Global food insecurity and hunger are present everywhere around the world: from urban slums and isolated communities in the developing world, to cities in industrialized countries. Defeating hunger and food insecurity is possible. It needs people who can think, evaluate, and then propose action. Choose the Global Food Security Program and be part of the solution! This major will provide you with a broad background, preparing you to work for governments and non-governmental organizations as well as in the public and private sectors.
This program offers you the unique opportunity to combine your studies in many different areas. You will learn about issues such as public health and food safety, international development, water resources and environmental sciences, as well as agriculture and nutrition. It is a combination of coursework and practical experience, including the option to participate in a hands-on experience in a developing country. You will meet the locals and work with them, developing projects in their communities. These activities are designed to help you deal with the challenges facing the world in achieving food security.
For more information, please contact the bsc-advisor.agenvsc [at] mcgill.ca (student advisor).
The program provides a global perspective on agriculture and food security, and addresses issues related to rural development, malnutrition, poverty and food safety with special emphasis on the developing world. Using a multidimensional and multidisciplinary approach, the program provides students with a comprehensive set of courses at McGill in combination with hands-on experience through structured internships and study abroad opportunities. The field experience (short courses, internships or full semester) includes project development in local communities, observing subsistence agriculture in situ and participating in various activities which sensitize students to the challenges that countries face to feed their people. Students will have the opportunity to develop the knowledge base needed for successful careers in government, non-government and international institutions in the areas of international and sustainable development, international research and project management, agri-business, and food and agriculture policy analysis.
For information on academic advising, see:
Program Prerequisites
Refer to "Faculty Information and Regulations" > "Minimum Credit Requirements", in this publication for prerequisites and minimum credit requirements.
Biology (Agric & Envir Sc): The biology of plants and plant-based systems in managed and natural terrestrial environments. The interactions between autotrophs and soil organisms and selected groups of animals with close ecological and evolutionary connections with plants (e.g., herbivores and pollinators) will be explored in lecture and laboratory.
Mathematics (Agric&Envir Sci): Measures of central tendency and dispersion; binomial and Poisson distributions; normal, chi-square, Student's t and Fisher-Snedecor F distributions; estimation and hypothesis testing; simple linear regression and correlation; analysis of variance for simple experimental designs.
Offered by: Plant Science
Two 1.5-hour lectures and one 2-hour lab
Please note that credit will be given for only one introductory statistics course. Consult your academic advisor.
Agricultural Economics: The field of economics as it relates to the activities of individual consumers, firms and organizations. Emphasis is on the application of economic principles and concepts to everyday decision making and to the analysis of current economic issues.
Agricultural Economics: The course deals with economic aspects of international development with emphasis on the role of food, agriculture and the resource sector in the economy of developing countries. Topics will include world food analysis, development project analysis and policies for sustainable development. Development case studies will be used.
Agriculture: International development and world food security and challenges in developing countries. Soil and water management, climate change, demographic issues, plant and animal resources conservation, bio-products and biofuels, economic and environmental issues specially in tropical and sub-tropical regions. Globalization, sustainable development, technology transfer and human resources needs for rural development.
Agriculture: Principles and practice related to management of agriculture, nutrition and environmental projects within an international context. Case-studies and workshops drawing on expertise of development professionals from government and the private sector address techniques and resources for successful planning, implementation and evaluation within a multi-sectoral framework.
Offered by: Agricultural & Env.Sc.-Dean
Terms
This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year
Instructors
There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year
Animal Science: Introduction to the scientific principles underlying the livestock and poultry industries. Emphasis will be placed on the breeding, physiology and nutrition of animals raised for the production of food and fibre.
Environmental Biology: With reference to the ecosystems in the St Lawrence lowlands, the principles and processes governing climate-landform-water-soil-vegetation systems and their interactions will be examined in lecture and laboratory. Emphasis on the natural environment as an integrated system.
