Nov 24, 2024  
2022-2023 General Catalog 
    
2022-2023 General Catalog ARCHIVED CATALOG: To search archives, MUST use search box to left. Current catalog: catalog.usu.edu.

Biological Engineering - BS


College of Engineering

Department of Biological Engineering

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  • For more information about Biological Engineering, visit the Biological Engineering department.
  • Following is a sample four-year plan. Please note that student-specific plans may differ.
  • Admitted students must meet with an advisor. Current students should also meet with an advisor and log on to Degree Works  to check student-specific program progress.

 

Minimum University Requirements

Total Credits 120

 

Grade Point Average (most majors require higher GPA)

2.00 GPA
Credits of C- or better 100 Credits of upper-division courses (#3000 or above) 40
Total USU Credits 30 Upper-division USU Credits 20
USU Credits within the Major 10 Credits in Minor (if required) 12
Credits in Major see below Credits in American Institutions 3
General Education Requirements    see link University Studies Depth Requirements     see link
NOTES: The highest math requirement for this degree is MATH 2250: Linear Algebra and Differential Equations (QI)  and STAT 3000: Statistics for Scientists (QI) .

 

Pre-Professional Program

Admissions Requirements for this Program

New freshmen Admitted to USU in Good Standing*

 

Transfer students from other institutions or other programs at USU Meet requirements below to be accepted into the pre-professional program
*Minimum 3.0 High School GPA, 23 ACT, 24 math ACT score and 73 Admission Index

 

  • MATH 1210  completed with a C- or higher grade
  • GPA of 2.5 or higher in Pre-Professional courses
  • No more than 2 repeats in Pre-Professional courses
  • 12 credits or more of Science, Engineering, and Math completed with a 2.5 or higher GPA

First Year

 Fall Semester

Credits

Notes:

 

Spring Semester

Credits

Notes:

BENG 1000: Introduction to Undergraduate Research and Engineering Design * 1     BENG 1880: Engineering Quantification of Biological Processes * 3    
BIOL 1610: Biology I /BIOL 1615: Biology I Laboratory * 3 /1   (AND BIOL 3300  with fulfill Breadth Life Sciences (BLS)  requirement) ENGL 2010: Intermediate Writing: Research Writing in a Persuasive Mode (CL2) * 3   See note below.** 
CHEM 1210: Principles of Chemistry I *   4     BENG 1200: SolidWorks for Biological Engineers * 2    
CHEM 1215: Chemical Principles Laboratory I * 1  

 

MATH 1220: Calculus II (QL) * 4   (will fulfill Quantitative Literacy (QL)  or Integrated Studies requirement)
MATH 1210: Calculus I (QL) * 4   See Math Placement  
(will fulfill QL or Integrated Studies requirement)
PHYS 2210: Physics for Scientists and Engineers I (BPS/QI) * 4    
Breadth Creative Arts (BCA)   3 Select a course from the list PHYS 2215: Physics for Scientists and Engineers Lab I * 1    
Total Credits 17   Total Credits 17  
Comments

 * Required for admission to the Professional Program .

Though not required, students are encouraged to take USU 1010: University Connections (1-3)  or ENGR 1940: Women in Engineering Seminar (1)  

Comments

* Required for admission to the Professional Program .

Second Year

 Fall Semester

Credits

Notes:

 

Spring Semester

Credits

Notes:

BENG 2330: Engineering Properties of Biological Materials * 3     Breadth Social Sciences (BSS)   3 Select a course from the list
MATH 2250: Linear Algebra and Differential Equations (QI) * 4   (will fulfill the (Quantitative Intensive (QI)  requirement) BENG 2400: Biological and Environmental Thermodynamics * 3    
CHEM 2300: Principles of Organic Chemistry * 3     ENGR 2140: Mechanics of Materials * 3    
CHEM 2315: Organic Chemistry Laboratory I * 1     ENGR 2210: Fundamental Electronics for Engineers   3    
ENGR 2010: Engineering Mechanics Statics * 3     CHEM 3700: Introductory Biochemistry   3    
Breadth American Institutions (BAI)   3 Select a course from the list CHEM 3710: Introductory Biochemistry Laboratory   1    
Total Credits 17   Total Credits 16  
Comments

*Required for admission to the Professional Program .

Comments

*Required for admission to the Professional Program .

Apply for admission to the Professional Program.

Professional Engineering Program

Admission Requirements for this Program

To be admitted to the professional program, students must:

- Have an overall GPA of 2.30 or higher in the pre-professional courses (denoted with an asterisk*), NOT including ENGL 2010 .

- Pass all of the courses in the pre-professional program with a C- or better (denoted with an asterisk*).

- Have no more than 3 repeats total in the pre-professional courses. Multiple repeats of the same course and audits are included in the total of 3 repeats.

