Agricultural and Biological Engineering (ABE)

Agricultural and biological engineering (ABE) links the engineering sciences to the life sciences. ABE applies engineering principles to biological sciences to produce food, feed, fiber and other agricultural products from renewable bio-resources. It also aims to protect the environment and conserve and replenish our natural resources. Thus, agricultural and biological engineers need to be educated in the biological and environmental sciences as well as in engineering to acquire the unique qualifications required by this profession.

As the largest single industry in the United States and Florida, food and agribusiness is the most highly sophisticated and technologically advanced industry in the world. Its status is due in part to the successes of agricultural and biological engineers.

The curriculum in ABE addresses the engineering problems of agricultural and related biological systems. These problems will be of even greater concern in the future. Individual selection of electives allows the student to focus on academic and career interests.

Agrisystems engineering is concerned primarily with the design and implementation of agricultural power and machinery, structures and their environments, greenhouses and instrumentation, computer modeling and control.

Biological engineering provides a framework for integrating fundamental engineering sciences and practice with biological sciences. The curriculum prepares students for advanced studies in biomedical engineering, bioprocess engineering, food engineering and agricultural engineering. It also fulfills the requirements for admission to professional programs in medicine, veterinary medicine and pharmacy at the University of Florida.

Land and water resources engineering is concerned with all aspects of water and rural environmental management, including irrigation, water conservation, drainage, water control and structures, soil erosion, waste and wastewater recycling, water quality, ecosystems preservation and environmental quality.

Job opportunities are abundant in Florida’s large agricultural industry and worldwide. Careers are available with manufacturers of equipment and supplies for agriculture, government agencies, environmental companies and consulting firms.

Exciting and challenging assignments await the agricultural and biological engineering graduate.

The department will develop professionals, create and disseminate knowledge, and promote the application of engineering and management principles to meet societal needs with respect to agricultural, biological, and land and water resource systems.

The goal of the engineering education program is to develop agricultural and biological engineering professionals with technical proficiency and a sense of societal responsibility.

The department offers undergraduate students a curriculum designed to accomplish four educational objectives:

• To provide students with the fundamental knowledge needed to practice agricultural and biological engineering
• To train students to design, test and analyze agricultural and biological systems, processes and components
• To train students to identify, formulate and solve engineering problems, and to use modern and appropriate computational and experimental equipment
• To provide a well-rounded education that enhances communication skills, imparts a sense of professional and societal responsibility upon our graduates and an awareness of the global and international impact of engineering decisions.

In addition to the college requirements for graduation, a minimum grade of C is required of all ABE majors in statics, dynamics, mechanics of materials and each required ABE course. Students receiving less than a C will be required to repeat the course as soon as possible.

To remain ‘on track’ for this major a student must meet the following critical tracking criteria. The critical tracking courses appear in bold.

• 2.0 UF GPA required for semesters 1-5
• 2.5 GPA on all critical tracking course work for semesters 1-5
• Complete 1 of 8 tracking courses with a minimum grade of C within two attempts. (CHM2045, CHM2046, MAC2311, MAC2312, MAC2313, MAP2302, PHY2048, PHY2049)

• Complete 1 additional course with a minimum grade of C within two attempts

• Complete 2 additional courses with a minimum grade of C within two attempts

• Complete 2 additional courses with a minimum grade of C within two attempts

• Complete all 8 critical tracking courses with a minimum grade of C in each course within two attempts

If you do not place out of ENC 1101, take it in the fall.

** A 9-hour summer registration is required for graduation.