University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
2001-2003 Programs of Study Timetables
Course Catalog
contents undergraduate graduate professional search

< College of Engineering

Curriculum in Agricultural Engineering

Department of Agricultural Engineering
338 Agricultural Engineering Sciences Building
1304 West Pennsylvania Avenue
Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 333-3570
Fax: (217) 244-0323
E-mail: age@uiuc.edu
URL: http://www.age.uiuc.edu

For the Degree of Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Engineering

Agricultural engineering is the application of science, mathematics, and engineering to agriculture, food systems, natural resources, the environment, and related biological systems. This program has special emphasis on environmental protection and the biological interface of plants, animals, and soils with the design and performance of environments, machines, mechanisms, processes, and structures.

Educational Objectives

The agricultural engineering program develops graduates with a comprehensive education for engineering careers in industry, consulting, government, and academia. The program provides a combination of courses in engineering theory and application for students seeking careers in agricultural production, bioprocess systems, environmental protection, and product utilization.

Students will be provided the opportunity to:

· develop knowledge and appreciation of biological and agricultural systems as a basis for engineering applications,

· identify and analyze engineering problems related to these systems and organize a systematic approach to their solution and evaluation,

· design machines, systems, and processes considering economic, social, and environmental impacts,

· develop communication, learning, and teamwork skills,

· develop a sense of social and professional responsibility for solving engineering problems that benefit society.

Educational Outcomes

Engineering design, teamwork, and communication are integrated throughout the curriculum, culminating in a capstone design experience. By choice of electives, students not only meet all the outcomes listed in the College of Engineering introductory description but are also provided with the opportunity to specialize in bioenvironmental engineering, food and bioprocess engineering, grain quality and milling properties, off-road equipment engineering, precision agriculture, or soil and water resource engineering. The curriculum requires 128 hours for graduation, except for the specialization in food and bioprocess engineering, which requires 132 hours for graduation. For more details or information regarding the curriculum, visit our Web site or arrange a personal visit to the department. Specialization in Bioenvironmental Engineering, Off-Road Equipment Engineering, or Soil and Water Resource Engineering

First year 

HOURS     FIRST SEMESTER
1     AG E 100-Introduction to Agricultural Engineering
3     CHEM 101-General Chemistry
1     CHEM 105-General Chemistry Laboratory
0     ENG 100-Engineering Lecture
3     G E 103-Engineering Graphics and Design
5     MATH 120-Calculus and Analytic Geometry, I
4     RHET 105-Principles of Composition1
17     Total
HOURS     SECOND SEMESTER 
3     CHEM 102-General Chemistry (Biological or Physical Version)*
1     CHEM 106-General Chemistry Laboratory (Biological or Physical Version)*
3     MATH 130-Calculus and Analytic Geometry, II
2     MATH 225-Introductory Matrix Theory
4     PHYCS 111-General Physics (Mechanics)
4     Biological and natural sciences elective2
17     Total

*Biological version recommended.

Second year 

HOURS     FIRST SEMESTER

4     AG E 221-Engineering for Agricultural and Biological Systems
3     C S 101-Introduction to Computing with Application to Engineering and Physical Science
3     MATH 242-Calculus of Several Variables
4     PHYCS 112-General Physics (Electricity and Magnetism)
2­3     T A M 150-Introduction to Statics or T A M 152-Engineering Mechanics, I­Statics
16­17     Total
HOURS     SECOND SEMESTER
4     AG E 222-Engineering for Bioprocessing and Bioenvironmental Systems
3     MATH 285-Differential Equations and Orthogonal Functions
2     PHYCS 113-General Physics (Fluids and Thermal Physics)
3     T A M 212-Engineering Mechanics, II­Dynamics
3     Elective in social sciences or humanities3, 4 
15     Total

Third year 

HOURS     FIRST SEMESTER 
3     Agricultural engineering technical elective5
3     ECE 205-Introduction to Electric and Electronic Circuits
1     ECE 206-Introduction to Electric and Electronic Circuits Laboratory
3     T A M 221-Introduction to Solid Mechanics
3­4     STAT 310/MATH 363-Introduction to Mathematical Statistics and Probability,
        I; or CEE 293-Engineering Modeling Under Uncertainty; or I E 230-Analysis of Data

College of Engineering 

3     Elective in social sciences or humanities3, 4
16­17     Total
HOURS     SECOND SEMESTER
3     Agricultural engineering technical elective5
1     AG E 298-Undergraduate Seminar
3     ECON 103-Macroeconomic Principles3
3­4     M E 205-Thermodynamics, or CH E 370-Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics
3­4     T A M 235-Introduction to Fluid Mechanics, or 
        CH E 371-Fluid Mechanics and Heat Transfer, or M E 211-Introductory Gas Dynamics
3     Elective in social sciences or humanities3, 4
16­18     Total

Fourth year 

HOURS     FIRST SEMESTER 
3     Agricultural engineering technical elective5
3     Elective in social sciences or humanities3, 4
4     Technical elective5
3     Free elective4
2     AG E 299-Undergraduate Thesis
15     Total
HOURS     SECOND SEMESTER
3     Agricultural engineering technical elective5
3     Free elective4
3     Technical elective5
4     Biological and natural sciences elective2
3     Elective in social sciences or humanities3, 4
16     Total

1. Students may take SPCOM 111 and 112 in place of RHET 105. RHET 105 may be taken in the first or second semester of the first year.

