Agricultural & Biological Engineering
The Agricultural and Biological Engineering program trains professionals with high scientific and technological skills, in three areas of agriculture: Agricultural Biotechnology, Sustainable Agriculture and Agricultural Economics, with a high sense of social responsibility towards the community.
Mission
We contribute to society by training professionals who have the capacity to manage agricultural production units and connect research with their respective fields of expertise.
Vision
To be a reference in the education, research and innovation of agricultural and biological sciences.
* Undergraduate tuition/fees:
The Constitution of the Republic of Ecuador in its Article 356, among other principles, establishes that third-level public higher education will be tuition/fees free. Zero cost education is linked to the academic responsibility of the students.
Number of admitted students per academic year
Number of graduates per year
Number of enrolled students per academic year
Graphs show the figures in real time, at the time of the query
The Agricultural and Biological Engineering program at ESPOL has obtained the international EUR-ACE® accreditation, one of the most recognized quality labels in Europe and the world for engineering programs.
This achievement guarantees that our training meets international standards of academic excellence, preparing highly qualified professionals to face the challenges of agricultural engineering with a sustainable and innovative vision.
With this accreditation, our students gain access to a degree with international recognition, which opens doors to study and employment opportunities abroad, while reaffirming our commitment to educational quality and the development of the country.
Applying to our program is taking a step towards globally endorsed education, focused on innovation, sustainability, and leadership in the agricultural sector.
International Accreditation Coordinator
Roberto Burbano, Ph. D.
In the Agricultural and Biological Engineering program, we are looking for students who have the skills to generate and use information from the agricultural sector in a timely fashion. They should also possess the ability to manage interpersonal relationships and work effectively in teams, adaptability to work in both urban and rural settings, and a strong foundation in physics, chemistry, and mathematics. We expect our students to have a deep respect for life and biodiversity, as well as its conservation, in addition to qualities such as honesty, commitment, and social responsibility.
- To demonstrate competence in fundamental engineering skills and technical knowledge, as well as appropriate professional and personal skills for their profession in order to provide solutions in the agricultural field.
- To become active members of society, contributing to the community, industry, academia, public sector, and professional organizations, promoting sustainable and equitable development in the agricultural sector.
- To engage in entrepreneurial activities and/or assume management or leadership positions aimed at improving the quality of life in society
First Year
Description:
It is a core course for Engineering, Natural Sciences, Exact Sciences, and Social Sciences and Humanities, students. Topics, such as, topological notions, limits and continuity of real variable functions, derivatives and their applications, antiderivatives and integration techniques, and the definite integral with its applications, are examined. This course is aimed to the development of student’s skills and know-how in the derivation and integration processes, as a fundamental basis for the following upper level courses in its academic training process
Description:
In this course, students apply the Design Thinking methodology to identify, analyze real-life problems or needs, to design innovative solutions. Students work in multidisciplinary teams to present solution proposals that add value to customers/users from private companies, public organizations and non-profit organizations.
Description:
This basic and general education subject presents grammatical structures to produce a simple paragraph based on a writing program. Additionally, it allows the identification of a specific argument in oral and written communication. It also considers learners’ personal opinions about different topics related to social, academic, and professional aspects. It includes the necessary vocabulary to make comparisons between present and past, books or movies description, creation of simple students’ profile, opinions about inventions, formal apologies and tell past events.
Description:
General Chemistry is a theoretical-practical course aimed at the basic training of professionals in the areas of Engineering and Natural Sciences, which provides a scientific basis of the matter and its interactions, and seeks to develop in students the ability to solve problems related to the content of the subject. It begins with an Introduction to Thermochemistry, then the analysis of the physicochemical properties derived from the state of aggregation of matter: liquids, solids and solutions, the study of the Kinetics and Equilibrium of reactions and solubility.
Description:
This course is basic training and is aimed at students of Product Design and Biology careers. In this course, concepts of physics are taught using basic mathematics, focusing on the explanation of phenomenology and relying on practical demonstrations. It has an initial stage where students are introduced to the fundamental concepts of physics, through the use of classes, documentaries and laboratory practices; and, a final stage where a project is carried out, which connects physics with their professional areas.
Description:
The course presents students with strategies to solve common problems in various professional fields through the design and implementation of solutions based on the use of a programming language. It covers the basic principles so that the student can read and write programs; emphasizing the design and analysis of algorithms. In addition, it introduces students to the use of development and debugging tools.
