BS in Biological Systems Engineering

What is Biological Systems Engineering?

Biological Systems Engineering involves sustainable production, storage, and conversion of biomaterials into useful and valuable products. Engineers in this field will tackle real-world problems such as developing renewable biofuels and bioenergy, developing sustainable materials and bioproducts, and find solutions to food insecurity by developing technologies for the food industry and sustainable agricultural practice. This program will combine biological and chemical sciences with mathematics and engineering principles, along with a concentration of courses in either Nutritional sciences, Food & Bioprocess Engineering, Agricultural Engineering, or Fiber & Biopolymer Engineering. 

Careers in Biological Systems Engineering

Engineering graduates from TTU are highly sought after in a wide range of industrial sectors, and those graduating from this program can expect to find roles in energy and fuel production, pharmaceuticals, consumer products, food and biotechnology. They will enter positions such as process engineer, field engineer, systems engineer, or project manager. Graduates will also be well-prepared for advanced degrees in biomedical sciences.

What courses will I take?

The BS Biological Systems Engineering program is a 128-credit hour degree that entails 52 credit hours of engineering, 12 hours of Chemistry, 11 hours of Biology, 15 hours of Math and 12 hours of science courses for a specific concentration area. The core Biosystems Engineering classes will cover concepts ranging from thermodynamics, fluid flow and heat transfer in biological systems, biochemical reactions, bioprocessing, as well as a hands-on lab course, and a senior capstone design project. 

The entire degree plan can be viewed here. Alternatively, you can view the TTU catalog and course descriptions here.

What are the concentration areas to choose from? 

In this program, all students will select a concentration area from one of the following choices: (1) Nutritional Science, (ii) Food and Bioprocess Engineering, (iii) Fiber and Biopolymer Engineering, (iv) Agricultural Engineering. The course sequence for each of these options is shown below:

Nutritional Science
NS-3340 Nutrition in the Lifecycle
NS-4351 Nutritional Pathophysiology
NS-4352 Nutrition Technology I (Physiology)
NS-4353 Nutrition Technology II (Pathology)

Food & Bioprocess Engineering
FDSC-3305 Principles of Food Engineering
FDSC-3301 Food Microbiology
FDSC-3306 Food Plant Design
FDSC-4304 Field Studies in processing

Agricultural Engineering
PSS-4325 Crop Water Management
PSS-4340 Irrigation Management Seminar
NRM-3330 Geographic Information Systems for Natural Resources
NRM-3309 Restoration Ecology or NRM-4315 Spatial Analysis in NRM

Fiber & Biopolymer Engineering
PSS-43xx Biomass Chemistry, Management and Transformation
PSS-43xx Biomaterials Engineering
PSS-43xx Integrated Biorefining Systems
PSS-43xx Process Engineering in Packaging for Food Applications