Engineering Biological Systems Engineering

Description

Website: http://bsen.unl.edu/

Biological systems engineering (BSEN) is one of two engineering degree programs offered in the Department of Biological Systems Engineering. Biological systems engineers need to understand biological phenomena and apply engineering principles to solve challenges faced by society. To solve complex problems, a biological systems engineer needs not only to develop expertise in a specific discipline but also be prepared to work across disciplinary boundaries in diverse professional communities. As such, BSEN students develop both depth through engineering coursework in one of three emphasis areas (biomedical engineering, food, and bioprocess engineering, or ecological and environmental engineering) and breadth through purposefully selected coursework in the other areas. Biological systems engineers with an emphasis in biomedical engineering might work on systems to micropropagate tissue culture, design devices for monitoring and correcting heart arrhythmias, or develop biological sensors and imaging devices for detecting diseases in humans. Biological systems engineers with an emphasis in food and bioprocess engineering might advance products and manufacturing practices through the design of equipment and processes for producing foods and biofuels. Biological systems engineers with an emphasis in ecological and environmental engineering might restore streams, lakes, and wetlands; design and manage ecosystems; minimize nonpoint source pollution; or design systems for stormwater bioretention or animal waste management.

By three to five years after graduation, BSEN alumni will share the attribute of improving the organization for which they work and the community and country in which they live. They will do this whether they are involved in biomedical engineering, ecological and environmental engineering, food and bioprocess engineering, or other professional endeavors such as business, law, or medicine. In doing so, our graduates will be:

• Confidently using engineering skills in solving problems and providing design solutions in the context of agricultural systems.
• Continuing their professional development, and professional and community service through various opportunities provided by institutions, professional organizations, and other venues in an inclusive manner respecting diversity.
• Responsibly addressing issues of health and safety, ethics, and environmental impacts of engineering decisions in the context of agricultural systems.

The Department of Biological Systems Engineering is located in Chase Hall on East Campus. BSEN students participate in classes and laboratories on both East and City Campuses. BSEN courses are offered on East Campus. Basic courses in math, chemistry, physics, engineering sciences, computers, and electives in mechanical, civil, electrical, and chemical engineering are taken on City Campus. Convenient bus transportation is available between campuses.

Students benefit from small classes and personal acquaintances with faculty. In consultation with their advisor, students select electives that permit specialization in an emphasis area applicable to their career aspirations. Many students work part-time on departmental research projects, gaining valuable experience for employment in industry and for graduate or professional studies. Students also benefit from summer jobs, internships, and co-op programs. These opportunities give students practical experience to learn about careers in engineering. Students also gain valuable experience through participation in professional organizations such as the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, the Water and Environmental Federation, the UNL Soil and Water Resources Club, the Biomedical Engineering Society, the Nebraska Society of Professional Engineers, the Fountain Wars Club, and the Society for Women Engineers.

Major Department Admission

Pre-professionally admitted College of Engineering (COE) students majoring in biological systems engineering (BSEN) have their records examined for advancement to professionally-admitted status during the fall, spring, and summer immediately following the term in which:
 

• They have completed 43 credit hours applicable to the degree including 6 hours of BSEN subject coursework.
• Are enrolled in or have completed MECH 223.
• Have removed all admissions deficiencies, except they may be currently completing the last class to remove the foreign language deficiency.

Students must be professionally admitted in order to enroll in some upper-division courses including AGEN 470/BSEN 470 Design I in Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering.

To be professionally admitted to BSEN, the student must meet the general professional admission criteria of the College of Engineering and not already have been denied admission by two other engineering majors or twice by the BSEN program, and have removed all admissions deficiencies within the first 30 hours of enrollment at Nebraska, except for the foreign language deficiency which must be completed within the first 60 hours of enrollment at Nebraska. 
 

• Students who meet the above criteria with a cumulative GPA of 2.8 or greater will be professionally admitted without further review.
• Students with a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 but less than 2.8 will have their record reviewed by Department faculty for a decision of professional admission, conditional professional admission, or denial of professional admission.
• Students with a cumulative GPA less than 2.5 will be denied professional admission to the BSEN program.

