Agricultural & Biological Engineering, BS and Agricultural & Biological Engineering, BSAG
for the dual degree of Bachelor of Science in Agricultural & Biological Engineering and the Bachelor of Science in Agriculture in Agricultural & Biological Engineering
Dual Degree – Five Year Academic Program
Students who successfully complete this five-year academic program receive the Bachelor of Science with a major in Agricultural and Biological Engineering from The Grainger College of Engineering as well as the Bachelor of Science in Agriculture with a major in Agricultural and Biological Engineering from the College of ACES.
Students enroll in the College of ACES and then transfer to The Grainger College of Engineering after two years. Students then complete the ABET-accredited degree program in Agricultural and Biological Engineering in The Grainger College of Engineering while taking additional coursework in ACES to complete the requirements for the Bachelor of Science in Agriculture in Agricultural and Biological Engineering degree program in ACES. The suggested program of study that follows fulfills the additional graduation requirements for the second degree, which requires completion of the Grainger College of Engineering degree.
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. Graduates are employed by industry, consulting firms, and government for research, education, and manufacturing.
for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Agricultural & Biological Engineering
Agricultural and Biological Engineers apply fundamental engineering principles to problems relating to agriculture and biology. ABE students learn to design technological solutions to problems in agricultural, food, bioenergy, water, and other biological systems.
The Bachelor of Science in Agricultural and Biological Engineering (ABE) equips graduates to address grand challenges related to food, water, energy, and the environment. The program offers an ABET-accredited, flexible curriculum.
The ABE program comprises six concentrations. Students pursuing this major select one of the following concentrations:
- Bioprocess Engineering and Industrial Biotechnology Concentration
- Off-Highway Vehicle and Equipment Engineering Concentration
- Renewable Energy Systems Engineering Concentration
- Soil and Water Resources Engineering Concentration
- Sustainable Ecological and Environmental Systems Engineering Concentration
- Synthetic Biological Engineering Concentration
Each concentration (30 hours each) has its own unique body of knowledge and engineering tools and builds upon engineering fundamentals from the first two years of the program.
for the dual degree of Bachelor of Science in Agricultural & Biological Engineering and the Bachelor of Science in Agriculture in Agricultural & Biological Engineering
While completing the Agricultural & Biological Engineering, B.S. the student takes additional classes in ACES for the BSAG degree. The student is in ACES in years 1 and 2, transferring to The Grainger College of Engineering for years 3 through 5. The curriculum for the additional classes to complete the BSAG degree is as follows:
Graduation Requirements
Minimum hours required for B.S. graduation: 128 hours.
Minimum hours required for B.S. + BSAG graduation: 158 hours.
Minimum Overall GPA: 2.0
University Requirements
Minimum of 40 hours of upper-division coursework, generally at the 300 and 400 level. These hours can be drawn from all elements of the degree. Students should consult their academic advisor for additional guidance in fulfilling this requirement.
The university and residency requirements can be found in the Student Code (§ 3-801) and in the Academic Catalog.