Description:
The course of General Biology belongs to the basic subjects and is aimed at students who are in the first year. It addresses the study of living beings, from the organization and properties of biological macromolecules to the structure, function and composition of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. Additionally, there is a unit comprising an overview of cellular metabolism. Subunits involving the examination of the functions performed by the organelles are also included. This program also incorporates the study of genetic material, how it is inherited and its role for the observable characteristics of each living being. Techniques and methods of analysis of experimental data, case studies and application of the scientific method and critical thinking are used, which are essential for the understanding of biological sciences in its trasnversal fields
Description:
The course is aimed at students in fields related to biological sciences. It covers basic aspects of plant functioning from the cellular level to the levels of organisms and plant communities. At the cellular level, it includes aspects of water/nutrient/mineral absorption and transport, photosynthates, and energy metabolism. Regarding the relationship with the environment, it encompasses the regulation of growth by internal and environmental factors, as well as the response to stress and the use of biotechnology in plants.
Description:
Calculus of several variables is a transversal course aimed at the basic training of professionals in the areas of Humanistic and Social Sciences that require developing problem-solving and problem-solving skills in the n-dimensional context. For this purpose, the course consists of 4 general topics: three-dimensional analytical geometry and functions of several variables, differential calculus of scalar fields, optimization of scalar functions of several variables, and multiple integration; being the main applications of this course: the optimization of functions of several variables applied to practical problems, the calculation of areas, volumes and work, using objects of the plane and space.
Description:
This subject of basic formation and general education presents the grammatical structures for the production of an academic paragraph, through the development of the writing program in a transversal way. In addition, it allows the identification of specific arguments in oral and written communication, considering the production of one's own criteria on different topics of a social, academic or professional nature. The necessary vocabulary is also applied to refer to the different forms of communication, share work experiences and the use of digitl technology, tell short stories about interpersoanl relationship and personalities, and comment on the future of the environment.
Description:
Organic Chemistry is a course for Biology, Nutrition and Dietetics, Food, Agriculture, and Aquaculture students. This course studies the principal rules of IUPAC nomenclature for the naming of organic compounds; also includes the study of the structures, properties, and reactions of organic compounds with a wide interest in several industries. Active learning, discussion, and problem-solving in the laboratory are part of the course teaching methodology, which contributes to the development of skills for the design and execution of laboratory tests.
Second Year
Description:
Molecular and Cell Biology Course study topics such as biological process at cellular and molecular level. It makes a review of cellular chemistry, Molecular Biology dogma central process, cellular membrane structure and cellular signal transduction process. By activities in the laboratory, it makes some review methodologies nowadays applied to nucleic acid, genes and genomes studies. Finally, using the critical and logical thinking, the course integrates various aspects which lead to dilute the cellular and molecular processes that govern the different biological systems.
Description:
The course covers the study of plant organisms, emphasizing their significance for the environment and society. It also explores the diverse structures and functions of plant tissues, detailing aspects of the morphology and classification of roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits, and seeds. Discussions encompass methods of reproduction and dispersal of vascular plants, and the course concludes by addressing topics related to the evolution and centers of origin of plant species.
Description:
The biochemistry course is aimed to serve transversally to students of careers with a biological nature. It includes an introduction to biochemistry and the principles of bioenergetics. The dynamics of the metabolic processes of the main biomolecules that allow the development of life are studied. Each metabolic pathway is described in chemical and enzymatic terms, the energy requirements and energy sources are demonstrated, and it concludes with the description of the regulatory mechanisms of the different pathways. Additionally, the biosynthesis and degradation routes of each of the biomolecules are described: carbohydrates, lipids and nitrogenous compounds (proteins), for a better understanding of the origins of life on earth.
Description:
This course is intended for undergraduate students in the early stages of their university education. It focuses on the analysis of effective interpersonal and group communication through practical workshops and interactive dynamics. Additionally, it strengthens student’s prosumer profiles by fostering complex, holistic, and critical thinking through the rigorous study of real-world contexts and academic/scientific readings. It also aims to improve the writing of technical and executive reports for diverse audiences by integrating digital and artificial intelligence tools to ethically optimize the production and revision of texts. In terms of oral expression, the course develops assertive communication techniques to enhance the dissemination of information and improve both verbal and nonverbal communication skills abilities that should be consolidated throughout student’s academic and professional lives.
