Agricultural and Biological Engineering
Department Office: 338 Agricultural Engineering Sciences Building, 1304 West Pennsylvania Avenue, Urbana, (217) 333-3570
Curriculum in Agricultural and Biological Engineering
For the Degree of Bachelor of Science in Agricultural and Biological Engineering
Agricultural and biological engineering is the application of mathematics, physical and biological science, and engineering to agriculture, food systems, energy, natural resources, the environment, and related biological systems. This program has special emphasis on environmental protection and the biological interface of plants, animals, soils, and microorganisms with the design and performance of environments, machines, mechanisms, processes, and structures.
Areas of Study
The agricultural and biological engineering program provides four standard Areas of Study.
Specializations
- Bioenvironmental Engineering: the application of engineering principles to design, manufacture, and test systems that provide the desired environmental conditions for animals, human housing, crop storage structures, greenhouses, and other biological systems. Bioenvironmental engineers design equipment for heating, ventilating, air-conditioning, air-quality control, and develop systems to handle and treat biowaste.
- Off-Road Equipment Engineering: the application of engineering knowledge and skill to design, manufacture, and test equipment for the agricultural, construction, forestry, and mining industries. Off-road equipment engineers develop precision machine systems that rely on advanced information and sensing technologies and a high level of automation and control.
- Soil and Water Resource Engineering: the application of engineering principles and practices to design and develop systems for natural resources and environmental protection and utilization. Soil and water engineers design systems to control soil erosion and flooding, and develop ways to handle stormwater and control the movement of sediment into water systems.
Concentration
- Food and Bioprocess Engineering: the application of engineering principles to produce, process and package foods and bioproducts. Food and bioprocess engineers design, develop, and construct new processes, machines, and plants; they develop and test new products; and they manage environmental factors, waste products, and energy conservation.
Overview of Curricular Requirements
The curriculum requires 128 hours for graduation, except for the Concentration in Food and Bioprocess Engineering, which requires 132 hours. The curriculum is organized as follows.
Orientation and Professional Development
These courses introduce the opportunities and resources your college, department, and curriculum can offer you as you work to achieve your career goals. They also provide the skills to work effectively and successfully in the engineering profession.
| Hours | Requirements |
|---|---|
| 1 | ABE 100—Agric & Biological Engrg1 |
| 0 | ENG 100—Engineering Orientation1 |
| 1 | Total |
1. External transfer students take ENG 300—Engrg Transfer Orientation instead.
Foundational Mathematics and Science
These courses stress the basic mathematical and scientific principles upon which the engineering discipline is based.
| Hours | Requirements |
|---|---|
| 3 | CHEM 102 - General Chemistry I |
| 1 | CHEM 103 - General Chemistry Lab I |
| 3 | CHEM 104 - General Chemistry II |
| 1 | CHEM 105 - General Chemistry Lab II |
| 4 | MATH 221 - Calculus I1 |
| 2 | MATH 225 - Introductory Matrix Theory |
| 3 | MATH 231 - Calculus II |
| 4 | MATH 241 - Calculus III |
| 3 | MATH 285 - Intro Differential Equations |
| 4 | PHYS 211 - University Physics: Mechanics |
| 4 | PHYS 212 - University Physics: Elec & Mag |
| 2 | PHYS 213 - Univ Physics: Thermal Physics |
| 34 | Total |
1. MATH 220 - Calculus may be substituted, with four of the five credit hours applying toward the degree. MATH 220 is appropriate for students with no background in calculus.
Agricultural and Biological Engineering Technical Core
These courses stress fundamental concepts and basic laboratory techniques that comprise the common intellectual understanding of agricultural and biological engineering and the background for the technical courses and electives in each student's specialization or concentration.
