Food and bioprocess engineers develop and manage equipment and systems that process and distribute food and other biologically based materials. They are required by the food industry to help develop processes that add value to food products. These processing technologies are designed to improve the storage life and marketability of food products, reduce their transportation costs, handle processing wastes, and develop alternative uses for biological materials. (For example, newspaper and soy flour are used to make the construction material EnvironTM, and corn stalks can be used to make chemical absorbent pads.)  

The food industry makes up one of the largest segments of our nation’s economy and continues to enjoy steady growth due to the ever-changing needs of consumers and increased awareness of nutritional and environmental issues. Food and bioprocess engineers play a vital role in meeting this need. From potato chips to microwavable entrees, food and bioprocess engineers continue to develop processes to convert raw materials from the farm to food products for the dining room table.

Requirements

Major Requirements
Common Requirements53
Specialization Technical Electives43
Capstone5
Total Credits101

Common Requirements

See Major Requirements.

Food & Bioprocess Engineering Specialization

This is a named option that will appear on the student's transcript upon completion.

CHEM 341 Elementary Organic Chemistry (preferred)3
or CHEM 343 Organic Chemistry I
M E 361 Thermodynamics 13
or CBE 310 Chemical Process Thermodynamics
M E 363 Fluid Dynamics 13-4
or CBE 320 Introductory Transport Phenomena
BSE 464 Heat and Mass Transfer in Biological Systems3
Select one of the following:18-20
Food Engineering Track
Bioprocess Engineering Track
Total Credits30-33
1

Take BSE 249 and M E 361 and M E 363, or take CBE 250 and CBE 310 and CBE 320.

Food Engineering Track

FOOD SCI 301 Introduction to the Science and Technology of Food3
FOOD SCI/MICROBIO 325 Food Microbiology3
FOOD SCI 532 Integrated Food Manufacturing4
BSE 364 Engineering Properties of Food and Biological Materials3
BSE 461 Food and Bioprocessing Operations3
Select one of the following BSE breadth courses:2-3
Land Information Management
Renewable Energy Systems
On-Site Waste Water Treatment and Dispersal
Intelligence and Automation in Agriculture
Biorefining: Energy and Products from Renewable Resources
Sediment and Bio-Nutrient Engineering and Management
Water Management Systems
Engineering Principles of Agricultural Machinery
Engineering Principles of Off-Road Vehicles
Small Watershed Engineering
Total Credits18-19

Bioprocess Engineering Track

MICROBIO 102 General Microbiology Laboratory2
or MICROBIO 304 Biology of Microorganisms Laboratory
BIOCHEM 501 Introduction to Biochemistry3
BSE 364 Engineering Properties of Food and Biological Materials3
BSE/​ENVIR ST  367 Renewable Energy Systems3
BSE 460 Biorefining: Energy and Products from Renewable Resources3
BSE 461 Food and Bioprocessing Operations3
Select one of the following BSE breadth courses:2-3
Land Information Management
On-Site Waste Water Treatment and Dispersal
Sediment and Bio-Nutrient Engineering and Management
Water Management Systems
Engineering Principles of Agricultural Machinery
Engineering Principles of Off-Road Vehicles
Small Watershed Engineering
Total Credits19-20

Technical Electives

See Major Requirements.

Capstone

See Major Requirements.

Four-Year Plan

Students must complete at least 125 total credits to be eligible for graduation.

Sample Biological Systems Engineering Four-Year Plan—Food and Bioprocess Engineering Specialization–BioProcess Engineering Track

First Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
MATH 22115MATH 2224
CHEM 10925BSE 170 or INTEREGR 1702-3
LSC 100 (or other COMM A)3BSE 3103
Ethnic Studies3MICROBIO 101
MICROBIO 102
5
 16 14-15
Second Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
BSE 249 or CBE 2503BSE 3081
BSE 2703BSE 3493
MATH 2344MATH 3203
CHEM 3413INTEREGR 397 (or other COMM B)3
E M A 2013PHYSICS 2025
 16 15
Third Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
M E 3613BSE 3643
BSE/​ENVIR ST  3673BSE 3653
BIOCHEM 5013BSE 5082
STAT 3243M E 363 or CBE 3203-4
Humanities3Technical Electives3
 CALS International Studies3
 15 17-18
Fourth Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
BSE 3803BSE 4603
BSE 4613BSE 4643
BSE 5093BSE Breadth Requirement3
Technical Electives2-3Elective Courses9
Humanities3 
 14-15 18
Total Credits 125-128
1

MATH course dependent on placement score and transfer credit evaluation.

2

If CHEM 103CHEM 104 are taken in place of CHEM 109, it is suggested to take CHEM 103 in the fall semester and CHEM 104 in the spring semester of the first year and move MICROBIO 101MICROBIO 102 to the first semester of the second year. 

Sample Biological Systems Engineering Four-Year Plan—Food and Bioprocess Engineering Specialization–Food Engineering Track

First Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
MATH 22115MICROBIO 1013
CHEM 10925BSE 170 or INTEREGR 1702-3
LSC 100 (or other COMM A)3BSE 3103
Humanities3MATH 2224
 Ethnic Studies3
 16 15-16
Second Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
BSE 249 or CBE 2503BSE 3081
BSE 2703BSE 3493
MATH 2344MATH 3203
CHEM 3413PHYSICS 2025
E M A 2013CALS International Studies3
 16 15
Third Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
FOOD SCI 3013BSE 3643
FOOD SCI/​MICROBIO  3253BSE 3653
BSE 3803BSE 5082
M E 361 or CBE 3103M E 363 or CBE 3203-4
STAT 3243Technical Electives3
 15 14-15
Fourth Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
FOOD SCI 5324BSE 4643
BSE 4613Humanities3
BSE 5093BSE Breadth Requirement3
INTEREGR 397 (or other COMM B)3Technical Elective3
Technical Electives3-4Elective Courses6
 16-17 18
Total Credits 125-128
1

MATH course dependent on placement score and transfer credit evaluation.

2

If CHEM 103CHEM 104 are taken in place of CHEM 109, it is suggested to take CHEM 103 in the fall semester and CHEM 104 in the spring semester of the first year, and move BSE 310 to the second year.