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Major International Agriculture and Food Systems (42 credits)

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Offered by: Agricultural & Env.Sc.-Dean     Degree: Bachelor of Science (Agricultural and Environmental Sciences)

Program Requirements

This program is directed at students who seek conceptual understanding of the scope of and inter-relationships among the environmental, economic and socio-cultural factors that shape the nature of developing country food systems as well as scientific competence in the ways in which agriculture can help define sustainable solutions to critical problems defined by food insecurity, malnutrition, poverty and ecological health. Students will be given general preparation sufficient for participation in project management and policy development together with a foundation adequate both for working alongside a range of development specialists and for subsequent acquisition of specific expertise in components of agricultural and food science. The program includes a common core of scientific and development-related courses.

Program Director: Professor Anwar Naseem
Macdonald-Stewart Building, Room 3-037
514-398-7825

Program Prerequisites

Please refer to Faculty Information and Regulations > Minimum Credit Requirements, in this publication for prerequisites and minimum credit requirements.

Required Courses (30 credits)

  • AEMA 310 Statistical Methods 1 (3 credits)

    Offered by: Plant Science (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    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.

    Terms: Fall 2010, Winter 2011

    Instructors: Dutilleul, Pierre R L; Bona, Kelly Ann (Fall) Dutilleul, Pierre R L (Winter)

    • Two 1.5-hour lectures and one 2-hour lab
  • AGEC 200 Principles of Microeconomics (3 credits)

    Offered by: Agricultural Economics (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    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.

    Terms: Fall 2010

    Instructors: Naseem, Anwar (Fall)

    • Fall
    • 3 lectures
  • AGEC 442 Economics of International Agricultural Development (3 credits)

    Offered by: Agricultural Economics (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    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.

    Terms: Winter 2011

    Instructors: Naseem, Anwar (Winter)

    • Winter
    • 3 lectures
    • Prerequisites: AGEC 200 or AGEC 201 or equivalent
  • AGRI 411 Global Issues on Development, Food and Agriculture (3 credits)

    Offered by: Animal Science (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    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.

    Terms: Winter 2011

    Instructors: Monardes, Humberto (Winter)

    • Winter
    • 3 lectures and 1 conference
  • AGRI 493 International Project Management (3 credits)

    Offered by: Agricultural & Env.Sc.-Dean (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    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.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2010-2011 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2010-2011 academic year.

  • ENVB 210 The Biophysical Environment (3 credits)

    Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    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.

    Terms: Fall 2010

    Instructors: Mousavi-Torbati, Khosro; Begg, Caroline B (Fall)

    • Fall
    • Restriction: Not open to students who have taken SOIL 210
  • FDSC 200 Introduction to Food Science (3 credits)

    Offered by: Food Science&Agr.Chemistry (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Food Science : This course enables one to gain an appreciation of the scope of food science as a discipline. Topics include introductions to chemistry, processing, packaging, analysis, microbiology, product development, sensory evaluation and quality control as they relate to food science.

    Terms: Fall 2010

    Instructors: Van de Voort, Frederik R (Fall)

    • Fall
    • 3 lectures
  • LSCI 211 Biochemistry 1 (3 credits)

    Offered by: Parasitology (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Life Sciences : Biochemistry of carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids; enzymes and coenzymes. Introduction to intermediary metabolism.

    Terms: Fall 2010, Winter 2011

    Instructors: Salavati, Reza (Fall) Jardim, Armando (Winter)

    • Restriction(s): Not open to students who have taken FDSC 211
    • Co-requisite: FDSC 230
  • NRSC 340 Global Perspectives on Food (3 credits)

    Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Natural Resource Sciences : Issues of community and global change in relation to environment and the production of food. Contrasts between developed and developing countries will highlight impacts of colonialism, political structures, and cultural systems related to gender, class and ethnicity.

    Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2010-2011 academic year.

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2010-2011 academic year.

    • Winter
    • 3 lectures
    • Prerequisite: A 200-level course in food science, food resources or dietetics, or permission of instructor.
  • PLNT 203 Economic Botany (3 credits)

    Offered by: Plant Science (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Plant Science : Study of plants which are useful or harmful to humans, their origins and history, botanical relationships, chemical constituents which make them economically important; their roles in prehistoric and modern cultures and civilization and possible impact in the future.