International Development: An interdisciplinary introduction to the field of International Development Studies focusing on the theory and practice of development. It examines various approaches to international development, including past and present relationships between developed and underdeveloped societies, and pays particular attention to power and resource distribution globally and within nations.
Nutrition and Dietetics: Provides students who have a basic biology/chemistry background with the fundamental information on how macronutrients, vitamins and minerals are metabolized in the body, followed by application to evaluate current issues of maximizing health and disease prevention at different stages of the lifecycle.
Offered by: Human Nutrition
Fall
3 lectures
Corequisites: FDSC 230 [for students that have not taken the CEGEP equivalent OOXV].
Restriction: Science students in physical science and psychology programs who wish to take this course should see the Arts and Science Student Affairs Office for permission to register.
Nutrition and Dietetics: Food insecurity is one of the most critical issues humanity has faced in history. The magnitude of this phenomenon, reflected in its worldwide presence and in the number of individuals affected, makes it an imperative component of all nations' and of all internaltional agencies' agendas. Its complexity of determinants and its numerous consequences require the involvement of multipe disciplines and sectors. McGill undergraduate students as future professionals tackling global issues require an integrated and multidisciplinary training on food security.
Offered by: Human Nutrition
Corequisite(s): NUTR 207 or permission of Instructor
Agriculture: Through case studies and field trips, students will examine the problems and constraints within the Canadian agro-ecosystem, including the interrelationships among food production, the environment, agricultural policy and social issues. Research in this field of study will also be introduced.
Offered by: Plant Science
This course carries an additional charge of $65.29 to cover the cost of transportation (bus rental) for local field trips to agricultural enterprises. The fee is refundable only during the withdrawal with full refund period.
Agriculture: Focus on low-input, sustainable, and organic agriculture: the farm as an ecosystem; complex system theory; practical examples of soil management, pest control, integrated crop and livestock production, and marketing systems.
Agriculture: Supervised internship to provide practical experience working on agricultural issues related to international development. The internship can take many forms, including work in a developing country, for an agency that focuses on international development, or on a research project that aims at solving problems faced by developing populations.
Offered by: Agricultural & Env.Sc.-Dean
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor
Students should take this course after having completed four semesters in their undergraduate program. It is the student's responsibility to find an appropriate internship, which must be approved by the instructor before registration is authorized.
Animal Science: Applications of animal biotechnology in agriculture, biomedicine and environmental
preservation, including culture, manipulation and transformation of somatic cells, isolation of stem cells, reproductive biotechnologies, animal cloning by nuclear transplantation, production of genetically modified and gene-edited animals,
and cell and gene therapies.
Bioresource Engineering: Introduction to water resources and hydrologic cycle. Precipitation and hydrologic frequency analysis. Soil water processes, infiltration theory and modeling. Evapotranspiration estimation methods and crop water requirements. Surface runoff estimation as a function of land use modifications. Estimation of peak runoff rates. Unit hydrograph. Design of open channels and vegetated waterways.
Offered by: Bioresource Engineering
Three lectures, one 2-hour lab per week.
This course carries an additional course charge for field trips.
This course carries an additional course charge of $20.01 to cover transportation costs for two field trips, which may include a visit to a national weather station and a trip to gain hands-on experience on monitoring water flow in streams.
Food Science: The post harvest chemistry and physiology of horticultural crops as they affect quality and marketability, handling methods pre and post harvest, principles and practices in cooling, storage, transportation and packaging.
Offered by: Food Science&Agr.Chemistry
Fall
3 lectures and one 3-hour lab
This course carries an additional charge of $125.00 to cover the cost of transportation with respect to field trips. The fee is refundable only during the withdrawal with full refund period.
Natural Resource Sciences: Introduction to physical and social environments as factors contributing to the production of human health, with emphasis on the physical properties of the atmospheric environment as they interact with diverse human populations in urban settings.
Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences
Restriction: Not open to students who are taking or have taken GEOG 221.
