What do you want to do post-graduate? I suppose JHU would be better if you lean toward doing a MD or doing research on medical/clinical side. But if you lean toward doing Health/life science/biotech (e.g. Moderna) then MIT probably a better choice with Boston being arguably the most vibrant biotech startup hub. HST, Whitehead, Koch center etc. would allow access to anything you need while UROP is really good for early professional development. One thing about course 20 is that it would be smaller and less defined (or more flexible) than JHU. It seems to me that the dep. is trying to fit a range of students from pre-med to engineering, so for many students it can be overwhelming at first. You can ask more with current student support group here for more details. https://bestudents.mit.edu/undergraduate-home/ Answer from Zan_Jr on reddit.com
Mit
be.mit.edu › home › undergraduate program › major degree requirements
Major Degree Requirements | MIT Department of Biological Engineering
June 28, 2023 - The Course 20 Undergraduate Course of Study is designed to give students a foundation and a knowledge base necessary for a biological engineer.
MIT Course Catalog
catalog.mit.edu › degree-charts › biological-engineering-course-20
Biological Engineering (Course 20) | MIT Course Catalog
Degree Chart for Bachelor of Science in Biological Engineering (Course 20)
Videos
Reddit
reddit.com › r/mit › mit course 20 (biological engineering) + bme minor, or bme major at johns hopkins?
r/mit on Reddit: MIT course 20 (biological engineering) + BME minor, or BME major at Johns Hopkins?
March 30, 2021 -
Hello, all! I recently got accepted into MIT and Johns Hopkins (undergrad), and I am trying to decide which to attend. I am aware that Hopkins BME is the number 1 undergrad BME program in the U.S., but I am not a fan of the location, as it’s a little too close to home for me.
For MIT, the major is a little different than I was hoping for (a bit broader than BME), but I can minor in biomed engineering to get that specificity I wanted. I’m also a huge fan of this location and environment, and since I intend to possible double major in comp sci, MIT would definitely be excellent for that.
I guess what I’m wondering is, if I go to MIT and major in biological engineering with a minor in biomed engineering, will I be any worse off than if I go to JHU and major in BME? Since the major is presented differently at MIT, I just want to know if I’ll be a disadvantage or not (although I know they are both excellent schools and programs). If anyone in course 20 (or any other course for that matter) has any input, that would be wonderful :)
Thank you in advance for your help!
Top answer 1 of 7
9
What do you want to do post-graduate? I suppose JHU would be better if you lean toward doing a MD or doing research on medical/clinical side. But if you lean toward doing Health/life science/biotech (e.g. Moderna) then MIT probably a better choice with Boston being arguably the most vibrant biotech startup hub. HST, Whitehead, Koch center etc. would allow access to anything you need while UROP is really good for early professional development. One thing about course 20 is that it would be smaller and less defined (or more flexible) than JHU. It seems to me that the dep. is trying to fit a range of students from pre-med to engineering, so for many students it can be overwhelming at first. You can ask more with current student support group here for more details. https://bestudents.mit.edu/undergraduate-home/
2 of 7
3
Course 20 (grad school / PhD) here - from an undergraduate perspective, they are both very strong programs; I would think about the overall experience perhaps to try to help you decide - MIT, you will be rooming / interacting with many very technically oriented folks, which might provide certain types of enrichment, JHU may have more liberal arts or other majors. One other differentiator is that JHU has a medical school, MIT does not - but through the HST program there are a lot of cross-posted courses you can take, and loads of hospitals in the area that you can do undergraduate research at. Regarding Biological Engineering vs BME - Certainly the focus for biological engineering indicates the ability to think past medical applications, but you will have plenty of opportunities to fine tune your higher level coursework towards medicine should you so choose - but I liked the department's approach of focusing on the fundamentals first, to build a solid foundation upon which to branch into either medicine or biotechnology or other applications of engineering principles to biology. Of course I am somewhat biased as I learned a lot through my graduate school years at MIT and think back fondly on the people I met during that experience - but congratulations on getting into both programs, I don't think you can go wrong picking either one.
MIT
student.mit.edu › catalog › m20a.html
Fall 2026 Course 20: Biological Engineering
20.001 Introduction to Professional Success and Leadership in Biological Engineering () Prereq: None Units: 1-0-2 [P/D/F] Lecture: W9 (3-270) Interactive introduction to the discipline of Biological Engineering through presentations by alumni practitioners, with additional panels and discussions ...
MIT Admissions
mitadmissions.org › blogs › entry › one_night_in_course_20
Warning: Contains Biology | MIT Admissions
November 14, 2008 - Yet ultimately I decided that Course 20, which is just straight up pure biological engineering, was the right choice for me personally. ** For the prospective students applying, do not worry about what you list as your “intended major” on ...
MIT News
news.mit.edu › 2006 › facmtg-dec21
Biological engineering may become Course 20 | MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology
January 3, 2006 - The division is requesting Course 20, Lauffenburger said, because it is "just about the lowest open number, and it's a nice round and resonant number," and also because of its history as the number for the former Department of Applied Biological Sciences.
