Master of Bioscience Engineering: Human Health Engineering
Leuven, Belgium
DURATION
2 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
01 Jun 2025*
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2025
TUITION FEES
EUR 7,771 **
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* for EEA | 01 March 2025 for non-EEA
** non-EEA fee | 1157 EUR ; EEA fee
Introduction
Knowledge of human systems (body and mind) and engineering are key aspects in the development of technologies within different human-health-related application domains. Using the knowledge of biology as a starting point, the necessary technology is developed in consultation with experts of different application domains. Apart from a thorough knowledge of human physiology and psychology, you will also acquire in-depth insights into technology related to measurement, data analysis and process control. You will learn how to integrate and translate this biological and technological knowledge into designs of processes and products in the field of Human Health Engineering.
Strengths
- The education program is unique in Flanders and Europe with its focus on the application of process and system thinking as transferable skills for applications in human health engineering.
- The program follows a system-oriented, quantitative approach to measure, model, and control biosystems aimed at the development of technology for human health from a biological knowledge perspective. It focuses on the integration of knowledge in biology and engineering and for real-life applications. Students learn to cope with the complexity inherent to biological systems from a conceptual, scientific point of view.
- The program does not only focus on theoretical courses but also on ‘learning by doing’. In the project work Biosystems Engineering, for example, a company setting is simulated where the students collaborate as a team to develop a technological product. In this way, they not only obtain technical competencies, but also professional skills like project management, business communication, and the elaboration of a business plan.
- Students get in contact with the industry through seminars, company visits, internships and master theses in collaboration with companies. The wide national and international network of the teaching staff and their extensive collaboration with industry are important assets.
Ideal Students
Student Profile
Is this the right program for me?
- You have basic scientific and technological knowledge and skills in the following areas: biology, chemistry, ecosystems, mathematics-physics, and engineering.
- You are able to relate the knowledge gained in the bachelor's program in a critical way to an application domain of your choice.
- You are trained to address problems both independently and in a team in a goal-oriented way (inventiveness, creativity, self-motivation, and team spirit).
- You can recognize domain-related problems and frame them in a social, ethical, and economic context.
- You already have basic knowledge of and affinity with bioscience engineering-related technical courses such as biological basic knowledge, physical transport phenomena, mechanics of solids, electronic instrumentation, etc.
- You have acquired a solid basis in mathematics and physics and are able to use this in more application-oriented courses such as the engineering courses mentioned above, numerical analysis of biosystems, and statistical data processing.
- You have mastered the basic principles of control systems-theoretic reasoning and are able to apply this to complex, technical, and biological systems and their interaction processes.
Curriculum
Master's Thesis
Option A
- Master’s Thesis Human Health Engineering: Part I - Semester 1
- Master’s Thesis Human Health Engineering: Part II - Semester 2
Option B
- Master’s Thesis Human Health Engineering: Part I - Semester 2
- Master’s Thesis Human Health Engineering: Part II - Semester 1
Truncus Communis
- Biofluidics
- Measurement Systems
- Modelling of Biosystems
- Sustainability Assessment for Biosystems
- Project Work Biosystems Engineering
- European Perspectives on Religion and Meaning
- Control of Biosystems
Control of Biosystems
Major Segment
- Functional Anatomy of the Human Locomotor System
- Biomedical Measurements and Stimulation
- Biosensors and Bioelectronics
- Human System Physiology
- Health Psychology Part 2: Biopsychological Interactions
- Biomedical Data Processing
- Nutrition and Metabolism
Minor Segment
The minor consists of ± 20 ECTS English taught courses from one of the majors in the list below. The composition of the minor has to be approved by the program chair (a list of the chair of each master’s program can be found in Toledo).
Attention: some of the mentioned minors do not contain 20 ECTS courses taught in English.
