Required Courses for the Biochemical Engineering Degree, 2023-2024
This program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.abet.org
Undergraduate Advising: ech-advising@ucdavis.edu To make an advising appointment: appointments.ucdavis.edu
Note: Curriculum and courses offerings are subject to change. You must fulfil the degree requirements stated in the catalog of the year you graduate
or the year immediately prior. For additional detail on courses and requirements, please visit the course supplement located at
https://catalog.ucdavis.edu/departments-programs-degrees/chemical-engineering/
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Writing Requirements
Lower Division Composition (4 units)
Upper Division Composition (0 to 4 units)
Select ONE of the following courses:
Select ONE of the following courses:
UWP 1, 1V, or 1Y
Expository Writing
UWP 102E or 102F
ENL 3
Introduction to Literature
UWP 104A, 104E, or 104T
COM 1
Bks of West Civ/Ancient World
Courses must be completed with a C- or better. This
requirement can also be satisfied by passing the Upper Division
Composition Exam
COM 2
Bks of West Civ/MidAge-English
COM 3
Bks of West Civ/Modern Crisis
COM 4
Bks of Contemporary World
NAS 5
Intro to Native American Lit.
Courses must be completed with a C- or better. A 4 or 5 on your AP
English exam will also satisfy this requirement.
General Education Requirement
This requirement is partially satisfied with coursework completed for the Biochemical Engineering degree.
A detailed GE checklist can be found here.
Lower Division Major Requirements
Math, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology (57-59 units)
Course
Description
Units
Quarter
Prerequisites
MAT 21A Calculus 4 F W S
35+ on Mathematics Placement Requirement w/ 3+ on
Trigonometry Score
MAT 21B Calculus 4 F W S C- or better in MAT 21A or MAT 21AH
MAT 21C Calculus 4 F W S C- or better in MAT 21B or MAT 21BH
MAT 21D Vector Analysis 4 F W S C- or better in MAT 21C or MAT 21CH
MAT 22A or
MAT 27A
Linear Algebra
3
4
F W S
C- or better in MAT 21C or MAT 21CH, ENG 6, EME 5, ECH 60,
or MAT 22AL
MAT 22B or
MAT 27B
Differential Equations
3
4
F W S C- or better in MAT 22A or MAT 67
PHY 9A
Classical Physics
5
F
S
MAT 21B or
PHY 9B Classical Physics 5 F W PHY 9A; MAT 21C; MAT 21D
PHY 9C Classical Physics 5 W S PHY 9B; MAT 212D; MAT 22A
CHE 2A or
CHE 4A
General Chemistry
Gen Che for Phys Sci & Eng
5 F W
24+ on Chemistry Placement Exam; 28+ on Chemistry Placement
Exam
CHE 2B or
CHE 4B
General Chemistry
Gen Che for Phys Sci & Eng
5 W S C- or better in CHE 2A or CHE 2AH or CHE 4A
CHE 2C or
CHE 4C
General Chemistry
Gen Che for Phys Sci & Eng
5 F S C- or better in CHE 2B or CHE 2BH or CHE 4B
BIS 2A Introductory Biology 5 F W S None
Engineering (16 units)
Course Descriptions Units Quarter Prerequisites
ECH 5 BioChem/Materials Analysis 3 W None
ECH 51 Materials Balances 4 F C- or better in MAT 21B
ECH 60 or
ECS 32A
Computational Methods
Introduction to Programming
4
F
W
S
S
MAT 21C
None
ECH 80
Chemical Engineering
Professionals
(SS GEE credit)
1 F None
Choose One of the following:
ENG 17
Circuits I
4
F
W
S
MAT 21C (C- or better recommended)
ENG 35
Statics
4
F
W
S
C- or better in PHY 9A or PHY 9AH; C- or better in MAT 21D
ENG 45 Properties of Materials 4 F W
S
SS
C- or better in all of the following: MAT 21C, CHE 2A, PHY 9A;
ENG 45Y is an online course only offered in Summer Session
Upper Division Major Requirements
Chemistry and Biological Science (16 units)
Course
Descriptions
Units
Quarter
Prerequisites
CHE 128A Organic Chemistry 3 F W S C or better in CHE 2C or CHE 4C
CHE 129A
Organic Chemistry
2
F
W
C or better in CHE 2C or CHE 4C; CHE 128A