Description:
This is a training basic course training and provides the knowledge to the engineering and science student can convert data into information, associate everyday situations with statistical processes, and determine scientific conclusions through experimental observations, applying descriptive statistics, notions of probability, models of random variables and inferential analysis.
Description:
This subject of basic instruction and general education presents grammatical topics for the elaboration of an outline and a structured composition, through the development of the writing program in a transversal way. In addition, it allows the identification of arguments in oral and written communication on contemporary and academic topics. Additionally, appropriate vocabulary is applied to discuss issues related to different cultures, places where we live, everyday news, entertainment media, and past and future opportunities.
Description:
The course describes the phytopathological bases and foundations for the recognition and diagnosis of diseases caused by fungi, viruses and bacteria in agricultural crops. In addition, protection, management and phytosanitary control measures are studied.
Description:
The soil science class studies one of the most important resources in the planet which provides supports for crop growth and therefore food security. The main objective of this class is to provide the students with the knowledge to understand the importance, management practices and soil degradation, with emphasis on environmental and production. The class will embody lectures, autonomous work, and group work in the classroom. Moreover, the students will be expose to the analysis and discussion of research papers. The students will be evaluated with regular test (exam and lessons) and autonomous homework which will be presented in written and oral formats. Additionally, the course will contain a practical component where students will have the chance to conduct small-scale experiments and analyse/interpret results. This class is part of the production component of the career and is the fundamental of later classes in this production component.
Description:
General Microbiology is designed for undergraduate students; it covers the study of microorganisms and their main physiological, nutritional, metabolic and reproductive characteristics, as well as, the different biochemical processes carried out inside the microbial cell during energetic performance.Assisted by practical sessions, this module allows the development of useful abilities that would help the students to separate and recognise different types of microorganisms by phenotypic and molecular methods, serving as a powerful tool for biotechnological applications.
Description:
This subject of basic formation and general education, presents the grammar structures to produce a persuasive essay, through the transversal development of the writing programme. In addition, it allows students to identify specific arguments in the oral and written communication, as well as, to express their own opinions about different topics of social, academic, or professional fields. It also includes the necessary vocabulary to stablish a conversation, narrate situations of their environment, activities to reach their goals, analyze cause and effect and personal and professional opportunities.
Description:
This is a professional training course, which helps the student to connect the knowledge previously acquired about statistical methods and studies related to the life and health sciences; as well as delving into advanced statistical models applied to this area of knowledge. The course is focused on providing the necessary statistical support for: obtaining data corresponding to observational or experimental studies, relational and causal studies, an introduction to statistical modeling in health, and descriptive studies using multiple variables at the same time. This course covers the following knowledge and competencies from ACEND: KRDN 4.7 Evaluate data to be used in decision-making for continuous quality improvement. KRDN 4.7 Evaluar datos que se utilizarán en la toma de decisiones para la mejora continua de la calidad. CRDN 1.4 Conduct projects using appropriate research or quality improvement methods, ethical procedures and data analysis utilizing current and/or new technologies. CRDN 2.2 Demonstrate professional writing skills in preparing professional communications. CRDN 3.7 Demonstrate effective communication and documentation skills for clinical and client services in a variety of formats and settings, which include telehealth and other information technologies and digital media. *Only apply for Nutrition and Dietetics students.
Third Year
Description:
This transversal course addresses the conditions required to innovate and the process associated with developing an innovation from an entrepreneurial point of view. Subsequently, topics such as the identification of opportunities, value creation, and prototyping and validation of products/services proposals are reviewed, as well as the elements of the business toghether with tools for the evaluation of a budget/financial management plan and the interpretation of financial data. Considerations that are essential for the feasibility and adoption of an innovation. Finally, entrepreneurial competences and process associated with the development and adoption of an innovation are studied.
Description:
This class includes the study of techniques of identification and diagnostic of symptoms and signs of pest such as nematodes, insects and weeds of agricultural interest. Besides, several causal agents of plant diseases will be identified and the different methods to protect the crops against their attack.
Description:
The course deals with the study of the organization and expression of the genetic material of organisms. The extension of the Mendelian analysis, chromosomal maps, regulation of gene expression and applications of molecular genetics are studied.
