2025-2026 General Catalog
Source: https://catalog.ucdavis.edu/departments-programs-degrees/biological-agricultural-engineering/biological-systems-engineering-bs/ Parent: https://catalog.ucdavis.edu/departments-programs-degrees/#programsanddegreestext
The Biological Systems Engineering Undergraduate Program
Biological Systems Engineering is an engineering major that uses life sciences as its main scientific base. With rapid advances in biology and biotechnology, engineers are needed to work side by side with life scientists to bring laboratory developments into commercial production or field application. Industries in food and fiber production, bioenergy, bioprocessing, biotechnology, food processing, agriculture, forestry, aquaculture, plant and animal production, natural resource management, and waste reduction all need engineers with strong training in biology. In the first two years, the Biological Systems Engineering major requires sequences of courses in mathematics, physics, chemistry, engineering science, and humanities, similar to all accredited engineering programs. In addition to these courses, the major also includes courses in the life sciences and the application to engineering.
Biological Systems Engineering graduates take jobs in biotechnology, energy, food, and medical industries, work for federal, state and local agencies, and pursue graduate work. Students can also use the program as a pathway to professional schools in medicine, veterinary medicine, education, law, or business.
The Biological Systems Engineering Bachelor of Science is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET under the commission's General Criteria and Program Criteria for Biological and Similarly Named Engineering Programs.
Students are encouraged to adhere carefully to all prerequisite requirements. The instructor is authorized to drop students from a course for which stated prerequisites have not been completed.
Lower Division Required Courses
See the Degree Requirements section.
Upper Division Requirements
If your career objective is a professional degree in the health sciences (e.g., medicine, veterinary medicine, nursing, or dentistry), you should consult with advisors from the appropriate school to plan for successful admission and to ensure that you take specific courses that may be required and that you have the necessary experience. Advisors in the Office of Health Professions Advising can also assist students planning to pursue degrees in these areas.
Areas of Specialization
Biological Systems Engineering is a broad major with many possible areas of specialization, with some examples below. Each area of specialization includes recommended electives for planning purposes. Students in the major are NOT required to select or follow an area of specialization. Following the recommended electives for a specialization does not result in specialization or concertation notation on a student’s transcript or diploma.
- Biotechnical Engineering.
- Agricultural & Natural Resources Engineering.
- Food Engineering.
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