Note: This course is also offered as GEOG 221. Students enrolled in main campus programs register as GEOG 221; students enrolled in Macdonald campus programs register as NRSC 221.
Terms
This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year
Instructors
There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year
Nutrition and Dietetics: Current nutrition-related issues in the Majority World, emphasizing young children and other vulnerable groups. The integration of a life science and social science perspective. The multiple causes, consequences, policies, and interventions related to current nutrition.
Offered by: Human Nutrition
Fall
One 3-hr lecture
Prerequisite: A course in nutrition across the lifespan at the intermediate undergraduate level such as NUTR 337, or permission of the instructor.
Plant Science: Application of plant science and soil science to production of agronomic and horticultural crops. Use and sustainability of fertilization, weed control, crop rotation, tillage, drainage and irrigation practices.
Plant Science: Principles and practices of plant breeding, including reproduction of crop plants; plant hybridization; sources of genetic variation; selection methods used for self- and cross-pollinated crops and for clonally reproduced crops; breeding for diseases and pest resistance; applications of biotechnology in plant breeding.
Soil Science: Plant nutrients in the soil, influence of soil properties on nutrient absorption and plant growth, use of organic and inorganic fertilizers.
Soil Science: Soil processes responsible for soil formation will be studied and the impact of changes to the physical and chemical environment will be discussed.
Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences
Fall
3 lectures and one 3-hour lab
Prerequisite: A previous course in soil science, geography, geology or permission of instructor.
Terms
This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year
Instructors
There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year
Specialization (24 credits)
Students must also complete at least one Specialization of 24 credits.
Students enter this specialization to acquire a global and applied understanding of agriculture as a fundamental tool to help rural development, alleviate poverty and reach food security, especially in the developing world. This program provides students with a combination of coursework at McGill together with a hands-on experience in a developing country, meeting locals and attending courses with McGill professors and/or local instructors. The costs of these field experiences may vary. The field experience (semester, short course or internship) includes developing projects in local communities, observing subsistence agriculture in situ and participating in various activities which contribute to sensitizing the students to the challenges that developing countries face. Students study water resources, sustainable development, nutrition, planning and development, and a host of other fascinating topics, allowing them to sharpen their skills for future career opportunities.
Agricultural Economics: The course deals with economic aspects of international development with emphasis on the role of food, agriculture and the resource sector in the economy of developing countries. Topics will include world food analysis, development project analysis and policies for sustainable development. Development case studies will be used.
Agriculture: International development and world food security and challenges in developing countries. Soil and water management, climate change, demographic issues, plant and animal resources conservation, bio-products and biofuels, economic and environmental issues specially in tropical and sub-tropical regions. Globalization, sustainable development, technology transfer and human resources needs for rural development.
Agricultural Economics: The role of resources in the environment, use of resources, and management of economic resources within the firm or organization. Problem-solving, case studies involving private and public decision-making in organizations are utilized.
Agricultural Economics: Examination of North American and international agriculture, food and resource policies, policy instruments, programs and their implications. Economic analysis applied to the principles, procedures and objectives of various policy actions affecting agriculture, and the environment.
Agriculture: Through case studies and field trips, students will examine the problems and constraints within the Canadian agro-ecosystem, including the interrelationships among food production, the environment, agricultural policy and social issues. Research in this field of study will also be introduced.
Offered by: Plant Science
This course carries an additional charge of $65.29 to cover the cost of transportation (bus rental) for local field trips to agricultural enterprises. The fee is refundable only during the withdrawal with full refund period.
Agriculture: Travel and exposure to a foreign agricultural sector where sustainable agricultural practices (e.g., organic farm production, ecological management of pests and weeds, crop rotation, water conservation, etc.), regulations, and policies are examined within the context of land use, local economies, and food security issues.
Offered by: Animal Science
Prerequisite: AGEC 200 or equivalent or permission of instructor
Lectures and visits will be jointly delivered by local experts and McGill Staff. Lectures (25%) and field visits (75%). Final year students should note that graduation may be delayed.
