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 prod-ucts 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 pro-fession.
Food and agribusiness is the largest single industry in the United States and Florida. It employs nearly 20% of the American work force. Moreover, it 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. By virtue of their education, training and experience, agricultural and biological engineers are uniquely qualified to design the equipment, systems and methods that continue the technological advancement in the food and agribusiness industry. This includes the production, processing, handling and distribution of agricultural products throughout the entire food and agribusiness chain.
The curriculum in ABE provides a foundation to address with the engineering problems of agricultural and related biological systems. These problems will be of even greater concern in the future. Courses in ABE unify learned concepts into a practical ability to solve a broad range of engineering problems encountered in agriculture, biotechnology and food processing. In view of the worldwide human population explosion and projected food shortages, no challenge could be greater and more rewarding than those related to food production and processing, and conserving our natural resources.
Agrisystems engineering is concerned primarily with the design and implementation of agricultural power and machinery, structures and their environ-ments, greenhouses and instrumentation and computer modeling and control.
Biological engineering provides a framework for integrating fundamental engineering sciences and prac-tice with biological sciences. Industries in food engi-neering, bioprocessing and biotechnology need engi-neers to help quantify biological processes and to design products and processes based on recent ad-vances in biology. The curriculum prepares students for advanced studies in biomedical engineering, bioprocess engineering and agricultural engineering. It also fulfills the requirements for admission to professional pro-grams in medicine, veterinary medicine and pharmacy at the University of Florida.
Natural resources conservation engineering is con-cerned with all aspects of water and rural environ-mental management, including irrigation, water conser-vation, drainage, water control and structures, soil erosion, waste and wastewater recycling, water quality, ecosystems preservation and environmental quality.
Career opportunities are abundant both in Flor-ida’s large agricultural industry and worldwide. Ca-reers are available with manufacturers of equipment and supplies for agriculture, government agencies, environmental companies and consulting firms.
Exciting and challenging assignments await the ag-ricultural and biological engineering graduate. Students will find excellent opportunities for guided research in the ABE graduate program, which is administered by the College of Engineering and the College of Agri-culture. Refer to the web site at www.agen.ufl.edu. for more information.
Mission
The department will develop professionals, create and disseminate knowledge, and promote the applica-tion of engineering and management principles to meet societal needs with respect to agricultural, biological and natural resource systems.
Goals
The primary goal of the engineering education program is to develop agricultural and biological engi-neering professionals with technical proficiency and a sense of societal responsibility. A secondary goal is to enhance our contributions to the state, nation and pro-fession through strong programs in research and serv-ice.
Educational Objectives
The department offers undergraduate students a curriculum designed to accomplish four educational objectives:
The department offers the Bachelor of Science in Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Master of Engineering, Master of Science, the Engineer degree and Doctor of Philosophy.
Admission Requirements
Admission to this program is selective and is based on a student’s entire record, including educational objectives, courses completed, quality of academic record and other important facts. Priority in admission will be given to those students whose total record indicates the greatest likelihood of success.
Applicants should have a cumulative grade point average of at least a 2.0, minimum 2.0 in each of the pre-engineering technical course sequences (calculus, chemistry and physics), and a minimum combined grade point average of 2.5 in the pre-engineering tech-nical courses.
Combined B.S. and M.S. Degree Program
The department offers a combined degree program that allows qualified students to earn both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree with a saving of approximately one semester. Qualified students can begin their mas-ter’s program while seniors and double count up to 12 hours of graduate courses for both the bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
Seniors admitted to the program will be eligible for a teaching or research assistantship. Pro-gram admission requirements include satisfaction of Graduate School admission requirements for master’s degree, a junior/senior year GPA of 3.30, senior status (4EG), completion of pre-engineering requirements and 20 credit hours of the college and ABE core.
Special Grade Requirements
In addition to the college requirements for gradua-tion, 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.