General Education Requirements
Follows the campus General Education (Gen Ed) requirements. Some Gen Ed requirements may be met by courses required and/or electives in the program. The General Education Requirements shown below are taken as part of the Agricultural & Biological Engineering, B.S.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Composition I | 4-6 | |
| Advanced Composition | 3 | |
fulfilled by ABE 469 | ||
| Humanities & the Arts (6 hours) | 6 | |
| Natural Sciences & Technology (6 hours) | 6 | |
| Social & Behavioral Sciences (6 hours) | 6 | |
| Cultural Studies: Non-Western Cultures (1 course) | 3 | |
| Cultural Studies: US Minority Cultures (1 course) | 3 | |
| Cultural Studies: Western/Comparative Cultures (1 course) | 3 | |
| Quantitative Reasoning (2 courses, at least one course must be Quantitative Reasoning I) | 6-8 | |
| Language Requirement (Completion of the third semester or equivalent of a language other than English is required) | 0-15 | |
Agricultural & Biological Engineering, BSAG Requirements in addition to completion of Agricultural & Biological Engineering, B.S.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required coursework: | ||
| Communication | 3 | |
| Public Speaking | ||
| Additional Biological Sciences Coursework. Choose an additional 4 hours from the list below: | 4 | |
| Intro to Animal Sciences | ||
| Cells, Metabolism and Genetics | ||
| Principles of Biochemistry in Animals | ||
| Behavior of Domestic Animals | ||
| Dairy Herd Management | ||
| Beef Production | ||
| Sheep and Goat Production | ||
| Pork Production | ||
| Poultry Science | ||
| Zoo Animal Conservation Sci | ||
| Comparative Immunobiology | ||
| General Physical Meteorology | ||
| Climate Processes | ||
| Elementary Organic Chemistry I | ||
| Elementary Organic Chem Lab I | ||
| Inorganic Chemistry | ||
| Elementary Organic Chem II | ||
| Chemistry of the Environment | ||
| Green Chemistry | ||
| Introduction to Crop Sciences | ||
| Biotechnology in Agriculture | ||
| Genetic Engineering Lab | ||
| Applied Entomology | ||
| Plant Genetics | ||
| Forage Crops & Pasture Ecology | ||
| Bioenergy Crops | ||
| Crop Growth and Management | ||
| Plants and Global Change | ||
| Principles of Agroecology | ||
| Mgmt of Field Crop Insects | ||
| The Science of Food and How it Relates to You | ||
| Food Chemistry | ||
| Food Chemistry Laboratory | ||
| Food & Industrial Microbiology | ||
| Food Processing Unit Operations I | ||
| Food Processing Unit Operations I Lab | ||
| Food Processing Unit Operations II | ||
| Food Processing Unit Operations II Lab | ||
| Physical Geology | ||
| Environmental Geology | ||
| Introduction to Horticulture | ||
| Greenhouse Mgmt and Production | ||
| Planting for Biodiversity and Aesthetics | ||
| Vegetable Crop Production | ||
| Small Fruit Production | ||
| Tree Fruit Production | ||
| Postharvest Handling Hort Crop | ||
| Horticultural Physiology | ||
| Urban Food Production | ||
| Introduction to Plant Biology | ||
| Organismal & Evolutionary Biol and Organismal & Evol Biol Lab | ||
| Ecology | ||
| Animal Behavior | ||
| Bioinspiration | ||
| Plant Physiology | ||
| Biogeography | ||
| Insect Ecology | ||
| Ecosystem Ecology | ||
| Insect Pest Management | ||
| Introductory Microbiology and Intro Microbiology Laboratory | ||
| Molecular & Cellular Basis of Life and Molec & Cellular Laboratory | ||
| Human Anatomy & Physiology I and Human Anat & Physiol Lab I | ||
| Molecular Genetics and Exp Techniqs in Molecular Biol | ||
| Cells, Tissues & Development and Exp Techniqs in Cellular Biol | ||
| Microbiology and Experimental Microbiology | ||
| Introduction to Neurobiology | ||
| Genetics and Disease | ||
| Introductory Biochemistry | ||
| Introductory Soils | ||
| Applied Ecology | ||
| Fish and Wildlife Ecology | ||
| Introduction to Environmental Chemistry | ||
| Env and Plant Ecosystems | ||
| Restoration Ecology | ||
| Aquatic Ecosystem Conservation | ||
| Env and Sustainable Dev | ||
| Pedology | ||
| Environmental Microbiology | ||
| Soil Chemistry | ||
| Soil Fertility and Fertilizers | ||
| Plant Disease Diagnosis & Mgmt | ||
| Agricultural Sciences Coursework (additional 15 hours of agricultural sciences with courses from at least two subject areas other than ABE and ETMAS and approval of advisers are required) | 15 | |
| Free Electives (sufficient free electives selected to total minimum curriculum requirement of 158 hours. All requirements of the combined curriculum must be completed to satisfy the requirements for both degrees) | ||
| Total hours required to receive an Agricultural and Biological Engineering, BS and an Agricultural Science, BSAG | 158 | |
for the dual degree of Bachelor of Science in Agricultural & Biological Engineering and the Bachelor of Science in Agriculture in Agricultural & Biological Engineering
Sample Sequence
This sample sequence is intended to be used only as a guide for degree completion. All students should work individually with their academic advisors to decide the actual course selection and sequence that works best for them based on their academic preparation and goals. Enrichment programming such as study abroad, minors, internships, and so on may impact the structure of this four-year plan. Course availability is not guaranteed during the semester indicated in the sample sequence.