CHE 128B Organic Chemistry 3 W S CHE 128A or
BIS 102 Struc & Func Biomolecules 3 F W
S
SS
BIS 1A or 2A; CHE 8B, CHE 118B, or CHE 128B
MIC 102 Intro Microbiology 3 F W S BIS 1A or BIS 2A; CHE 2B
MIC 103L
Intro Microbiology
2
F
W
S
C- or better in MIC 102; CHE 2B
Engineering core courses (60 units)
Course Descriptions Units Quarter Prerequisites
ECH 140 Mathematical Methods 4 F MAT 22B; ECH 60 or ECS 32A, or equivalent
ECH 141 Fluid Mechanics 4 F C- or better in ECH 51 ; ECH 140
ECH 142 Heat Transfer 4 W ECH 141
ECH 143 Mass Transfer 4 S ECH 142
ECH 145A
Chemical Engineering
Thermodynamics Lab
3 W ECH 152A , UWP 102E
ECH 145B
Chemical Engineering
Transport Lab
3 S ECH 142, ECH 145A, UWP 102E
ECH 148A
Chemical Kinetics and
Reaction Engineering
3 F ECH 143, ECH 152B
ECH 152A Thermodynamics 3 W ECH 51; MAT 21C
ECH 152B Thermodynamic 4 S ECH 152A
ECH 157
Process Dynamics
4
F
ECH 140
ECH 158BN
Process Economics and
Green Design (SS GE3 credit)
4 W ECH 142, ECH 143
ECH 158C
Plant Design Project
(SS GE3 credit)
4 S ECH 158B or ECH 161C
ECH 161AN Bioseparations 4 F ECH 143
ECH 161BN
BiochemE Fundamentals
4 W ECH 148A
ECH 161C
Biotech Facility Design
(SS GE3 credit)
4 W
(ECH 161A or ECH 161AN ; ECH 161B or ECH 161BN ;
ECH 158A or ECH 158B) or DEB 263
ECH 161L Bioprocess Engineering Lab 4 S
(ECH 161A or ECH 161AN & 161B, or 161BN and ECH 145B) or
VEN 186, or {Bis 103 & MCB 120L}
Biochemical Engineering Technical Electives continue on next page…
May be taken concurrently
May be taken with consent of instructor
* Not offered regularly
** Offered in alternate years
Biochemical Engineering Technical Electives (8 units)
1. Choose at least 1 laboratory course form the Laboratory Elective list. Research (190C, 198, or 199) does not replace the required lab elective.
2. At least 3 units must be completed in any upper division engineering course(s) (BIM-Biomedical Engineering, EAE-Aerospace Science &
Engineering, EBS-Biological Systems Engineering, ECH- Chemical Engineering, ECI- Civil & Environmental Engineering, ECS- Computer
Science Engineering, EEC- Electrical & Computer Engineering, EME- Mechanical Engineering, EMS- Materials Science & Engineering, ENG-
Engineering) not numbered 190C and/or 198. Note ECH 192 or 199 can be used to satisfy this area.
3. Remainder of units, for a total of 8 units, may be completed in any upper division engineering and/or science course(s)* excluding courses
numbered 190 and 198 with the exception of ECH 198.
*Acceptable science courses must carry one of the following subject designations: BIS-Biological Sciences, BIT-Biotechnology, FST-Food
Science & Technology, MIC-Microbiology, MCB-Molecular & Cellular Biology, NPB-Neurobiology, Physiology, & Behavior; PLB-Plant
Biology, STA-Statistics, VEN-Viticulture & Enology
a. You may receive biochemical engineering elective credit up to a maximum of 4 units of an internship (192) and/or independent study (199).
b. Credit for independent studies (199s) or internships (192s) completed outside of the department must be approved by the department’s
Undergraduate Affairs Committee. Additionally, students applying for these credits must submit an essay of at least 4 pages and no more than
10 pages detailing the engineering and/or science aspects of their work, results or outcomes (figures and graphs may be included), and how the
experience relates to their educational program and objectives. The report must be submitted in pdf format and use 1.5 line spacing, 1” margins,
and 12pt Times New Roman font. No intellectual property should be contained in the report. Applications must also include a written evaluation
of the students’ performance by the student’s supervisor or faculty advisor.
