Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering (B.S.)

Location(s): Brookings Main Campus

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Program Coordinator/Contact

Kasiviswanathan Muthukumarappan, Maynard A. Klingbeil Endowed Department Head and Distinguished Professor
Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering
Raven Precision Agriculture Center 136
605-688-5666

Program Information

Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering is the science of engineering applied to the products and processes of agriculture and related industries. Design projects solicited from industry provide students with relevant “real world” design experience. This provides hands on learning in variety of technical areas such as natural resource management, irrigation and drainage, water resources development, machine dynamics and design, precision agriculture, agricultural power, properties and processing of biological materials, environmental control for livestock, indoor air quality, structures, control and disposal of agricultural wastes, computers, or instrumentation.

Accreditation

The Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering (BS) program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, under the General Criteria and Program Criteria for Agricultural and Similarly Named Engineering Programs and Biological Engineering and Similarly Named Engineering Programs.

Certification and Licensure

The Fundamentals of Engineering examination is a national licensure examination that covers material taught in an ABET-accredited engineering program. Completion of the exam prior to graduation is a requirement for the B.S. in Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering program and required for any engineering graduate who wishes to become licensed as a Professional Engineer.

Academic Requirements

Students must have an average grade of “C” or better in courses taken and required in the ABE curriculum.
Students are required to receive a “C” or better in ENGL 277.
Students must take the Fundamentals of Engineering examination prior to graduation.

Requirements for Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Major: 130 Credits

Bachelor of Science

System General Education Requirements

Goal #1 Written Communication: ENGL 277 - Technical Writing in Engineering [SGR #1, HSDC] Credits: 3 and SGR #1 Elective Credits: 3
Goal #2 Oral Communication: SGR #2 Elective Credits: 3
Goal #3 Social Sciences: SGR #3 Electives Credits: 6
Goal #4 Arts and Humanities: SGR #4 Electives Credits: 6
Goal #5 Mathematics: MATH 123 - Calculus I (COM) [SGR #5, HSDC] Credits: 4
Goal #6 Natural Sciences: PHYS 207 - Fundamentals of Physics I (COM) [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 3 , PHYS 207L - Fundamentals of Physics I Lab (COM) [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 1 , PHYS 209 - Fundamentals of Physics II (COM) [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 3 , and PHYS 209L - Fundamentals of Physics II Lab (COM) [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 1

Major Requirements

ABE 101 - Introduction to Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Credits: 1
ABE 121 - Computer-Aided Design in Agriculture Credits: 2
ABE 121L - Computer-Aided Design in Agriculture Lab Credits: 1
ABE 132 - Engineering Tools for Agricultural and Biological Engineers Credits: 1
ABE 222 - Project Development for Agricultural and Biological Engineers Credits: 1
ABE 234 - Digital Tools for Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Credits: 3
ABE 314 - Ag Power and Machines Credits: 3
ABE 314L - Ag Power and Machines Lab Credits: 1
ABE 343 - Engineering Properties of Biological Materials Credits: 2
ABE 343L - Engineering Properties of Biological Materials Lab Credits: 1
ABE 411 - Design Project III Credits: 2
ABE 422 - Design Project IV Credits: 2
ABE 434 - Natural Resources Engineering Credits: 3
ABE 434L - Natural Resources Engineering Lab Credits: 1
ABE 444 - Unit Operations of Biological Materials Processing Credits: 3
ABE 444L - Unit Operations of Biological Materials Processing Lab Credits: 1
ABE 463 - Instrumentation for Agricultural and Biological Systems Credits: 2
ABE 463L - Instrumentation for Agricultural and Biological Systems Lab Credits: 1
ABE 494 - Internship (COM) Credits: 1-6 (2 credits required)
or ABE 496 - Field Experience (COM) Credits: 1-6 (2 credits required)
or ABE 498 - Research (COM) Credits: 1-3 (2 credits required)
BIOL 103 - Biology Survey II (COM) [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 2
BIOL 103L - Biology Survey II Lab (COM) [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 1
CHEM 108 - Organic and Biochemistry (COM) [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 4
CHEM 108L - Organic and Biochemistry Lab (COM) [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 1
CHEM 112 - General Chemistry I (COM) [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 3
CHEM 112L - General Chemistry I Lab (COM) [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 1
EE 300 - Basic Electrical Engineering I Credits: 2
EE 300L - Basic Electrical Engineering I Lab Credits: 1
EM 214 - Statics (COM) Credits: 3
EM 215 - Dynamics Credits: 3
EM 321 - Mechanics of Materials (COM) Credits: 3
EM 331 - Fluid Mechanics (COM) Credits: 3
GE 101 - Introduction to Engineering and Technical Professions [HSDC] Credits: 1
MATH 125 - Calculus II (COM) [SGR #5, HSDC] Credits: 4
MATH 225 - Calculus III (COM) [SGR #5, HSDC] Credits: 4
MATH 321 - Differential Equations (COM) Credits: 3
MATH 331 - Advanced Engineering Mathematics (COM) Credits: 3
or STAT 281 - Introduction to Statistics (COM) [SGR #5, HSDC] Credits: 3
or STAT 381 - Introduction to Probability and Statistics (COM) Credits: 3
ME 314 - Thermodynamics Credits: 3