Students who have been denied professional admission to the BSEN program once and not also been denied professional admission to another engineering program may continue taking courses in the BSEN program and will be reconsidered for professional admission again the next term. Students who have twice been denied professional admission to the BSEN program are not allowed to continue in the program.

The Department faculty may recommend conditional admission and specify deficiencies and performance criteria required to transition out of conditional status. If a student has not met the professional admission criteria and has not, in the opinion of the Department faculty, demonstrated a minimum standard of good professional judgment in the pursuit of their academic program as expected of degreed engineers, they may be denied professional admission to the degree program. The student may appeal this decision to the biological systems engineering department head and then, if necessary, to the College of Engineering Curriculum and Academic Standards Committee.

ACE Requirements

All students must fulfill the Achievement-Centered Education (ACE) requirements. Information about the ACE program may be viewed at ace.unl.edu.

The minimum requirements of the BSEN program include courses involving ACE outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, and 10. Students should work with their advisor to select courses that satisfy ACE outcomes 5, 6, 7, and 9.
 

College Requirements

College Admission

College Entrance Requirements

Students must have high school credit for (one unit is equal to one high school year):

1. Mathematics – 4 units: 2 of algebra, 1 of geometry, and 1 of precalculus and trigonometry
2. English – 4 units
3. Natural sciences – 3 units that must include 1 unit of physics and 1 unit of chemistry (chemistry requirement waived for students in construction management and computer science)
4. Foreign language – 2 units of a single foreign language
5. Social studies – 3 units
6. Students having a composite ACT score of 28 or greater (or equivalent SAT score) will be admitted to the College of Engineering even if they lack any one of the following: trigonometry, chemistry, or physics.
7. Students having an ACT score of 19 or less in English (or equivalent SAT score) must take ENGL 150 Writing and Inquiry or ENGL 151 Writing and Argument.

A total of 16 units is required for admission.

Students must have an ACT (enhanced) score of 24 or greater (or equivalent SAT). Students who lack entrance requirements may be admitted based on ACT scores, high school rank and credits, or may be admitted to pre-engineering status in the Exploratory and Pre-Professional Advising Center. Pre-engineering students are advised within the Exploratory and Pre-Professional Advising Center.

Students for whom English is not their language of nurture must meet the minimum English proficiency requirements of the University.

Students who lack entrance units may complete precollege training by Independent Study through the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Office of On-line and Distance Education, in summer courses, or as a part of their first or second semester course loads while in the Exploratory and Pre-Professional Advising Center or other Colleges at Nebraska.

Students should consult their advisor, their department chair, or Engineering Student Services if they have questions on current policies.

Other Admission Requirements

Students who transfer to the University of Nebraska–Lincoln from other accredited colleges or universities and wish to be admitted to the College of Engineering (COE) must meet COE freshman entrance requirements and have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 and be calculus-ready. Students not meeting either of these requirements must enroll in the Explore Center or another University college until they meet COE admission requirements. Students transferring from UNO, UNL, or UNK to the College of Engineering must be in good academic standing with their institution.

The COE accepts courses for transfer for which a C or better grade was received. Although the University of Nebraska–Lincoln accepts D grades from the University of Nebraska at Kearney and at Omaha, not all majors in the COE accept such low grades. Students must conform to the requirements of their intended major and, in any case, are strongly encouraged to repeat courses with a grade of C- or less.

All transfer students must adopt the curricular requirements of the undergraduate catalog current at the time of transfer to the COE—not that in use when they entered the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Upon admission to Nebraska, students wishing to pursue degree programs in the COE will be classified and subject to the policies defined in the subsequent section.

Students who were previously admitted to COE and are returning to the College of Engineering must demonstrate a cumulative GPA of 2.5 in order to be readmitted to COE.

