Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering

Major Requirements

Major: Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering

Degree Type: B.S.A.B.En
Minimum Degree Credits to Graduate: 131

University Degree Requirements

  1. Satisfactory completion of all requirements of the curriculum in which one is enrolled.
  2. Earn a minimum total of 120 credits in approved coursework.  Some academic programs exceed this minimum.
  3. Satisfactory completion of the general education requirements as specified by the university.
  4. A minimum institutional GPA of 2.00 based on work taken at NDSU.
  5. At least 30 credits must be NDSU resident credits.  Resident credits include credits registered and paid for at NDSU.
  6. At least 36 credits presented for graduation must be in courses numbered 300 or higher.
  7. Students presenting transfer credit must meet the NDSU residence credits and the minimum upper level credit. Of the 30 credits earned in residence, a minimum of 15 semester credits must be in courses numbered 300 or above, and 15 semester credits must be in the student’s curricula for their declared major.

For complete information, please refer to the Degree and Graduation Requirements section of this Bulletin.

University General Education Requirements

A list of university approved general education courses and administrative policies are available here.

Category C: Communication12
ENGL 110
College Composition I
ENGL 120
College Composition II
COMM 110
Fundamentals of Public Speaking
Upper Division Writing †
Category R: Quantitative Reasoning †3
Category S: Science and Technology †10
Category A: Humanities and Fine Arts †6
Category B: Social and Behavioral Sciences †6
Category W: Wellness †2
Category D: Cultural Diversity *†
Category G: Global Perspectives *†
Total Credits39
*

Courses for category D & G are satisfied by completing D & G designated courses in another general education category.

†

General education courses may be used to satisfy requirements for both general education and the major, minor, and program emphases, where applicable. Students should carefully review major requirements to determine if specific courses can also satisfy these general education categories.

