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About the Program
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 areas of focus include:
BioEnvironmental Engineering: Bioprocessing manufacturers, including food and pharmaceutical industries are looking 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.
Cellular and Biomolecular Engineering:This emerging field is expected to rapidly advance and open opportunities in biomanufacturing, drug design, human therapeutics, tissue and organ regeneration, bioenergy and biofuel production, bioremediation, and biodefense.
Food & Biological Process Engineering:This is an interdisciplinary field that applies the basic sciences, mathematics, and engineering to convert agricultural commodities into edible foods and biological materials through various processing steps. Advances in genetic engineering lead to new types of crops and new processing methods to create value added products.
Pharmaceutical Process Engineering:This program of study is targeted to provide graduates with unique skills and job opportunities to take on roles within all phases of the pharmaceutical industry including research, product and process development, processing engineering, manufacturing, and marketing.
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
- Great opportunities for internships and undergraduate research.
- Numerous departmental scholarships
- Excellent placement record and starting salaries
Watch a video and take a look at somesenior 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
Required Major Courses (39 credits)
- ABE 20100 - Thermodynamics In Biological Systems I
- ABE 20200 - Thermodynamics In Biological Systems II
- ABE 29000 - Sophom*ore Seminar (satisfies Science, Technology, & Society for core)
- ABE 30100 - Numerical And Computational Modeling In Biological Engineering
- ABE 30300 - Applications Of Physical Chemistry To Biological Processes
- ABE 30400 - Bioprocess Engineering Laboratory
- ABE 30700 - Momentum Transfer In Food And Biological Systems
- ABE 30800 - Heat And Mass Transfer In Food And Biological Systems
- ABE 37000 - Biological/Microbial Kinetics And Reaction Engineering
- ABE 45700 - Transport Operations In Food And Biological Engineering I
- 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
- ABE 55800 - Process Design For Food And Biological Systems
Biological Engineering Major Selectives (20 credits)
ABE Engineering Major Selectives - Credit Hours: 6.00
- ABE 31400 - Design Of Electronic Systems
- ABE 32500 - Soil And Water Resource Engineering
- ABE 44000 - Cell And Molecular Design Principles
- ABE 58000 - Process Engineering Of Renewable Resources
- Biological Engr Major: Biological ScienceSelective - Credit Hours: 4.00
- Biological Engr Major: Biological ScienceSelective - Credit Hours: 4.00
- Biological Engr Major: Life Science Selective - Credit Hours: 3.00
Biological Engr Major: Engineering or Life Science Selective - Credit Hours: 3.00
(see Supplemental Information)
Other Departmental/Program Course Requirements (69-70 credits)
Click here forFirst-Year EngineeringRequirements
Click here for Pre-Agricultural and Biological EngineeringRequirements.
- ENGR 13100 - Transforming Ideas To Innovation I
- ENGR 13200 - Transforming Ideas To Innovation II
- CHE 32000 - Statistical Modeling And Quality Enhancement ♦
- CHM 11500 - General Chemistry
- CHM 11600 - General Chemistry
- CHM 25700 - Organic Chemistry ♦
OR
- CHM 25500 - Organic Chemistry ♦ and
- CHM 25501 - Organic Chemistry Laboratory ♦
- CS 15900 - C Programming
- MA 16500 - Analytic Geometry And Calculus I
- MA 16600 - Analytic Geometry And Calculus II
- MA 26100 - Multivariate Calculus
- MA 26200 - Linear Algebra And Differential Equations
- MA 30300 - Differential Equations And Partial Differential Equations For Engineering And The Sciences
- PHYS 17200 - Modern Mechanics
Economics Selective - Credit Hours: 3.00 (satisfies Human Cultures: 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
- Oral Communication Selective - Credit Hours: 3.00 (satisfies Oral Communication for core)
- Written Communication Selective - Credit Hours: 3.00-4.00 (satisfies WrittenCommunication for core)
- Written or Oral Communications Selective (20000+ level) - Credit Hours: 3.00
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 Written or Oral Communication Selectives (20000+ level)- 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; 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.
-A student classified as a sophom*ore or higher who has a minimum 2.0 graduation index may elect the pass/not-pass grading option. A maximum of 21 credits of elective courses under the pass/not-pass grading option can be used toward graduation requirements.
University Requirements
University Core Requirements
For a complete listing of University Core Course Selectives, visit the Provost’s 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 ofthese approved courses (or transferring in approved AP or departmental credit in lieu of taking a course)
For more information visit the Civics Literacy Proficiencywebsite.
Fall 1st Year
- ENGR 13100 - Transforming Ideas To Innovation I
- MA 16500 - Analytic Geometry And Calculus I
- CHM 11500 - General Chemistry
- PHYS 17200 - Modern Mechanics
- Written Communication Selective - Credit Hours: 3.00-4.00
Spring 1st Year
- ENGR 13200 - Transforming Ideas To Innovation II
- MA 16600 - Analytic Geometry And Calculus II
- CHM 11600 - General Chemistry
- CS 15900 - C Programming
- Oral Communication Selective - Credit Hours: 3.00
Fall 2nd Year
- ABE 20100 - Thermodynamics In Biological Systems I
- ABE 29000 - Sophom*ore Seminar
- MA 26100 - Multivariate Calculus
- CHM 25700 - Organic Chemistry ♦
OR
- CHM 25500 - Organic Chemistry ♦ and
- CHM 25501 - Organic Chemistry Laboratory ♦
- Biological Engr Major: Biological ScienceSelective - Credit Hours: 4.00
Spring 2nd Year
- ABE 20200 - Thermodynamics In Biological Systems II
- MA 26200 - Linear Algebra And Differential Equations
- CHE 32000 - Statistical Modeling And Quality Enhancement ♦
- Biological Engr Major: Life Science Selective - Credit Hours: 3.00
- Human Cultures: Humanities Selective - Credit Hours: 3.00
Fall 3rd Year
- ABE 30300 - Applications Of Physical Chemistry To Biological Processes
- ABE 30700 - Momentum Transfer In Food And Biological Systems
- ABE 37000 - Biological/Microbial Kinetics And Reaction Engineering
- MA 30300 - Differential Equations And Partial Differential Equations For Engineering And The Sciences
- Biological Engr Major: Biological ScienceSelective - Credit Hours: 4.00
Spring 3rd Year
- ABE 30100 - Numerical And Computational Modeling In Biological Engineering
- ABE 30400 - Bioprocess Engineering Laboratory
- ABE 30800 - Heat And Mass Transfer In Food And Biological Systems
- ABE 45700 - Transport Operations In Food And Biological Engineering I
- ABE Engineering Major Selective - Credit Hours: 3.00
Economics Selective - Credit Hours: 3.00
- AGEC 20300 - Introductory Microeconomics For Food And Agribusiness or
- AGEC 20400 - Introduction To Resource Economics And Environmental Policy or
- AGEC 21700 - Economics or
- ECON 21000 - Principles Of Economics or
- ECON 25100 - Microeconomics or
- ECON 25200 - Macroeconomics
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
- Written or Oral Communication Selective (20000+ level) - Credit Hours: 3.00
- Humanities or Social Science Selective - Credit Hours: 3.00
Spring 4th Year
- ABE 55800 - Process Design For Food And Biological Systems
- ABE Engineering Major Selective - Credit Hours: 3.00
- Biological Engr Major: Engineering or Life 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
- Elective - Credit Hours: 0.00-1.00
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 byprogram. 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”.
