Biomedical Sciences and Engineering, Biomedical Micro- and Nanodevices
Biomedical Sciences and Engineering combines engineering with life sciences
The biomedical engineering industry is an increasingly important, global high-tech sector. In Finland, the HealthTech industry is especially strong. With the emergence of numerous small enterprises, the fields of biomedical sciences and engineering are rapidly expanding and offer diverse career options. This programme provides you with a solid understanding of the challenges related to biomedical and health sciences. You will become familar with advanced technologies at the interface between engineering and health sciences and have the ability to develop innovative solutions to solve these challenges. You will be able to demonstrate critical thinking and professionalism and pursue a career in industry, a hospital or continue your studies towards a doctoral degree. You may also be a natural-born entrepreneur and launch your own start-up.
We foster close collaboration between engineering professionals, life scientists and clinicians, and therefore provide optimal exposure for the students taking part in the degree programme. Our excellent basic and translational (from laboratory to clinic) research is recognised worldwide. While applying to the programme, you may choose one of the following options: Health Technology and Informatics, Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering, or Biomedical Micro- and Nanodevices.
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The Master’s Degree Programme in Biomedical Sciences and Engineering offers you an international and multidisciplinary environment to learn from the extensive expertise of worldwide recognised scientists at the faculty. This will ensure you an up-to-date transfer of knowledge – from the fundamental to the applied and from core biomedical engineering to modern biology – on a broad range of topics pertaining to applications of engineering in health and well-being.
The programme is closely organized with BioMediTech. BioMediTech is an institute that combines the unique engineering skills and the strong life sciences expertise. The aim of the institute is to create new platforms for discovery and innovations. This close collaboration with the BioMediTech institute also optimises the connection with the Tampere University Hospital. This ensures active interaction between engineers, life scientists as well as clinicians, and thus provides optimal exposure for you taking part in the MSc Degree Programme in Biomedical Sciences and Engineering. The excellent basic and translational (from laboratory to clinic) research performed at Tampere University is recognised worldwide. This reputation has been strengthen along the Body-on-Chip Center of Excellence by the Academy of Finland.
Today, people are in need of more efficient and cost-effective implants, devices as well as health informatics solutions. The biomedical engineering industry is an increasingly important high technology area worldwide. In Finland, the health tech sector of the industry is especially strong (see http://healthtech.teknologiateollisuus.fi/). With the emergence of numerous small enterprises, the Biomedical Sciences and Engineering fields are rapidly expanding. This gives broad career perspectives for graduating students, including great possibilities for the entrepreneurs at heart to initiate start-ups. Additionally, the education interacts closely with research, which provides excellent basis to continue towards a PhD.
The major Biomedical Micro- and Nanodevices focuses on micro- and nanoscale devices and systems such as microsensors, microactuators, microrobotics, microfluidics, micro-optics as well as wireless signal and power transfer technologies. Organ-on-chip type in vitro devices provide a novel approach for developing new medicines, understanding disease mechanisms and studying toxicological effects of chemical compounds. These can only be achieved with advanced technologies such as microfluidics, micro- and biosensors, microscopy, actuators and advanced biomaterials.
Miniaturisation has been one of the important technological megatrends in the past decades. As a result, not only microprocessors but also sensors and actuators have become a part of our everyday life. This major provides you a strong background for working on these novel fields of technology and particularly utilising them in biomedical applications. The major will cover micro- and nanoscale devices and systems such as microsensors, microactuators, microrobotics, microfluidics, micro-optics as well as wireless signal and power transfer technologies.
The official language of the programme is English, meaning that all the courses, exams and student services are arranged in English. Consequently, proficiency in both written and spoken English is an absolute prerequisite. Students are required to submit an approved certificate of their language proficiency when applying for admission. In addition, a Finnish course is compulsory part of the degree. It provides a basic knowledge of Finnish for everyday use and a brief introduction to Finnish culture.
Education in the Degree Programme in Biomedical Sciences and Engineering is based on freedom coupled with personal responsibility. The programme is organised into modules, which partly include optional components so the degree can be customised to suit your needs. The programme is organised in this way to bring out the best of each individual. The courses include, but are not limited to, traditional lectures, group work, presentation, laboratory practice, and a small research project.
Students joining the programme will first undertake common core studies. The courses of the common core studies ensure that you will possess an adequate basic knowledge of biomedical sciences and biomedical engineering before starting your major studies. The common core studies will also include an introduction to graduate studies in Finland and Finnish language.
When applying to the programme, you will need to choose the major, and apply directly to the study option corresponding to the chosen major. You have the possibility to choose one of the following majors:
- Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering
- Biomedical Micro- and Nanodevices
- Health Technology and Informatics
If you choose Biomedical Micro- and Nanodevices, the study option to be chosen is called: Biomedical Micro- and Nanodevices, Biomedical Sciences and Engineering, Master of Science (Technology).