- Minor voeding en gezondheid
- Minor biosysteemtechniek: technologie voor de agrovoedigssector
- Minor biosysteemtechniek: bionanotechnologie
- Minor landbeheer: bos-, natuur- en landschapssystemen
- Minor landbeheer: productiebosbouwsystemen
- Minor landbeheer: bodem- en watersystemen
- Minor landbouwkunde: gewasproductie
- Minor landbouwkunde: dierproductie
- Minor landbouwkunde: bio-economie en beleid
- Minor levensmiddelentechnologie
- Minor milieutechnologie
- Minor Water Resources Engineering
- Minor Bioinformatics
- Minor Food Technology
- Minor Statistics
- Minor katalytische technologie: procestechnologie
- Minor katalytische technologie: moleculaire technologies
- Minor Cellular and Genetic Engineering
- Minor Agro- and Ecosystems Engineering: Plant Production Systems
- Minor Agro- and Ecosystems Engineering: Agricultural and Resource Economics
- Minor Agro- and Ecosystems Engineering: Soil and Water Systems
- Minor Agro- and Ecosystems Engineering: Forest, Nature and Landscape System
Thematic Minor
Thematic Minor: Entrepreneurship and Innovation
- Psychological and Social Aspects of the Management of Organisations
- Strategic IP Management
- Entrepreneurship and New Business Development
- Technology Trends and Opportunities
- Project Management
Thematic Minor: Applications for Human Health Engineering
Compulsory Courses
- Functional Anatomy of the Human Locomotor System
- Modelling of Biosystems
- Human System Physiology
Complementary Courses
- Privacy and Big Data
- Research Topics in Human Movement Biomechanics
- Brain Computer Interfaces
- Artificial Neural Networks and Deep Learning
- Seminars Human Health Engineering
- The Science of Nutrition and Health
- Inclusive Design
Gerichte minor industriële microbiologie
Vast minorpakket
- Industrial Microbiology and Fermentation Technology
Variabel minorpakket
- Milieutechnische microbiologie
- Technologie van mouterij en brouwerij: basisaspecten
- Microbial Physiology
- Applied Synthetic Microbiology
- Bioconversion Technology
- Microbiologie van de levensmiddelen
- Microbial Processes for the Bio-based Circular Economy
Gerichte minor milieucoördinator
- Milieu-economie
- Sociale aspecten van het milieubeleid
- Lawaaibeheersing
- Atmospheric Chemistry
- Milieu en menselijke gezondheid
- Safety of Chemical and Biological Products and of Chemical Processes
Industrial management only for students who have not completed this course in their bachelor’s programme
- Inleiding tot bedrijfsbeheer
Thematic Minor Tropical Agro- and Ecosystems Engineering (No new enrollments as of 2023-2024)
- Integrated Project Tropical Agro- and Ecosystems
- Global Soil Resources Management
- Agro-Systems
- Agricultural Economics and Development in an International Perspective
- Tropical Forests
- Plant Disease Biology and Management
- Crop Production
Admissions
Program delivery
The courses are fully taught in English.
Program Outcome
- Credits: 120 ECTS
- Degree Type: Master
- Specifications: Master of Science.
Program Tuition Fee
Why study at KU Leuven
What sets us apart as a university?
A highly ranked university
KU Leuven is among the best 100 universities in the world according to both Times Higher Education World Rankings and QS World University Rankings. All of KU Leuven’s disciplines proudly belong to the top 100 of their field. Furthermore, KU Leuven was ranked by Reuters as the most innovative university in Europe in 2016.
Research-based education
Education at KU Leuven is research-based, which means students will learn from the same professors who are performing the ground-breaking research you read about in the press. New insights are instantly integrated into classes and students are encouraged to perform their own research. In our FabLab, students can use a number of high-tech machines to create whatever they want – all free of charge.
Affordable tuition fees
Higher education is highly valued in Belgium and therefore subsidised by the government. This allows KU Leuven to keep tuition fees relatively low, which gives you a price/quality ratio very few top-100 universities can match. We take pride in keeping our programmes as accessible as possible to allow the brightest students from around the globe to join our courses.
International student life with respect for diversity
According to Times Higher Education, KU Leuven is in the top 50 of most international universities worldwide with staff and students from over 150 different nationalities. For all our international students, the Pangaea student centre is their home away from home. Our university also strives for diversity and inclusion and wants to work together on a pact for more respect.
Program Leaders
Scholarships and Funding
Several scholarship options are available. Please visit the university website for more information.
Rankings
KU Leuven is among the best 100 universities in the world according to both Times Higher Education World Rankings and QS World University Rankings. KU Leuven’s disciplines proudly belong to the top 100 of their field. Furthermore, KU Leuven was ranked by Reuters as the most innovative university in Europe in 2016.
Accreditations
Gallery
Career Opportunities
As an HHE graduate, your polyvalent skill set will make you widely employable in the labour market, both within your own specialisation and in other sectors.
You will be equipped to take on scientific, technical, organisational and commercial-technical roles in many sectors where human health, comfort and well-being play a key role: the pharmaceutical industry, clothing and fashion industry, sports technology companies, medical companies, companies active in sleep comfort, helmet producers, producers of furniture, transport industry (such as cars, buses, trains, and airplanes), producers of wearable technology, producers of assistive robotics, companies active in artificial intelligence applications for health monitoring, etc.
In addition, as a bio-engineer, you will rapidly evolve from supporting positions to management positions and this in different activities (research, production and service, marketing, etc.), according to your interests and goals.