politecnico di Milano wanting to transfer over to the Bachelor Degree in Biomedical Engineering are only accepted if the student has reached, by the 15th of August, a number of registered CFUs that is greater or equal to 20, including courses that are present in the student's study plan as supplementary. The Commission in charge of student transfers for the Degree Programme of Biomedical Engineering will determine which of these courses will be acknowledged as useful for attaining the degree.

6.4 Tutoring and students support

Politecnico offers a Tutoring service to the students who are enrolled at the Bachelor programme for the whole duration of the programme. Tutoring, which is part of the study programme is given both by professors and Tutor students. Tutor students supply information about the programme organisation, and Politecnico structures and offices. Additionally, these Tutors assist students who need help in filling basic knowledge gaps. Tutoring assistance is given by e-mail or meetings. Upon request, the tutoring service provides professors with student tutors to support students in laboratory activities, to provide additional support to foreign students or to organise teaching material provided by professors.

7. Contents of the study Program

7.1 Programme requirements

a) Student enrolled on academic year 2021-22 or earlier:

 

180 credits are required to obtain the bachelor degree. A typical program includes: basic courses (math, statistics, informatics, physics, chemistry), 69 ECTS; biology and physiology, 10 ECTS; engineering (materials, mechanics, electrical and electronic eng., automation, management eng.), 45 ECTS; bioengineering (biomaterials, biomechanics, bioelectronics), 38 ECTS; electives (either engineering or bioengineering) 10 ECTS; final project, 8 ECTS. The course is an 'interclass' one: the minimum requirements of both Information (Class L8) and Industrial (Class L9) Engineering are fulfilled. The final project and a math course of 5 ECTS can be substituted by a stage of 13 ECTS.

b)  Student enrolled on academic year 2022-23 or later:

180 credits are required to obtain the bachelor degree. A typical program includes: basic courses (math, statistics, informatics, physics, chemistry), 70 ECTS; biology and physiology, 9 ECTS; engineering (materials, mechanics, electrical and electronic eng., automation, management eng.), 40 ECTS; bioengineering (biomaterials, biomechanics, bioelectronics), 33 ECTS; electives (either engineering or bioengineering) 10 ECTS; final project, 8 ECTS. The course is an 'interclass' one: the minimum requirements of both Information (Class L8) and Industrial (Class L9) Engineering are fulfilled. The final project and a math course of 5 ECTS can be substituted by a stage of 13 ECTS.

 

7.2 Mode of study

This Course requires a full time attendance and involves classroom and laboratory activities

In the frame of Project Courses, which are offered at the 3rd year, innovative teaching modalities are adopted so as to allow the students to acquire soft skills pertaining relational ability, team-work capacity, and reporting skills.

7.3 Detailed learning objectives

Starting from the academic year 2022-2023, the new training offer for the Degree in Biomedical Engineering comes into force. Therefore, students enrolled from the academic year 22-23 will follow the new programme, while those enrolled in the previous years will continue in the previous track. The following tables refer to different students: the table of the 1st year are pertinent to students enrolled in the academic year 2002-23, those of the 2nd and 3rd year are pertinent to students enrolled in previous academic years.

1 Year courses - Track: BND - Non Diversificato

2 Year courses - Track: BND - Non Diversificato

3 Year courses - Track: BID - Industriale

N.B.: The notation [2.0 d.i.] in the boxof the  CFU relevant to the PROJECT refers to the number of CFU offered by innovative teaching modalities (flipped/blended classrooms).

3 Year courses - Track: BIF - Informazione

N.B.: The notation [2.0 d.i.] in the boxof the  CFU relevant to the PROJECT refers to the number of CFU offered by innovative teaching modalities (flipped/blended classrooms).

Tables
BIO : Table of basic bioengineering courses run at the MS Degree, that can be brought forward for in-depth education on specific topics.

IND, INF : Tables of suggested elective courses in the fields of  Industrial Engineering and Information Engineering, respectively. Please verify the course is active and the Campus the course is run.