2. Students must complete eight hours from biological and natural sciences approved list.

3. Each student must satisfy the social sciences and humanities requirements of the College of Engineering, including ECON 102 or 103, and the campus general education requirements to social sciences and humanities.

4. One elective course must satisfy the Eeneral Education Advanced Composition requirement.

5. Students must have 19 hours of technical electives; at least 12 hours must be from AG E courses and the remainder selected from the department-approved list.

Biological and Natural Sciences Electives 

HOURS     
8      Choose from (8 hours minimum):
4     AN SCI 202-Domestic Animal Physiology
3     AN SCI 307-Environmental Aspects of Animal Management
3     BIOL 100-Biological Sciences1
4     BIOL 101-Biological Sciences1
4     BIOL 104-Animal Biology1
3     CHEM 231-Elementary Organic Chemistry, I
2     CHEM 234-Elementary Organic Chemistry Laboratory, I
3     CPSC/ENT/NRES 120-Introduction to Applied Entomology
3     CPSC 322-Forage Crops and Pastures
3     FSHN 371/MCBIO 311-Food and Industrial Microbiology
4     GEOL 101-Introduction to      Physical Geology
3     GEOL 250-Geology for Engineers

3     MCBIO 100-Introductory      Microbiology1
2     MCBIO 101-Introductory      Experimental Microbiology
2     MCBIO 312-Techniques of      Applied Microbiology
4     NRES 101-Introductory Soils
3     NRES 245-Indoor Plant Culture, Use, and Identification
4     NRES 365-Growth and Development of Horticultural Crops
4     PLBIO 100-Plant Biology1 or CPSC 121-Principles of Field Crop Production and Protection
4     PHYSL 103-Introduction to      Human Physiology

1. Students must take at least one of these courses.

Technical Electives

For a total of 19 hours.

Agricultural Engineering Technical Electives 

HOURS     
3     AG E 236-Machine Characteristics and Mechanisms
3     AG E 277-Design of Architectural Structures1
3     AG E 287-Environmental Control for Plants and Animals1
3­4   AG E 311-Instrumentation and Measurement2
3     AG E 315-Applied Machine Vision
3     AG E 336-Engineering Design Projects for Agricultural Industries1
3     AG E 346-Tractors and Prime Movers
3     AG E 356-Soil and Water Conservation Structures1
3     AG E 357-Land Drainage1
3     AG E 360-Indoor Air Contaminant Measurement and Control
3     AG E 383-Engineering Properties of Food Materials
2     AG E 385-Food and Process Engineering Design1
3     AG E 387-Grain Drying and Conditioning
3     AG E 389-Process Design for Corn Milling

1. Students must take at least one of these courses. Includes major design experience.

2. This course is strongly recommended.

Other Technical Electives

Choose the remainder of the 19 hours from: 

4     CEE 201-Engineering Surveying or CE 205-Route Surveying and Design
3     CEE 241-Environmental Quality Engineering
3     CEE 255-Introduction to Hydrosystems Engineering1
3     CEE 261-Introduction to Structural Engineering1
3     CEE 263-Behavior and Design of Metal Structures, I
3     CEE 264-Reinforced Concrete Design, I
3     CEE 280-Introduction to Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering
3     CEE 350-Surface Water Hydrology
3     CEE 361-Methods of Structural Analysis
3     CH E 261-Introduction to Chemical Engineering
4     CH E 370-Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics
4     CH E 371-Fluid Mechanics and Heat Transfer
4     CH E 373-Mass Transfer Operations
3     G E 288-Engineering Economy and Operations Research
4     M E 231-Engineering Materials
3     M E 271-Mechanical Design, I1
3     M E 285-Design for Manufacturability
3     M E 307-Solar Energy Utilization
3     MFG E 210-Introduction to Manufacturing Systems
3     MFG E 350-Information Management for Manufacturing Systems
5     PHYCS 343/CHEM 323-Electronic Circuits, I
     Any 200- or 300-level engineering course approved by an adviser.

