Program Overview

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Biological Systems Engineering, BS

Biological systems engineering (BSE), an accredited engineering program in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, applies engineering principles to natural systems and machinery design that impact production of food, water, energy, and more. Uniquely positioned at the intersection of engineering and sustainability with multiple flexible study options to match a wide range of interests, students can follow defined tracks in natural resources and environmental engineering, food or bioprocess engineering, machinery systems engineering, or customize their classes using the general option.

Program Overview

The BSE program provides a broad education in physical sciences and engineering, but also teaching skills in fabrication, electronics, design, product development, and management. Students benefit from a high faculty to student ratio and individualized advising that fosters teamwork. They have access to all resources for UWMadison students in the College of Engineering, plus those available to students in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. Admission is not competitive, meaning all students who meet the criteria are admitted.

Learn through Hands-on, Real-world Experiences

BSE offers hands-on courses and experiences. First-year and senior-level design courses challenge students to develop solutions, build and test prototypes, and analyze results. Students integrate practical work experience through co-operative education (co-op) programs where students earn full-time salaries while working for a firm or through for-credit internships (paid or unpaid).

Build Community and Networks

The program fosters community building through advising, coursework, and outside activities. Students can join the UWMadison student chapter of the professional American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) to meet professionals, tour companies, explore career paths, and participate in national design competitions. Additionally, the department hosts student events, such as our fall mixer or harvest meal, to allow students to get to know each other and the faculty.

Customize a Path of Study

All majors take core engineering courses, then specialize in areas including machinery systems, natural resources and engineering, food engineering, or bioprocessing. Students can also develop their own customized focus areas. Many students also complete certificates in sustainability or renewable energy.

Make a Strong Start

An introductory engineering design course allows students to make personal connections with peers and learn fabrication skills on various industry machines in the BSE shop. In all courses, instructors offer homework help sessions to support students and encourage the formation of study groups.

Gain Global Perspective

Students can choose from study abroad options, including courses taught in English, offered through the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, the College of Engineering, or campus-wide opportunities. Recent students have traveled to China, France, Costa Rica, Africa, Ireland and more. Programs occur over full semesters or during summer and winter breaks. International internships, many with summer options, offer additional opportunities to gain global experience.

Admission Requirements

Entry to this professional program requires students to meet the five admission requirements detailed below. Students are admitted as pre-Biological Systems Engineering until they meet the admission criteria listed below.

1. Must complete a minimum of 24 degree credits.
2. Must complete a minimum of 17 graded credits of calculus, statistics, chemistry, statics, and physics courses required for a BSE degree.
3. Must have a math and science grade point average (M&SGPA) of at least 2.65 with a minimum grade of C in every course used to calculate the M&SGPA.
4. For any course that a student repeats, only the most recent grade will be used in the M&SGPA calculation. Any transfer course from another university that is included in the previous list must be included in the GPA calculation.
5. Must be in good academic standingi.e., not on academic probation or dropped status.
6. Must successfully complete introductory chemistry (CHEM 103 & CHEM 104, or CHEM 109, or equivalent) and math through MATH 222.

University General Education Requirements

All undergraduate students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison are required to fulfill a minimum set of common university general education requirements to ensure that every graduate acquires the essential core of an undergraduate education. This core establishes a foundation for living a productive life, being a citizen of the world, appreciating aesthetic values, and engaging in lifelong learning in a continually changing world.

College of Agricultural and Life Sciences Requirements

In addition to the University General Education Requirements, all undergraduate students in CALS must satisfy a set of college and major requirements. Courses may not double count within university requirements (General Education and Breadth) or within college requirements (First-Year Seminar, International Studies, Science, and Capstone), but courses counted toward university requirements may also be used to satisfy a college and/or a major requirement; similarly, courses counted toward college requirements may also be used to satisfy a university and/or a major requirement.

Named Options within the Major

Students may complete the Biological Systems Engineering General Program or select a Named Option. The course requirements on this page represent the general program. Students are encouraged to consider one of the Named Options (Food and Bioprocess Engineering; Machinery Systems Engineering; or Natural Resources and Environmental Engineering).

Major Requirements

The Biological Systems Engineering program requires completion of a minimum of 125 credits to be eligible for graduation.

Common Requirements

• Mathematics and Statistics:
  • MATH 221: Calculus and Analytic Geometry 1
  • MATH 222: Calculus and Analytic Geometry 2
  • MATH 234: CalculusFunctions of Several Variables
  • MATH 319: Techniques in Ordinary Differential Equations
  • STAT 324: Introduction to Statistics for Science and Engineering
• Chemistry:
  • Complete one of the following:
    • CHEM 109: Advanced General Chemistry
    • CHEM 103 & CHEM 104: General Chemistry I and General Chemistry II
• Biology:
  • BSE 349: Quantitative Techniques for Biological Systems
  • Complete one additional Biological Science Breadth Course
• Physics:
  • E M A 201: Statics
  • PHYSICS 202: General Physics
• Foundation:
  • BSE 270: Introduction to Computer Aided Design
  • BSE 380: Introductory Data Science for the Agricultural and Life Sciences
  • BSE 310: Project Economics & Decision Analysis
• Core:
  • BSE 249: Engineering Principles for Biological Systems
  • BSE 365: Measurements and Instrumentation for Biological Systems
  • BSE 308: Career Management for Engineers

