NWCCU Accreditation Information for the Biological Engineering Program


Full Details of the learning objectives, assessment plan, student outcomes, and evidence of continuous improvement for the Biological Engineering - BS program of study can be found here


The undergraduate Biological Engineering program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.abet.org.



The USU Biological Engineering Program Learning Objectives:

Student learning objectives describe what students are expected to know and be able to do by the time of graduation. These relate to skills, knowledge, and behaviors that students acquire as they progress through the Biological Engineering program.

  1. An ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering
  2. An ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data
  3. An ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs within realistic constraints such as economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, manufacturability, and sustainability
  4. An ability to function on multidisciplinary teams
  5. An ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems
  6. An understanding of professional and ethical responsibility
  7. An ability to communicate effectively
  8. The broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global, economic, environmental, and societal context
  9. A recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in life-long learning
  10. A knowledge of contemporary issues
  11. An ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice.


The USU Biological Engineering Program Assessment Plan/Process:

The Biological Engineering program utilized three assessment processes in the 2023-2024 academic year. These processes are shown in the Table 1 below.


Table 1. Biological Engineering Assessment Plan

PROCESS DESCRIPTION FREQUENCY
IAB jury, Capstone Design  Projects IAB judges Capstone Design presentations and written reports relative to specific Student Outcomes Yearly, every Spring Semester
IAB jury, confidential senior interviews Seniors complete confidential survey and are interviewed by the IAB. IAB judges interviews relative to specific Student Outcomes Yearly, every Spring Semester
Fundamentals of Engineering Exam Results BE students are required to take the FE exam prior to graduation from the Program Required before Graduation

Each spring the Program’s Industry Advisory Board (IAB) judges the Capstone Design projects, both presentations and written reports, with regard to Student objectives (a) through (k). The IAB also conducts confidential senior exit interviews at that time and is asked to judge the students’ responses relative to Student objectives (a) through (k). Tables 2 and 3 are the forms used by the IAB for the collection of data.



Table 2. Biological Engineering Industry Advisory Board
CAPSTONE DESIGN FORM

Design Project Title: ______________________________

Students (Design Team): ______________________________

IAB Member Name: _______________________________

Instructions

The purpose of this form is to determine a percentage of attainment of Student learning objectives using the Capstone Design Presentations and Written Reports.  The Industry Advisory Board members are encouraged to ask the students questions they feel will indicate a measureable level of attainment of the objective. 

Student Objective Objective Description Suggested Evaluation Questions
a An ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering Why did you choose this alternative? Explain why this alternative is the best choice? What would other alternatives provide?
b An ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data What were the criteria for acceptability?  Were statistics tools used for designing experiments and/or interpreting results?
c An ability to design a  system, component, or process to meet desired needs within realistic constraints such as economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, manufacturability, and sustainability How is this design different from an experiment?
d An ability to function on multidisciplinary teams How did you work as a team? What was the division of labor? How did you integrate data to make decisions?
e An ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems What kind of accuracy is associated with your analytical, experimental, and numerical methods? Can you clearly articulate the engineering problem?
f An understanding of professional and ethical responsibility What code of ethics was applied to this project?
g An ability to communicate effectively What courses did you take that helped you write and organize your report?
h The broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global, economic, environmental, and societal context Did you consider economic, environmental, and societal factors of your project? What were the factors?
i A recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in, life-long learning How does your project connect with life-long learning?
j A knowledge of contemporary issues How does your project relate to contemporary issues?  How do you stay informed regarding contemporary issues?
k An ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice What modern tools did you use for this project?  Did you use modern tools for your presentation, including graphing programs?
IAB Member General Comments:

Table 3. Biological Engineering Industry Advisory Board
CONFIDENTIAL SENIOR INTERVIEW WORKSHEET

Dear BE Graduating Seniors:

Please carefully complete the below worksheet, print it, and take it with you to the Industry Advisory Board meeting on (date of meeting). This worksheet is entirely confidential and is between you and the Board.  The BE Department will never see this completed worksheet, so please express yourself openly.  The Board will consolidate your worksheets and interview information and provide a report to the Department that is completely anonymous.  Your inputs will be used to improve our Program.

Thank you,


David Britt



Student Name: ______________________________

Today’s Date: ______________________________



Table 3. How well did the Biological Engineering program prepare you to attain Student learning objectives?

