Program Criteria for Agricultural and Similarly Named Engineering Programs
Submitted by the American Society of Agricultural Engineers

Approved by EAC July 26, 1997


These program criteria apply to engineering programs including "agricultural," agri-based "biological," "food," "forest," and similar modifiers in their titles.

1. Curriculum

Graduates must have demonstrated proficiency in mathematics through differential equations, and relevant engineering sciences consistent with the discipline.

Agricultural engineering programs: Graduates must have demonstrated a knowledge of appropriate agricultural and/or biological sciences, and/or natural resource topics. Competencies must be demonstrated in relevant fields such as; biological materials, computer and automatic control systems, information systems, machine systems, modified environment design, natural resource systems, processing systems, and structural design.

Biological engineering programs: Graduates must have demonstrated a knowledge of appropriate inorganic and organic chemistry, biochemistry, and biological science topics. Competencies must be demonstrated in relevant fields such as; biological kinetics, biological materials, biological systems, biomedical systems, bioprocessing, computer and automatic control systems, information systems, machine systems, and natural resource systems.

Food engineering programs: Graduates must have demonstrated a knowledge of appropriate organic and physical chemistry, and biological science topics. Competencies must be demonstrated in relevant fields such as; biological kinetics, biological materials, heat and mass transfer systems, information systems, process control systems, and processing systems.

Forest engineering programs: Graduates must have demonstrated a knowledge of appropriate forest science topics. Competencies must be demonstrated in relevant fields such as; computer and automatic control systems, ecological and silvicultural systems, harvesting systems, hydrology, information systems, natural resources and environmental systems, processing, transportation and access systems, and water resources.

Similarly named engineering programs: Graduates must have demonstrated a knowledge of appropriate agricultural and/or biological science, chemistry, and natural resource topics. Competencies must be demonstrated in relevant fields such as; aquacultural systems, biological processes and systems, computer and automatic control systems, information systems, machine systems, modified environment design, natural resource systems, processing systems, and structural design.

2. Faculty

The program shall demonstrate that those faculty teaching courses which are primarily design in content are qualified to teach the subject matter by virtue of education and experience or professional licensure.