College Degree Requirements

Grade Rules

Grade Appeals

In the event of a dispute involving any college policies or grades, the student should appeal to his/her instructor and appropriate department chair or school director (in that order). If a satisfactory solution is not achieved, the student may appeal his/her case through the College Academic Appeals Committee on his/her campus.

Catalog Rule

Students must fulfill the requirements stated in the catalog for the academic year in which they are first admitted at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. In consultation with advisors, a student may choose to follow a subsequent catalog for any academic year in which they are admitted to and enrolled as a degree-seeking student at Nebraska in the College of Engineering. Students must complete all degree requirements from a single catalog year. The catalog which a student follows for degree requirements may not be more than 10 years old at the time of graduation.

Learning Outcomes

Graduates of the biological systems engineering program will have:

1. An ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics.
2. An ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors.
3. An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
4. An ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts.
5. An ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives.
6. An ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions.
7. An ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.

The above student outcomes have been approved by the ABET Engineering Area Delegation for use beginning with the 2019-20 academic year, and have been adopted by the faculty of the Department of ­­­­­­­­Biological Systems Engineering.

Major Requirements

Specific Major Requirements

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
First Semester
BSEN 100 / AGEN 100	Introduction to Biological Engineering and Agricultural Engineering	1
CHEM 113A & CHEM 113L	Fundamental Chemistry I and Fundamental Chemistry I Laboratory 1	4
ENGR 10	Freshman Engineering Seminar	0
MATH 106	Calculus I	5
CSCE 155N	Computer Science I: Engineering and Science Focus	3
ENGR 100	Interpersonal Skills for Engineering Leaders	3
Credit Hours Subtotal:		16
Second Semester
BSEN 112 / AGEN 112	Computer-Aided Problem-Solving	2
CHEM 114	Fundamental Chemistry II 2	3
MATH 107	Calculus II	4
PHYS 211	General Physics I	4
BSEN 130	Computer-Aided Design	2
Credit Hours Subtotal:		15
Third Semester
BSEN 225 / AGEN 225	Engineering Properties of Biological Materials	3
Select one sequence from the following:		4
CHEM 251 & CHEM 253	Organic Chemistry I and Organic Chemistry I Laboratory
CHEM 255 & CHEM 257	Biological Organic Chemistry and Biological Organic Chemistry Laboratory
CHEM 261 & CHEM 263	Organic Chemistry and Organic Chemistry Laboratory
ENGR 20	Sophomore Engineering Seminar	0
PHYS 212	General Physics II	4
MATH 208	Calculus III	4
MECH 223	Engineering Statics	3
Credit Hours Subtotal:		18
Fourth Semester
BSEN 260	Instrumentation I for Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering	3
BSEN 244	Thermodynamics of Living Systems	3
LIFE 120 & LIFE 120L	Fundamentals of Biology I and Fundamentals of Biology I laboratory	4
MATH 221	Differential Equations	3
MECH 373	Engineering Dynamics	3
Credit Hours Subtotal:		16
Fifth Semester
LIFE 121 & LIFE 121L	Fundamentals of Biology II and Fundamentals of Biology II Laboratory	4
MECH 310	Fluid Mechanics	3
or CIVE 310	Fluid Mechanics
BSEN 460 / AGEN 460	Instrumentation and Controls	3
JGEN 200	Technical Communication I	3
BSEN Emphasis Elective:
Select 3 hours		3
Credit Hours Subtotal:		16
Sixth Semester
BIOC 401	Elements of Biochemistry	3
BSEN 344 / AGEN 344	Biological and Environmental Transport Processes	3
Statistics Elective
Select one of the following:		3
MECH 321	Engineering Statistics and Data Analysis
STAT 380	Statistics and Applications
ACE Elective:
Select one course from not yet satisfied ACE outcomes 5, 6, 7, or 9		3
BSEN Emphasis Elective:
Select 3 hours		3
Credit Hours Subtotal:		15
Seventh Semester
BSEN 206 / CONE 206	Engineering Economics	3
BSEN 470 / AGEN 470	Design I in Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering	1
ACE Electives:
Select two courses from not yet satisfied ACE outcomes 5, 6, 7, or 9		6
BSEN Emphasis Elective: 3
Select 3 hours		3
Biological or Science Emphasis Elective:
Select 3 hours		3
Credit Hours Subtotal:		16
Eighth Semester
BSEN 480 / AGEN 480	Design II in Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering	3
ACE Elective:
Select one course from not yet satisfied ACE outcomes 5, 6, 7, or 9		3
BSEN Emphasis Elective:
Select 3 hours		3
Engineering or Science Emphasis Elective:
Select 3 hours		3
Engineering Emphasis Elective:
Select 3 hours		3
Credit Hours Subtotal:		15
Total Credit Hours		127

