91ÉçÇø

Bioresource engineering is a unique branch of engineering that encompasses biological engineering, agricultural engineering, food engineering, environmental engineering and other traditional engineering disciplines, focusing on applying professional engineering skills to biological systems. The fundamental basis of bioresource engineering is transdisciplinary interactions between engineering science and design, with biological, physical, chemical, and other natural sciences. Bioresource engineers strive to design and implement solutions to sustain food supply and the well-being of society while maintaining high-quality of the environment for generations to come.

Together with other B.Eng. programs offered by peer engineering departments in the Faculty of Engineering, Bioresource Engineering is accredited through Engineers Canada Accreditation Boards. Therefore, graduates of the bachelor bioresource engineering program are eligible for registration as professional engineers in any province in Canada, as well as some international jurisdictions. The available Professional Agrology option also qualify graduates to apply for registration to the Ordre des agronomes du Québec and similar licensing bodies in other provinces.

The Complementary portion of the Bioresource Engineering curriculum is organised according to three non-restrictive streams, including: Bio-Environmental Engineering, Bio-Process Engineering and Bio-Production Engineering.

Students who follow the Bio-Environmental Engineering stream will learn to be responsible stewards of the environment and natural resources. This stream includes the study of soil and water quality management and conservation, organic waste treatment, urban and rural ecology, sustainability engineering, biodiversity preservation, climate change adaptation, and many other related topics.

Through the Bio-Process Engineering stream, students apply engineering to transform agricultural commodities and biomass into products such as food, fibre, fuel, and biochemicals. Topics include the engineering of foods and food processes, physical properties of biological materials, post-harvest technology, fermentation and bio-processing, the management of organic wastes, biotechnology, the design of machinery for bioprocessing, etc.

Students who follow the Bio-Production Engineering stream use natural sciences and engineering skills to design systems and machines for the production of different types of crop, animal-based products, and biomass. Students learn about design of machines and structures, different production systems and technologies, instrumentation and controls, geospatial data management, precision agriculture, and emerging intelligent bio-production concepts.

In addition, students may choose to follow the Professional Agrology option of Bioresource Engineering (usually associated with the Bio-Production Engineering stream) as well as the Bioresource Engineering Honors Program. Multiple minors are also available. For details related to curriculum options and to select the most suitable stream, please refer to the Departmental website at mcgill.ca/bioeng

All required and complementary courses must be passed with a minimum grade of C. One term is spent taking courses from the Faculty of Engineering on the 91ÉçÇø downtown campus.

Students also have the opportunity to pursue a minor. Several possibilities are: Agricultural Production, Environment, Ecological Agriculture, Biotechnology, Computer Science, Construction Engineering and Management, Entrepreneurship, and Environmental Engineering. Details of some of these minors can be found under Faculty of Engineering > Undergraduate > Browse Academic Units & Programs > Minor Programs. To complete a minor, it is necessary to spend at least one extra term beyond the normal requirements of the B.Eng.(Bioresource) program.

See Bachelor of Engineering (Bioresource) – B.Eng.(Bioresource) for a list of B.Eng.(Bioresource) programs offered.