For all Specializations and the Concentration
| Hours | Requirements |
|---|---|
| 4 | ABE 222 - Agric & Biological Engrg II |
| 2 | ABE 430 - Project Management |
| 3 | CS 101 - Intro Computing: Engrg & Sci |
| 3 | ECE 205 - Elec & Electronic Circuits |
| 3 | GE 101 - Engineering Graphics & Design |
| 2 | TAM 210 - Introduction to Statics or TAM 211 - Statics1 |
| 3 | TAM 212 - Introductory Dynamics |
| 3 | TAM 251 - Introductory Solid Mechanics |
| 23 | Subtotal for all specializations and the concentration. See additional technical core requirements below. |
1. The extra hour of credit for this course may be used to help meet free elective requirements.
For the Specializations in Bioenvironmental Engineering, Off-Road Equipment Engineering, or Soil and Water Resource Engineering
| Hours | Requirements |
|---|---|
| 4 | ABE 221 - Agric & Biological Engrg I |
| 3 | CEE 202 - Engineering Risk & Uncertainty or IE 300 - Analysis of Data or ABE 440 - Applied Statistical Methods I1 or STAT 400 - Statistics and Probability I1 |
| 1 | ECE 206 - Elec & Electronic Circuits Lab |
| 3 | ME 300 - Thermodynamics or CHBE 321 - Thermodynamics1 |
| 4 | TAM 335 - Introductory Fluid Mechanics or CHBE 421 - Momentum and Heat Transfer or ME 310 - Introductory Gas Dynamics |
| 15 | Subtotal |
| 38 | Total for the Specializations in Bioenvironmental Engineering, Off-Road Equipment Engineering, or Soil and Water Resource Engineering |
1. The extra hour of credit for this course may be used to help meet free elective requirements.
For the Concentration in Food and Bioprocess Engineering
| Hours | Requirements |
|---|---|
| 3 | ABE 483 - Engrg Properties of Food Matls |
| 2 | ABE 485 - Food & Process Engrg Design |
| 3 | CHBE 221 - Principles of CHE |
| 4 | CHBE 321 - Thermodynamics |
| 4 | CHBE 421 - Momentum and Heat Transfer |
| 4 | CHBE 422 - Mass Transfer Operations |
| 3 | CHEM 232 - Elementary Organic Chemistry I |
| 3 | FSHN 414 - Food Chemistry |
| 3 | FSHN 461 - Food Processing I |
| 3 | FSHN 462 - Food Processing II |
| 3 | FSHN 471 - Food & Industrial Microbiology |
| 3 | MCB 100 - Introductory Microbiology |
| 2 | MCB 101 - Intro Microbiology Laboratory |
| 40 | Subtotal |
| 63 | Total for the Concentration in Food and Bioprocess Engineering |
Technical Electives
This elective course work must be completed to fulfill each Specialization or Concentration. The subjects build upon the agricultural and biological engineering technical core.
For the Specializations in Bioenvironmental Engineering, Off-Road Equipment Engineering, or Soil and Water Resource Engineering
| Hours | Requirements |
|---|---|
| 7 | Biological and natural sciences electives chosen from a departmentally approved list of Biological and Natural Sciences Electives |
| 20 | Technical electives in one or more of the three Specializations chosen in consultation with an advisor. At least 12 hours must be Agricultural and Biological Engineering Technical Electives and the remainder approved Other Technical Electives. |
| 27 | Total |
For the Concentration in Food and Bioprocess Engineering
| Hours | Requirements |
|---|---|
| 6 | Technical electives chosen from a departmentally approved list of Food and Bioprocess Engineering Electives |
Social Sciences and Humanities
The social sciences and humanities courses, as approved by the College of Engineering, ensure that students have exposure in breadth and depth to areas of intellectual activity that are essential to the general education of any college graduate.
| Hours | Requirements |
|---|---|
| 3 | ECON 103 - Macroeconomic Principles1 |
| 15 | Electives in social sciences and humanities approved by the College of Engineering and satisfying the campus general education requirements for social sciences and humanities, including cultural studies western and non-western. |
| 18 | Total |
1. ECON 102 or ACE 100 may be substituted by petition.
Composition
These courses teach fundamentals of expository writing.
| Hours | Requirements |
|---|---|
| 4 | RHET 105 - Principles of Composition |
| Advanced Composition. May be satisfied by completing a course with the Advanced Composition designation in either the social sciences and humanities or the free elective categories. | |
| 4 | Total |
Free Electives
These unrestricted electives give the student the opportunity to explore any intellectual area of unique interest. This freedom plays a critical role in helping students to define research specialties or to complete minors.