OBJECTIVE DESCRIPTION SCORE
a An ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering  
b An ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as analyze and interpret data  
c An ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs within realistic constraints such as economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, manufacturability, and sustainability  
d An ability to function on multidisciplinary teams  
e An ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems  
f An understanding of professional and ethical responsibility  
g An ability to communicate effectively  
h The broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global, economic, environmental, and societal context  
i A recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in, life-long learning  
j A knowledge of contemporary issues  
k An ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice  

  1. Student’s Scoring Instructions:  Using a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being failure and 10 being excellent, please answer the following question:
  2. How did you do on the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam?  What sections were the best for you and what sections were you not prepared for?
  3. What are your immediate plans upon graduation?
  4. What are your long term plans?
  5. What is the most positive aspect of the Biological Engineering Program?
  6. What are your suggestions for strengthening the Program?
  7. Do you have any general comments?

Individual members of the IAB provide written responses to the Chair of the Industry Advisory Board. The Chair of the IAB consolidates the responses, calculates percentage of attainment of the Student Objectives, and provides a written report to the Department Head of Biological Engineering.
Students in the Biological Engineering Program are required to take the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) national test prior to graduation from the program. The College of Engineering receives detailed examination results.



Outcomes Data:

Tables 4 and 5 summarize the BE program expected minimum levels of attainment and actual levels of attainment of Student Learning Objectives a-k.  Levels of attainment exceeded expected minimum levels of attainment for all three processes (Table 1).


Table 4. Results of Evaluation Processes, Expected Minimum Levels of Attainment, and Actual Levels of Attainment

PROCESS EXPECTED LEVEL OF ATTAINMENT ACTUAL LEVEL OF ATTAINMENT 2022-2023
IAB jury, Capstone Design Projects A score of 70% is the expected level of attainment for each specific Student Outcome 87%
IAB jury, confidential senior interviews A score of 70% is the expected level of attainment for each specific Student Outcome 88%
Fundamentals of Engineering Exam Results Expected level of overall attainment is an exam pass rate equal to or greater than the National Average Program level of attainment 88%  
National level of attainment 52%

Results for the FE Examination show that the pass rate for students in the BE Program exceeds the national pass rate. Therefore the program exceeds the minimum expectation of a pass rate equivalent to the national pass rate.

PROCESS EXPECTED LEVEL OF ATTAINMENT ACTUAL LEVEL OF ATTAINMENT 2023-2024
IAB jury, Capstone Design Projects A score of 70% is the expected level of attainment for each specific Student Outcome  100%
IAB jury, confidential senior interviews A score of 70% is the expected level of attainment for each specific Student Outcome  95%
Fundamentals of Engineering Exam Results Expected level of overall attainment is an exam pass rate equal to or greater than the National Average Program level of attainment 87%  
National level of attainment 74%

Results for the FE Examination show that the pass rate for students in the BE Program exceeds the national pass rate. Therefore the program exceeds the minimum expectation of a pass rate equivalent to the national pass rate.

Table 5. Actual BE Fundamentals of Engineering Examination Results Compared to National Results

EXAM DATE TAKE EXAM PASS EXAM BE PROGRAM % PASS NAT’L % PASS
June 2021 16 14 88% 70%
December 2021 19 19 100% 77%
June 2022 14 12 86% 67%
December 2022 11 10 94% 40%
June 2023 17 14 82% 64%
December 2023 11 8 73% 71%
June 2024 11 11 100% 76%
Average 15 13 92% 73%


Data-Based Decisions/ The USU Biological Engineering Program Continuous Improvement (CI) Process:


The participants include:

  • Industry Advisory Board – Assessment of obtainment of learning objectives using capstone design projects and senior confidential interviews
  • ABET Committee – Evaluation of attainment of student learning objectives, actions needed for improvement, prioritization of actions
  • Curriculum Committee – Evaluation of attainment of student learning objectives,

recommendations for curriculum improvement and implementation of improvement actions.

All of the Biological Engineering faculty members participate in the continuous improvement process. All faculty members are on either the ABET Committee, Curriculum Committee, or both. The Curriculum Committee meets regularly during fall and spring semesters.  The Curriculum Committee requests changes, additions, adjustments to the curriculum required to improve attainment of Student Learning Objectives as indicated through the assessment and evaluation process.  The changes, additions, adjustments are documented (with supporting data) and approved by the Biological Engineering Department Head and the Dean of the College of Engineering.  Requests are then submitted to the Educational Policies Committee (EPC) for approval and implementation. Table 6 gives a brief description of data-based decisions for program curriculum changes 2015-2019 and planned changes. 


