Registration for Biomedical Engineering Majors
Advising and registration news and instructions
Biomedical Engineering Majors and Pre-Engin BME students
Registration Summary of Steps:
- Log onto Spire and check either (1) your enrollment appointment date (found on the right hand side of your SPIRE home page, click “details” to find your specific start time), or (2) the total of your completed credits to determine what group you will register with (three ways to check listed below)
- From Spire go to Main Menu -> Academics -> Unofficial Transcript
- From Spire go to Main Menu -> Academics -> My Grades
- From Spire go to Other Academic Drop Down -> ARR No Shopping Cart
- Review your ARR & the BME Curriculum, then complete the fillable Course Selection Form (CSF)
- REQUIRED: Email the Course Selection Form (CSF) to Natalia Kolk at nkolk [at] umass [dot] edu (nkolk[at]umass[dot]edu) before your enrollment appointment. Students who do not submit the CSF will not have their advising hold removed, and will not be able to register for classes.
- Optional: Schedule a remote advising appointment through Navigate
- Drop-in advising hours will be available on Zoom if you have a quick question to ask and don’t need a full advising appointment.
- Override requests can be submitted online. Please do not submit overrides before your enrollment appointment date, or before you attempt to enroll yourself.
Required Registration Process
Pre-Registration Advising is mandatory for undergraduates in Engineering to enroll in courses on SPIRE for next semester. See SPIRE to determine when your enrollment appointment opens. Students must discuss their course plan with an advisor before they can enroll as advising holds will need to be lifted prior to class registration. Additionally, if you fail to contact your advisor before your enrollment date, you are not guaranteed a seat in the class(es) you need.
BME Advising will be provided both in-person and remotely. All students assigned a BME advisor will receive an email with detailed instructions. The first step will be to complete the Course Selection Form (CSF) and email the PDF to a BME advisor. After that, there will be options to make an appointment (Zoom, in-person, or drop-in) with Natalia or John if you feel you need additional guidance.
Advisor Contact Info:
- Natalia Kolk, nkolk [at] umass [dot] edu (nkolk[at]umass[dot]edu)
- John Amante, jamante [at] umass [dot] edu (jamante[at]umass[dot]edu) (Grad Student Advising Assistant)
Admission to the Major/Continuation Policy
To be admitted to the BME major, a student must complete, with a grade of C or better, the following courses: Math 131, English Writing 112 and either Physics 151 or Chem 111. To continue in the major, those matriculating in 2021 or earlier must complete, with a grade of C or better, the following courses: Math 131; Math 132; English 112; Engineering 114 (or any of the following: Engineering 100, 110, 111, 112, or 113); CS 119, ECE 122, or CS 121 (called CICS 110 as of 2023); Physics 151; and Chemistry 111. A cumulative grade point average of 2.0 and the most recent semester GPA of 2.0 are also required. NOTE: transfer students from on- or off-campus who have not completed the Introduction to Engineering course (100, 110-114) should contact Natalia Kolk to discuss their course options.
Curriculum Planning
Advisors offer assistance, but they do not plan the student’s course of study. Curriculum worksheets are only guides as not all required courses are offered every semester. Please inform Natalia Kolk now about any problems that arise from anticipated course offerings. NOTE: A BME time scheduling grid will be available if you are planning your schedule before classes are available in SPIRE.
Academic Requirements Report (ARR)
This report is used for graduation clearance. Each student should check their ARR on SPIRE and let Natalia Kolk (nkolk [at] umass [dot] edu (nkolk[at]umass[dot]edu)) know if there are any errors or omissions, particularly regarding transfer credits, AP credits, elective courses, and GenEd courses. Please review your ARR prior to your advising meeting.
Scheduling an Appointment
In order to make an appointment, please click on the appointment link provided via email, select a time that works with your schedule, and click Save.
You will receive an email confirming the appointment time and details (including the Zoom link). You will also receive a reminder text or email before the appointment. NOTE: appointments must be scheduled at least 24 hours before you meet with your advisor. Drop-in advising hours are an alternative option if you need to meet with an advisor with less notice.
Enrollment Issues
Register as soon as your SPIRE enrollment appointment opens if you need a specific class or section. BME courses are currently offered once per year and we will do our best to accommodate enrollment issues, however we cannot guarantee enrollment for students with non-standard schedules or missing prerequisites.
BME Technical Electives
- A list of the current pre-approved Technical Electives for BME
- An alternative elective request form can be obtained from the BME undergraduate advisor
Independent Study
It is often possible to arrange an independent study which can be used as BME Tech Elective. Typically this is done when students are working in a faculty member’s research lab. Note that only one Tech Elective can be satisfied with BME 296, 396 or 496 (3 credits total). The Independent Study Contract can be found can be submitted to Natalia Kolk. NOTE: honors students may not complete an independent study to meet a technical elective requirement; the honors thesis counts for 2 technical electives.
Study Abroad
BME students have studied abroad. The spring semester of your sophomore or fall semester of your junior years are the best suited for this opportunity. Please see an International Programs Office advisor if you are interested. Students interested in the 5-year double major in German and engineering iSTEP program which includes a year in Germany (one semester of classes and then an internship with a German manufacturing company) should visit https://www.umass.edu/german/iSTEP. Upon return from abroad, students should meet with Natalia Kolk to ensure all courses transfer correctly.
Summer or Winter Classes
If you are interested in UMass Amherst summer or winter classes, request an enrollment appointment through SPIRE by navigating to: Main Menu > Enrollment > Summer/Wtr/Non-deg Enroll Appt.
UMass summer courses include Engin 351, KIN 270, KIN 272, CS 121 (now called CICS 110), and ECE 122, as well as Math 131, 132, 233, 331, STAT 515, Physics 151/152, and Chem 111/112, as well as many other introductory level STEM courses. Potential technical electives include Bio 285, Bio 311, Biochem 320, Chem 261/262 and 269, Microbio 310, and Psych 330. Other courses, including gen eds and technical electives in other departments, may also be offered during the summer or winter.
Transfer Credit
Before taking classes at another campus, students must complete a prior approval form; this is to prevent students from spending time and money on a class that will not transfer in for credit towards your undergraduate degree. Classes completed elsewhere do not impact your UMass cumGPA and will not count for credit unless a grade of “C-“ or above is earned. The Registrar’s Office approves all general education requirements, the Office of Student Affairs in 126 Marston Hall approves all science and math courses, and the Academic Advisor approves all BME courses. If you have any problems with transfer credit, email your name, student ID, and course information (both course description and syllabus) to the Academic Advisor. Note: course(s) you completed elsewhere must appear on your UMass transcript before BME course credit can be awarded. Courses taken elsewhere for the 3rd time need approval from the Academic Dean.