Biosystems Engineering (Master's) at Michigan State University

Programme overview

The MS in Biosystems Engineering prepares graduates for advanced careers that need disciplinary expertise beyond the BS, applying science, mathematics and engineering to design sustainable solutions to problems with a critical biological component. Plan A (thesis) suits research and development careers or progression to a PhD; Plan B (non-thesis) broadens knowledge through coursework alone.

Faculty: College of Agriculture and Natural Resources | Department: Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering | Duration: 30 credits (Plan A thesis or Plan B non-thesis) | Study mode: full-time | Location: East Lansing, MI, United States

What you will study

Application areas include food and biomass production, food processing, conversion of biological products, water and waste management, and natural resource and environmental protection. Required courses are BE 815, BE 820, BE 835 and BE 892, plus a 400-level-or-above statistics course and a biological science course; Plan A adds BE 899 thesis research, a thesis defence and submission of a journal paper, while Plan B requires a project, written and oral examination and a formal report.

Career pathways

Advanced engineering careers in food, environmental, bioenergy and biological systems; Plan A also prepares for doctoral study.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

GRE General Test scores required. Regular admission: GPA of at least 3.00 for the final two undergraduate years (or upper quarter of the graduating class in the major), and a bachelor's degree from an accredited engineering programme or from a related science-oriented programme with very high academic achievement. Applicants should have completed mathematics through partial differential equations and the equivalent of thermodynamics, heat and mass transfer, and bioprocessing required for a BS in biosystems engineering. Applicants without an engineering degree must show they can succeed in core courses BE 815 and 835 and complete a significant engineering design experience. Provisional admission is possible where collateral courses are needed or the record is incomplete.

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.

Graduate applicants can start in fall (late August), spring (January) or summer (May) in the MPH programme; intake terms for other graduate programmes are set by each department or program.

The graduate application fee is $75 for domestic and international applicants, with one fee per application; applicants may submit up to two applications to different graduate majors per semester. Applications are reviewed by the department or program, which sets its own deadlines.

MPH application deadlines (SOPHAS completion): fall May 18, spring October 18, summer February 15; MSU supplemental application: fall June 1, spring November 1, summer March 1.

Apply through the official page: https://admissions.msu.edu/apply/graduate-students

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