The Master in Agricultural Bioengineering with a professional focus is designed to train bioengineers in the field of agronomic science and technology : animal and plant production, plant improvement and protection, animal improvement, quality of food and health products, biotechnology, environmental impact of agriculture, land management, rural socio-economics, industry, management etc.
The programme is designed to train future bioengineers to become :
- professionals able to tackle and diagnose agronomic problems : production and quality, production systems and industries, protection and development of resources, impact etc.
- scientists able to understand complex processes on different scales, used to multidisciplinary approaches and consultation with other specialists
- innovators able to design new kinds of production and management, new processes in response to many major challenges : feeding the world, bringing together food and health and reconciling agriculture with environment.
Training provides students with :
- knowledge in the field of agronomic sciences (plant and animal sciences, applied ecology, biochemistry of nutrition, ecophysiology, systems analysis, sociology and rural economics, food science etc.) ;
- technical skill in agronomic sciences and bioengineering (cultural and agro-environmental diagnosis, agri-food, biotechnology, biometrics and data analysis, modelling, support for decision-taking, analysis of production industries, improvement techniques, design of new technical routes in plant and animal production, phytotechnics and zootechnics) and integrated analysis (project management, systems analysis).
Strongly multidisciplinary in character, the training focuses on acquiring skills which combine the theory and techniques of bioengineering. There is special emphasis on the mechanistic study of processes, the design and implementation of procedures (e.g. biotechnology, technical routes, development of resources), systems analysis, impact assessment, multisource data fusion and support for decision-taking.
This programme comprises a series of activities totalling 120 credits spread over two years worth 60 credits each. It is structured as follows :
Year 1 :
- compulsory professional focus programme for 30 credits.
- compulsory core subjects programme : 5 credits (out of 40) are taken in the first year. All the others (35 credits) from the core subjects programme are taken in the second year.
- choice of one option course of 30 credits from a list of six. The majority of option courses (25 credits) are organized in the first year. Certain courses (5 credits), as already mentioned, are taken in the second year.
Certain option courses are organized jointly with one or two other programmes from the Master in Bioengineering. This is the reason for the special numbering of these option courses. (For example, option course 1A is also in the programme for the Master in Chemistry and Bioindustry where it is called option course 1C. Option course 10 A is also in the programme for the Master in Bioengineering (Environment Science and Technology) where it is called option course 10E and the Master in Chemistry and Bioindustry where it is called option course 10C.)
Year 2 :
- compulsory core subjects programme : 35 credits (out of 40) are taken in the second year.
- the remainder of the option course (5 credits) chosen in Year 1 of the Master is taken in Year 2.
- choice of a module of 20 credits from nine advanced modules, some of which follow on from the six option courses of Year 1. Students are strongly encouraged to follow the instructions regarding each of these modules.
Optional subjects :
There are some optional courses within the programme. They may either be chosen from a suggested list or may be chosen freely from the all courses available at UCL or even another institution. The same applies to all the optional courses in the programme.
All these choices must be made in the timescale laid down by the Faculty Department and agreed by the Academic Secretary. For courses from another faculty or institution, students must gain prior agreement from the lecturer in charge of the course.
Additional training "Business Creation"
Students enrolled on the Master in Bioengineering programme have the possibility of taking a module of interdisciplinary training entitled “Business Creation”. This additional programme features in the Master programmes of various faculties (Bioengineering, Law, Business Management, Civil Engineering and Psychology). It is designed to provide students, as potential creators, with the tools for analysis and understanding which will help them appreciate how entrepreneurship works when creating or taking on a business and develop projects of this kind within existing organizations.
In addition, this training enables students to gain familiarity with other disciplines and to learn how to work in multidisciplinary teams.
For further information :
- on the training programme, please refer to : http://www.uclouvain.be/cpme.html
- on how the Master in Bioengineering programmes work, please contact the Faculty Office.
Whatever focuses and option courses are chosen, the programme for this Master must come to a minimum of 120 credits spread over two years of study. This corresponds to 60 credits per year.
This Master in Bioengineering programme follows on directly from the programme of the Bachelor in Engineering Science (Bioengineering), with an option course in Agronomy.
Successful completion of this programme enables direct entry to other training programmes in the second and third cycles.
- Advanced Masters : the Advanced Masters in the field authorized by regulations in addition to those established by the University Development Commission (Commission Universitaire au Développment – CUD) in the same field.
- Doctoral programmes : doctorate in Agronomic Science and Biological Engineering.
