BS Biological Systems Engineering at Iowa State University

Programme overview

For the undergraduate curriculum in Biological Systems Engineering leading to the degree Bachelor of Science. The Biological Systems Engineering Program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, https://www.abet.org , under the commission’s General Criteria and Program Criteria for Biological and Similarly Named Engineering Programs.

Faculty: College of Engineering | Study mode: full-time | Location: Ames, IA, United States

What you will study

Required and core courses listed in the curriculum include ABE 1600 Systematic Problem Solving and Computer Programming; MICRO 3020 Biology of Microorganisms; ABE 2160 Fundamentals of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering; ABE 2180 Project Management & Design in Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering; ABE 2730 CAD for Process Facilities and Land Use Planning; ABE 3160 Applied Numerical Methods for Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering.

Career pathways

Today’s successful engineers often need strong business management skills to complement their degree in engineering. These skills are especially important for engineers who are interested in working for technical companies, launching their own business ventures, or pursuing nontraditional jobs such as consulting.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Admission is to Iowa State University and its college, not to the individual major (Iowa State does not make admission decisions by major). First-year applicants are admitted on the Regent Admission Index (RAI = ACT composite x 3 + cumulative GPA x 30 + years of high school core courses x 5); an RAI of at least 245 with the minimum high school course requirements (4 years English, 3 years mathematics including algebra, geometry and advanced algebra, 3 years science, 2 years social studies) receives automatic admission, and applicants below 245 may be considered through individual review. Iowa State is test-optional for first-year applicants. The College of Engineering additionally requires two years of a single world language.

Tuition is charged per credit, so the total depends on the modules you register for each year. Current fees are listed in the official fee schedule.

Entry terms for first-year applicants include Fall 2026, Spring 2027 and Summer 2027. International undergraduate applications are reviewed on a rolling basis and may be submitted up to one year before the intended start date; applying at least six to eight weeks in advance is strongly recommended.

International undergraduate applicants pay a nonrefundable application fee of $65 by credit card through the online application system; fee waivers are not offered. SAT/ACT are not required for applicants educated abroad or for transfer students. First-year applicants: Iowa State is test-optional for ACT, SAT or CLT scores; admission is based on the Regent Admission Index. Apply with the institutional application or the Common App.

Apply through the official page: https://apps.admissions.iastate.edu/apply/online/

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