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 (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.

Transfer Students — There are many transfer pathways at the University of Idaho. The Office of Admissions can provide resources and answer questions about the transfer process and help you work with departments and colleges.

Degree Requirements

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

Questions?

First-Year undergraduates — please email first-year Biological Engineering student advisor Wanda Hvezda or call 208-885-0994.

Faculty Advisor Transition Process — in spring semester of the freshman year, undergraduates transition to a faculty advisor specific to their degree area. This process is facilitated between the Micron Student Center and individual departments.

Transfer Students — if you have 13 or less transfer credits please email Student Services or call 208-885-6470. If you have 13 or more credits please email bioengr@uidaho.edu or call 208-885-6182.

If you have any questions about who your advisor is, please email Student Services or call 208-885-6470.

Scholarships

• All first-time students are automatically considered for all institutional aid and scholarships when filling out the admissions application. There are no separate scholarship applications required to be considered for institutional aid.
• All continuing students are automatically considered for all college scholarships. There are no separate scholarship applications required to be considered for college scholarships.
• U of I Awards more than $25 million in scholarships each year, more than any other institution in Idaho.
• 73% of U of I students receive scholarships, higher than any other public institution in Idaho. – National Center for Education Statistics 2016-17
• Engineering students received more than $800,000 in scholarships in 2018/19 – U of I Financial Aid Data

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.
• Fenway Group Partnership – Get paid to work with Starbucks, CenturyLink, Southwest, Verizon and Kraft. This 2-year program guarantees employment for all participants after graduation, and students can work while attending class.

Internships & Summer Programs

• Beckman Scholars Program – Receive up to $21,000 over the course of two summers and an academic year. Help faculty in biology and biological engineering.
• 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.
• Industrial Assessment Center (IAC) – Student training /engineering outreach program at the University of Idaho funded by the Department of Energy (DOE). A team of upper-division engineering students led by a professor will spend a day at an industrial site to identify and quantify potential energy savings, reduce waste, and increase productivity. Students will write and submit a report within 60 days of the visit with cost and saving estimates from each recommendation.
• 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.
• U of I Research Experiences for Undergraduates Summer Program in Molecular and Organismal Evolution – Conduct independent study in diverse areas of molecular and organismal evolution. Attend weekly research seminars, professional development workshops and social activities.
• 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.
• Durcan Scholar Program – gain undergraduate knowledge of your discipline and develop research skills by working on faculty-mentored projects for the entire year.

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