Technical Electives

Select 19 credits of technical electives from the following list. At least 9 credits must be 300- or 400- level. Credits: 19

Any 300- or 400- level courses with the ABE, AIE, CEE, CSC, EE, GE, ME, MNET, MATH, or STAT prefix
AST 463 - Agricultural Waste Management Credits: 3
CHEM 114 - General Chemistry II (COM) [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 3
CHEM 114L - General Chemistry II Lab (COM) [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 1
CSC 150 - Computer Science I (COM) [HSDC] Credits: 3
DS 130 - Introduction to Dairy Science Credits: 2
DS 130L - Introduction to Dairy Science Lab Credits: 1
DS 421 - Dairy Plant Management Credits: 3
DS 421L - Dairy Plant Management Lab Credits: 1
DS 460 - Dairy Product Processing I Credits: 4
DS 460L - Dairy Product Processing I Lab Credits: 1
DS 461 - Dairy Product Processing II Credits: 4
DS 461L - Dairy Product Processing II Lab Credits: 1
FS 251 - Food Safety and Quality Management Systems Credits: 3
FS 423 - Principles of Food Processing Credits: 2
FS 423L - Principles of Food Processing Lab Credits: 1
GEOG 372 - Introduction to GIS (COM) Credits: 2
GEOG 372L - Introduction to GIS Lab (COM) Credits: 1
MICR 231 - General Microbiology (COM) [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 3
MICR 231L - General Microbiology Lab (COM) [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 1
MICR 233 - Introductory Microbiology Credits: 3
MICR 233L - Introductory Microbiology Lab Credits: 1
PRAG 340 - Climate Risk Management with Precision Agriculture Credits: 3
PRAG 410 - Soil Geography and Land Use Interpretation Credits: 2
PRAG 410L - Soil Geography and Land Use Interpretation Lab Credits: 1
PS 213 - Soils [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 2
PS 213L - Soils Lab [SGR #6, HSDC] Credits: 1

Total Required Credits: 130

Summary of Program Requirements

Bachelor of Science

System General Education Requirements*: 33 Credit Hours
Major Requirements: 97 Credit Hours
Electives**: 0 Credit Hours

*System General Education Requirements for students pursuing a baccalaureate degree shall include a minimum of 30 credit hours. Some general education coursework may be counted for Major Requirements and Supporting Coursework.
**Taken as needed to complete any additional degree requirements.

Academic Advising Guide Sheet

The goal of the academic advising guide sheets and sample plans of study is to promote undergraduate student success by guiding all students to timely completion of an undergraduate degree. Students are not limited to the course sequence provided for their academic program. Instead, the sample plan of study is one possible path to completing your degree and is meant to be used as a guide for planning purposes in consultation with an academic advisor. The plans also help students prepare for meetings with their academic advisor and track their progress in their selected academic program.