Dec 21, 2024

2022-2023 University Catalog

2022-2023 University Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Biological Engineering: BioEnvironmental Engineering Concentration, BSBE

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About the Program

This Biological Engineering Concentration prepares students to work with bioprocessing manufacturers, including food and pharmaceutical industries, look for innovative environmental controls, waste processing, and water treatment to meet corporate sustainability goals and to comply with increasingly strict governmental regulations. The engineering rules-of-thumb and design heuristics based on past practices that have been the standard in municipal wastewater treatment design are less applicable to treating the highly variable waste stream characteristics of specialized industries. In addition, there exists a high potential for identifying value added products from these water streams.

The world has tremendous need for solutions to problems related to the environment, energy, health, food, and sustainability. Biological systems are related to or at the heart of all of these issues. A biological engineer learns to design and analyze biological systems to develop innovative and practical solutions. Our B.S. graduates are well prepared for careers in the food industry, pharmaceutical industry, biotechnology, and bioprocessing as well as entrance into graduate or medical school. Students may select a major and plan of study within biological engineering that is tailored to their specific career goals. Students in this program earn a Bachelor of Science in Biological Engineering, (BSBE). 

Some of the factors that contribute to Agricultural & Biological Engineering at Purdue University being a top ranked program:

Multiple opportunities for interaction with faculty in laboratories and in classes
Student Competitions, Clubs, Global Experiences
Personalized advising and attention from faculty
Practical curriculum for industrial careers
Great opportunities for internships and undergraduate research.
Numerous departmental scholarships
Excellent placement record and starting salaries

Watch a video and take a look at some senior projects. We hope to see you in ABE soon!

The Biological Engineering program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET.

Biological Engineering Major Change (CODO) Requirements

Degree Requirements

129 Credits Required

Departmental/Program Major Courses (60 credits)

Required Major Courses (39 credits)

BioEnvironmental Engineering Concentration Courses (21 credits)

ABE 31400 - Design Of Electronic Systems
ABE 32500 - Soil And Water Resource Engineering
ABE 58000 - Process Engineering Of Renewable Resources - (BioEnvironmental Selective)
AGRY 25500 - Soil Science ♦
Biological Engineering Major: Biological Science Selectives - Credit Hours: 4.00 (see Supplemental Information)
Biological Engineering Major: Biological Science Selectives - Credit Hours: 4.00 (see Supplemental Information)

Supplemental Information

Click here for Biological Engineering Supplemental Information .

Other Departmental/Program Course Requirements (65-75 credits)

First-Year Engineering Requirements (29-39 credits)

Click here for First-Year Engineering requirements.

Requirement #1 - Intro to Engineering I (2-4 credits)
Requirement #2 - Intro to Engineering II (2-4 credits)
Requirement #3 - Calculus I (4-5 credits) (satisfies Quantitative Reasoning for core)
Requirement #4 - Calculus II (4-5 credits) (satisfies Quantitative Reasoning for core)
Requirement #5 - Chemistry I (4-6 credits) (satisfies Science #1 for core)
Requirement #6 - Physics (4 credits) (satisfies Science #2 for core)
Requirement #7 - First-Year Engineering Selective (3-4 credits)
Requirement #8 - Written and Oral Communication (6-7 credits) (could satisfy Written Communication, Information Literacy or Oral Communication for core)

Click here for Pre-Agricultural and Biological Engineering Requirements.