Through the courses in the major Biomedical Micro- and Nanodevices you will learn to design, model, simulate, test and apply microsensors, microactuators, microfluidic and soft-robotic structures and understands their physical principles and the specifications of corresponding commercial products. You will also learn how to combine microfabrication techniques with biomedical engineering for biomedical applications such as cell technologies.
No minor subject studies are required, since the major subject studies count for at least 50 credits. Instead, you will have the freedom to either choose elective courses of your choice or any offered minor. You can freely choose their elective studies or minor from Tampere University or other universities. 30 credits are granted upon completion of the Master’s thesis. The Master’s thesis research project is tailored according to your career plan. It can either pave the road to an academic career or prepare to work in industry or in hospitals.
Students who begin their studies in the Degree Programme in Biomedical Sciences and Engineering may be required to complete complementary studies depending on their BSc degree. With the complementary studies, students will update their knowledge of mathematics, physics, economics, computer science and languages so that their knowledge is at the level of a Bachelor of Science in Engineering. In addition, prerequisite courses of the major subjects may be required. In general, the complementary studies are included in the master's degree.
The tuition fee of the programme is 12 000 euros per academic year for non-EU/EEA students with a scholarship system for fee-paying students. For more information, please see Tuition Fees and Scholarships.
The Degree Programme in Biomedical Sciences and Engineering is a two-year programme, and it requires full-time studies. For more information, please see the Curriculum.
Students graduating from the Master’s Degree Programme in Biomedical Sciences and Engineering will have versatile career opportunities in multidisciplinary tasks. The programme will educate experts for the future with the ability of lifelong learning.
Graduates will find employment opportunities in the Finnish, European and global health tech companies (Finnish health tech: http://healthtech.teknologiateollisuus.fi/en/members). In general, the health tech industry is one of the most export-driven industries. Thus, there is also a need for international graduates. Alternatively, graduates can also embark on a career in academia and continue towards a PhD. The possibilities for PhD studies are not only applicable in Finland, but also worldwide, thanks to the extensive network of collaborators at the faculty. The health care service industry from university hospitals to private clinics is one significant employer. There is also an increasing need of new talented engineers and researchers to work in the public sector or in governmental institutions (Patent office, Regulations of medical devices, for example). Lastly, in the past decade, a growing number of small companies and spin-offs have emerged, opening up ample possibilities for those interested in becoming entrepreneurs.?
The major in Biomedical Micro- and Nanodevices gives competitive skills to work in both academy and industry on biomedical and life science areas, but also on fields focused on micromanufacturing. This major provides a good background for postgraduate studies aiming at a doctoral degree, which is highly valued in technology industries nowadays.
In addition to studies in one’s own degree programme, students may take full advantage of the teaching offered by the Tampere higher education community ranging from technical to vocational studies in various fields.
Carefully read through the general eligibility criteria and the programme-specific eligibility criteria and see whether you meet them. For additional questions on applying, application documents and application process, please contact our Admissions office. For questions regarding the content of the programme, please contact masters_bmse@tut.fi.
Eligibility criteria in the Master's degree programmes consist of two parts: Tampere University's general eligibility criteria, and programme-specific eligibility criteria, which specify and/or add information to the general criteria. You must meet both to be considered eligible. Applicants who do not meet both the general eligibility and the programme-specific eligibility criteria will not be selected as students in Tampere University.
General eligibility
To be eligible to apply to a Master’s degree programme at Tampere University, you must have
- Bachelor’s degree - nationally recognized first cycle degree
- which corresponds to at least 180 ECTS (European credits) or to three years of full-time study
- from relevant field for the Master’s degree programme that you’re applying to
- from an accredited institution of higher education
- AND a good command of the English language for academic purposes. For more information, please see Language requirements.
A Bachelor’s degree completed in a university outside Finland must provide eligibility for university-level master’s degree studies in the country in which it was awarded.
Applicants in their final final year of the Bachelor’s degree are eligible to apply if the degree will be completed by 31 July 2020. In this case, they may be accepted conditionally. Please see special instructions for applicants in the final year of the Bachelor's degree.
Applicants with a Master’s degree may be admitted only well-founded reasons and only if they are able to show that the new degree at Tampere University provides the applicant with significant new knowledge and skills.
Programme specific eligibility criteria
The previous degree should be from a field closely related to the Master's programme you are applying to. In the Master’s programme in Biomedical Sciences and Engineering, Biomedical Micro- and Nanodevices (MSc tech) track, the previous degree has to be in one of the following (or highly related) fields:
- Engineering/technology degree in biomedical engineering, microtechnology, electrical engineering, physics, mechatronics or other discipline related to the major. It would be beneficial (but not mandatory) for students with physics, electrical engineering, mechatronics or microtechnology background to have undertaken some studies in biological sciences/biomedical engineering during their bachelor's studies. All students must have proficiency in mathematics and physics and basic understanding of material sciences.