MIT Course Catalog
catalog.mit.edu › schools › engineering
School of Engineering | MIT Course Catalog
Biological Engineering (Course 20) Biology (Course 7) Brain and Cognitive Sciences (Course 9) Chemical Engineering (Course 10) Chemistry (Course 5) Civil and Environmental Engineering (Course 1) Comparative Media Studies / Writing (CMS) Comparative Media Studies / Writing (Course 21W) ...
College Confidential
talk.collegeconfidential.com › colleges & universities › massachusetts institute of technology
Course 20 vs Course 10B - Massachusetts Institute of Technology - College Confidential Forums
December 31, 2012 - What is the difference between course 20 (bioengineering) and course 10B (chemical biological engineering)? Is course 10 (chemical engineering) very different from the two other courses? Basically, what I am passionate about lines up with the research of the faculty within the chemical engineering ...
MIT Course Catalog
catalog.mit.edu › schools › engineering › biological-engineering
Department of Biological Engineering | MIT Course Catalog
Emphasizes scientific and engineering principles, as well as the responsibility scientists, engineers, and business executives have for the consequences of their technology. Instruction and practice in written and oral communication provided. Enrollment limited; preference to Course 20 ...
MIT School of Engineering
engineering.mit.edu › department › biological-engineering
Biological Engineering | MIT School of Engineering
March 4, 2026 - The premise of MIT’s Department of Biological Engineering (BE/Course 20) is that the science of biology is as important to the development of technology and society in the 21st century as physics and chemistry were in the 20th century, and that ...
MIT OpenCourseWare
opencw.aprende.org › courses › biological-engineering
Biological Engineering | MIT OpenCourseWare | Free Online Course Materials
"Measure, Model, Manipulate, Make" (A collage of Course 20 lab images.) (Image courtesy of the Biological Engineering department at MIT.)
Mit
be.mit.edu › home › undergraduate program › biomedical engineering minor
Biomedical Engineering Minor | MIT Department of Biological Engineering
December 22, 2025 - 20.203 Neurotechnology in Action 20.205 Principles and Applications of Genetic Engineering for Biotechnology and Neuroscience 20.110J Thermodynamics of Biomolecular Systems 20.305J Principles of Synthetic Biology 20.309J Instrumentation and Measurement for Biological Systems 20.310J Molecular, Cellular and Tissue Biomechanics 20.330J Fields, Forces and Flows in Biological Systems 20.BME Pre-approved* undergraduate research in junior or senior year (12 units) 20.230 Immunology 20.260 Computational Analysis of Biological Data *A 20.BME application form (.doc) must be submitted to the BE Academic
Instagram
instagram.com › p › DXW4xfhDFCw
We're launching a new series today on the MIT ...
We cannot provide a description for this page right now
Mit
learn.mit.edu › c › topic › biomedical-technologies
MIT 20.020 Introduction to Biological Engineering Design
Courses · Single courses on a specific subject, taught by MIT instructors · Programs · A series of courses for in-depth learning across a range of topics · Learning Materials · Free learning and teaching materials, including videos, podcasts, lecture notes, and more ·
MIT OpenCourseWare
ocw.mit.edu › courses › 20-020-introduction-to-biological-engineering-design-spring-2009 › resources › mit20_020s09_read01_cro2
MIT20_020S09_read01_cro2.pdf | Introduction to Biological Engineering Design | Biological Engineering | MIT OpenCourseWare
Download Course · search GIVE NOW about ocw help & faqs contact us · 20.020 | Spring 2009 | Undergraduate · Menu · More Info · Readings (20.902) Description: This file is an example review presentation. pdf · 484 kB · MIT20_020S09_read01_cro2.pdf · Download File ·
MIT Course Catalog
catalog.mit.edu
Welcome! | MIT Course Catalog
Biological Engineering (Course 20) Biology (Course 7) Brain and Cognitive Sciences (Course 9) Chemical Engineering (Course 10) Chemistry (Course 5) Civil and Environmental Engineering (Course 1) Comparative Media Studies / Writing (CMS) Comparative Media Studies / Writing (Course 21W) ...
Facebook
facebook.com › 100089314351644 › posts › mit-is-providing-6-free-coursesno-feesno-paywallsno-reasons-to-delaystart-your-e › 978487151805088
MIT IS PROVIDING 6 FREE COURSES No fees. ...
We cannot provide a description for this page right now
Mit
be.mit.edu › home
MIT Department of Biological Engineering |
PhD Course Requirements · Advisor Selection · Graduate FAQ · Meet The Graduate Students · How Do I Apply? Application Assistance Program · Masters Degree · Graduate Life · Faculty · Research · Biomechanics · Biomolecular Design · Cancer Biology · Chemicals and Materials ·
Mit
bestudents.mit.edu
MIT BE Students – Course 20
We hope that it will provide a centralized resource to all those traversing the course 20 road! The calendar to the right will be updated with departmental events. You can navigate to information and resources specific to undergrads and grads with these pretty buttons or from the menu bar.
Texas Residency
tmdsas.com › course-listings › Schools › MIT.html
MIT - Massachusettes Institution of Technology
March 13, 2026 - While this may cause a deficiency in the Biology section of your PCR, please be aware that the schools will use the entirety of your application to determine whether you've fulfilled the pre-requisites, and may consider your Biochemistry coursework accordingly.