Biological Engineering
Biological engineering (BE) applies engineering principles to the biological sciences to produce biofuels, food and fiber products and other agricultural products from renewable bio-resources. It also aims to protect the environment and conserve and replenish our natural resources.
About This Major
- College: Engineering
- Degree: Bachelor of Science in Biological Engineering
- Hours for Degree: 128
- Concentrations: Biosystems Engineering, Land and Water Resources Engineering, Packaging Engineering, Agricultural Production
- Minor: No
- Combined-Degree Program: Yes
- Website: www.abe.ufl.edu
Overview
Biological engineers pioneer new designs and techniques in such areas as agricultural robotics, remote sensing, bioprocessing, biofuels, precision agriculture, plant space biology, sustainability of our natural resources, and packaging development and systems.
Graduates are educated in the biological and environmental sciences as well as in engineering. They will address critical problems involving land and water resources, biological systems and production agriculture. Students can choose a focus area based on their courses of concentration and individual selection of electives. Areas of concentration are biosystems engineering, land and water resources engineering, packaging engineering, and agricultural production engineering. (Individual electives for each concentration are listed below the semester plan.)
In addition to abundant job opportunities in Florida's agricultural industry, graduates have career opportunities in biotechnology and in fields related to Florida's water quality and water resources, including water management districts, environmental companies, consulting firms, equipment manufacturers, bio-energy and food engineering.
The BE curriculum can also fulfill requirements for admission to professional programs as well as to graduate programs including biomedical engineering, civil engineering and mechanical engineering.
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Educational Objectives
Graduates from the University of Florida's undergraduate degree program in bological engineering will be prepared for at least one of the following:
- Successful careers in the profession of biological engineering or other related fields.
- Gaining admission to a graduate and/or professional degree program.
Goals
To develop biological engineering professionals with technical proficiency and societal responsibility.
Mission
The department will develop professionals, create and disseminate knowledge, and promote the application of engineering and management principles to meet societal needs with respect to agriculture, packaging, land and water resources, and biological systems.
Critical Tracking
To graduate with this major, students must complete all university, college and major requirements.
Equivalent critical-tracking courses as determined by the State of Florida Common Course Prerequisites may be used for transfer students.
Semester 1
- 2.0 UF GPA required for semesters 1-5
- 2.5 GPA on all critical-tracking coursework
- Complete 1 of 8 tracking courses with a minimum grade of C within two attempts:
CHM 2045 or CHM 2095, CHM 2046 or CHM 2096, MAC 2311, MAC 2312, MAC 2313, MAP 2302, PHY 2048, PHY 2049
Semester 2
- Complete 1 additional tracking course with a minimum grade of C within two attempts
Semester 3
- Complete 2 additional tracking courses with minimum grades of C within two attempts
Semester 4
- Complete 2 additional tracking courses with minimum grades of C within two attempts
Semester 5
- Complete all 8 critical-tracking courses with minimum grades of C in each course within two attempts
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Recommended Semester Plan
To remain on track, students must complete the appropriate critical-tracking courses, which appear in bold. Students are required to complete HUM 2305 The Good Life (GE-H) in semester 1 or 2.