Description:
Plant nutrition is a course that will allow the design of fertilization plans, both, organic and mineral using soil and tissue analysis aiming to increase productivity in a sustainable manner. The course focuses on studying the metabolic functions of plant nutrients, moreover, we will review the basic concepts of soil nutrients availability and deficiency/toxicity symptoms in plants. We will discuss the basics of hydroponics, soil sampling methods, irrigation water quality, tissue sampling for laboratory analysis. Interpretation of soil and plant analysis to incorporate such values in a fertilizer plan.
Description:
This basic training and general education subject presents the necessary structures for the production of a persuasive essay, through the development of the writing program in a transversal way. It also allows the identification of specific arguments both in oral and written communication, in order to issue students' criteria on social, academic, or professional issues. They also apply the necessary vocabulary to engage in discussions about choices to make, changes in daily life and home, financial problems as well as moral dilemmas and achievements in the course of their personal, student, and professional lives.
Description:
This course covers theoretical and methodological aspects of plant breeding based on available germplasm resources and the principles and concepts of inheritance. Each of the methodologies used in plant breeding, genetic and genomic programs is described according to the type of reproductive system of the plant species, whether they are self-pollinated, cross-pollinated or vegetative propagated species. In the final part of the course, the molecular bases that lead to the use of biotechnological tools focused on the improvement of agricultural crops through genomic selection are analyzed.
Description:
This transversal training course for all students of the institution has five chapters. It introduces the key principles of sustainability and the path to sustainable development. Addresses ecological principles by deepen into biodiversity, ecosystems, human population and ecosystem services. Study the fundamentals of renewable and non-renewable resources as well as the alternatives for sustainable use. Analyzes environmental quality specifically in the air, water and soil components, delving into issues such as climate change, eutrophication and deforestation. Finally, it emphasizes on the economic axis with topics such as circular economy and on the social axis on topics such as governance and urban planning.
Fourth Year
Additional
ARTS, SPORTS AND LANGUAGES ELECTIVE COURSES
1 credits - 1.9 ECTS
SELECTED ELECTIVE COURSE
3 credits - 5.8 ECTS
SELECTED ELECTIVE COURSE
3 credits - 5.8 ECTS
HUMANITIES ELECTIVE COURSES
1 credits - 1.9 ECTS
Upon completion of the 4-year program, students will be able to address local, national, and/or regional issues in the agricultural sector, relying on skills to design components, processes, and systems that are viable and sustainable.
Occupational Profile
Agricultural and Biological Engineering graduates are able to practice both, public and/or private sector, as well as in the academic-research field.
-They will be skilled to solve agricultural and forestry production problems.
-They will be able to contribute to the sustainable development of agricultural production and productivity, which allows the improvement of smallholder farmers.
-They will be capable to lead innovation and development projects focused on the agribussines sector, as well as research projects linked to the academy.
To attain the Bachelor of Science in Agricultural & Biological Engineering, the following requirements must be met:
- Approve a minimum of 52 credits of Professional Training.
- Approve a minimum of 26 credits of Basic Training.
- Approve a minimum of 22 credits of Human and Socioeconomic Training.
- Approve a minimum of 11 credits in Complementary Training and Itinerary.
- Provide evidence of a minimum of 240 hours of professional internship and 96 hours of community service work.
- Approve the graduation process, equivalent to 144 hours.
The Capstone Project is a culminating requirement for graduation. These projects provide students with the experience of applying acquired knowledge and skills to the needs of society, with a focus on sustainability.
The IDEAR Fair showcases all Capstone projects, offering students a valuable opportunity to showcase their work and hone soft skills such as communication and teamwork. It is also a space for students to network with potential clients and future employers.
Explore all of the Capstone projects completed by the Bachelor of Science in Agricultural & Biological Engineering program.
CAEP Program - Agricultural Jobs Abroad
Students who are about to graduate, as well as those who have recently graduated, have the opportunity to participate in paid internships abroad through the agreement with 'CAEP - Agricultural Jobs Abroad.' This program is exclusive to agricultural work and complements students' education by providing them with the opportunity to learn from the agricultural sector in developed countries and enhance their proficiency in English.
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DID YOU KNOW?
All activities are carried out on a experimental farm (42 hectares) within the campus. Here, professors and students perform their field practices related to the production and harvesting of annual cereal grain crops (soy, corn, irrigated rice, among others), annual and perennial forage, poultry farming and forest products. In addition, we have laboratories for soil research, applied biotechnology, entomology, beekeeping, irrigation and drainage, etc.