L-POLI : Courses run at any Bachelor Programme at Politecnico di Milano. Such an option requires the filling in of an autonomous Programme. Please verify the course is active and the Campus the course is run.

 

PROJECT Courses

The PROJECT course is desgned to assess student's ability to apply theoretical knowledge to a practical problem. Due to organisational reasons, the PROJECT courses can enrol a predefined number of participants only. A Commission will assign the Students to the PROJECT course on the basis of their choice and on the number of ECTS. The PROJECT courses are offered to both first and second semester. Admission to second semester PROJECT courses is allowed only to the students which have inserted the PROJECT courses in their study plan submitted at the beginning of the academic year in September (a.a. 2020-2021). It is not allowed to insert the PROJECT courses of the second semester during the biannual change of study plan (February/March). The rules of PROJECT courses, the admission criteria and the information on the teaching objective is published on the website of the Biomedical Engineering Bachelor programme: http://www.ccsbio.polimi.it. 

Courses of the Group BIO

Courses of the Group IND

Courses of the Group INF

Final activities of 3° year (DM270)

 10 ECTS are on wide choice:

• Table Bio – The selection of Courses from this Table is framed in the beforehand approved Track. These Courses are basic bioengineering courses run at the MS Degree, that can be taken for in-depth education on specific topics. Some of these Courses are discouraged for those not willing to attend the Master Degree as other more professionalizing choices are more adequate.
• L-POLI – The choice of courses run at any Bachelor Degree of Politecnico di Milano is beforehand authorized, provided that no subjects overlapping with courses already comprised in the Biomedical Bachelor Programme is present. Such an option requires the filling in of an autonomous study plan.

 

The following options are proposed (for students enrolled before the academic year 2022-2023), on the basis of the planned choice (not to attend the Master Level or attend another Master programme) and for the preparation of the final exam:

• 5 ECTS Project and Introduction to Numerical Methods – Suggested to the students who intend to progress onto the MS Degree Programme. The Project and the Final Exam allow obtaining an applicative expertise and an autonomous work in small groups.
• 5 ECTS Project and choice of courses belonging to Tables INF or IND – This is an option suggested to the students who do not intend to progress onto the MS Degree Programme, as an alternative to the Internship (10 ECTS). Tables INF and IND list courses for in-depth knowledge in the Information and Industrial  fields, respectively: they are suggested for getting through the correspondent State Professional Examination, Section B (junior). To those preferring to progress onto the Nuclear Engineering MS, the following courses are suggested: Machine Design (5 ECTS, code 097485) or Power Generation Systems (5 ECTS, code 098418). Both these courses are given at Campus Leonardo.
• Internship (10 ECTS) – Suggested to students not willing to progress onto the MS Degree Programme. Admission is made upon a merit ranking determined by the average grade and the number of ECTS obtained up to the end of 2^ year.

  

Final Report and Final Exam:

The results of the student’s activity inside a Project course or Internship are summarized in a written Report and presented in a Final Exam (3 ECTS). See sec. 7.5 for relevant information on the Degree Examination.

 

Note on the course Introduction to Numerical Methods (for students enrolled before the academic year 2022-2023). This course is listed among the pre-requisites for the admission to MS Degree Programme. Students who chose the 10 ECTS Internship but would progress onto the MS Degree Programme, should insert the course Introduction to Numerical Methods as a surplus exam, or get these credits through the attendance to "single course" before being admitted to the MS Degree Programme. The same applyes to the students who choose a course (INF, IND, L-POLI) different from Introduction to Numerical Method.

7.3.1 Suggested exam priorities

The proposed courses should be chosen in the study plan as reported in the plan of the Degree Programme. Choice of courses belonging to next years is not allowed prior to fill in the study plan of the current year. Should attendance or re-attendance of a course change the order of semesters, it is advisable to contact  the deputed Programme guidance commission.

7.3.2 Self-Study Program

Self-Study programmes will be accepted only in the presence of stron motivations.

Derogation will only be possible in the following cases:

• the student has applied to an International exchange programme;
• variations in the Degree Programme compelled the student to propose a self-study programme.

