Engineering: Biological Systems Engineering

Biological Systems Engineering option is an undergraduate curriculum designed to prepare students to solve technological problems in systems that involve plants, animals, microorganisms, and biological materials. They produce creative and effective solutions to problems in the environment, our food supply, and the interaction of living organisms in a biologically complex, interconnected and changing world. The program can be designed to prepare the student for advanced biomedical or environmental engineering studies. 

A broader emphasis in biology and chemistry is made within this curriculum compared to other engineering disciplines.  Depending on their electives, graduates in biological systems engineering have opportunities to work with consulting and industrial firms in design, environmental control and monitoring, non-point source pollution abatement, bioremediation, hydrology and water quality control. They may also work with food processing industries in storage, product development and quality control. Other options include governmental agencies in water resources, environmental quality, and environmental protection. This program is often used as a pre-biomedical program to prepare students for graduate studies in the biomedical profession.

Biological Systems Engineering Courses

Required course work includes the university requirements

  • BAE 142: Engineering for Living Systems (2 cr)
  • BAE 143: Engineering Problem Solving or CS 112: Introduction to Problem Solving and Programming (3 cr)
  • BAE 242: Agricultural Engineering Analysis and Design (2 cr)
  • BAE 355: Fundamentals of Hydrologic Engineering (3 cr)
  • BAE 441: Instrumentation and Measurements (3 cr)
  • BAE 462: Electric Power and Controls (3 cr)
  • BAE 478: Engineering Design I (2 cr)
  • BAE 479: Engineering Design II (2 cr)
  • BAE 491: Senior Seminar (1 cr)

  • Chem 111: Principles of Chemistry I (4 cr)
  • Chem 112: Principles of Chemistry II (5 cr)
  • Engl 102: College Writing and Rhetoric (3 cr)
  • Engr 105: Engineering Graphics (2 cr)
  • Engr 210: Engineering Statics (3 cr)
  • Engr 240: Introduction to Electrical Circuits (3 cr)
  • Engr 320: Engineering Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer (3 cr)
  • Engr 335: Engineering Fluid Mechanics (3 cr)
  • Engr 350: Engineering Mechanics of Material (3 cr)
  • Engr 360: Engineering Economy (3 cr)
  • Math 170: Analytic Geometry and Calculus I (4 cr)
  • Math 175: Analytic Geometry and Calculus II (4 cr)
  • Math 275: Analytic Geometry and Calculus III (3 cr)
  • Math 310: Ordinary Differential Equations (3 cr)
  • Phys 211: Engineering Physics I (4 cr)
  • Phys 212: Engineering Physics II (4 cr)
  • Soil 205: The Soil Ecosystem (3 cr)
  • Stat 301: Probability and Statistics (3 cr)
  • Communications Elective (2 cr)

    • And Option Requirements of:
  • BAE 461: Agricultural Processing and Environment (3 cr)
  • Biol 115: Cells and the Evolution of Life (4 cr)
  • Chem 277: Organic Chemistry I (3 cr)
  • Chem 278: Organic Chemistry I: Lab (1 cr)
  • MMBB 250: General Microbiology (5 cr)
  • MMBB 380: Introductory Biochemistry (4 cr)
  • Biological Science Electives (3 cr)
  • Technical Electives (9 cr)
  • Electives approved by department to total 128 cr for the degree

A grade of C or better is required in each of the following courses before registration is permitted in upper-division engineering courses:  BAE 143, BAE 242, Chem 111, Engr 210, Math 275, and Phys 211.

Students are required to submit a course plan and a statement of how the humanities and social science course requirements complement the technical content of the curriculum and are consistent with the program and institution objectives.

Biological & Agricultural Engineering Program Options