CURRICULUM LEADING TO THE BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN AGRICULTURAL AND
BIOLOGICAL ENGINEERING
Critical Tracking Criteria:
Critical tracking courses
for semesters 1-4 appear in bold; these courses must be completed with
a GPA of 2.50 or better.
| FRESHMAN YEAR | |
| Semester 1 - Fall | Credits |
| If you do not place out of ENC 1101, take it in the fall. | |
| CHM 2045 General Chemistry and Qualitative Analysis
(GE-P). |
3 |
| CHM 2045L General Chemistry Lab** (GE-P). | 1 |
| MAC 2311 Analytical Geometry and Calculus I (GE-M). | 4 |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences (GE). | 3 |
| Humanities (GE). | 3 |
|
|
14 |
| Semester 2 - Spring | Credits |
| CHM 2046 General Chemistry***In addition, the
biological engineering specialization requires CHM 2046L |
3 |
| MAC 2312 Analytical Geometry and
Calculus 2 (GE-M). |
4 |
| Humanities (GE) | 3 |
| ENC 2210 Technical Writing (GE-C) | 3 |
|
|
13 |
| SOPHOMORE YEAR | |
| Semester 3 - Fall | Credits |
| PHY 2048 Physics with Calculus 1 (GE-P). | 3 |
| PHY 2048L Physics w/ Calculus 1 Lab (GE-P) | 1 |
| CGN 3421 Computer Methods in Civil
Engineering, or computer programming & numerical methods req |
4 |
| MAC 2313 Analytical Geom & Calculus 3. | 4 |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences (GE) | 3 |
|
|
15 |
| Semester 4 - Spring | Credits |
| PHY 2049 Physics with Calculus 2 (GE-P). | 3 |
| PHY 2049L Physics w/ Calculus 2 Lab (GE-P) | 1 |
| EGM 3311 Introduction to Engineering
Analysis (GE-M) or MAP 2302 Differential Equations |
3 |
| EGM 2511 Engineering Mechanics - Statics | 3 |
| Humanities (GE) | 3 |
| EML 3007 Element of Thermo & Heat Transfer | 3 |
|
|
16 |
| Agrisystems Engineering Specialization | |
| JUNIOR YEAR | |
| Semester 5 - Fall | Credits |
| EGM 3400 Engineering Mechanics Dynamics. | 2 |
| ABE 3012 Introduction to Design and
Analysis for Agr. Engineering |
3 |
| ABE 3042C Agricultural and Biological
Engineering Design 1 |
2 |
| ABE 3612C Heat & Mass Transfer in Biological Systems | 4 |
| Biological Sciences (ABE 2062, BSC 2005, BSC 2010
Or BOT 2010-GE) |
3 |
|
|
14 |
| Semester 6 - Spring | Credits |
| ABE 3652C Physical & Rheological
Properties of Bio Materials |
3 |
| ABE 3212C Natural Resources Conservation Engineering. | 4 |
| EML 3023 Computer Assisted Drafting and Design | 3 |
| ABE 4303C Structural & Environ Design | 3 |
| Biological Science Electives*. | 2 |
|
|
15 |
| Semester 7 - Summer** | Credits |
| EGM 3520 Mechanics of Materials. | 3 |
| CGN 3710 Experimentation and
Instrumentation in Civil Engineering Or Instrumentation Elective approved by adviser. |
3 |
| Technical Electives* | 3 |
| Biological Science Electives*. | 3 |
|
|
12 |
| SENIOR YEAR | |
| Semester 8 - Fall | Credits |
| SOS 3022 General Soils | 3 |
| SOS 3022L General Soils Lab. | 1 |
| ABE 4171C Power and Machines for
Biological Systems. |
4 |
| EGN 3353C Fluid Mechanics (3)
Or CWR 3201 Hydrodynamics (4) |
3-4 |
| Technical Electives*. | 3 |
|
|
14-15 |
| Semester 9 - Spring | Credits |
| ABE 4413C Post-harvest Operations Eng | 3 |
| ABE 4931 Professional Issues in Agr. & Bio Engineering | 1 |
| ABE 4043C Agricultural & Biological
Engineering Design 2. |
2 |
| Biological Science Electives*. | 3 |
