The global community of biomedical innovators is broad and extremely diverse, yet all of these innovators share a core characteristic: They do not see problems, but instead solutions and opportunities to translate amazing science into lives saved and health improved. To realize these life-saving, life-enhancing solutions, these innovators believe that collaboration leads to progress for everyone.

At Drexel's School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems (BIOMED), we feel fortunate to be part of that unique community. We are also proud to have been instrumental in its development. Founded in 1961 as the United States’ first Biomedical Engineering and Science Institute, Drexel BIOMED has pushed the boundaries of science and technology for half a century. Along the way, we have forged relationships with a network of partners bridging academia, industry and government to harness our combined potential regionally, nationally and internationally and to fulfill our social contract.

Founded on the excellent basic research taking place at Drexel BIOMED, our teaching, translational research and service activities are focused on achieving clinical and industrial relevance, thus creating the educational experiences that prepare our students for emerging biomedical challenges. We have been recognized as a model of interdisciplinary collaboration within Drexel University, where breaking down the barriers between fields is a strategic priority as the institution forges ahead to become “One University.” Likewise, our primary translational research partner, the Wallace H. Coulter Foundation, has identified Drexel BIOMED as a global best practice in moving discoveries from the laboratory to patients.

We believe in our mission to educate our students in a culture of scientific discovery and technological innovations. We invite you to learn more about Drexel BIOMED and to join in our quest for life-saving, life-enhancing solutions.

Academic Transformation

The world today demands more from the next generation. Building on an experiential academic model that meets this global demand, Drexel University is undergoing an academic transformation that will allow us to even more effectively align our distinguishing strengths, academic structure, and strategies with our mission to advance societal solutions and an experiential education of the highest quality.

Drexel is one of the few universities bold enough to fully reimagine its academic model and curriculum—offering more flexibility, deeper connections across disciplines, and a renewed focus on what makes us distinct: experiential learning, innovation, and real-world impact. 

WHAT’S CHANGING?

The School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems; College of Computing & Informatics; and College of Engineering, and are integrating to become one College with three distinct schools starting in the 2025-26 academic year.

This merger will significantly enhance the Drexel student experience by:

• Making it easier for faculty and students to collaborate across fields, design innovative new programs, and solve real-world problems.


• Creating clearer pathways for study and exploration, enhanced advising, and easier access to courses and opportunities across Drexel.


• Leveraging and expanding on Drexel’s strengths in experiential learning and core competencies that drive long-term success—providing graduates with more opportunities to gain valuable skills that employers want.


• Offering a robust array of opportunities, such as global experiences, research, community engagement, practicums, curricula-based experiential learning opportunities (ELOs), and more.


• Transitioning to a semester calendar for all programs—creating more time for students to benefit from applied learning, collaboration and expanded partnerships, and learning-abroad opportunities.


• Redesigning our curriculum to expand flexibility and distinction, support student learning outcomes, and integrate core academics, while at the same time allowing students to explore different disciplines, double majors, or pursue accelerated bachelor’s / master’s programs.