Effectiveness of an applied microbiology course specifically designed for chemical engineering majors.

The changing face of the chemical industry and increas- ing emphasis on life sciences has spurred many chemical engineering departments to review their curricula. At Rowan University, the Biological Sciences faculty have developed a unique biology course for the chemical engineering students as a result of student and faculty assessment. The new four credit sophomore-level Biological Systems and Applications course (BS&A) addresses a need in the educational experi- ence for Chemical Engineering students not only at Rowan, but also serves as a model for other schools. Its hands-on laboratory component enhances student learning and provides the necessary background in the biological sciences for stu- dents to succeed in upper-level courses, projects, and their careers. A nationwide effort is underway to examine engineering curricula and encourage the incorporation of more topics from the life sciences. Industries in the pharmaceutical, biotech- nology, biomedical, food, and related fields indicate a strong demand for engineers with training in the life sciences. A conventional approach would be to add some standard biol- ogy courses, but a separate new course optimally developed for engineering students provides a more focused learning experience.