Other Departmental Requirements (36 credits)

These courses are required for the Biological Engineering Major. They may be taken in First Year Engineeing. If they are not taken then, they will need to be incorporated in the six (6) remaining semesters prior to graduation.
ENGR 13100 - Transforming Ideas To Innovation I (satisfies Information Literacy for core)
ENGR 13200 - Transforming Ideas To Innovation II
CHM 11500 - General Chemistry (satisfies Science #1 for core)
CHM 11600 - General Chemistry (satisfies Science #2 for core)
CS 15900 - C Programming
MA 16500 - Analytic Geometry And Calculus I (satisfies Quantitative Reasoning for core)
MA 16600 - Analytic Geometry And Calculus II
PHYS 17200 - Modern Mechanics
Oral Communication Selective - Credit Hours: 3.00 (satisfies Oral Communication for core)
Written Communication Selective - Credit Hours: 3.00-4.00 (satisfies Written Communication for core)

CHE 32000 - Statistical Modeling And Quality Enhancement ♦
CHM 25700 - Organic Chemistry ♦
OR
CHM 25500 - Organic Chemistry ♦ and
CHM 25501 - Organic Chemistry Laboratory ♦
MA 26100 - Multivariate Calculus
MA 26200 - Linear Algebra And Differential Equations
MA 30300 - Differential Equations And Partial Differential Equations For Engineering And The Sciences
Economics Selective - Credit Hours: 3.00 (satisfies Human Culture Behavioral/Social Science for core)
AGEC 20300 - Introductory Microeconomics For Food And Agribusiness
AGEC 20400 - Introduction To Resource Economics And Environmental Policy
AGEC 21700 - Economics
ECON 21000 - Principles Of Economics
ECON 25100 - Microeconomics
ECON 25200 - Macroeconomics
Human Cultures: Humanities Selective - Credit Hours: 3.00 (satisfies Human Cultures: Humanities for core)
Humanities or Social Science Selective - Credit Hours: 3.00
Humanities or Social Science Selective - Credit Hours: 3.00
Humanities or Social Science Selective (30000+ level) - Credit Hours: 3.00
Written or Oral Communications Selective (20000+ level) - Credit Hours: 3.00

Electives (0-4 credit)

Electives - Credit Hours: 0.00-4.00

College of Agriculture & University Level Requirements

2.00 GPA required for Bachelor of Science degree.
32 Upper division credits taken from Purdue
College of Agriculture International Understanding Selective - Credit Hours: 9.00 (Agricultural Engineering, Biological Engineering, Environmental & Natural Resources Engineering - Credit Hours: 6.00)
College of Agriculture Multicultural Awareness Selective - Credit Hours: 3.00
College of Agriculture Humanities or Social Science Selectives (30000+ level) - Credit Hours: 3.00
Human Cultures: Humanities or Behavioral/Social Sciences Selective (Choose from outside the College of Agriculture) - Credit Hours: 9.00
College of Agriculture Additional Written or Oral Communication Selectives - Credit Hours: 3.00

Courses Not Applicable in Undergraduate Plans of Study - The following courses are not applicable as credit toward graduation in any College of Agriculture baccalaureate degree program: CHM 10000; ENGL 10000, 10900, 11100; ENGR 19100, 19200, 19300; MA 11100, 12300, 13300, 13400, 15100; 15555, PHYS 14900; STAT 11300, 11400; and all General Studies courses except GS 49000 - Discovery Park Undergraduate Research. Credits earned in one of the following course - MA 15200, 15300, 15400 or MA 15800 - may be used as an unrestricted elective in the College of Agriculture undergraduate plans of study, but may not be used as a Mathematics and Sciences elective.

College of Agriculture Pass/No Pass Policy - Purdue University - Acalog ACMS™

University Requirements

University Core Requirements

For a complete listing of University Core Course Selectives, visit the University Senate Website.

Human Cultures: Behavioral/Social Science (BSS)
Human Cultures: Humanities (HUM)
Information Literacy (IL)
Oral Communication (OC)
Quantitative Reasoning (QR)
Science #1 (SCI)
Science #2 (SCI)
Science, Technology, and Society (STS)
Written Communication (WC)

Civics Literacy Proficiency Requirement:

The Civics Literacy Proficiency activities are designed to develop civic knowledge of Purdue students in an effort to graduate a more informed citizenry.