    Terms: Fall 2010

    Instructors: Watson, Alan K (Fall)

Complementary Courses (12 credits)

Select the complementary courses as follows:

One of:

  • ANSC 330 Fundamentals of Nutrition (3 credits)

    Offered by: Animal Science (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Animal Science : A discussion of the nutrients; water, carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, minerals and vitamins, with particular emphasis on their functions in and essentially for the animal organism.

    Terms: Fall 2010

    Instructors: Mustafa, Arif (Fall)

    • Fall
    • 3 lectures
    • Prerequisite(s): FDSC 211 or LSCI 211 and ANSC 234 (ANSC 234 pre-req applies to students in B.Sc. Nutritional Sciences only).
  • NUTR 307 Human Nutrition (3 credits)

    Offered by: Human Nutrition (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Administered by: Faculty of Science

    Overview

    Nutrition and Dietetics : Nutrition in human health and disease from the molecular to the organismal level. Nutrigenomics, the impact of genotype on nutrient metabolism, health and disease risk, and the role of nutrients in metabolic regulation.

    Terms: Fall 2010

    Instructors: Wykes, Linda J; Agellon, Luis (Fall)

    • Fall
    • Corequisite(s): ANSC 234 or BIOC 311, and PHGY 202 or PHGY 210 or ANSC 323 or NUTR 207
    • 3 lecture hours and 1 tutorial/conference hour.

Complementary Courses B (9 credits)

  • ANSC 250 Principles of Animal Science (3 credits)

    Offered by: Animal Science (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    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.

    Terms: Fall 2010

    Instructors: Wade, Kevin (Fall)

    • Fall
    • 3 lectures and one 2-hour lab
  • BREE 217 Hydrology and Water Resources (3 credits)

    Offered by: Bioresource Engineering (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Bioresource Engineering : Measurements and analysis of components of the water cycle. Precipitation, evaporation, infiltration and groundwater. Analysis of hydrologic data. Hydrograph theory. Hydrologic estimations for design of water control projects; flood control and reservoir routing. Integrated watershed management and water conservation. Water management systems for environmental protection.

    Terms: Winter 2011

    Instructors: Prasher, Shiv (Winter)

    • 3 lectures, one 2 hour lab
    • Restriction: Not open to students who have taken ABEN 217.
  • ENTO 352 Biocontrol of Pest Insects (3 credits)

    Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Entomology : Modern concepts of integrated control techniques and principles of insect pest management, with emphasis on biological control (use of predators, parasites and pathogens against pest insects), population monitoring, and manipulation of environmental, behavioral and physiological factors in the pest's way of life. Physical, cultural, and genetic controls and an introduction to the use of non-toxic biochemical controls (attractants, repellents, pheromones, antimetabolites).

    Terms: Winter 2011

    Instructors: Dunphy, Gary Brian; Boivin, Guy (Winter)

    • Winter
    • Restriction: Not open to students who have previously taken ENTO 452
    • 3 lectures
  • ENVB 305 Population & Community Ecology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Environmental Biology : Interactions between organisms and their environment; historical and current perspectives in applied and theoretical population and community ecology. Principles of population dynamics, feedback loops, and population regulation. Development and structure of communities; competition, predation and food web dynamics. Biodiversity science in theory and practice.

    Terms: Winter 2011

    Instructors: Buddle, Christopher (Winter)

    • Winter
    • Restriction: Not open to students who have taken WILD 205
  • FDSC 310 Post Harvest Fruit and Vegetable Technology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Food Science&Agr.Chemistry (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    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.

    Terms: Fall 2010

    Instructors: Ramaswamy, Hosahalli (Fall)

    • Fall
    • 3 lectures and one 3-hour lab
  • LSCI 202 Molecular Cell Biology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Parasitology (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Life Sciences : Organization and function of intracellular organelles in eukaryotic cells. Mechanisms of membrane transport. Protein sorting and vesicular transport. Cytoskeleton. DNA and chromosome structure. DNA replication. Mechanisms of RNA and protein synthesis. Control of gene expression. Cell cycle and the control of cell division. Mechanisms of cell communication and signal transduction. Apoptosis. Neuronal signaling.