General Program Requirements

• M E 361: Thermodynamics
• BSE 464: Heat and Mass Transfer in Biological Systems
• E M A 303: Mechanics of Materials
• Complete one of the following courses:
  • M E 363: Fluid Dynamics
  • CIV ENGR 310: Fluid Mechanics
  • CBE 320: Introductory Transport Phenomena
• Complete a minimum of three of the following:
  • BSE 301: Land Information Management
  • BSE 364: Engineering Properties of Food and Biological Materials
  • BSE/ENVIR ST 367: Renewable Energy Systems
  • BSE/ENVIR ST/CIV ENGR/SOIL SCI 372: On-Site Waste Water Treatment and Dispersal
  • BSE 405: Artificial Intelligence in Agriculture
  • BSE 460: Biorefining: Energy and Products from Renewable Resources
  • BSE 461: Food and Bioprocessing Operations
  • BSE 472: Sediment and Bio-Nutrient Engineering and Management
  • BSE 473: Water Management Systems
  • BSE/M E 475: Engineering Principles of Agricultural Machinery
  • BSE/M E 476: Engineering Principles of Off-Road Vehicles
  • M E/BSE 474: Fluid Power
  • AN SCI/BSE 344: Digital Technologies for Animal Monitoring
  • BSE 305: Introduction to Precision Agriculture
  • BSE 571: Small Watershed Engineering

Technical Electives

Select courses from one or more of the following four technical elective categories to bring the total number of credits in the General Program Area or in the selected specialization area to 43.

A. Introduction to Engineering Courses (first-year students only)

• INTEREGR 170: Design Practicum

B. Independent Study/Instruction Courses

• CALS or CoE courses with a 001, 299, 399, or 699 course number

C. Upper-Level Courses

Part 1. Upper-Level Engineering Courses

• Any Engineering course numbered 300 or above
• E M A 202: Dynamics

Part 2. Upper-Level Science Courses

• Advanced biological, natural, and physical science courses (i.e., courses with a B, N, or P designation)
• CHEM 341: Elementary Organic Chemistry
• CHEM 342: Elementary Organic Chemistry Laboratory
• CHEM 343: Organic Chemistry I
• CHEM 344: Introductory Organic Chemistry Laboratory
• CHEM 345: Organic Chemistry II
• CHEM/M S & E 421: Polymeric Materials
• PLANTSCI/ATM OCN 532: Environmental Biophysics

D. Lower-Level Science and Engineering Courses, Breadth Courses

• Elementary and intermediate biological, natural, and physical science courses except elementary and intermediate math courses
• College of Engineering courses numbered 100 through 299
• College of Agricultural and Life Sciences courses, Institute of Environmental Studies courses, and/or School of Business courses

Capstone

• BSE 508: Biological Systems Engineering Design Practicum I
• BSE 509: Biological Systems Engineering Design Practicum II

University Degree Requirements

To receive a bachelor's degree from UWMadison, students must earn a minimum of 120 degree credits. The requirements for some programs may exceed 120 degree credits. Students should consult with their college or department advisor for information on specific credit requirements.

Learning Outcomes

1. Identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics.
2. 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. Display effective communication with a range of audiences.
4. 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. Display teamwork skills, functioning effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives.
6. Develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions.
7. Acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.

Four-Year Plan

The sample four-year plan for the Biological Systems Engineering program is as follows:

First Year

• Fall: MATH 221, CHEM 109, Biological Science Course, Humanities
• Spring: MATH 222, BSE 310, INTEREGR 170, LSC 100 (or other COMM A), Ethnic Studies

Second Year

• Fall: E M A 201, MATH 234, BSE 249, BSE 270, BSE 380
• Spring: BSE 308, BSE 349, MATH 320, PHYSICS 202, BSE General Program Elective

Third Year

• Fall: STAT 324, E M A 303, M E 361, 300 level or higher non-BSE engineering course, Technical Elective Course, Elective
• Spring: INTEREGR 397 (COMM B), M E 363, BSE 365, BSE 508, BSE General Program Elective, CALS International Studies

Fourth Year

• Fall: BSE 509, 300 level or higher non-BSE engineering course, Technical Electives, BSE General Program Elective, Humanities
• Spring: 300 level or higher non-BSE engineering course, Technical Electives, Elective Course

Advising and Careers

All students are assigned an advisor when they join the department. First-year students work with a professional staff advisor; more advanced students transition to a faculty advisor in their specialization area. The BSE department promotes personalized advising through accessible appointments and requires advising meetings at least once each semester.

Wisconsin Experience

The program supports study abroad and international experiences with flexible scheduling. In addition to study abroad programs and internships, students can volunteer with student organizations like Engineers Without Borders. Students can choose to fulfill their International Studies requirement with an appropriate study abroad course.

Resources and Scholarships

Students in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences receive more than $1.25 million in scholarships annually from a standard application. Each year dozens of outstanding Biological Systems Engineering students are awarded scholarships from funds designated exclusively for this major.

Accreditation

Accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, under the commissions General Criteria and Program Criteria for Biological and Similarly Named Programs.

Program Educational Objectives

The Biological Systems Engineering Department recognizes that our graduates will choose to use acquired knowledge and skills to pursue a wide variety of career and life goals. Whether they choose a professional career, pursue further education, or engage in volunteer work, our graduates will:

1. Develop exceptional problem-solving, leadership, teamwork, and communication skills in the intersecting fields of biological systems and engineering, covering various scales, from microbial to global.
2. Utilize skills to make meaningful contributions to communities in addressing pressing societal and ecological challenges.
3. Be prepared for professional licensure and career development in the public, private, or nonprofit sectors.