Bioprocessing Sciences Minor

Location(s): Brookings Main Campus

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View of equipment and two workers inside the Davis Dairy Plant.

Program Coordinator/Contact

James Connors, Associate Dean and Director of Academic Programs
College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences
Berg Agricultural Hall 162, Box 2207
605-688-5133

Program Information

The interdisciplinary minor in Bioprocessing Sciences will provide students with a general understanding of principles and development of skills in bioprocessing technologies such as fermentation, bioseparation, and energy transfer. Principles of quality control, operational efficiency, safety, and project management are also important components of the minor. Students will learn how to apply these principles and technologies in commercial product bio-based manufacturing and environmental services.

Bioprocessing technologies are used in a variety of industries ranging from renewable fuels, food and drink products, pharma- and nutraceuticals, and environmental remediation of wastes. This minor will combine courses from several disciplines to enhance the student’s knowledge of these technologies and provide hands-on experiences with their applications, thus helping to prepare students for career opportunities in the bioprocessing industries.

Course Delivery Format

Coursework is delivered in a face-to-face learning environment with hands-on class laboratory experiences and an experiential learning component.

Student Learning Outcomes

Students completing the minor in Bioprocessing Sciences will be able to:

Understand how cells or cellular components of biomaterials can be grown to produce commercial quantities of desired raw products (upstream bioprocessing).
Understand and use biomass separation techniques to extract desired product from cell debris (downstream bioprocessing).
Apply bioprocessing principles (e.g., fermentation, heat, mass, and energy transfer) to manufacturing of renewable energy and commercial bioproducts or to management of environmental waste.
Apply principles of quality control, operations efficiency, project management, and safety to manufacturing of bio-based products.
Demonstrate understanding and applications of operational protocol used in a bioprocessing discipline.
Demonstrate a working knowledge of one or more industries that utilize bioprocessing technologies.

Requirements for Bioprocessing Sciences Minor: 18 Credits

ABE 343 - Engineering Properties of Biological Materials Credits: 2
and ABE 343L - Engineering Properties of Biological Materials Lab Credits: 1
or ME 311 - Thermodynamics I Credits: 3
or ME 314 - Thermodynamics Credits: 3
ABE 411 - Design Project III Credits: 2 *
or XXX 494 - Internship Credits: 1-2 *
or XXX 498 - Undergraduate Research Credits: 1-2 *
ABE 444 - Unit Operations of Biological Materials Processing Credits: 3
ABE 444L - Unit Operations of Biological Materials Processing Lab Credits: 1
AST 443 - Food Processing and Engineering Fundamentals Credits: 2
and AST 443L - Food Processing and Engineering Fundamentals Lab Credits: 1
or FS 351 - Principles of Food Processing Credits: 2
and FS 351L - Principles of Food Processing Lab Credits: 1
or ME 416 - Renewable Energy Systems Credits: 3
or MICR 450 - Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology Credits: 3
MICR 231 - General Microbiology (COM) [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 4
and MICR 231L - General Microbiology Lab (COM) [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 0
or MICR 233 - Introductory Microbiology Credits: 3
and MICR 233L - Introductory Microbiology Lab Credits: 1
* Must be relevant to bioprocessing and approved by program coordinator.

Select from the following

Select 3-4 credits from the following. Credits: 3-4

GE 425 - Occupational Safety and Health Management Credits: 3
MICR 311 - Food Microbiology Credits: 2
MICR 311L - Food Microbiology Lab Credits: 2
MICR 332 - Microbial Physiology Credits: 2
MICR 332L - Microbial Physiology Lab Credits: 2
MNET 231 - Manufacturing Processes I Credits: 2
MNET 231L - Manufacturing Processes I Lab Credits: 1
NUTR 426 - Production of Wine Beer Spirits Credits: 2
NUTR 426L - Production of Wine Beer Spirits Lab Credits: 1
OM 240 - Decision Making Processes in Management Credits: 3
OM 425 - Production and Operations Management Credits: 3