7.3.3 Earning of extra ECTS in the view of the enrollment to the Master Degree (MS)

During the Bachelor degree, students can, in the interests of future admission onto a Master of Science programme:

• A1) earn ECTS credits by passing extra MS examinations, included in their personal study plans and considered “in advance” ECTS’s that can be acknowledged as part of the 120 credits needed to be awarded an MS.
• A2) acquire attendance status in MS modules.  As 1) but without passing the examination which, thanks to the acquisition of attendance status, may be taken in the first available session after enrolment in the Master of Science.
• A3) Earn ECTS credits for curriculum integrations established by an ad hoc Master of Science admissions Board; these ECTS credits are “in addition” to the 120 needed to be awarded the Master of Science.

In the period between awarding of the Bachelor Degree and enrolment on the MS, in the interests of the latter, it is possible to:

• B1) earn ECTS credits from successful MS examinations by enrolling on MS modules as individual modules. These are considered “advance” ECTS’s that can be acknowledged as part of the 120 credits needed to be awarded a MS,
• B2) acquire attendance status in MS modules As 1) but without passing the examination,
• B3) Earn ECTS credits for curriculum integrations established by an ad hoc Master of Science admissions Board; these ECTS credits are “in addition” to the 120 needed to be awarded the Master of Science.

 The following limitations have to be taken into consideration:

1. the total number of ECTS credits (by passing examinations and/or by acquiring attendance status) that can be acknowledged as part of the 120 ECTS credits needed to be awarded the MS (A1+A2+B1+B2) is limited to 30. Thus any additional ECTS credits earned exceeding 30 will not be taken into account.
2. the number of ECTS credits from curriculum integrations established by the MS. Admissions Boards in addition to the 120 ECTS credits needed to be awarded the M.Sc. (A3 and B3) is not subjected to limitations.

7.4 Foreign language

7.5 Degree examination

The general rules about the Graduation Exam are common to all the Bachelor Courses belonging to the School of Industrial and Information Engineering. Each Bachelor Course Programme has also established own additional rules. For all relevant information please refer to: http://www.ingindinf.polimi.it/didattica/esami-di-laurea-e-laurea-magistrale/ and/or to the website of the Course Programme http://www.ccsbio.polimi.it 

8. Academic calendar

9. Faculty

The names of professors for each Course, together with their subject, will be available on the degree programme starting from the month of September.
The degree programme is annually published on the website of Politecnico di Milano.

10. Infrastructures and laboratories

The teaching activities are settled at the Campus Leonardo, in Città Studi (University City) area in Milano. The first year of the academic year 2020-2021 is settled in Campus Bovisa.

The Didactic Secretary of Biomedical Engineering Programme is located at the ground floor of building 20, Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering, which is open during the morning hours.

Students are invited to connect to the Politecnico institutional websites for relevant information.

Students are invited to regularly consult information and notices on the school websites:

Industrial and Information Engineering School http://www.ingindinf.polimi.it

Course Programme website http://www.ccsbio.polimi.it

11. International context

The Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering provides an excellent experience on an international level that in a unitary character profile brings together traditional engineering foundation skills with medical, clinical, biological and pharmaceutical skills. There are numerous, qualified education exchange programmes with UE and non-UE countries. Added to this are the extensive scientific collaborations with important benefits on an educational level, given the close connection between research and laboratory activities

Politecnico di Milano is presently performing benchmarking analyses with most prominent international technical universities, on the overall results analysing the teaching activities and the integration of graduates into the work world. 

12. Internationalization

At the Biomedical Engineering Bachelor degree, international student exchanges and mobility abroad are strongly encouraged. Please refer to Politecnico website for the relevant information.

13. Quantitative data

The educational Observatory Unit and the Evaluation Nucleus, also with the aid of the Observatories of the Politecnico Schools,  perform periodic analysis on the overall results analysing the teaching activities and the integration of graduates into the work world. Reports and studies are available on the website of the Politecnico di MIlano.

14. Further information

For any further information, please visit the website of the School of Industrial and Information Engineering
http://www.ingindinf.polimi.it

15. Errata corrige