ABEN Core Requirements

ABEN 110Introduction to Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering3
ABEN 255Computer Aided Analysis & Design3
ABEN 263Biological Materials Processing3
ABEN 348Agricultural Technology Exposition 11
ABEN 358Electric Energy Application in Agriculture3
ABEN 391Seminar1
ABEN 444Transport Processes3
or ABEN 452 Bioenvironmental Systems Design
ABEN 479Fluid Power Systems Design3
ABEN 482Instrumentation & Measurements3
ABEN 484Drainage and Wetland Engineering3
or ABEN 464 Resource Conservation and Irrigation Engineering
ABEN 486Design Project I2
ABEN 487Design Project II2
BIOL 150General Biology I3
or BIOL 111 Concepts of Biology
or BIOL 124 Environmental Science
or MICR 202 Introductory Microbiology
BIOL 150LGeneral Biology I Laboratory1
or CHEM 121L General Chemistry I Laboratory
or MICR 202L Introductory Microbiology Lab
CHEM 121General Chemistry I3
CHEM 122General Chemistry II3
CE 309Fluid Mechanics3
or ME 352 Fluid Dynamics
CSCI 122Visual BASIC3
or ME 213 Modeling of Engineering Systems
or GEOG 455 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems
or PAG 215 Mapping of Precision Ag Data
ENGR 327Ethics, Engineering, and Technology3
IME 440Engineering Economy3
IME 460Evaluation of Engineering Data3
MATH 128Introduction to Linear Algebra1
MATH 165Calculus I4
MATH 166Calculus II4
MATH 259Multivariate Calculus3
MATH 266Introduction to Differential Equations3
ME 212Fundamentals of Visual Communication for Engineers3
ME 221Engineering Mechanics I3
ME 222Engineering Mechanics II3
ME 223Mechanics of Materials3
ME 350Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer3
PHYS 252
& 252L		University Physics II
and University Physics II Laboratory		5
Program Electives: Select from courses below. At least 3 of the 15 cr. must be upper-divison courses from the College of Engineering courses listed below with an "*".15
ABEN 286
Introduction to Controlled Environment Agriculture (Natural Resource/General Focus)
ABEN 377
Numerical Modeling in Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering (Machinery/Natural Resource/General Focus) 3
ABEN 456
Biobased Energy (Processing Focus) 3
ABEN 458
Process Engineering for Food, Biofuels and Bioproducts (Processing/General Focus)
ABEN 473
Agricultural Power ( Machinery Focus)
ABEN 496
Field Experience (All Focus Areas) 2
ABEN 478
Machinery Analysis & Design (Machinery Focus)
ANSC 114
Introduction to Animal Sciences (Natural Resource Focus)
ANSC 220
Livestock Production (Natural Resource Focus)
ASM 264
Natural Resource Management Systems (Natural Resource Focus)
ASM 323
Post-Harvest Technology (Machinery/Processing Focus)
ASM 378
Machinery Principles and Management (Machinery Focus)
BME 220
Introduction to Biomedical Engineering (Processing Focus)
CFS 210
Introduction to Food Science and Technology (Processing Focus)
CFS 370
Food Processing I (Processing Focus)
CE 204
Surveying (Natural Resource Focus)
CE 316
Soil Mechanics (General Focus) 3
CE 343
Structural Engineering and Analysis (General Focus) 3
CE 408
Water Resources and Supply (Natural Resource Focus) 3
CE 417
Slope Stability and Retaining Walls (General Focus) 3
CE 421
Open Channel Flow (Natural Resource Focus) 3
CE 446
Basic Dynamics of Structures (General Focus) 3
CE 477
Applied Hydrology (Natural Resource Focus) 3
CHEM 240
Survey of Organic Chemistry (Processing Focus)
ECE 275
Digital Design (Machinery Focus)
ECE 301
& ECE 306
Electrical Engineering I
and Electrical Engineering Lab I (Machinery Focus) 3
IME 330
Manufacturing Processes (Processing Focus) 3
IME 335
Welding Technology (Machinery Focus) 3
IME 456
Program and Project Management (All Focus Areas) 3
ME 331
Materials Science and Engineering (Machinery Focus) 3
ME 421
Theory of Vibrations (Machinery Focus) 3
ME 435
Plastics and Polymer Processing in Manufacturing (Processing Focus) 3
ME 442
Machine Design I (Machinery Focus) 3
PAG 115
Introduction to Precision Agriculture (Machinery/Natural Resource Focus)
PAG 315
Electronic Systems in Precision Ag (Machinary Focus)
PAG 454
Applications of Precision Agriculture (Machinery Focus)
PLSC 110
World Food Crops (Processing/Natural Resource Focus)
PLSC 225
Principles of Crop Production (Processing/Natural Resource Focus)
SOIL 210
Introduction to Soil Science (Natural Resource Focus)
SOIL 410
Soils and Land Use (Natural Resource Focus)
Total Credits105
1

ABEN 348 - AG Tech Exp (1 add'l cr.) may be used as a Program Elective.

2

ABEN 496 - Field Exp./Internship (1 - 3 cr.) may be used as a Program Elective. A maximum of three credits of ABEN 496 Field Exp./Internship may be counted towards degree requirements.

3

Students must select at least 3 cr. of upper-division College of Engineering courses to satisfy the 15 cr. Program Elective requirement.

Degree Requirements and Notes

SUGGESTED FOCUS AREAS:  Consult with adviser when making selections.

  • Machinery Focus - Select electives with emphasis on machine, power, robotic/autonomous, and electrical/electronic systems.
  • Natural Resource Focus - Select electives with emphasis on areas that contribute to solving problems in environmental engineering, natural resources management, hydrology, irrigation, watershed management, and waste management.
  • Processing Focus - Select electives with emphasis on combining engineering, biological, and physical sciences in the application of engineering principles to handling and processing of biomaterials for food and non-food products.
  • General Focus - Select electives from any of the above focus areas. Includes courses in structural and environmental aspects of agricultural facilities.

Degree Requirements for the Accelerated M.S. Program in Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering

Students pursuing an accelerated master’s degree in ABEN must complete the following requirements:

  • 30 credits after the B.S is required. However, a maximum of 15 graduate credits earned during the combined/accelerated degree program may also be counted toward the graduate degree.
  • 20-24 credits are from didactic course work, while 6-10 credits are typically devoted for a master's thesis based on research
  • A minimum of 6 credits of NDSU ABEN courses numbered 601-689 and 700-789 is required.
  • ABEN Graduate Seminar (ABEN 790).