B.S. Biological Engineering

Degree Prep

The B.S. Biological Engineering degree requires a solid background in chemistry, math, physics and biology, as well as an interest in solving problems in biology, agriculture, health and medicine to improve human lives.

Degree Roadmap

B.S. Biological Engineering 4-Year Plan

B.S. Biological Engineering Electives (PDF)

Biological Engineering Course Catalog
Catalogs are released each year with up-to-date course listings. Students reference the catalog released during their first year of enrollment. For catalog related questions, email registrar@uidaho.edu or call 208-885-6731.

Courses in biology, chemistry, mathematics, and physics prepare you for more advanced courses in transport processes, bio-based products, bioenergy, biomedical engineering, bioprocessing, and sustainability. Much of your education takes place in labs. Students are encouraged to develop individual interests through the selection of technical electives.

Students complete their study through our nationally recognized Senior Capstone Design Program culminating each spring with the Engineering Design EXPO.

Degree Requirements

Required course work includes the Biological Engineering (B.S.) requirements and the university requirements (see regulation J-3).

Professional Licensing

Completion of the program will count towards eligibility for the Professional Engineer's License (PE) to practice Engineering, which requires a four-year degree from an ABET-accredited school, four years of experience under a PE, and passing the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) and Principles of Practice in Engineering (PE) Exams.

Questions?

First-Year undergraduates — Our professional advisors in the Micron Student Center can help you learn more about degree options, select a major, Identify required and elective courses and build a plan toward graduation.

Faculty Advisor Transition Process — Undergraduates transition to a faculty advisor specific to their degree area at different times in their academic career depending on their major. View details on this process.

If you have any questions about who your advisor is, please email University Advising Services or call 208-885-6300.

Transfer Students — If you have 13 or less transfer credits please email Student Services or call 208-885-6470. If you have more than 13 credits please contact the department you're transferring into.

Scholarships

• U of I Awards more than $30 million in scholarships each year, more than any other institution in Idaho.
• Engineering students receive more than $1 million in scholarships annually.
• Earn more than $64,000 in scholarships over the course of four years through the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE). Eligible first-year and transfer students are considered simply by filling out their U of I admission application. There’s no separate application or deadline.
• Merit- and Need-Based Scholarships – All first-time students and first-time transfer students in the College of Engineering are automatically considered for merit- and need-based scholarships and financial aid when filling out the admissions application and FAFSA. There are no separate scholarship applications required to be considered. Continuing students are also automatically considered after filling out the FAFSA  each year.
• Additional College of Engineering Scholarships – Additional scholarships are available based on major and interest areas. Browse engineering scholarships and application processes. 

Browse all need- and merit-based scholarships or contact our Student Services team to get all your scholarship questions answered.

Paid Employment Related to Your Major

• Cooperative Education Program (Co-op) – Get paid up to $20,000 for a six-month session working with Micron, HP, BorgWarner, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in-between your junior and senior years.

Internships & Summer Programs

• Idaho National Laboratory Undergraduate Internships – Earn a nationally competitive wage during a 10- to 16-week internship at the nation’s leading center for nuclear energy research and development. For students pursuing STEM fields.
• NASA Idaho Space Grant Consortium (ISGC) - Mentor-directed, career-related internship programs that contribute to NASA’s mission. Sessions are held in fall, spring and summer and are open to full-time undergraduate and graduate students.
• IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) Industry Interns – This 10-week summer experience broadens student experience in industry laboratories, local biotechnology companies, or hospital facilities by working with expert professionals.
• IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) Summer Fellows – Get paid $6,000 over the summer to work in a biomedical laboratory, doing guided study and attending professional development and scientific seminar presentations.
• Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) – Receive a $4,000 student fellowship and $1,000 stipend to work on faculty-mentored projects full-time in any field of study.
• DAAD Research Internships in Science and Engineering (RISE Germany) Programs – RISE Germany offers undergraduate students the opportunity to complete a summer research internship at top German universities and research institutions.

Financial Aid

For financial aid deadlines and eligibility requirements, visit the University of Idaho Financial Aid Office.

Hands-On Learning

ALL U of I College of Engineering students, especially undergraduates, participate in hands-on activities through:

• Idaho’s only Grand Challenge Scholars Program - Preparing undergraduates to solve the biggest challenges facing society in the 21st century.
• Nationally-ranked Senior Capstone Design Program - Emphasizing the design process and the creation of a thoughtfully engineered, tested and validated outcome or prototype. Interdisciplinary teams showcase their work at our annual Engineering Design EXPO.

Clubs & Organizations

Our college offers 20+ clubs and organizations tied to international and national engineering organizations, including national competition teams.

Learn about clubs related to your major:

• American Society of Agricultural & Biological Engineers (ASABE)
• Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES)
• Humanitarian Engineering Corps (HEC)
• National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE)
• Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE)
• Society of Women Engineers (SWE)
• Tau Beta Pi - Engineering Honor Society (TBP)
• Vandal Clean Energy Club