| Hours | Requirements |
|---|---|
| 6 | Free electives. Additional unrestricted course work so that there are at least 128 credit hours earned toward the degree, except for the Concentration in Food and Bioprocess Engineering, which requires132 hours. |
Suggested Sequence
The schedule that follows is illustrative, showing the typical sequence in which courses would be taken by a student with no college course credit already earned and who intends to graduate in four years. Each individual's case may vary, but the position of required named courses is generally indicative of the order in which they should be taken. The first year of the Suggested Sequence is the same for all agricultural and biological engineering students. The second through fourth years vary with the Specialization or Concentration chosen. Refer to the appropriate sequence continuation below.
First year
| Hours | First Semester |
|---|---|
| 1 | ABE 100 - Intro Agric & Biological Engrg |
| 3 | CHEM 102 - General Chemistry I |
| 1 | CHEM 103 - General Chemistry Lab I |
| 0 | ENG 100 - Engineering Orientation |
| 3-4 | GE 101 - Engineering
Graphics & Design or RHET 105 - Principles of Composition1 |
| 4 | MATH 221 - Calculus I2 |
| 3 | Elective in social sciences or humanities3,4 |
| 15-16 | Total |
| Hours | Second Semester |
|---|---|
| 3 | CHEM 104 - General Chemistry II* |
| 1 | CHEM 105 - General Chemistry Lab II* |
| 2 | MATH 225 - Introductory Matrix Theory |
| 3 | MATH 231 - Calculus II |
| 4 | PHYS 211 - University Physics: Mechanics |
| 4-3 | RHET 105 - Principles
of Composition or GE 101 - Engineering Graphics & Design1 |
| 17-16 | Total |
*Biological version recommended.
Specializations in Bioenvironmental Engineering, Off-Road Equipment Engineering, or Soil and Water Resource Engineering
For the Concentration in Food and Bioprocess Engineering, see below.
Second year
| Hours | First Semester |
|---|---|
| 4 | ABE 221 - Agric & Biological Engrg I |
| 3 | CS 101 - Intro Computing: Engrg & Sci |
| 4 | MATH 241 - Calculus III |
| 4 | PHYS 212 - University Physics: Elec & Mag |
| 2 | TAM 210 - Introduction to Statics or |
| 17 | Total |
| Hours | Second Semester |
|---|---|
| 4 | ABE 222 - Agric & Biological Engrg II |
| 3 | MATH 285 - Intro Differential Equations |
| 2 | PHYS 213 - Univ Physics: Thermal Physics |
| 3 | TAM 212 - Introductory Dynamics |
| 4 | Biological and natural sciences elective6 |
| 16 | Total |
Third year
| Hours | First Semester |
|---|---|
| 3 | Agricultural and biological engineering technical elective7 |
| 3 | ECE 205 - Elec & Electronic Circuits |
| 1 | ECE 206 - Elec & Electronic Circuits Lab |
| 3 | TAM 251 - Introductory Solid Mechanics |
| 3 | CEE 202 - Engineering Risk & Uncertainty or IE 300 - Analysis of Data or ABE 440 - Applied Statistical Methods I5 or STAT 400 - Statistics and Probability I5 |
| 3 | Elective in social sciences or humanities3,4 |
| 16 | Total |
| Hours | Second Semester |
|---|---|
| 3 | Agricultural and biological engineering technical elective7 |
| 3 | ECON 103 - Macroeconomic Principles3 |
| 3 | ME 300 - Thermodynamics |
| 4 | TAM 335 - Introductory
Fluid Mechanics or CHBE 421 - Momentum and Heat Transfer or ME 310 - Introductory Gas Dynamics |
| 3 | Elective in social sciences or humanities3,4 |
| 16 | Total |
Fourth year
| Hours | First Semester |
|---|---|
| 2 | ABE 430 - Project Management |
| 3 | Agricultural and biological engineering technical elective7 |
| 3 | Elective in social sciences or humanities3,4 |
| 4 | Technical elective7 |
| 3 | Free elective4 |
| 15 | Total |
| Hours | Second Semester |
|---|---|
