Are you interested in bio-processing, biological systems, want to be an engineer, and are looking for an alternative program to Chemical Engineering? The Biological Engineering major may be just the right choice for you!
A student in Biological Engineering can specialize in the following areas:
Food Engineering
Unit operations and heat and mass transfer are emphasized for the design of food processing and manufacturing systems, to bring food from the farm to the table with minimal nutritional losses. This also includes instrumentation to monitor quality and safety of the food products. The BE major offers Food and Biological Process Engineering as an option in the program.
Microbiological Engineering and Bioproduct Development
Production of value-added products by using microbial fermentation for food, feed, and pharmaceutical industries, and thermal and non-thermal processes for inactivation/control of pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms in food and other biological materials for food safety. Includes development of bioproducts such as bio-based energy.
Natural Resource Engineering
Soil and water characterization and evaluation, design of protection systems to reduce soil and chemical run-off, bioremediation, and other biological waste treatments such as composting, biogas production, and wetland construction.
Structural Design
Design of structural systems for plants, animals, biotechnological, and food production operations. Structural analysis and design of buildings and facilities, primarily utilization of engineered wood products.
Power Transfer and Machinery
Design of fluid power systems for power transmission and motion control, as well as power generation for off-road mobile equipment, food processing facilities, and feed handling.
Program Comparison
The two majors require courses that are common and can be used for either program. Certain first and second year courses that are unique to Chemical Engineering can still be used if a student switches to Biological Engineering, which has a great deal of flexibility in using credits from other engineering programs. This is illustrated in the two tables below:
First and second year courses that are common to both programs
| ENGL 15 - Composition & Rhetoric | ECON 102, 104 - Economic Principles |
| CHEM 110 - Chemical Principles I | First Year Seminar |
| CHEM 111 - Experimental Chemistry I | PHYS 211 - Mechanics |
| MATH 140 - Calculus I | PHYS 212 - Electricity and Magnetism |
| MATH 141 - Calculus II | MATH 251 - Differential Equations |
| MATH 231 - Calculus of Several Variables | CAS 100A/B - Effective Speech |
| EDSGN 100 - Intro. to Engineering Design | |
| General education requirements are the same, including GA, GS, GH, GHW | |
| Application of Chemical Engineering Major courses to the Biological Engineering Major | |
| Course taken for CHE: | Counts in BE as: |
| CHEM 112 - Chemical Principles II | Technical Elective (up to 6 credits) |
| CHEM 113 - Experimental Chemistry II | Technical Elective (up to 6 credits) |
| CHEM 210 - Organic Chemistry I | CHEM 202 |
| BMB 251 - Molecular and Cell Biology I | BMB 211 |
| CHE 210 - Material Balances | Engineering Science/Design Elective |
| CHE 220 - Thermodynamics | ME 300 - Thermodynamics |
