What Undergraduate Majors Are Offered by Biological Systems Engineering at Nebraska?

Biological Systems Engineering (BSE) at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln offers three undergraduate majors: Agricultural Engineering, Agricultural Systems Technology, and Biological Systems Engineering. Each path blends engineering or technology with biology, mathematics, and applied science, but they differ in how much emphasis they place on design, technology management, or biological systems. The right choice depends on whether you want to design engineered systems, manage agricultural technology and business operations, or work at the intersection of biology and engineering.

The Three Majors at a Glance

Agricultural Engineering

This major is for students who want to combine an interest in the outdoors with expertise in biology, mathematics, and technology. The work addresses what the department describes as society's crucial needs: food, water, energy, and sustainable natural resources.

If you picture yourself designing irrigation systems, agricultural machinery, or natural resource management tools, this is the most engineering-design-oriented of the three options.

Agricultural Systems Technology

Agricultural Systems Technology sits at the intersection of technology, agricultural science, and business practices. It equips students to solve agricultural challenges and address related industry needs.

This major tends to suit students who are interested in how technology is applied and managed in agricultural settings, rather than in pure engineering design. The inclusion of business practices distinguishes it from the other two paths.

Biological Systems Engineering

Biological Systems Engineering integrates biology and engineering principles to address societal challenges. By understanding biological phenomena, students work across disciplines to solve complex problems.

Choose this major if your interests span living systems and engineering — for example, areas like bioprocessing, environmental systems, or biomedical-adjacent applications.

How to Compare and Decide

The department's site provides a 4-Year Plan link for each major, which is the most concrete way to compare course sequences and workload. Use these plans alongside the focus descriptions above:

• If you want the strongest engineering design emphasis tied to agriculture and natural resources → Agricultural Engineering
• If you want technology plus business and industry application → Agricultural Systems Technology
• If you want biology and engineering integrated across disciplines → Biological Systems Engineering

The department also notes that scholarships are awarded by departments and the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid (OSFA) based on criteria including cumulative GPA, ACT/SAT scores, financial need, and a resume of activities — and that not all scholarship opportunities are major-specific. That means your choice of major does not necessarily limit your scholarship options, so it is worth applying broadly.

To explore further, visit the BSE website's degree options and each major's 4-year plan, or plan a campus visit to see the classrooms, labs, and collaborative spaces where BSE students learn and design.