| 3 | Agricultural and biological engineering technical elective7 |
| 3 | Free elective4 |
| 4 | Technical elective7 |
| 3 | Biological and natural sciences elective6 |
| 3 | Elective in social sciences or humanities3,4 |
| 16 | Total |
Concentration in Food and Bioprocess Engineering
Second year
| Hours | First Semester |
|---|---|
| 3 | CHEM 232 - Elementary Organic Chemistry I |
| 3 | CS 101—Intro Computing: Engrg & Sci |
| 4 | MATH 241 - Calculus III |
| 3 | MCB 100 - Introductory Microbiology |
| 2 | PHYS 213 - Univ Physics: Thermal Physics |
| 2 | TAM 210 - Introduction to Statics or TAM 211 - Statics5 |
| 17-18 | Total |
| Hours | Second Semester |
|---|---|
| 4 | ABE 222 - Agric & Biological Engrg II |
| 3 | MATH 285 - Intro Differential Equations |
| 2 | MCB 101 - Intro Microbiology Laboratory |
| 4 | PHYS 212 - University Physics: Elec & Mag |
| 3 | TAM 212 - Introductory Dynamics |
| 16 | Total |
Third year
| Hours | First Semester |
|---|---|
| 3 | CHBE 221 - Principles of CHE |
| 3 | FSHN 414 - Food Chemistry |
| 3 | TAM 251 - Introductory Solid Mechanics |
| 3 | ECON 103—Macroeconomic Principles3 |
| 3 | Electives in social sciences or humanities3,4 |
| 3 | Technical elective8 |
| 18 | Total |
| Hours | Second Semester |
|---|---|
| 4 | CHBE 321 - Thermodynamics |
| 3 | ECE 205 - Elec & Electronic Circuits |
| 3 | FSHN 471 - Food & Industrial Microbiology |
| 3 | Free elective4 |
| 3 | Elective in social sciences or humanities3,4 |
| 16 | Total |
Fourth year
| Hours | First Semester |
|---|---|
| 2 | ABE 430 - Project Management |
| 3 | ABE 483 - Engrg Properties of Food Matls |
| 4 | CHBE 421 - Momentum and Heat Transfer |
| 3 | FSHN 461 - Food Processing I |
| 3 | Technical elective8 |
| 3 | Elective in social sciences or humanities3,4 |
| 18 | Total |
| Hours | Second Semester |
|---|---|
| 2 | ABE 485 - Food & Process Engrg Design |
| 4 | CHBE 422 - Mass Transfer Operations |
| 3 | FSHN 462 - Food Processing II |
| 3 | Free elective4 |
| 3 | Elective in social sciences or humanities3,4 |
| 15 | Total |
1. RHET 105 may be taken in the first or second semester of the first year as authorized. The alternative is GE 101. Students may take SPCM 111 and 112 in place of RHET 105.
2. MATH 220 - Calculus may be substituted with four of the five credit hours applying toward the degree. MATH 220 is appropriate for students with no background in calculus.
3. Each student must satisfy the 18-hour social sciences and humanities requirements of the College of Engineering, including ECON 103 (or either ECON 102 or ACE 100 by permission), and the campus general education requirements for social sciences and humanities.
4. One elective course must satisfy the General Education Advanced Composition requirement.
5. The extra hour of credit for this course may be used to help meet free elective requirements.
6. Students in the Specializations of Bioenvironmental Engineering, Off-Road Equipment Engineering, and Soil and Water Resource Engineering must complete seven hours from the approved list of Biological and Natural Sciences Electives.
7. Students in the Specializations of Bioenvironmental Engineering, Off-Road Equipment Engineering, and Soil and Water Resource Engineering must have 20 hours of technical electives chosen in consultation with an advisor. At least 12 hours must be from the approved list of Agricultural and Biological Engineering Technical Electives and the remainder selected from the approved list of Other Technical Electives.
8. Students in the Food and Bioprocess Engineering Concentration must select 6 hours of technical electives from the approved list of Food and Bioprocess Engineering Electives.