¹

CHEM 109A and CHEM 109L may be substituted with permission of advisor.

²

CHEM 110A and CHEM 110L may be substituted with permission of advisor.

³

BIOS 203 is not acceptable.

Emphasis Area Requirements

An emphasis area requires a student to take 18 hours of engineering and science-based courses. A minimum of 15 hours must be selected from courses offered by the College of Engineering. Within the 15 hours, a minimum of 12 hours must be BSEN courses or engineering courses crosslisted with BSEN. Of the BSEN or BSEN-crosslisted courses, one must be a 300-level course of a primary emphasis area, one must be a 300-level course of a secondary emphasis area and one must be a 400-level course of a primary emphasis area. Food and Bioprocess Engineering emphasis requires BSEN 303 Principles of Process Engineering, Biomedical Engineering emphasis requires BSEN 317 Introduction to Biomedical Engineering, Ecological and Environmental Engineering emphasis requires BSEN 350 Soil and Water Resources Engineering and BSEN 355 Introduction to Ecological Engineering as primary emphasis area courses.

Food and Bioprocess Engineering

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
BSEN 303 / AGEN 303	Principles of Process Engineering	3
BSEN 446 / AGEN 446	Unit Operations of Biological Processing	3
Select one of the following		3
BSEN 444	Biomass and Bioenergy Engineering
BSEN 445	Bioprocess Engineering
Total Credit Hours		9

Biomedical Engineering

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
BSEN 317	Introduction to Biomedical Engineering	3
Select two of the following:		6
BSEN 311	Biomedical Signal and System Analysis
BSEN 412	Rehabilitation Engineering
BSEN 414	Medical Imaging Systems
BSEN 416	Introduction to Biomaterials
BSEN 418	Tissue Engineering
Total Credit Hours		9

Ecological and Environmental Engineering

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
BSEN 350 / AGEN 350	Soil and Water Resources Engineering	3
BSEN 355	Introduction to Ecological Engineering	3
Select one of the following:		3
BSEN 441 / AGEN 441	Animal Waste Management
BSEN 453 / AGEN 453	Irrigation and Drainage Systems Engineering
BSEN 455 / CIVE 455	Nonpoint Source Pollution Control Engineering
BSEN 458 / CIVE 458	Groundwater Engineering
BSEN 468	Wetlands
BSEN 479	Hydroclimatology
Total Credit Hours		9

Additional Major Requirements

Written Communications Requirement

Six hours of English composition (e.g., two from ENGL 150, ENGL 151, ENGL 254) may be substituted for the written communications requirement (JGEN 200) in the biological systems engineering program.

Grade Rules

A grade of C- or better is required for all biological systems engineering required courses and electives that are to count toward graduation, with the exception of ACE 5, 6, 7, and 9 electives.

Catalog to Use

In addition to the “Catalog Rule” of the College of Engineering, students transferring into the Department of Biological Systems Engineering must follow the catalog in effect at the time of their transfer into the department.

PLEASE NOTE
This document represents a sample 4-year plan for degree completion with this major. Actual course selection and sequence may vary and should be discussed individually with your college or department academic advisor. Advisors also can help you plan other experiences to enrich your undergraduate education such as internships, education abroad, undergraduate research, learning communities, and service learning and community-based learning.

 

Career Information

The following represents a sample of the internships, jobs and graduate school programs that current students and recent graduates have reported.