Overview

Since biological systems engineering programs focus heavily on the protection and conservation of natural resources, it is not uncommon for them to be described as sustainable engineering programs.

Within the BSE program a student must enroll in either the General Program area or in one of the following three specialization areas: Machinery Systems Engineering, Natural Resources and Environmental Engineering, or Food and Bioprocess Engineering. The specialization in Food and Bioprocess Engineering is split into a Food Engineering track and a Bioprocess Engineering track.

A University of Wisconsin Madison BSE graduate may apply for licensure as a registered professional engineer once they have passed the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam, obtained four years of qualifying engineering work experience, and have passed the Professional Engineering (PE) exam. To obtain a Biological Systems Engineering degree from UW–Madison, a student must have taken (but is not required to have passed) the FE exam as part of their Senior Design sequence. Information about the FE exam can be found at Fundamentals of Engineering Exam.

Key Facts

Graduates can expect to find biological and agricultural engineering careers in a wide range of agencies and industries solving problems in many different areas. Graduates work in career fields associated with the growth, harvest, transportation, processing and storage of food, feedstuffs, biomass for energy production and forestry products. This includes, but is not limited to, jobs:

designing and managing bio-energy systems, greenhouses, and food processing plants
designing animal housing and environmental control systems
developing irrigation and drainage systems
protecting soils, and air and water quality
designing and running wastewater treatment and waste management operations
designing off-road equipment for agricultural production and material handling.

Programme Structure

Courses include:

Calculus - Functions of Several Variables
Linear Algebra and Differential Equations
Applied Statistics for Engineers
General Chemistry
General Botany
Animal Biology
Engineering for Biological Systems
Process Synthesis
Measurements and Instrumentation for Biological Systems

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 48 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2027-01-19 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-10-01 00:00:00
Starting 2027-09-02 00:00:00
- Apply before 2027-01-15 00:00:00

Language

English

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IELTS

6.5

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Credits

126 SCH

126-127

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Madison, United States

Disciplines

Industrial & Systems Engineering Environmental Engineering Biology View 328 other Bachelors in Industrial & Systems Engineering in United States

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Academic requirements

We are not aware of any specific GRE, GMAT or GPA grading score requirements for this programme.

English requirements

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115

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TOEFL^® IBT

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IELTS

6.5

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Other requirements

General requirements

Admissions application
Application fee
Course and grade information from grades 9-12
Two essays: tell us about your academic and personal achievements
One required letter of recommendation
English language proficiency
Official test scores: scores from either the ACT or the SAT

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

44210 USD / year

≈ 44210 USD / year
Out-of-State

44210 USD / year

≈ 44210 USD / year
Domestic

Applies to you

In-State

12186 USD / year

≈ 12186 USD / year

Additional Details

Minnesota Resident: $16,638

Living costs

Madison

United States

1015 - 1752 USD / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find Bachelor's scholarship opportunities for Biological Systems Engineering.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

About

Overview

Key Facts

Programme Structure

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Credits

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic

Additional Details

Living costs

Madison

Funding

Need help with your student visa?

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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