4. Courses used to satisfy other major requirements cannot be used to satisfy the technical elective requirements.
List of laboratory courses:
BIM 161L*
Biomolecular Engineering Lab
3
BIM 161A or BIS 101
BIT 161A
Genetics & Biotechnology Lab
6
W
PLS 152 or BIS 101; and
BIT 161B
Plant Genetics & Biotechnology
Lab
4 S PLS 152 or BIS 101; and
FST 102B Practical Malting and Brewing 4 W
FST 102A; CHE 2C; Open to seniors only in
Fermentation Science or Food Science and
Technology
FST 104L
Food Microbiology Lab
4
S
BIS 2A; BIS 103; FST 104
FST 123L
Enzymology Lab
2
S
BIS 103, FST 123 (required concurrent)
MCB 120L
Biochemistry Lab
3
F
W
S
BIS 102 or
MCB 160L
Principles of Genetics Lab
5
F
W
S
BIS 101
NPB 101L
Systemic Physiology Lab
3
F
W
S
NPB 101 or NPB 100C
NPB 104L*
Cellular Physiology/Neurobio
Lab
4 NPB 101L; BIS 103 or 105
VEN 123L Analysis of Musts & Wines Lab 2 F
CHE 2C; PLS 21;(CHE 8b or 118B or 128B); and
VEN 123 ; restricted to upper division and grad
students in VEN major;
VEN 124L Wine Production Lab 3 F
VEN 124 , Restricted to undergraduates in
fermentation science, viticulture & enology,
biotechnology, microbiology, food science and
applied plant biology majors; open to graduate
students in food science agriculture and
environmental chemistry and horticulture
List your course for Biochemical Engineering Technical Electives below
Course (Ex: ECH 168)
# of Units
__________Units
College of Engineering Course Tips
• BIM-Biomedical Engineering
– Most require BIS 2A or BIS 2B
• EAE-Aerospace Science & Engineering – Most courses require upper-division ENG courses
• EBS-Biological Systems Engineering – Most require EBS 75 and upper-division ENG courses
• ECH-Chemical Engineering – Most non-required ECH courses will have their pre-reqs already satisfied
• ECI-Civil & Environmental Engineering – Most upper-division courses require ENG 35
• ECS-Computer Science Engineering – Most require a programming course/series &/or ENG 17
• EEC-Electrical & Computer Engineering – Most upper-division courses require ENG 17
• EME-Mechanical Engineering – Most upper-division courses require upper-division ENG courses.
• EMS-Materials Science & Engineering – most upper-division courses require ENG 45
• ENG-Engineering– Most upper-division courses require ENG 35
Sample Academic Plans - Biochemical Engineering Major
Sample Four Year Schedule Sample Two Year Transfer Schedule
MAT 21A 4 MAT 21B 4 MAT 21C 4 ECH 51 4 ECH 142 4 ECH 143 4
CHE 2A or 4A^ 5 CHE 2B or 4B^ 5 CHE 2C or 4C^ 5 ECH 80 1 ECH 145A 3 ECH 145B 3
ECH 80 1 ECH 5 3 PHY 9A 5 ECH 140 4 ECH 152A 3 ECH 152B 4
4 GE 4 ECH 141 4 BIS 102 3 MIC 102 3
UWP 102E 4
Total units
14 Total units 16 Total units 14 Total units 17 Total units 13 Total units 14
MAT 21D 4 MAT 22A 3 MAT 22B 3 ECH 148A 3 ECH 158BN 4 ECH 158C 4
CHE 128A 3 CHE 128B 3 BIS 2A 5 ECH 157 4 ECH 161BN 4 ECH 161L 4
ECH 51 4 CHE 129A 2 ECH 60 or ECS 32A 4 ECH 161AN 4 ECH 161C 4 Tech. Elective 4
PHY 9B 5 PHY 9C 5 ECH 152B 4 MIC 103L 2 Tech. Elective 4
GE 4
ECH 152A 3 ENG 17, 35, 45* 4
Total units
16 Total units 16 Total units 16 Total units 17 Total units 16 Total units 16
ECH 140 4 ECH 142 4 ECH 143 4
ECH 141 4 ECH 145A 3 ECH 145B 3
BIS 102 3 ENG 17, 35, 45 4 MIC 102 3
4 GE 4 GE 4
Total units
15 Total units 15 Total units 14
ECH 148A 3 ECH 158BN 4 ECH 158C 4
ECH 157 4 ECH 161BN 4 ECH 161L 4
ECH 161AN 4 ECH 161C 4 Tech. Elective 4
MIC 103L 2 Tech. Elective 4 GE 3
GE 4
Total units
17 Total units 16 Total units 15
3001 Ghausi Hall
[email protected]
http://che.engineering.ucdavis.edu
The Biochemical Engineering Program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET http://www.abet.org/
^ CHE 4 series recommended
This is only one example of several possible combinations
Department of Chemical Engineering
Fall Quarter Winter Quarter Spring Quarter
This is only one example of several possible combinations
* ENG 17, 35, or 45 will not be required if course work
was completed prior to transfer
UWP 102E (or
exam
Fall Quarter Winter Quarter Spring Quarter
Lower Division
Composition
Rev. 01/2023