Students must fulfill their Language Other Than English requirement by successfully completing a third level of a language other than English. This sample curriculum plan makes the assumption that the foreign language graduation requirement has been satisfied by completing three years of study of a single foreign language in high school. For more information, see the corresponding section on the Degree and General Education Requirements page.
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| ABE 127 | 2 | ABE 128 | 3 |
| ENG 100 | 1 | PHYS 211 | 4 |
| MATH 221 | 4 | MATH 231 | 3 |
| CHEM 102 | 3 | CHEM 104 | 3 |
| CHEM 103 | 1 | CHEM 105 | 1 |
| Composition I or General Education course | 4 | Composition I or General Education course | 3 |
| 15 | 17 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| ABE 227 | 3 | ABE 228 | 3 |
| CS 101 | 3 | PHYS 212 | 4 |
| MATH 241 | 4 | MATH 285 | 3 |
| SE 101 | 3 | MATH 257 | 3 |
| TAM 211 | 3 | TAM 212 | 3 |
| 16 | 16 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| ABE 340 | 3 | IE 300 or STAT 400 | 3 |
| ECE 205 | 3 | Concentration course | 4 |
| Concentration course | 3 | Concentration course | 3 |
| Concentration course | 4 | Concentration course | 4 |
| General Education course | 3 | General Education Course | 3 |
| 16 | 17 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| ABE 430 | 2 | ABE 469 | 4 |
| Concentration course | 3 | Concentration course | 3 |
| Concentration course | 3 | Concentration course | 3 |
| General education course | 3 | General Education course | 3 |
| Language Other Than English 3rd Level | 4 | General Education course | 3 |
| 15 | 16 | ||
| Fifth Year | |||
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| CMN 101 | 3 | Biological Sciences Coursework | 4 |
| Agricultural Sciences Coursework | 3 | Agricultural Sciences Coursework | 3 |
| Agricultural Sciences Coursework | 3 | Agricultural Sciences Coursework | 3 |
| Agricultural Sciences Coursework | 3 | Free elective | 2 |
| Free elective | 3 | Free elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Total Hours 158 | |||
for the dual degree of Bachelor of Science in Agricultural & Biological Engineering and the Bachelor of Science in Agriculture in Agricultural & Biological Engineering
Agricultural & Biological Engineering graduates will have:
- 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.
for the dual degree of Bachelor of Science in Agricultural & Biological Engineering and the Bachelor of Science in Agriculture in Agricultural & Biological Engineering
Agricultural & Biological Engineering
Agricultural & Biological Engineering Department website
338 Agricultural Engineering Sciences Building
1304 West Pennsylvania Avenue
Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 333-3570
abe@illinois.edu
College of Agricultural, Consumer & Environmental Sciences
College of Agricultural, Consumer & Environmental Sciences website
The Grainger College of Engineering
The Grainger College of Engineering website
ACES Office of Academic Programs
128 Mumford Hall
1301 West Gregory Drive
Urbana, IL 61801
217-333-3380
aces-academics@illinois.edu
Advising
ABE Advising website
(217) 333-3570
tsm-etm-abe-advising@rt.aces.illinois.edu
Admissions
ACES Undergraduate Admissions
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Undergrad Admissions
(217) 333-3380
visitACES@illinois.edu