Curriculum for the Master of Science (Msc) in Engineering (Biomedical Engineering and Informatics), 2025

1: Preface

Pursuant to consolidation Act 391 of April 10, 2024 on Universities (the University Act), the following is established.

The programme also follows the Examination Policies and Procedures incl. the Joint Programme Regulations for Aalborg University.

2: Basis in Ministerial orders

The Master’s programme is organised in accordance with the Ministry of Higher Education and Science’s Order no. 2285 of December 1, 2021 on Full-time University Programmes (the University Programme Order) with subsequent changes and Ministerial Order no. 2271 of December 1, 2021 on University Examinations (the Examination Order) with subsequent changes. Further reference is made to Ministerial Order no. 51 of January 14, 2024 (the Admission Order) and Ministerial Order no. 1125 of July 4, 2022 (the Grading Scale Order

3: Campus

The programme is offered in Aalborg.

4: Faculty affiliation

The Master’s programme falls under The Faculty of Medicine, Aalborg University.

5: Study board affiliation

The Master’s programme falls under Study Board of Health and Technology.

6: Affiliation to corps of external examiners

The Master’s programme is associated with the external examiners corps on Civil engineering corps of external examiners.

7: Admission requirements

Applicants with a legal claim to admission (retskrav)

• Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Engineering (Biomedical Engineering and Informatics), AAU*

Applicants without a legal claim to admission

Applicants with one of the following degrees are entitled to admission:

• Bachelor of Engineering in Healthcare Technology, AU
• Bachelor of Science in Engineering (Biomedical Engineering), DTU
• Bachelor of Engineering (Healthcare Technology), DTU
• Bachelor of Science in Engineering (Health Informatics and Technology), SDU

All applicants must, as a minimum, document English language qualifications comparable to an "English B level" in the Danish upper secondary school (gymnasium) (cf. the Admission Order).

Admission to the master’s programme in Biomedical Engineering and Informatics requires that the applicant has passed a relevant qualifying bachelor’s or professional bachelor’s degree programme. A bachelor’s or professional bachelor’s degree programme is defined as relevant if the degree programme is a polytechnical bachelor programme, and if the main subjects and/or subject areas provide competencies to a minimum of ECTS within the following subject areas:
- Anatomi and Physiology [10 ECTS]
- Signal Processing [10 ECTS]

8: The programme title in Danish and English

The Master’s programme entitles the graduate to the Danish designation Cand.polyt. i sundhedsteknologi. The English designation is: Master of Science (MSc) in Engineering (Biomedical Engineering and Informatics).

9: Programme specifications in ECTS credits

The Master’s programme is a 2-year, research-based, full-time study programme. The programme is set to 120 ECTS credits.

10: Rules concerning credit transfer (merit), including the possibility for choice of modules that are part of another programme at a university in Denmark or abroad

The Study Board can approve that passed programme elements from other educational programmes at the same level replaces programme elements within this programme (credit transfer).

Furthermore, the Study Board can, upon application, approve that parts of this programme is completed at another university or a further education institution in Denmark or abroad (pre-approval of credit transfer).

The Study Board’s decisions regarding credit transfer are based on an academic assessment.

11: Exemptions

The Study Board’s possibilities to grant exemption, including exemption to further examination attempts and special examination conditions, are stated in the Examination Policies and Procedures published at this website: https://www.studyservice.aau.dk/rules

12: Rules for examinations

The rules for examinations are stated in the Examination Policies and Procedures published at this website: https://www.studyservice.aau.dk/rules

13: Rules concerning written work, including the Master’s Thesis

The Study Board may determine whether, and to what extent, a student's language proficiency is included in the assessment of an individual exam.

Spelling and writing skills are always a part of the assessment of final exams (bachelor’s project, final project, and master’s thesis).

The evaluation is based on an overall assessment, meaning that the student's language proficiency in final exams is assessed both in the written project report and during the oral examination.

The Study Board may, in special cases (e.g., in cases of dyslexia or if the student's native language is not Danish), grant an exemption from the requirement that spelling and writing skills be included in the assessment, unless these skills are an essential part of the exam’s objectives.

The master’s thesis must include an English summary. If the project is written in English, the summary can be in Danish. The summary is included in the evaluation of the project as a whole.

14: Requirements regarding the reading of texts in a foreign language

It is assumed that the student can read academic texts in English and use reference works, etc., in English and other European languages.

15: Competence profile on the diploma

The following competence profile will appear on the diploma:

A Candidatus graduate has the following competency profile:

A Candidatus graduate has competencies that have been acquired via a course of study that has taken place in a research environment.

A Candidatus graduate is qualified for employment on the labour market based on his or her academic discipline as well as for further research (PhD programmes). A Candidatus graduate has, compared to a Bachelor, developed his or her academic knowledge and independence so as to be able to apply scientific theory and method on an independent basis within both an academic and a professional context.

16: Competence profile of the programme

The graduate of the Master’s programme

   Knowledge 

• Has knowledge within biomedical engineering and informatics that is based on the highest international research 
• Can understand and on a scientific basis reflect on knowledge within biomedical engineering and informatics and is able to identify scientific issues within the field 
• Can reflect on the relation between biomedical signals or information, their physiological origin and their medical interpretation 

 Skills 

• Masters current state of the art biomedical engineering and informatics scientific methods and techniques, and the general skills related to work within the field 
• Can on a scientific basis develop digital solutions for processing and modeling biomedical data or signals, and for supporting clinical reasoning 
• Can analyse and evaluate technological solutions to health challenges in relation to the patient considering scientific and clinical relevance  
• Can select and apply relevant biomedical engineering and informatics theories, methods, tools and general skills of the field and develop innovative models of analysis and problem solving to address health challenges 
• Can communicate research-based knowledge and discuss complex professional and scientific problems and solutions with peers, clinicians and non-experts  

 Competencies 

• Can on a scientific basis develop appropriate technological solutions for disease prevention, diagnosis, therapy, treatment or rehabilitation of patients 
• Can develop technological solutions to complex health challenges requiring consideration for the patient/citizen, as well as the healthcare industry and sector 
• Can manage biomedical engineering and informatics work and development situations which are complex, unpredictable and requires new solutions 
• Can independently, and in collaboration with stakeholders, develop, execute and critically evaluate activities and time plans for biomedical engineering and informatics research and development projects  
• Can independently initiate and implement professional and interdisciplinary collaboration on biomedical engineering and informatics projects and research in health science 
• Can independently take professional responsibility
• Can independently take responsibility for own professional development and specialisation

17: Structure and Contents of the programme

The programme is structured in modules and organised as a problem-based study. A module is a programme element or a group of programme elements, which aims to give students a set of professional skills within a fixed time frame specified in ECTS credits, and concluding with one or more examinations within specific exam periods. Examinations are defined in the curriculum.

The programme is based on a combination of academic, problem-oriented and interdisciplinary approaches and organised based on the following work and evaluation methods that combine skills and reflection:

• lectures
• classroom instructio
• project work
• workshops
• exercises (individually and in groups)
• self-study
• teacher feedback
• reflection
• portfolio work

The study board reserves the right not to offer electives if the number of students signed up do not meet the requirements. Students will be offered other options if a chosen course is not offered.

18: Overview of the programme

All modules are assessed through individual grading according to the 7-point scale or Pass/Fail. All modules are assessed by external examination (external grading) or internal examination (internal grading or by assessment by the supervisor only)

19: Additional information

20: Commencement and transitional rules

The curriculum is approved by the dean and enters into force as of 1 September 2025.

21: Amendments to the curriculum and regulations