October 1995 Journal of Engineering Education 311 Philosophical Foundations of Biological Engineering

Biological engineers apply engineering methods to biological systems. There is a current interest in revising or establishing new biological engineering curriculums and courses. This paper gives a philosophy from which biological engineering curriculums can emerge. Biological engineering should have the conceptual framework of a broad, fundamental, and integrative discipline. Biological engineers should be capable of synthesizing their creations from many disparate sources and. Of communicating with practitioners from many distinct disciplines. Hierarchical competencies are given to distinguish all college graduates, all engineering graduates, and all biological engineering graduates. Basic engineering concepts and basic biology concepts are sometimes conflicting, but must nevertheless be incorporated in undergraduate courses. Specific required courses will vary from university to university, but all biological engineering curriculums must include courses on engineering topics, life sciences topics, and courses that integrate the two. Issues of interfaces between biological engineers and biologists, and with potential employers are also considered. This paper was intended to guide the establishment of new or revised biological engineering programs