Table 6.  Data-Based Decisions -Program Curriculum Changes 2015-2019 and Planned Changes

ITEM YEAR DESCRIPTION SUPPORT FOLLOW-UP IMPLEMENTED
  2018 Closer ties to industry for Capstone projects. IAB reported concern for changing the format of design. Closer ties with industry and capstone design recommended by IAB and SS in 2016. Feedback has been positive with more projects industry sponsored. Sponsors include: Fresenius Medical Care, WesTech Engineering, Thermo Fisher Scientific, and CoorsTek Medical. 2018
  2018 Update drafting course from 2-dimensional AutoCAD to 3-dimensional SolidWorks, SolidWords for Biological Engineers (BENG 1200). Replace AutoCAD with SolidWorks (via MAE 1200). Offer SolidWorks for Biological Engineers (BENG 1200). Feedback from students through IDEA survey and IAB have been positive. 2018-2019.
  2018 Change from Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) programming to Python. 2016/2017 IAB letters suggest change from VBA to Python. Move Introduction to Computer Science (CS 1400) to fall semester of junior yr, before Bioinstrumentation is taken. SS and IAB interviews with students show positive feedback. Upper-level BENG 5020- Biological Systems Modeling course has also adopted Python in Fall 2018. 2018
  2019 Added Technical Communications for Engineers (ENGR 3080). Lower rating for G.1 in IDEA survey data (2017 & 2018), in SES (2018 & 2019), and course was discussed in ABET Committee and Curriculum Committee letters. Senior Exit Survey showed improvement in 2020. Continue to monitor. 2019
  2022 Evaluate and adjust course content for BENG 3500 Fluid Mechanics. Low rating and student concern for applicable content in course. Inconsistent quality of course due to COVID and multiple instructors over the past 3 years New instructor appointed, course corrected for balance between equation derivation and real-world experiences. 2023
  2022 Evaluate BENG 2300 Engineering Properties of Biological Materials. Low IDEA scores. Department wants to maintain strong undergraduate classroom experience. Low scores are not related to course content or teaching, but to incorrect utilization of IDEA objectives. Met with AAA at faculty meeting to discuss how information is collected and how to improve. 2023
  2022 Computer Programming and how to update this requirement within the BE curriculum. 5% of BE students are taking a minor in computer programming. BE should optimize the requirement and update usage of computer programming within curriculum. Integrate more computer programming into current curriculum, track student numbers, add focus question to senior exit interview. 2023
  2022 Focus on Juniors and summer opportunities. Provide more opportunities for summer industrial internships and research experiences. Discuss opportunities with IAB. Outstanding Alumni 2023 brought 2 internship opportunities when he visited during E-week. Maintain alumni relationships. 2023
  2022 Provide additional student mentoring by faculty. Faculty should provide more guidance to undergraduate students. Department assigned Undergraduate Committee to offer more one-on-one meetings, assist w/ coursework and career planning. 2023
  2022 Department should utilize tutors more in future courses Provide valuable one-on-one mentoring to undergraduate students. BE submitted new course fee requests for BENG 1000, BENG 1200, BENG 2330, and BENG 2400 which included tutor support in those fees. 2023
  2022 Laboratory safety and best practices Students who conduct research are required to complete lab safety training provided by EHS department. This is a regular agenda item in BE faculty meetings, lab safety is emphasized in courses w/ lab sessions. Department Safety Committee compiled list of fire extinguishers, eye wash stations, first aid kits, and automated external defibrillator (AED). 2023
  2022 Gather more feedback from students for quality of department and its offerings. Continue utilizing senior exit interviews, FE Exam data, faculty course assessment worksheets, and IDEA evaluations to assess curriculum. Senior exit interviews have been administered through CANVAS for student optimization. 2023
  2023 Define focus areas for students within biological engineering Undergraduate Curriculum Committee advises students to explore various areas of study offered: biomedical, biosynthetic, bioenvironmental, and bioprocessing. BENG 1000 has been assigned to veteran faculty, will be utilized to introduce first-year students to diverse array of focus areas and career trajectories. 2024
  2023 Investigate value of FE Exam requirement. MAE removed the FE Exam requirement, sparking a dialogue if BE should keep it. BE students boast a higher passing rate. Exam fees are a large burdeng for students. FE Exam is a distinguishing factor for the program and entering the job market. Department could streamline curriculum without this requirement. Faculty voted to take this discussion to IAB committee for feedback. 2024
  2023 Increase industry topics within courses Facilitate industry facility tours, guest lecturers and industry experts into curriculum for student benefit. New faculty to teach BENG 5600, BENG 1200, BENG 3200. They will bring new perspective and contacts to interact with students. Department utilizes the annual IBEC conference as platform for exposing students to cutting-edge research and industry-sponsored projects. 2024