This course has a fee of $1,720.00, a small portion of which is tax receiptable on the T2202A; it includes internal travel (by coach), accommodation, most of the meals for the duration of the course, as well as instructor costs.
**Due to the intensive nature of this course, the standard add/drop and withdrawal deadlines do not apply. Add/drop is the third lecture day and withdrawal is the sixth lecture day.
**The instructor’s approval is required.
Due to the intensive nature of this course, the standard add/drop and withdrawal deadlines do not apply. Add/drop is the third lecture day and withdrawal is the sixth lecture day.
Terms
This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year
Instructors
There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year
Agriculture: Supervised internship to provide practical experience working on agricultural issues related to international development. The internship can take many forms, including work in a developing country, for an agency that focuses on international development, or on a research project that aims at solving problems faced by developing populations.
Offered by: Agricultural & Env.Sc.-Dean
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor
Students should take this course after having completed four semesters in their undergraduate program. It is the student's responsibility to find an appropriate internship, which must be approved by the instructor before registration is authorized.
Bioresource Engineering: A holistic examination of methods in watershed management with a focus on integrated water resources management (IWRM). Topics include: integration, participatory management, water resources assessment, modeling, planning, adaptive management, transboundary management, and transition management.
Environmental Biology: Principles and practice of Environmental Assessment (EA) in Canada and internationally. Exploration of issues surrounding impact assessment for sustainable development in different sectors, including their limitations.
Food Science: The principles and practices required for the development, maintenance and monitoring of systems for food quality and food safety. The concepts and practices of Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point; ISO 9000; Total Quality Management; Statistical Sampling Plans, Statistical Process Control; Tools of Quality; Government Regulations.
Offered by: Food Science&Agr.Chemistry
Winter
3 lectures
Prerequisite: AEMA 310 or permission of instructor
Restriction: Not open to students who have taken FDSC 425
Terms
Winter 2025
Instructors
There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year
Nutrition and Dietetics: Current nutrition-related issues in the Majority World, emphasizing young children and other vulnerable groups. The integration of a life science and social science perspective. The multiple causes, consequences, policies, and interventions related to current nutrition.
Offered by: Human Nutrition
Fall
One 3-hr lecture
Prerequisite: A course in nutrition across the lifespan at the intermediate undergraduate level such as NUTR 337, or permission of the instructor.
Parasitology: Infectious pathogens of humans and animals and their impact on the global environment are considered. The central tenet is that infectious pathogens are environmental risk factors. The course considers their impact on the human condition and juxtaposes the impact of control and treatment measures and environmental change.
Parasitology: The origin and types of water contaminants including live organisms, infectious agents and chemicals of agricultural and industrial origins. Conventional and new technological developments to eliminate water pollutants. Comparisons of water, health and sanitation between industrialized and developing countries.
Plant Science: Application of plant science and soil science to production of agronomic and horticultural crops. Use and sustainability of fertilization, weed control, crop rotation, tillage, drainage and irrigation practices.
â– International development
â– International research and project management
â– Policy Analyst - food and agriculture
â– Food safety and public health policies
â– Government, non-government and international institutions
â– Agri-business management
For more career options:
Image by Julie Major.FIELD STUDIES
Field studies provide practical experience and a chance to integrate and apply knowledge gained in the classroom.
This is a 3-credit intensive course that includes travel and/or attend lectures/field visits on each day of the course.
Experience tropical cropping systems, from industrial export crops to traditional Mayan milpa systems, through interactions with local field professionals, farmers, community members and professors. Assess the impact of these systems on food security and the environment in Guatemala.
INTERNSHIPS
The Bieler Family Internship Office helps to facilitate student internships by offering students guidance on which internships to pursue, assisting with paperwork and applications, giving information on funding and awards and offering advice on cover letters and resumes.
In addition to the placements the office coordinates, students are encouraged to search for their own internship opportunities.