Students will complete the Proficiency by passing a test of civic knowledge, and completing one of three paths:

Attending six approved civics-related events and completing an assessment for each; or
Completing 12 podcasts created by the Purdue Center for C-SPAN Scholarship and Engagement that use C-SPAN material and completing an assessment for each; or
Earning a passing grade for one of these approved courses (or transferring in approved AP or departmental credit in lieu of taking a course)

For more information visit the Civics Literacy Proficiency website.

Prerequisite Information:

For current pre-requisites for courses, click here.

Program Requirements

Fall 1st Year

ENGR 13100 - Transforming Ideas To Innovation I
CHM 11500 - General Chemistry
MA 16500 - Analytic Geometry And Calculus I
PHYS 17200 - Modern Mechanics
Written Communication Selective - Credit Hours: 3.00-4.00

17-18 Credits

Spring 1st Year

ENGR 13200 - Transforming Ideas To Innovation II
CHM 11600 - General Chemistry
CS 15900 - C Programming
MA 16600 - Analytic Geometry And Calculus II
Oral Communication Selective - Credit Hours: 3.00

16 Credits

Fall 2nd Year

ABE 20100 - Thermodynamics In Biological Systems I
ABE 29000 - Sophomore Seminar
MA 26100 - Multivariate Calculus
CHM 25700 - Organic Chemistry ♦
OR
CHM 25500 - Organic Chemistry ♦ and
CHM 25501 - Organic Chemistry Laboratory ♦
Biological Engineering Major: Biological Science Selectives - Credit Hours: 4.00

17 Credits

Spring 2nd Year

ABE 20200 - Thermodynamics In Biological Systems II
AGRY 25500 - Soil Science
CHE 32000 - Statistical Modeling And Quality Enhancement ♦
MA 26200 - Linear Algebra And Differential Equations
Human Cultures: Humanities Selective - Credit Hours: 3.00

16 Credits

Fall 3rd Year

16 Credits

Spring 3rd Year

18 Credits

Fall 4th Year

ABE 46000 - Sensors And Process Control
ABE 49000 - Professional Practice In Agricultural And Biological Engineering
ABE 55700 - Transport Operations In Food And Biological Systems II
Biological Engineering Major: Biological Science Selectives - Credit Hours: 4.00
Humanities or Social Science Selective - Credit Hours: 3.00
Written or Oral Communication Selective (20000+ level) - Credit Hours: 3.00

17 Credits

Spring 4th Year

ABE 55800 - Process Design For Food And Biological Systems - (BioEnvironmental Selective)
ABE 58000 - Process Engineering Of Renewable Resources
Humanities or Social Science Selective - Credit Hours: 3.00
Humanities or Social Science Selective (30000+ level) - Credit Hours: 3.00
Elective - Credit Hours: 0.00-4.00

12-16 Credits

Notes

Students must have a graduation index of 2.0
Consultation with an advisor may result in an altered plan customized for an individual student.

World Language Courses

World Language proficiency requirements vary by program. The following list is inclusive of all world languages PWL offers for credit; for acceptable languages and proficiency levels, see your advisor.

ASL-American Sign Language ARAB-Arabic CHNS-Chinese FR-French
GER-German GREK-Greek (Ancient) HEBR-Hebrew (Biblical) HEBR-Hebrew (modern)
ITAL-Italian JPNS-Japanese KOR-Korean LATN-Latin
PTGS-Portuguese RUSS-Russian SPAN-Spanish

Critical Course

The ♦ course is considered critical.

In alignment with the Degree Map Guidance for Indiana’s Public Colleges and Universities, published by the Commission for Higher Education (pursuant to HEA 1348-2013), a Critical Course is identified as “one that a student must be able to pass to persist and succeed in a particular major. Students who want to be nurses, for example, should know that they are expected to be proficient in courses like biology in order to be successful. These would be identified by the institutions for each degree program”.

Disclaimer

The student is ultimately responsible for knowing and completing all degree requirements.

The myPurduePlan powered by DegreeWorks is the knowledge source for specific requirements and completion.