Bioengineering Minor Program

 The bioengineering minor is open to all undergraduate engineering majors. In addition to providing a core background in bioengineering, the minor provides specializations in bioinformatics and systems biology, biomaterials, biomechanics, biomicro systems, biobased products and bioprocessing. Please see minor requirements for a detailed list of courses and requirements to complete the bioengineering minor.

The bioengineering minor at Iowa State University is an interdisciplinary program that complements a student’s major discipline by providing additional insight into the interactions between various engineering disciplines and biological systems, emphasizing new ways of solving biological problems. The program provides students with unique educational experiences to apply engineering skills and create new biobased products and devices.

The minor program is designed to:

• Give students an overall perspective and stimulate student’s interest in bioengineering.
• Provide basic training in biology in conjunction with engineering applications that can serve as the foundation for further studies in this growth area.
• Provide students with broader educational and career opportunities.

The program is open to all undergraduate engineering students at Iowa State University. The program will provide students with foundation of core bioengineering knowledge, on which tracks that provide in-depth exposure to targeted areas of specialization will be superimposed.

These tracks include

1. Bioinformatics and Systems Biology
2. Biomaterials and Biomechanics
3. Biomicro Systems
4. Biosystems and Environmental Engineering.

Undergraduate engineering majors can satisfy the minor in bioengineering by completing a total of 15 credits; 6 from the core curriculum and 9 from the specialized tracks. The students can either choose to specialize in a particular track or choose a set of courses from all tracks as a list of electives to draw from.

Bioengineering is a broad, interdisciplinary field that integrates principles and knowledge from basic life sciences and engineering disciplines to enable further advances at the leading edge of science and technology and to improve the quality of human life. The integration of engineering and life sciences is expected to yield significant technological breakthroughs in the coming decades and is a rapidly growing segment of the economy. The demand for new biobased products and devices is expected to fuel a 27% or higher increase in jobs through 2014 (according to U.S.News & World Report and the U.S. Department of Labor). Students who complete the bioengineering minor will have a competitive advantage in serving engineering needs in the bioeconomy, specifically in the areas of biology, biotechnology, biorenewables, agriculture, and health sciences.