For Prospective Students

What do Biological Systems Engineers do?

Many students are unaware of Biological Systems Engineering as a discipline, and may wonder what we do. Biological systems engineers design, manage, and develop systems and equipment that produce, package, process, and distribute the world’s food and fiber supplies.Biological Systems Engineering is a discipline based on engineering principles with emphasis on the production and processing of food, fibers, and materials of biological origin. The program is accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). UW’s Biological Systems Engineering courses, curricula, and faculty meet the standards set for professional engineering programs at universities throughout the United States.The Biological Systems Engineering program at UW provides a broad based education, preparing students for the variety of applications that involve biological systems. While breadth is a part of the experience here, students have the opportunity to develop specialization in a number of areas. These different emphases are described below.

Emphases within Biological Systems Engineering:

Undergraduate Studies

Graduate Studies

  • Degree offerings (MS and PhD)
  • How to get started (enrolling and scheduling courses)
  • Featured student projects - Please return to our site in the future to see examples of the work our students are doing.