BioResource and Agricultural Engineering (BS)

Offered at: San Luis Obispo Campus

The BioResource and Agricultural Engineering program develops one of the most versatile types of engineer, adept at utilizing electrical and mechanical energy sources, water resources, and designing structural units. The curriculum features a unique combination of engineering and applied science coursework, with a focus on preparing graduates for practice in professional engineering.

The mission of the BioResource and Agricultural Engineering program is to provide a "learn by doing" undergraduate educational experience that prepares students for engineering practice in support of agriculture and related industries throughout the western U.S.

The objectives of the BioResource and Agricultural Engineering program are to produce graduates who, in 3-5 years after graduation, are successful as one of the following:

• Engineers in positions of professional responsibility and leadership in a modern multi-disciplinary, system-oriented environment that emphasizes problem solving
• Actively pursuing or have achieved a degree in an advanced degree program, professional license, or technical certification
• Applying unique engineering problem-solving skills and principles within a career outside traditional engineering environments, such as management, teaching, research, or other professional fields

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering graduates demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of the basic mathematics, physical and engineering sciences necessary for modern agricultural engineering practice; the ability to design components, systems or processes to meet specified objectives, including prudent use of resources; an understanding of their professional and ethical responsibilities as agricultural engineers, including the societal impact of engineering solutions and the need to engage in life-long learning; the ability to plan, design, execute and evaluate engineering solutions to problems/projects that are real, practical and of a complexity representative of projects encountered in beginning professional practice; and the ability to communicate and perform as effective engineering professionals in both individual and team-based project environments.

Cal Poly's “learn by doing” philosophy is emphasized by the numerous design-centered laboratories and the senior project. In the senior design project, which is completed in a academic year-long set of capstone courses, students demonstrate their understanding of engineering knowledge and their ability to apply that knowledge creatively to practical problems.

Consistent with program accreditation requirements regarding a graduate’s ability to function on teams, the BioResource and Agricultural Engineering program has adopted an explicit graduation requirement in this area. This provides students an opportunity to practice team skills. Such experience is important for practicing engineers given the ever-increasing diversity of engineering science and applications. Methods to fulfill this requirement include items such as:

• Team design project
• CO-OP or internship employment
• Certain club activities
• Working with faculty on a sponsored project
• Project embedded in curriculum
• Taking certain technical electives

Career opportunities exist in the design, evaluation and management of systems -- water resources, irrigation, drainage, groundwater, pumps, soil conservation; agricultural power and machinery; food processing; energy; and agricultural environments. The program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, under the commission’s General Criteria and Program Criteria for Agricultural and Biological Engineering Programs.

Program Learning Objectives

1. Identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics.
2. Apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors.
3. Communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
4. Recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts.
5. Function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives.
6. Develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions.
7. Acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies

Degree Requirements and Curriculum

In addition to the program requirements listed on this page, students must also satisfy requirements outlined in more detail in the Minimum Requirements for Graduation section of this catalog, including:

• 40 units of upper-division courses
• 2.0 GPA
• Graduation Writing Requirement (GWR)
• U.S. Cultural Pluralism (USCP)

Note: No Major or Support courses may be selected as credit/no credit. In addition, no more than 12 units of cooperative or internship courses can count towards your degree requirements.

¹

Required in Major or Support; also satisfies General Education (GE) requirement.

²

If a course is taken to meet a Major requirement, it cannot be double-counted as an Approved Elective.

General Education (GE) Requirements

• 43 units required, 16 of which are specified in Major and/or Support.
• If any of the remaining 27 Units is used to satisfy a Major or Support requirement, additional units of Free Electives may be needed to complete the total units required for the degree.
• See the complete GE course listing.
• A grade of C- or better is required in one course in each of the following GE Areas: 1A (English Composition), 1B (Critical Thinking), 1C (Oral Communication), and 2 (Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning). 

¹

Required in Major or Support; also satisfies General Education (GE) requirement.

Coming soon