| Technical Electives*. | 6 |
|
|
15 |
|
|
128 |
| Natural Resources Conservation Engineering Specialization | |
| JUNIOR YEAR | |
| Semester 5 - Fall | Credits |
| EGM 3400 Engineering Mechanics -Dynamics. | 2 |
| ABE 3012 Introduction to Design and
Analysis for Agr. Engineering. |
3 |
| ABE 3042C Agricultural & Biological
Engineering Design 1 |
2 |
| EML 3023 Computer Assisted Drafting and Design | 3 |
| ABE 3612C Heat & Mass Transfer in Biological Systems | 4 |
|
|
14 |
| Semester 6 - Spring | Credits |
| ABE 3652C Physical & Rheological
Properties of Bio Materials |
3 |
| CWR 3201 Hydrodynamics | 4 |
| SUR 2101C Geometrics. | 3 |
| ABE 3212C Natural Resources Conservation
Engineering |
4 |
| Technical Electives* | 2 |
|
|
16 |
| Semester 7 - Summer** | Credits |
| EGM 3520 Mechanics of Materials. | 3 |
| CGN 3710 Experimentation and Instrumentation in Civil
Engineering Or Instrumentation Elective approved by adviser |
3 |
| ABE 4231C Irrigation Engineering. | 3 |
| Biological Science (ABE 2062, BSC 2005,
BSC 2010 or BOT 2010 - GE) |
3 |
|
|
12 |
| SENIOR YEAR | |
| Semester 8 - Fall | Credits |
| SOS 3022 General Soils. | 3 |
| SOS 3022L General Soils Lab | 1 |
| Biological Science Elective *. | 3 |
| CWR 4202 Hydraulics | 3 |
| AGE 4171C Power and Machines for Biological Systems. | 4 |
|
|
14 |
| Semester 9 - Spring | Credits |
| ABE 4233C Drainage and Structural Design | 3 |
| ABE 4931 Professional Issues in
Agr. & Bio Engineering |
1 |
| ABE 4043C Agr. Engineering Design 2. | 2 |
| ABE 4303C Structural & Environmental Design (3)
Or ABE 4413 Post-Harvest Operations In Engineering |
3 |
| Technical Electives* | 5 |
|
|
14 |
|
|
128 |
| Biological Engineering Specialization | |
| JUNIOR YEAR | |
| Semester 5 - Fall | Credits |
| ABE 3012 Introduction to Design and
Analysis for Agr. Engineering. |
3 |
| ABE 3042C Agricultural and Biological
Engineering Design 1. |
2 |
| ABE 3612C Heat & Mass Transfer in
Biological Systems. |
4 |
| CHM 2210 Organic Chemistry I | 3 |
| EGN 3353C Fluid Mechanics (3)
Or CWR 3201 Hydrodynamics (4) |
3-4 |
|
|
15-16 |
| Semester 6 - Spring | Credits |
| CHM 2211 Organic Chemistry II. | 3 |
| CHM 2211L Organic Chemistry Lab. | 2 |
| EGM 3400 Engineering Mechanics - Dynamics | 2 |
| ABE 3652C Physical & Rheological Properties
of Bio Materials |
3 |
| Biological Sciences (BSC 2010, 2010L, 2011 or 2011L). | 3 |
| Biological Science Elective* | 2 |
|
|
15 |
| Semester 7 - Summer** | Credits |
| EGM 3520 Mechanics of Materials. | 3 |
| CGN 3710 Experimentation and Instrumentation
in Civil Engineering. |
3 |
| Biological Science Electives *. | 3 |
| EML 3023 Computer Aided Graphics/Design | 3 |
|
|
12 |
| SENIOR YEAR | |
| Semester 8 - Fall | Credits |
| BCH 4024 Intro to Biochemical and Molecular Biology(4)
Or BCH 3025 Fundamentals of Biochemistry (4). |
4 |
| Biological Science Elective* | 4 |
| Engineering Electives* | 6 |
|
|
14 |
| Semester 9 - Spring | Credits |
| ABE 4931 Professional Issues in Agr. & Bio Engineering | 1 |
| ABE 4043C Agricultural Engineering Design 2 | 2 |
| Biological Science Electives*. | 4 |
| Engineering Electives* | 6 |
|
|
13 |
|
|
128 |
** Select from the approved list
** A 9-hour summer registration is required for graduation.