Engineering: Food & Bioprocess Engineering

Food and Bioprocess Engineering prepares students for careers within traditional food processing industries and for emerging careers in bioprocess industries including bioenergy and biofuels such as the ethanol and biodiesel industries. The program is designed to develop engineering expertise in the area of applied biotechnology in such areas as waste treatment, biomass to energy production, industrial biological processes and/or molecular biology as related to engineered applications of biotechnology. The goal is the application of the science to real-world problems through more engineering input.

Food and Bioprocess engineering involves the development of equipment and methods for efficient and environmentally sound manufacturing of food and biological commodities. Engineers in this option receive extensive training in microbiology, biochemical engineering, heat and mass transfer, storage of biological products, materials handling, and unit processes.

Graduates are prepared for work with private industry, consulting firms, state and federal agencies on projects related to food, bioprocessing, and bioenergy on projects related to process development, energy conservation, testing, evaluation and application of new food, industrial and fuel projects.

BAE has an internationally recognized program in biofuels especially biodiesel. Faculty play a signigicant role in biofuel development and demonstration and cooperate fully with the University of Idaho National Institute for Advanced Transportation Technology. The Food and Bioprocessing program works cooperatively with the Food Science and Toxicology programs at both the University of Idaho and Washington State University.

Food & Bioprocess 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)
  • FST 303: Food Processing (3 cr)
  • MMBB 250: General Microbiology (5 cr)
  • MMBB 380: Introductory Biochemistry (4 cr)
  • Technical Electives (3 cr)
  • Food Engineering Electives (3 cr)
  • Food Science Electives (3 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