    Terms: Winter 2011

    Instructors: Ribeiro, A Paula; Beech, Robin N (Winter)

    • Prerequisites: FDSC 211 or LSCI 211
    • Restriction(s): Not open to students who have taken AEBI 202
  • LSCI 204 Genetics (3 credits)

    Offered by: Plant Science (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Life Sciences : The course integrates classical, molecular and population genetics of animals, plants, bacteria and viruses. The aim is to understand the flow of genetic information within a cell, within families and in populations. Emphasis will be placed on problem solving based learning. The laboratory exercises will emphasize the interpretation of genetic experimental data.

    Terms: Winter 2011

    Instructors: Charron, Jean-Benoit (Winter)

    • Restriction: Not open to students who have taken CELL 204.
    • Pre- or Co-requisite: FDSC 211 or LSCI 211
  • LSCI 230 Introductory Microbiology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Life Sciences : The occurrence and importance of microorganisms (especially bacteria) in the biosphere. Principles governing growth, death and metabolic activities of microorganisms. An introduction to the microbiology of soil, water, plants, food, man and animals.

    Terms: Winter 2011

    Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2010-2011 academic year.

    • Winter
    • Restriction: Not open to students who have taken MICR 230.
  • NUTR 501 Nutrition in Developing Countries (3 credits)

    Offered by: Human Nutrition (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Nutrition and Dietetics : This course will cover the major nutritional problems in developing countries. The focus will be on nutrition and health and emphasize young children and other vulnerable groups. The role of diet and disease for each major nutritional problem will be discussed.

    Terms: Fall 2010

    Instructors: Marquis, Grace (Fall)

    • Fall
    • 2 lectures and one seminar
    • Prerequisite: For undergraduate students, consent of instructor required
  • PARA 410 Environment and Infection (3 credits)

    Offered by: Parasitology (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    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.

    Terms: Winter 2011

    Instructors: Scott, Marilyn (Winter)

    • 2 lectures per week
    • Prerequisite: BIOL 111 or AEBI 120 or equivalent
  • PARA 515 Water, Health and Sanitation (3 credits)

    Offered by: Parasitology (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    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.

    Terms: Winter 2011

    Instructors: Geary, Timothy (Winter)

  • PLNT 434 Weed Biology and Control (3 credits)

    Offered by: Plant Science (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Plant Science : A study of the biology of undesirable vegetation as related to the principles of prevention and physical, biological, managerial and chemical control. Emphasis on the environmental impact of the different methods of weed control.

    Terms: Winter 2011

    Instructors: Watson, Alan K (Winter)

    • 3 lectures and one 3-hour lab
    • Prerequisite: PLNT 201 or AEBI 210
  • WILD 424 Parasitology (3 credits)

    Offered by: Parasitology (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

    Overview

    Resource Development : Systematics, morphology, biology and ecology of parasitic protozoa, flatworms, roundworms and arthropods with emphasis on economically and medically important species.

    Terms: Winter 2011

    Instructors: Rohrbach, Petra (Winter)

    • Winter
    • 2 lectures and one 3-hour lab
    • Restriction: Not open to students who have taken WILD 424 (formerly ZOOL 424).

Specialization

Students should also complete at least two specializations of 18-24 credits, one of which should be the Specialization in International Development.

Specializations designed to be taken with the International Agriculture and Food Systems Major:

- Agricultural Economics
- Agriculture and Food Systems (Multidisciplinary)
- Animal Production
- Ecological Agriculture
- Health and Nutrition
- International Development (for IAFS students)
- Plant Production
- Soil and Water Resources

Note: For a complete list of specializations offered for students in the Bachelor of Science in Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, please refer to Academic Programs > Bachelor of Science (Agricultural and Environmental Sciences) - B.Sc.(Ag.Env.Sc.) > Specializations, in this publication. Consult academic adviser for approval of specializations other than those listed above.

Electives

To meet the minimum credit requirement for the degree.

Faculty of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences—2010-2011 (last updated Jan. 19, 2011) (disclaimer)
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