Academic Programs Catalog

Bachelor of Science

Biosystems engineers design solutions to technical problems that involve a critical biological component. They apply quantitative skills to create products, processes, and systems that improve human existence. Working at the interface of engineering and biology, biosystems engineers are engaged in the most important challenges of our time.

Biosystems engineers may, for example, design pathogen control processes to protect the safety of our food supply, constructed wetlands to improve water quality and quantity, biomass conversion processes to sustainably supply renewable energy and products, and/or diagnostic and risk modeling systems to protect and enhance human and animal health. Biosystems engineers are sought after by a wide variety of employers that need creative individuals to integrate principles of engineering and biology, including food manufacturers, environmental consulting firms, health industries, and government agencies.

The Bachelor of Science Degree program in Biosystems Engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, www.abet.org.

Requirements for the Bachelor of Science Degree in  Biosystems Engineering

1. The University requirements for bachelor's degrees as described in the Undergraduate Education section of this catalog; 128 credits, including general elective credits, are required for the Bachelor of Science degree in Biosystems Engineering.
   The University's Tier II writing requirement for the Biosystems Engineering major is met by completing Biosystems Engineering 334 or 485.  These courses are referenced in item 3. a below.
   
   Students who are enrolled in the College of Engineering may complete the alternative track to Integrative Studies in Biological and Physical Sciences that is described in item 1. under the heading Graduation Requirements for All Majors in the College statement.  Certain courses referenced in requirement 3. below may be used to satisfy the alternative track.
2. The requirements of the College of Engineering for the Bachelor of Science degree.
   
   The credits earned in certain courses referenced in requirement 3. below may be counted toward College requirements as appropriate.
3. The following requirements for the major:

   a.	All of the following courses (47 credits):
   	BE	101	Introduction to Biosystems Engineering						1
   	BE	201	Drafting in Biosystems Engineering						1
   	BE	230	Engineering Analysis of Biological Systems						3
   	BE	332	Engineering Properties of Biological Materials						3
   	BE	334	Biosystems Engineering Laboratory Practice (W)						3
   	BE	350	Heat and Mass Transfer in Biosystems						3
   	BE	351	Thermodynamics for Biological Engineering						3
   	BE	360	Microbial Systems Engineering						3
   	BE	385	Engineering Design and Optimization for Biological Systems						3
   	BE	485	Biosystems Design Techniques (W)						3
   	BE	487	Biosystems Design Project						3
   	BS	161	Cell and Molecular Biology						3
   	BS	162	Organismal and Population Biology						3
   	CE	221	Statics						3
   	CE	321	Introduction to Fluid Mechanics						4
   	CEM	143	Survey of Organic Chemistry						4
   	CEM	151	General and Descriptive Chemistry						4
   	CEM	161	Chemistry Laboratory I						1
   b.	One of the following courses (2 credits):
   	BS	171	Cell and Molecular Biology Laboratory						2
   	BS	172	Organismal and Population Biology Laboratory						2
   c.	One of the following courses (3 or 4 credits):
   	IBIO	341	Fundamental Genetics						4
   	IBIO	355	Ecology						3
   	MMG	301	Introductory Microbiology						3
   	PLB	301	Introductory Plant Physiology						3
   	PSL	250	Introductory Physiology						4
   d.	One of the following courses (3 or 4 credits):
   	CSS	442	Agricultural Ecology						3
   	CSS	451	Biotechnology Applications for Plant Breeding and Genetics						3
   	FOR	406	Applied Forest Ecology: Silviculture						3
   	FSC	440	Food Microbiology						3
   	MMG	365	Medical Microbiology						3
   	MMG	404	Human Genetics						3
   	MMG	425	Microbial Ecology						3
   	MMG	445	Microbial Biotechnology (W)						3
   	PLB	402	Biology of Fungi						4
   	PSL	425	Physiological Biophysics						3
   e.	Four of the following courses (12 credits):
   	BE	444	Biosensors for Medical Diagnostics						3
   	BE	449	Human Health Risk Analysis for Engineering Controls						3
   	BE	456	Electric Power and Control						3
   	BE	469	Sustainable Bioenergy Systems						3
   	BE	477	Food Engineering: Fluids						3
   	BE	478	Food Engineering: Solids						3
   	BE	481	Water Resources Systems Analysis and Modeling						3
   	BE	482	Engineering Ecological Treatment Systems						3
   	BE	484	Water Resource Recovery Engineering						3
   	CHE	468	Biomass Conversion Engineering						3

Concentrations in Biosystems Engineering

The department offers concentrations for students who wish to focus on a specific application area in the discipline. The concentrations are available to, but not required of, any student enrolled in the Bachelor of Science degree program in Biosystems Engineering. Courses completed to satisfy requirement 3. above may also be used to satisfy the requirements of a concentration. The concentration will be noted on the students transcript.

Bioenergy and Bioproduct Engineering
To earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Biosystems Engineering with a bioenergy and bioproduct engineering concentration, students must complete degree requirements 1., 2., and 3. above and the following:

Biomedical Engineering
To earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Biosystems Engineering with a biomedical engineering concentration, students must complete degree requirements 1., 2., and 3. above and the following:

Ecosystems Engineering
To earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Biosystems Engineering with a ecosystems engineering concentration, students must complete degree requirements 1., 2., and 3. above and the following:

Food Engineering
To earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Biosystems Engineering with a food engineering concentration, students must complete degree requirements 1., 2., and 3. above and the following:

The Minor in Smart Agricultural Systems, which is administered by the Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, is available for students with majors in Applied Engineering Sciences, Biosystems Engineering, Computational Data Science, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Lyman Briggs Computer Science who are interested in smart technology for management decision support and who plan to pursue careers in agriculture or natural resources. The minor will provide an opportunity for students to gain a working knowledge of digital technologies necessary to monitor and manage aspects of agriculture, food, natural resources, and bioenergy systems.

With the approval of the department and college that administer the student’s degree program, the courses that are used to satisfy the minor may also be used to satisfy the requirements for the bachelor’s degree. At least 10 unique credits counted towards the requirements for a student’s minor must not be used to fulfill the requirements for that student’s major.

Students who plan to complete the requirements of the minor should consult the Smart Agricultural Systems minor program coordinator in the Department of Biosystems Engineering and have their program of study approved in advance and in writing.

Requirements for the Minor in Smart Agricultural Systems

Students must complete a minimum of 16 credits from the following: