Developing sustainable solutions for life's essential challenges
Biosystems engineers work to ensure our communities have safe and plentiful food to eat, pure water to drink, clean fuel and energy sources, and a safe, healthy environment in which to live. As a student in biosystems engineering, you’ll use principles of engineering and biology to solve problems in biological systems, agriculture, natural resources and the environment.
Undergraduate programs
Auburn offers the only accredited biosystems engineering program in Alabama, and the forest engineering option is the only one of its kind in the South.
- The biosystems engineering major will give you a strong foundation in mathematics, physics, chemistry and engineering mechanics that is common to all engineers.
- You’ll combine this engineering knowledge with biological expertise related to environmental protection and the production, processing and distribution of food and fiber and off-highway vehicle engineering.
The biosystems engineering major offers four tracks to choose from.
What you'll study
The focus of the bioprocess engineering option is to produce engineers that seamlessly combine engineering and natural sciences to designing and developing systems, processes and equipment that convert biological and agricultural materials to value-added products such as food, nutraceuticals, polymers and pharmaceuticals.
Bioprocess engineers provide a bridge between the research lab and the economic, large-scale implementation of technologies used to convert these biological materials to value-added products.
Career options
- Food engineering
- Pharmaceutical engineering
- Biomanufacturing engineering
- Compliance engineering
- Renewable energy and bioproducts engineering
- Process development engineering
What you'll study
The Department of Biosystems Engineering offers an option in ecological engineering as part of the Bachelor of Biosystems Engineering degree. This option prepares students to solve environmental problems by applying engineering knowledge to natural ecological and biological systems.
Ecological engineering combines basic and applied science from engineering, ecology, economics, and natural sciences to design, construct, and manage sustainable ecosystems that have value to both humans and the natural environment.
Career options
- Sustainability and renewable energy
- Water resources engineering
- Environmental, ecosystem restoration
What you'll study
The forest engineering option — the only one of its kind in the South — involves preparing graduates to be able to apply of engineering principles and techniques for sustainable management and maintenance of trees, soil, water and other natural resources with the forest ecosystem.
Forest engineering is therefore a hybrid of engineering, forest and management that is focused on efficient, cost-effective and environmentally friendly utilization of these resources. Therefore, this option prepares students for productive professional careers in the forest products industry and related natural resource and environmental systems sectors.
Career options
- Forest operations design and management
- Environmental, ecosystem restoration
- Water resources engineering
The graduate certificate in ecosystems provides a specialization in the application of ecological and biological principles to solve complex engineering problems in natural and man-made systems.
Curriculum and requirements
This interdisciplinary graduate certificate program is designed for individuals holding baccalaureate degrees in engineering or appropriate science fields with an interest in ecological and natural system problem solving.
Students can complete the certificate program in one academic year by passing four program courses and attending all required, on-ground, one-week labs for each course. Course offerings include site design for biosystems, watershed modeling, ecological engineering and more.
The graduate certificate in bioproducts and bioprocessing provides a specialization in the application of biological and biochemical principles to solve complex problems that are needed in developing systems for processing and converting biological materials to fuels, products and chemicals.
Curriculum and requirements
This interdisciplinary graduate certificate program is designed for individuals holding baccalaureate degrees in biosystems engineering or other appropriate engineering or scientific fields with an interest in biofuels, bioenergy and bioprocessing.
Students can complete the certificate program in one academic year by passing four program courses and attending all required on-ground, one-week labs for each course. Course offerings include biomass conversion, life-cycle analysis, bulk solids flow and more.
The Department of Biosystems Engineering offers both a thesis and non-thesis M.S. degree, which produce graduates who are able to identify, formulate, analyze and solve complex biosystems engineering problems by using appropriate tools and techniques, including independent research, and who can effectively communicate to technical and non-technical audiences.
Curriculum and requirements
The M.S. (thesis option) in biosystems engineering requires a minimum of 30 semester credit hours of graduate course work that includes up to 6 credit hours of thesis research. After completion of research, candidates for the MS thesis option must successfully defend the thesis.
The M.S. (non-thesis option) is offered to those that desire in-depth knowledge in Biosystems Engineering typically needed for non-academic engineering careers. A minimum of 30 semester credit hours of graduate course work is required for this option.
In the Ph.D. program, instruction, research training and experience are available in various specialized fields such as ecological engineering, bioenergy and bioproducts engineering, food engineering, biological process engineering, biosystems automation, and off-highway vehicle engineering.
Curriculum and requirements
The Ph.D. in biosystems engineering requires a minimum of 60 semester hours of graduate-level course work beyond the bachelor’s degree. The total number of credit hours that may be transferred from another accredited institution toward a doctoral degree must be less than 50 percent of the credit hours listed on the Plan of Study. Students must take a qualifying examination (written and oral) administered by the student’s advisory committee that tests the student’s knowledge and competence in the proposed research area and in the general field of biosystems engineering.
Grad school resources
- M.S.: $20,000 and Ph.D.: $24,000.
- In addition to the stipend, outstanding students are considered for various fellowships.
- The exact amount is at the department’s discretion and is subject to change by the college and Auburn University.
- Salaries are paid in accordance with the budget policies and payroll procedures of the university.
- Please apply at least 4-5 months prior to the start date of the semester. For international applications, apply as soon as possible.
- Submission of GRE score is encouraged but not required for admission.
