The unique partnership between Emory University and Georgia Tech remains one of the best programs for undergraduate biomedical engineering in the United States, according to new rankings released Sept. 13.

The Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering is the top program that involves a public university and third overall among BME departments included in the U.S. News and World Report 2022 Best Colleges. It’s the 15th consecutive year the Coulter BME bachelor’s degree has been in the top four — almost the entire history of the program.

“Each year, these rankings reinforce the far-reaching impact of our talented students, faculty, and staff. Our history of sustained excellence is only possible because our BME team works every day to make a difference in people’s lives,” said Machelle Pardue, interim Wallace H. Coulter Department Chair. “I’m proud we continue to be recognized as one of the nation’s best places to earn a biomedical engineering degree.”

For more than a decade, the joint Emory-Georgia Tech program and three peers have traded places in the top four as rankings fluctuated slightly from year to year. The U.S. News lists for individual engineering disciplines are determined by surveying program leaders across the country. So, the Coulter Department’s place as a stalwart among the best programs reflects the high esteem for the undergraduate program among academic leaders.

Meanwhile, the Department’s faculty remains focused on the future of engineering education, building the next generation of tools to prepare students to follow their passions and have an impact.

“We continue to explore new frontiers in how we teach engineering, developing pedagogies like story-driven learning while our students benefit from the problem-based approaches that have been part of our Departmental DNA from the very beginning,” Pardue said. “Creative teaching, field-altering research, and bright, motivated students all combine to create a special place that’s fertile ground for training the next generation of biomedical engineers.”

Across the Georgia Tech College of Engineering, every undergraduate program again placed in the top five in their disciplines. The College overall ranked No. 4.