| Semester 1 |
Credits |
|---|
| If you do not place out of ENC 1101, take it in the fall. |
CHM 2045 General Chemistry 1 or
CHM 2095 Chemistry for Engineers 1 (both GE-P) |
3 |
| CHM 2045L General Chemistry 1 Laboratory (GE-P) |
1 |
| MAC 2311 Analytic Geometry and Calculus 1 (GE-M) |
4 |
| Humanities (GE-H) |
3 |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences (GE-S) |
3 |
| Total |
14 |
| Semester 2 |
Credits |
|---|
ABE 2062 Biology for Engineers or
BSC 2010 Intermediate Biology 1 |
3 |
CHM 2046 General Chemistry and Qualitative Analysis or
CHM 2096 Chemistry for Engineers 2 (both GE-P) |
3 |
| CHM 2046L General Chemistry 2 Laboratory (GE-P) |
1 |
| HUM 2305 What is the Good Life (GE-H) |
3 |
| MAC 2312 Analytic Geometry and Calculus 2 (GE-M) |
4 |
| Total |
14 |
| Semester 3 |
Credits |
|---|
| ABE 2012C Introduction to Biological Engineering |
3 |
| MAC 2313 Analytic Geometry and Calculus 3 |
4 |
| PHY 2048 with Calculus 1 (GE-P) |
3 |
| PHY 2048L Physics with Calculus 1 Laboratory (GE-P) |
1 |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences (GE-S) |
3 |
| Total |
14 |
| Semester 4 |
Credits |
|---|
| EGM 2511 Engineering Mechanics: Statics |
3 |
| EML 3007 Elements of Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer |
3 |
| MAP 2302 Elementary Differential Equations (GE-M) |
3 |
| PHY 2049 Physics with Calculus 2 (GE-P) |
3 |
| PHY 2049L Physics with Calculus 2 Laboratory (GE-P) |
1 |
| Humanities (GE-H) or Social and Behavioral Sciences (GE-S) |
3 |
| Total |
16 |
| Semester 5 |
Credits |
|---|
CGN 2328 Technical Drawing and Visualization or
EML 2023 Computer Aided Graphics and Design |
3
|
CGN 3710 Experimentation and Instrumentation in Civil Engineering or
EEL 3003 Elements of Electrical Engineering |
3
|
CHM 2200 Organic Chemistry or
BCH 3023 Elementary Organic and Biological Chemistry |
3 |
| EGM 3520 Mechanics of Materials |
3 |
| Total |
12
|
| Semester 6 |
Credits |
|---|
| ABE 3612C Heat and Mass Transfer in Biological Systems |
4 |
CGN 3421 Computer Methods in Civil Engineering (4) or
ENV 3040C Computer Methods in Environmental Engineering (3) or
ESI 4327C Matric/Numerical Methods in Systems Engineering (4) |
3-4 |
| EGM 3400 Elements of Dynamics |
2 |
| ENC 3254 Professional Writing in the Discipline (GE-C) |
3 |
| Technical science elective * |
3 |
| Total |
15-16 |
| Semester 7 |
Credits |
|---|
| ABE 3000C Applications in Biological Engineering |
3 |
| ABE 3212C Land and Water Resources Engineering |
4 |
ABE 3652C Physical and Rheological Properties of Biological Materials (3) or
CGN 3501C Civil Engineering Materials (4) |
3-4 |
| ABE 4931 Professional Issues in Biological Engineering |
1 |
EGN 3353C Fluid Mechanics (3) or
CWR 3201 Hydrodynamics (4) |
3-4 |
| Total |
14-16 |
| Semester 8 |
Credits |
|---|
| ABE 4042C Biological Engineering Design 1 |
2 |
| ABE 4171 Power and Machines for Biological Systems |
3 |
| Department elective * |
3 |
| Engineering elective * |
3 |
| Department or engineering elective * |
4 |
| Total |
15 |
| Semester 9 |
Credits |
|---|
| ABE 4043C Agricultural and Biological Engineering Design 2 |
2 |
| Department elective * |
3 |
| Engineering elective * |
3 |
| Department or engineering elective * |
3 |
| Technical or biological science elective * |
3 |
| Total |
14 |
Total Electives: 25 credits
For electives in addition to those listed as required for the four concentrations below, please see an academic adviser.
Agricultural Production Engineering
- Required courses (10 credits) -
- ABE 4033 Fundamentals and Applications of Biosensors
- ABE 4413C Post Harvest Operations Engineering
- CEG 4011 Soil Mechanics
- Department electives - 3 credits minimum
- Engineering electives - 6 credits minimum
- Technical electives - 6 credits
Biosystems Engineering
- Required courses (6 credits) -
- ABE 4033 Fundamentals and Applications of Biosensors or
ABE 4812C Food and Bioprocess Engineering Unit Operations
- ABE 4662 Quantification of Biological Processes
- Department electives - 3 credits minimum
- Engineering electives - 10 credits minimum
- Technical electives - 6 credits
Land and Water Resources Engineering
- Required courses (14 hours) -
- ABE 4231C Irrigation and Drainage Engineering
- CEG 4011 Soil Mechanics
- CWR 4202 Hydraulics
- SUR 3103C Geomatics
- Department electives - 3 credits minimum
- Engineering electives - 4 credits minimum
- Technical electives - 3 credits
Packaging Engineering
- Required courses (22 hours) -
- ABE 4812 Food and Bioprocess Engineering Unit Operations
- EMA 3010 Materials
- EMA 3066 Polymer Science and Engineering
- PKG 3001 Principles of Packaging
- PKG 3103 Packaging Applications
- PKG 4008 Transportation and Distribution Packaging
- PKG 4101C Computer tools for Packaging Engineering
- Technical electives - 3 credits
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