Bioengineering
APPLICATIONS FOR FALL 2026 IS NOW AVAILABLE!- Follow this link to receive notifications about future program offerings.
The UC San Diego Department of Bioengineering, in collaboration with UC San Diego Extended Studies, offers a series of engaging courses designed for high school students interested in exploring the field of bioengineering. These courses emphasize experiential learning through interactive, hands-on laboratory activities.
Course Progression
Students typically progress through the sequence beginning with BE-BOAT, followed by BE-ROW, and culminating in BE-SHIP. Students may have to take BERP-A and BERP-B, prior to taking BE-SHIP. Please view each course page for more information.
BE-BOAT Courses
Every Quarter
BE-ROW Courses
Spring and Summer 2027
BE-SHIP Courses
Varies by Quarter
BE-BOAT
The Bioengineering Broad Overview and Techniques (BE-BOAT) courses provide students with a comprehensive introduction to core scientific and engineering principles in bioengineering, complemented by hands-on experience using custom lab kits, pre-lab planning, data analysis, and post-lab discussions. These courses not only build foundational skills in experimental design and interpretation but also serve as preparation for advanced research opportunities through the Bioengineering Research (BE-ROW) course.
BE-ROW
In the BioEngineering Research Orientation Workshop (BE-ROW) course, students collaborate with active researchers and work in teams to design and carry out a bioengineering research or design investigation from their home “lab,” building on foundational knowledge from a BE-BOAT course or by permission. Through structured project experiences in areas such as BioMechanics, BioImaging, and Tissue Engineering, students engage in the full research process—from literature review and study design to data analysis, scientific writing, and presentation.
BE-SHIP
The Bioengineering Scholar High School Immersion Program (BE-SHIP) provides high school students with the opportunity to independently propose, execute, and present a bioengineering research project in collaboration with a university research laboratory. Structured around the Bioengineering Research Project (BERP) sequence—comprising a proposal phase followed by a research and reporting phase—the program supports a range of academic goals: Fall and Winter sessions are particularly aligned with preparation for science and engineering fairs, while Spring and Summer sessions are intended to support advanced students in refining their research for conference abstracts, manuscripts, or other scholarly outputs.
Other Program Information
Application
Application: Click here to apply!
Space is limited, and students will be accepted on a rolling basis. Applications are subject to closing earlier should the program meet its enrollment capacity.
- Summer 2026 Application Deadline Extended: Applications are due 3 weeks before the start date of each course.
- Fall 2026 Application Deadline Extended: September 18, 2026
Acceptance
Program and enrollment information will be emailed to all students accepted into the program 7-10 business days after application is submitted.
FAQs
What are 90000 level pre-college units?
Are award of completion certificates available?
Which grading option should I select?
Can I change my grading option?
How can I check my final grade?
How do I drop a course?
When is the last day I can drop with a refund?
How do I request an official/unofficial transcript?
How do I access my grade report?
What are 90000 level pre-college units?
Courses numbered 90000-99999 are non-credit-bearing, pre-college-level courses designed to provide an opportunity for students to explore academic interests or prepare for college admission. Research Scholars pre-college units may be transferable for secondary school credit at the discretion of the receiving institution. Students should discuss the transferability of individual courses with the registrar of their secondary school prior to enrolling.
Are award of completion certificates available?
Award of completion certificates are not available for the courses. However, students are welcome to request a transcript or downloand and print their grade report by logging in your Triton Student System account.
Which grading option should I select?
At UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies, you have the option to choose how you want your course(s) graded. Not all grading options are available for all courses. If you don’t choose a grading option, the default grading option will be assigned.
- Letter Grade: A grade between A+ and F reflects your performance in the course and is included in your grade point average (GPA) calculation. A passing grade counts toward your earned credit hours or the required number of units for your certificate.
- Pass/No Pass: A grade of P or NP reflects whether you have passed the course, but does not otherwise indicate your performance. These grades are not included in your GPA calculation; however a P (passing) grade counts toward your earned credit hours or the required number of units for your certificate.
- Not for Credit: A grade of “NFC” reflects that you were enrolled in the course but does not indicate your performance. This grade appears on your transcript, but is not included in your GPA calculation and is not counted toward your earned credit hours or the required number of units for your certificate.
You will have the opportunity to select your grading option when you enroll in your course.
Can I change my grading option?
For most courses, you may change your grading option at any time before the final class meeting (by 11:59 p.m. on the day before the published end date for online courses) or before final grades are posted, whichever comes first. All requests must be initiated through your Triton Student System account. Notifying your instructor or emailing an administrative office is not an official grade change.
How can I check my final grade?
Your final grade reports will be available in Triton Student System account within three weeks after the last day of class. For current blended, hybrid or online courses, you can access grades for individual assignments through Canvas or by contacting your instructor.
How do I drop a course?
Please visit this site and scroll down to Dropping Courses for details on how to drop a course.
You must submit an official drop request through your Triton Student System account. Notifying your instructor, emailing an administrative office, or not attending is not an official drop.
Please note: You are required to submit a written drop request if the class has not posted to your student account.
Drop deadline: You can drop your course at any time before the final class meeting (by 11:59 p.m. on the day before the scheduled end date for online courses) or before final grades are posted, whichever comes first.
When is the last day I can drop with a refund?
Please refer to the program page under “Current Programs” to view the refund deadline.
How do I request an official/unofficial transcript?
For instructions on how to order and pay for an official/unofficial transcript, please click here. If you’ve never ordered transcripts through Parchment before, you will need to register for a Parchment account. Details can be found from the link above. All transcripts will be printed and delivered by one of the methods listed here. Transcript requests are processed by Student Services. Should you have any questions, please contact them using the "Contact Us" page.
You can also view/download your grade report by logging in your Triton Student System account.
How do I access my grade report?
Your final grade reports will be available in Triton Student System account within three weeks after the last day of class. For current blended, hybrid or online courses, you can access grades for individual assignments through Canvas or by contacting your instructor.
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