Applicants who have completed their degree in Finland must meet the minimum cumulative GPA set by the programme to be eligible. The minimum is the same as in the admission to the same Master’s degree programme offered in Finnish.
| Minimum GPA for bachelor's degree completed in a Finnish University of Applied Sciences (AMK) | Minimum GPA for bachelor's degrees completed in a Finnish university (yliopisto) |
| 3,50/5 | 3,00/5 |
When counting the cumulative GPA weighted by ECTS only the courses (incl. thesis) with numeric grade value are taken into account. Applicants in their final year of Bachelor’s degree must meet the minimum cumulative GPA when applying and after graduation.
All applicants must submit evidence on a good command of English for academic purposes. There are two ways of indicating English language proficiency: language tests and previous studies.
Additional information on language requirements and how to submit the language test results.
The minimum English language test result requirements
| Test name | Minimum test result |
| TOEFL iBT | 92 overall, with no section below 20 |
| IELTS (academic) | 6.5 overall, with no section below 5.5 |
| PTE (academic) | 62 overall, with no section below 42 |
| C1 Advanced | C |
| C2 Proficiency | C1 |
| Finnish National Certificate of Language Proficiency (English) | Proficiency level 5 |
*The previous CAE and CPE have been renamed as C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency
Previous studies
It is possible to be exempted from submitting a language test score if you have completed particular studies listed by Tampere University. Only these studies are accepted. If you apply without a valid language test result, carefully examine the exemptions.
A maximum of 30 students are admitted into the Biomedical Sciences programme.
The Biomedical Sciences and Engineering programme includes the following specialisations:
Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering, Biomedical Micro- and Nanodevices and Health Technology and Informatics.
Students are selected to the programme from those applicants who submit a complete application (application and application documents by the deadline) and fulfil the official eligibility criteria.
The student selection is made by an admissions committee based on the academic qualifications and merits shown in the application documents. Please note that not all applicants fulfilling the requirements can be admitted.
Students admitted to a Master’s degree programme may be required to complement their earlier degree with complementary studies.
All students with a degree form a Finnish University of Applied Sciences (AMK) are required to complete a study package which generally includes courses in Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry depending on the student's background. Admitted students will be informed on these studies in detail when the studies start in the autumn 2020.
The number of eligible applicants annually exceeds the number of students that can be accepted. The student selection is made by an admissions committee on the basis of the academic qualifications and merits shown in the application documents.
In this programme, applicants are ranked based on the admission points they receive for previous qualifications, English language skills and other relevant factors that support the application.
Admission points (maximum 100 points) are given in the following categories:
- Previous qualifications maximum 60 points
- English language skills maximum 10 points:
- 5 points: e.g. TOEFL 92 / IELTS 6,5 and if proven by previous studies accepted by Tampere University
- 10 points: e.g. TOEFL 103 or higher / IELTS 7,5 or higher
- Other relevant factors that support the application maximum 30 points
- CV/Résumé and the motivation letter submitted with the application constitute the basis of admission points given in this category.
Application step-by-step checklist
- Check the general eligibility and programme-specific eligibility criteria of the programme/s you wish to apply. You are allowed to apply three programmes at the same time.
- Read through the instructions on how to apply and start preparing your application documents as early as possible!
- Take a language test if required, please see the language requirements.
- When the application period opens, fill in the online application at Studyinfo.fi during the application period and upload required enclosures for the application. Application period 4 December 2019 at 8:00 GMT+2 - 15 January 2020 at 15.00 GMT+2.
- Upload all required enclosures and send the educational documents by post, according to the country specific-requirements if applicable. Documents must reach Tampere University Admissions Office by 31 January 2020 at 15.00 GMT+2. The documents must reach the University by the given deadline.
- Wait for the admission results to be announced in early April 2020.
- If you are offered a study place, remember to accept it by the given deadline.
- Pay the tuition fee, if required. Start preparing your arrival in Finland.
- Register as a student and join the Tampere University community!
Additional information on application process in detail
Online application form
The online application form will be available during the application period only at Studyinfo.fi. The application period starts on 4 December 2019 at 8 am (GMT+2) and ends on 15 January 2020 at 3 pm (GMT+2).
You will need to upload copies of all required documents as enclosures on the application form. In addition to the general application enclosures, some programmes have listed additional programme-specific enclosures that are needed when applying to these programmes.
You will need to upload all required enclosures on your application form online at Studyinfo.fi. In addition to uploading, you must submit officially certified copies of your educational documents to Tampere University Admissions Office by post. Applicants whose degrees have been awarded in certain countries need to pay special attention to the documentation and documents from these countries must be submitted in a particular way. These country-specific requirements must always be followed first and foremost, prior to the regular requirements.
Applicants must post the educational documents to Tampere University Admissions Office so that they arrive by 31 January 2020.
You can find the list of the required general application enclosures and further instructions on the Application documents webpage.
There are no programme-specific enclosures when applying to this programme.
Admissions results will be announced in early April 2020. All applicants will be informed about the admissions results.
Please see additional information regarding the results of student selection and Tampere University's rectification procedure.