Biological systems engineers design, manage, and develop systems and equipment that produce, package, process, and distribute the world’s food and fiber supplies. Biological Systems Engineering is a discipline based on engineering principles with emphasis on the production and processing of food, fibers, and materials of biological origin. The B.S. in Biological Systems Engineering (within the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences) is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org, under the General Criteria and the Biological Engineering Programs Criteria.
UW’s Biological Systems Engineering courses, curricula, and faculty meet the standards set for professional engineering programs at universities throughout the United States.The Biological Systems Engineering program at UW provides a broad based education, preparing students for the variety of applications that involve biological systems. While breadth is a part of the experience here, students have the opportunity to develop specialization in a number of areas.
Mission
The mission of the Biological Systems Engineering Undergraduate Program is to provide state-of-the-art engineering education that will enable students to design and implement energy-efficient and sustainable solutions to solve the current and future problems and challenges facing the environment, natural resources, machinery systems, and production, harvesting, processing, and utilization of food, biomass, and other biomaterials.
Program Educational Outcomes
The Biological Systems Engineering Department recognizes that our graduates will choose to use acquired knowledge and skills to pursue a wide variety of career and life goals. Whether they choose a professional career, pursue further education, or engage in volunteer work, our graduates will:
- Develop exceptional problem-solving, leadership, teamwork, and communication skills in the intersecting fields of biological systems and engineering, covering various scales, from microbial to global.
- Utilize skills to make meaningful contributions to communities in addressing pressing societal and ecological challenges.
- Be prepared for professional licensure and career development in the public, private, or nonprofit sectors.
BSE Student Outcomes (Learning Goals) are equivalent to ABET Student Outcomes
- an ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics
- an ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors
- an ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences
- an ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts
- an ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives
- an ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions
- an ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies