Typical Four-year Outline: Sustainable Bioproducts BS (Sustainable Structures Focus)

The typical four-year outline for Michigan Tech's sustainable bioproducts bachelor's degree with a sustainable structures focus provides a semester-by-semester guide to core courses, labs, and requirements.

The Interactive Degree Audit is the official method for tracking the completion of your specific degree requirements. Please be aware that there are multiple ways for students to progress through this major. This is just one sample and adjustments may be required due to curriculum changes. Students should work with their advisor to develop their individual plan. A full list of undergraduate course descriptions is available.

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First Year

Fall Semester
Course Prerequisites Credit
FW 1050 Natural Resource Professional   2
BL 1400 Principles of Biology (Essential Education: Science)   3
BL 1410 Principles of Biology Lab   1
MA 1135 Calculus for Life Sciences (Essential Education: Math) MA 1031 or MA 1032 or placement 4
UN 1015 Composition (Essential Education)   3
Total   13
Spring Semester
Course Prerequisites Credit
BUS 1100 Intro to Business   3
CEE 1001 Sustainable and Civil Engineering Practices   1
CH 1150 University Chemistry I MA 1031 or higher or placement 3
CH 1151 University Chemistry I Lab CH 1150 (Concurrent) 1
EC 2001 Principles of Economics MA 1135 3
Essential Education: Foundations of the Human World   3
Essential Education: Activities   1
Total   15

Second Year

Fall Semester
Course Prerequisites Credit
FW 2030 Conservation of Nature   2
MA 2720 Statistical Methods MA 1030 or higher or placement 4
PH 1110 College Physics I MA 1031 or higher or placement 3
PH 1111 College Physics I Lab PH 1110 (Concurrent) 1
Essential Education: Shape   3
Essential Education: Activities   1
Total   14
Spring Semester
Course Prerequisites Credit
FW 1035 Wood Anatomy   3
FW 2081 Intro to Circular Economy   3
CMG 2120 Statics and Strength of Material Construct PH 1110 3
Essential Education: Arts and Culture   3
Essential Education: Communication Intensive   3
Essential Education: Activities   1
Total   16

Third Year

Fall Semester
Course Prerequisites Credit
FW 3090 Mechanics of Wood Materials   3
FW 3097 Forest Biomaterials   3
CMG 3250 Structural Analysis and Design   1
ENT 3950 Enterprise   3
Business Elective   3
Free Elective   3
Total   16
Spring Semester
Course Prerequisites Credit
ENT 3960 Enterprise   1
MKT 3000 Principles of Marketing   3
Any ENT course not already required   1-2
Free Elective   3
Essential Education: Experience   3
Essential Education: Intercultural Competency   3
Total   14

Fourth Year

Spring Semester
Course Prerequisites Credit
CEE 4233 Structural Timber Design   3
ENT 4910 Senior Enterprise   2
HU 3120 Technical and Professional Communication   3
Internship Experience   2-4
Free Electives   6
Total   16

Grand total = 120 credits

Business Elective

  • Choose one course from the list below:
Course Course Title Credits Prereqs Semester Offered
ACC 2000 Accounting Principles 1  3 None Fall, Spring
BUS 2200 Business Law 3 None Fall, Spring
FIN 3000 Principles of Finance 3 ACC 2000 and MA 1135 Fall, Spring
MGT 2000 Team Dynamics and Decision Making 3 None Fall, Spring
MGT 3100 Leadership Development 3 None Fall
OSM 3000 Operations and Supply Chain 3 MA 1135 and MA 2720 Fall, Spring

Internship Experience

  • Choose two to four credits from the list of courses below:
Course Course Title Credits Prereqs Semester Offered

FW 4000

Note: Must repeat for at least two credits total

Professional Experience 1 None Must have an approved internship before enrolling; permission of instructor required
FW 4840 Senior Research Thesis 4 None Permission of instructor required; Must be
senior status
UN 3002 Undergraduate Cooperative Education 1 2 ACC 2000 and MA 1135 Departmental permission required
Varies Study Abroad (varies) varies None Requires prior approval from director

Enterprise

  • Students must participate in a minimum of four semesters of an Enterprise project and complete the course sequence including ENT 3950, ENT 3960, ENT 4900, and ENT 4910. See your academic advisor for questions.

Internship Experience

  • Students must participate in a professional experience such as an internship, cooperative education experience, study away experience, and/or a senior research thesis. See your academic advisor or program director for questions.

Essential Education Requirements (24 total credits)

Required courses are:

  • Essential Ed Seminar (UN 1013 or UN 2013, 1 credit),
  • Composition (UN 1015-3 credits),
  • a Natural and Physical Science course (3 credits),
  • a Communication Intensive course (3 credits),
  • an Arts and Culture course (3 credits),
  • an Intercultural Competency course (3 credits),
  • an Essential Education Experience course (3 credits),
  • and 3 credits of Activities for Well-being and Success.

For specific courses, reference Essential Education on the Registrar's website.

Additional Notes

  • Prerequisite (pre-req) course must be successfully completed PRIOR to taking the subsequent course.
    • Concurrent Prerequisites (concurrent noted by (C) or ©) may be taken at the same time, although it is not necessary if the prerequisite course is completed first.
      • Required Corequisite (co-req) courses that MUST be taken together in the same semester.
      • Class Standing: So (Sophomore Standing earned 30 credits) Jr (Junior Standing earned 60 credits), Sr (Senior Standing earned 90 credits)
      • Semester Offered: Noted under electives with F (Fall), Sp (Spring), Su (Summer) or On Demand (no anticipated offering but may show in the schedule, consult with your advisor)
  • Math: Students are placed into an initial math course based on ACT/SAT math score, the online ALEKS assessment, or a math placement exam score for credit (AP, IB, CLEP).
  • Transfer, Advanced Placement, or study abroad courses are not included in credit hours used for GPA calculations. Transfer credit is awarded for Michigan Tech equivalent coursework only if a grade of ‘C’ or better (2.00/4.00) or equivalent is earned at a transfer institution. Study abroad credit will be awarded based on passing a course according to equivalent international standards. Advanced Placement credit is awarded according to published AP Exam score standards (also IB and CLEP).

This degree plan is not an official list of degree requirements. Adjustments may be required due to curriculum changes.