Bioengineering
Read below for answers to frequently asked questions students have regarding course registration and advising.
You should follow our BSE or BAS sample curriculum. We list which courses you should be taking each semester, and while general elective courses can be moved, you should be taking all Math, Engineering and Natural Science courses in the semester listed.
Students entering Fall 2020 or later should follow the sample curriculum below:
BAS Sample Curriculum
BSE Sample Curriculum
Students entering Fall 2019 or earlier should follow the sample curriculum below:
First, keep trying to sign up for the course. During the beginning of the term, as students add/drop/swap course selections a spot may open for the course you want when a student drops it. Next, you should contact and/or visit the departmental office of the department offering the course you want to take. Ask whether it’s possible to sign up for that course. Sometimes the online system is not up to date because the department is controlling the enrollment manually. Finally, if the first two approaches do not work, speak directly to the professor teaching the course.
Although you may not get a section on a day and time you prefer, you are guaranteed to get into all required courses.
Please refer to our credit increase policy.
You should be following our sample curriculum- see below.
Students entering Fall 2020 or later, should follow the sample curriculum below:
Please ask someone in the Bioengineering Department for advice. Start with your faculty advisor or the Associate Director of Advising, Kacy Dadura (kacy@seas). Do not ask anyone outside of the BE Department. The departmental office is Skrikanich 240. Please also take the time to review the BE Undergraduate Program website.
First, you should understand the terminology. Dual Major refers to a program in which you satisfy the requirements for two Engineering School departments, resulting in two majors, not two degrees. A Dual Degree refers to a program in which you receive a second degree from another School within the University. A Minor refers to programs in which you take six or more approved courses from another department. A Joint Degree refers to a special dual-degree program that is administered separately. For more information refer to the links below and see the next question, which specifically addresses dual degrees with The Wharton Business School.
Please note that you must be officially admitted into a dual degree or major or other official program in order to receive the major/minor/degree. Do not assume that all you need to do is to take the courses.
There are actually two such programs: a joint-degree program and a dual-degree program.
The joint degree program is officially called the Jerome Fisher Program in Management and Technology (M&T). Most students apply directly to M&T and enter in their freshman year, but there are a few spots left open to admit students at the end of the freshman year, on a competitive basis. Information on M&T can be found by viewing the program’s website.
The dual-degree program between BE and Wharton is a similar, but distinct program option that only accepts applications from students who have completed at least one year of undergraduate work.
If you are interested in either program you should go to Wharton advising to learn about the courses you need in order to to prepare yourself. You should also go to the M&T office for advice and also meet with Ellen Eckert in 109 Towne (eckertel@seas.upenn.edu, 215-8998-4813).
IMPORTANT: You must be officially admitted to M&T or the dual-degree program in order to receive the dual degrees. Admission is competitive. Do not assume that all you need to do is to take the courses. You must apply and be accepted into the program.
The complete Penn Engineering Undergraduate Student Handbook is online.
Yes, you can take courses at another school, but the credits will not necessarily transfer and appear on your Penn transcript. To find out whether you will receive transfer credit for these courses (i.e. whether they will appear on your Penn transcript for credit), you must request pre-approval for a transfer of credit. Transfer credit reduces the number of courses you have to take at Penn. Occasionally, a student will take a course at another school but not receive transfer credit for it. Therefore, it is imperative that you check the transferability of the course and credit BEFORE you take it.
First, you should speak with the Undergraduate Chair from that department, so that you can be sure that you are doing the right thing. Second, you need to fill out the Declare/Update Field of Study Form found on the Path Forms page.
The BAS and BSE have the same requirements for the first two years, so this is not a major problem and can be easily fixed by filling out a Declare/Update Field of Study Form.
Although a computer is not required, most students have their own computers. Because it’s unlikely that a personal computer will include all of the programs needed for engineering classes, it is expected that students use Penn Engineering labs for at least some coursework. However, if you are interested in buying a computer, see below for help.
The campus computer store, Computer Connection, offers computers at a special educational discount preloaded with the software you’ll need to connect to the network at Penn.
If you plan to bring your own computer to Penn, check that it meets the minimum standards and programs supported by the University by visiting the Penn Computing website. In addition, for your security, we advise you to purchase a computer lockdown kit.
If you choose not to purchase your own computer there are several computer labs on campus, including labs at the Engineering buildings and in the College Houses. We have plenty of computer resources and many labs are even open 24 hours.
To find out about the requirements in the Social Science and Humanities (SSH) sector, visit the Engineering Undergraduate Student Handbook.
All premed students or students considering premed should go to Penn’s Pre-Health Advising Office for an orientation about applying to medical schools soon after matriculating at Penn. Also, take the time to visit the BE premed page and look at the requirements listed on the Premed Office site.
As a rule, premed students should not deviate from the premed requirements without consulting the Pre-Health Advising Office.
Undergraduate forms can be found online here.
I’m not sure about sticking with the required BE courses because:
First, you MUST discuss this with your advisor and receive his/her approval. If you cannot or do not want to take the regular BE freshman courses, then you MUST make up the missing coursework over the summer – at Penn or at another college or university (For information about taking summer courses at other schools, see above question “Can I take courses at another school over the summer?”) When you start your sophomore year, you must have completed (or have completed the equivalent of) Math 1400/1410, Physics 0140/0141, and Chemistry 1012/1022 + labs. If you are missing these courses, you will lack the prerequisites for your sophomore courses.
If it is before the end of the fifth week of classes, you may drop the course on Path@Penn. If it’s after the fifth week of classes but before the end of the tenth week, you can withdraw from the course on Path. If you’re not sure what to do, please see either your faculty advisor or an advisor in OAS (Towne 109).
Before attempting to transfer, you should be aware of two things.
First, the transfer cannot be made until you have completed the spring semester of your freshman year. Second, you must have completed 8 CU at Penn and be in good academic standing. To request a transfer to the College, you need to meet with Ellen Eckert (215-898-4813) and complete a transfer application form.
After that is submitted, you will be advised by someone from the OAS (109 Towne), who will assist you in registering for courses. In order to make sure that you sign up for the right courses, you should speak with Ellen Eckert and the Undergraduate Chair in the department that you think you will eventually end up in. For more information, see the undergraduate handbook.