Third Year

 Fall Semester

Credits

General Education Info and Notes:

 

Spring Semester

Credits

General Education Info and Notes:

BENG 3200: Introduction to Unit Operations in Biological Engineering   3     BENG 3000: Instrumentation for Biological Systems   3    
BENG 3500: Fluid Mechanics in Biological Engineering   3     BENG 3670: Transport Phenomena in Bio-Environmental Systems   3    
CS 1400: Introduction to Computer Science–CS 1   4     BENG 3870: Biological Engineering Design I    1    
STAT 3000: Statistics for Scientists (QI)   3   (will fulfill the (Quantitative Intensive (QI)  requirement) ENGR 2450: Numerical Methods for Engineers  ^ 3    
Breadth Humanities (BHU)   3 Select a course from the list ENGR 3080: Technical Communication for Engineers (CI)   3    
      Depth Humanities and Creative Arts (DHA)   2 Select a course from the list
Total Credits 16   Total Credits 15  
Comments

Biological Engineering Professional Program Requirements 

 
Comments

^A structured programming experience in Python, MATLAB, C, FORTRAN, EXCEL-VBA, or similar language is required (CS 1400  meets this requirement).

Passing the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam is part of the degree requirements. It is highly recommended students take the exam before the fall semester of the senior year.

Biological Engineering Professional Program Requirements  

Fourth Year

 Fall Semester

Credits

General Education Info and Notes:

 

Spring Semester

Credits

General Education Info and Notes:

BENG 4880: Biological Engineering Design II (CI)    3   (w/ BENG 4890   will fulfill the (Communications Intensive (CI)  requirement)

Biological Engineering Elective 

3 See below
BENG 5020: Biological Modeling and Controls   3     BENG 4890: Biological Engineering Design III (CI)     3   (w/BENG 4880  will fulfill the Communications Intensive (CI)  requirement)
Biological Engineering Elective  3 See below Technical Elective  3 See below
BIOL 3300: General Microbiology    4   (w/BIOL 1610  will fulfill Breadth Life Sciences (BLS)  requirement) Engineering Elective  3 Select a course from the list below
Technical Elective  2 See below Depth Social Sciences (DSS)   3 Select a course from the list
Total Credits 15   Total Credits 15  
Comments

Biological Engineering Professional Program Requirements 

 
Comments

Apply for graduation as soon as you have registered for your last semester.

Biological Engineering Professional Program Requirements 

Total Program Credits: 128

**Please note: ENGL 1010  is required by USU but is not included in the degree map because most engineering students satisfy this requirement through an ACT English score of 29 or higher, an SAT Critical Reading score of 640 or higher, Advanced Placement (AP) Examinations (score of 3 on English Language & Composition or English Literature & Composition) or College-Level Examination Program (CLEP).

Required for Admission to the Professional Program


Pre-professional courses must have an overall GPA of 2.30 or higher, NOT including ENGL 2010 . All courses in the pre-professional program require a grade of C- or better. Additionally, no more than 3 repeats total are allowed in the pre-professional courses. Multiple repeats of the same course and audits are included in the total of 3 repeats.

Though not required, students are encouraged to take USU 1010  or ENGR 1940 .

Biological Engineering Professional Program Coursework


For Biological Engineering majors in the professional program the following academic regulations apply, in addition to University regulations:

  1. A GPA of 2.0 or higher must be maintained in all required professional courses and any engineering/math/science courses required for, or used to fulfill required electives in, this major. Courses which were part of the pre-professional program requirements and University Studies courses are not included in this GPA calculation.
  2. For Biological Engineering no grades less than C- in engineering/math/science classes may apply toward meeting graduation requirements .
  3. College of Engineering courses may be repeated only once. Audits count as a time taking a class unless prior written approval is obtained from the department head. A maximum of three required or elective courses completed as part of a professional program can be repeated in order to meet graduation requirements. (Courses completed as part of a pre-professional program are not included in this total of three repeats.)
  4. The P/D+, D, F grading option may not be used in required or elective courses completed as part of a professional program. (The P/D+, D, F grading option is approved for University Studies Courses.)
  5. The academic regulations listed above (1-4) apply to required coursework and any elective engineering/math/science course which could be used to satisfy graduation requirements for the chosen degree. That is, once a student completes a particular technical elective, it becomes a required course for that student.

Required Elective Courses (select 14 or more credits)


Biological Engineering Electives (select 6 credits)


Students must take two classes (6 credits) of Biological Engineering Electives. Students may choose from the following classes.

Engineering Electives (select 3 credits)


There are two options to fulfill this requirement:

  1. Students can take an additional (3 credit) biological engineering elective listed in Biological Engineering Electives (not already used).
  2. Students can take at least three credits from the list below:

Technical Electives (select 5 credits)


Students must take 5 credits of approved technical electives listed below. Other classes may be allowed to count that are not on this list. If you have a class not on this list that you would like to count as technical elective credit, it will need to be approved through the advisor and department.