1. One of these courses is strongly recommended.

Specialization in Food and Bioprocess Engineering

Food and bioprocess engineering is the application of engineering principles to produce, preserve, process, package, and distribute foods. Food and bioprocess engineers develop, design, and construct new machinery, processes, and plants; they develop and test new products; they preserve and distribute foods; and they manage environmental factors, waste products, and energy. Food and bioprocess engineers participate in nearly every phase of food processing. Graduates are prepared for positions in a variety of industries, including food, pharmaceutical, and biotechnology industries. Job opportunities also exist with the government, universities, and consulting firms. Career possibilities include research and development; project, process, and plant engineering, which can include design, optimization, and construction; technical sales and service; and supervision and management. Those who continue their education in graduate school will have a strong background for further study in the sciences or engineering.

First year 

HOURS     FIRST SEMESTER
1     AG E 100-Introduction to Agricultural Engineering
3     CHEM 101-General Chemistry
1     CHEM 105-General Chemistry Laboratory
0     ENG 100-Engineering Lecture
3     G E 103-Engineering Graphics and Design
5     MATH 120-Calculus and Analytic Geometry, I
4     RHET 105-Principles of Composition1
17     Total
HOURS     SECOND SEMESTER
3     CHEM 102-General Chemistry (Biological or Physical Version)
1     CHEM 106-General Chemistry Laboratory (Biological or Physical Version)
3     C S 101-Introduction to Computing with Application to Engineering and Physical Science
3     MATH 130-Calculus and Analytic Geometry, II
2     MATH 225-Introductory Matrix Theory
4     PHYCS 111-General Physics (Mechanics)
16     Total

Second year 

HOURS     FIRST SEMESTER
3     CHEM 231-Elementary Organic Chemistry, I
3     ECON 103-Macroeconomic Principles2
3     MATH 242-Calculus of Several Variables
3     MCBIO 100-Introductory Microbiology
2     PHYCS 113-General Physics (Fluids and Thermal Physics)
2­3     T A M 150-Introduction to Statics or T A M 152-Engineering Mechanics, I­Statics
16­17     Total
HOURS     SECOND SEMESTER
4     AG E 222-Engineering for Bioprocessing and Bioenvironmental Systems
3     MATH 285-Differential Equations and Orthogonal Functions
2     MCBIO 101-Introductory Experimental Microbiology
4     PHYCS 112-General Physics (Electricity and Magnetism)
3     T A M 212-Engineering Mechanics, II­Dynamics
16     Total

Third year 

HOURS     FIRST SEMESTER
3     CH E 261-Introduction to Chemical Engineering
4     FSHN 314-Food Chemistry and Nutrition, I
3     T A M 221-Introduction to Solid Mechanics
6     Electives in social sciences or humanities2, 4
16     Total
HOURS     SECOND SEMESTER
1     AG E 298-Undergraduate Seminar
4     CH E 370-Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics
3     ECE 205-Introduction to Electric and Electronic Circuits
3     FSHN 371/MCBIO 311-Food and Industrial Microbiology
3     Free elective4
3     Elective in social sciences or humanities2, 4
17     Total

Fourth year 

HOURS     FIRST SEMESTER 
3     AG E 383-Engineering Properties of Food Materials
4     CH E 371-Fluid Mechanics and Heat Transfer
3     FSHN 361-Food Processing, I
4     Technical elective3
3     Elective in social sciences or humanities2, 4
17     Total
HOURS     SECOND SEMESTER
2     AG E 299-Undergraduate Thesis
2     AG E 385-Food and Process Engineering Design
4     CH E 373-Mass Transfer Operations
3     FSHN 362-Food Processing, II
3     Free elective4
3     Elective in social sciences or humanities2, 4
17     Total

1. Students may take SPCOM 111 and 112 in place of RHET 105. RHET 105 may be taken in the first or second semester of the first year.

2. Each student must satisfy the social sciences and humanities requirements of the College of Engineering, including ECON 102 or 103, and the campus general education requirements to social sciences and humanities.

3. Students select technical electives from the approved list for food and bioprocess engineering.

4. One elective course must satisfy the General Education Advanced Composition requirement.

Food and Bioprocess Engineering Electives 

HOURS     TECHNICAL ELECTIVES
3­4     AG E 311-Instrumentation and Measurements
3     AG E 315-Applied Machine Vision
3     AG E 387-Grain Drying and Conditioning
3     AG E 389-Process Design for Corn Milling
3     AG E 396-Special Problems (Package Engineering)

3­4     CEE 293-Engineering Modeling Under Uncertainty, I E 230-Analysis of Data, 
        or STAT 310/MATH 363-Introduction to Mathematical Statistics and Probability, I
3     CH E 389-Chemical Process Control and Dynamics
3     G E 288-Engineering Economy and Operations Research
3.5     M E 261-Fundamentals of Signal Processing, Instrumentation, and Control
3     M E 271-Mechanical Design, I
2     MCBIO 312-Techniques of Applied Microbiology
     Other electives, subject to approval.

 

< College of Engineering