Forest Bioeconomy Sciences and Technology

University of British Columbia

Canada, Vancouver

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University of British Columbia

Canada , Vancouver

Key Facts

Program Level

Bachelor

Study Type

Full Time

Delivery

On Campus

Application Fee

CAD 125

Campuses

Vancouver

Program Language

English

Start & Deadlines

Next Intake Deadlines15-May-2023

Apply to this program

Go to the official application for the university

Duration 4 year(s)

Tuition Fee

CAD 54,012 / year

Next Intake 15-May-2023

Forest Bioeconomy Sciences and Technology

About

You can study intense specialization in a single field.

Bioeconomy refers to the parts of the economy that involve the production of renewable biological resources (e.g., wood, plants, wood waste, and organic waste) that are transformed into valuable products (e.g., biofuels, bioplastics, textiles, food additives, and medicine).

UBC's Bachelor of Science in Forest Bioeconomy Sciences and Technology (BEST) is the first degree in Canada to provide a multidisciplinary and comprehensive education that's focused on the scientific, economic, and policy issues related to the growing bioeconomy and creating a sustainable future. As a student in this program you'll gain a solid foundation for the innovative design and development of renewable materials, energy, and sustainable land-use strategies.

Experiential learning and research

As a BEST student, you'll gain hands-on learning through labs, field trips, and a capstone project (BEST 403). You also have the option to minor in Commerce.

Campus features

UBC's Vancouver campus is home to the Centre for Advanced Wood Processing, Canada's national centre of excellence for wood products, and the BioProducts Institute, a research cluster focused on viable pathways from renewable and sustainable biomass to bio-based materials, chemicals, and fuels.

The Faculty of Forestry also has two major research forests in British Columbia, totalling 15,000 hectares or more than 30,000 acres.

Canada is well-positioned to seize opportunities in the emerging bioeconomy because of its global leadership in forestry and agriculture, access to biomass, and skilled workforce. The Bachelor of Science in Forest Bioeconomy Sciences and Technology (BEST) is the country's first comprehensive program focused on the growing bioeconomy.

Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4

BIOL 121 - Genetics, Evolution and Ecology
Principles of storage and transmission of genetic variation; origin and evolution of species and their ecological interactions.
CHEM 123 - Thermodynamics, Kinetics and Organic Chemistry
Fundamentals of chemical reactivity: thermodynamics; kinetics; organic chemistry, including stereochemistry; applications relevant to modern society.
CONS 101 - Introduction to Conservation
Seminars on current natural resources conservation and forest sciences topics.
GEOB 102 - Our Changing Environment: Climate and Ecosystems
Energy and water in the Earth-Atmosphere system, global climates and climate change, ecosystem properties and processes, human impacts. Please consult the Faculty of Science Credit Exclusion Lists: www.students.ubc.ca/calendar/index.cfm?tree=12,215,410,414.
SOCI 101 - Social Interaction and Culture
Culture, identity, social interaction, relationships and socialization.

BEST 201 - Plants, Carbon, and Environment
Introduction to plant biology, with special emphasis on growth and development, highlighting the biological mechanisms of radiation energy capture, and water and nutrient acquisition in the production of plant biomass.
BEST 202 - Alternative Energy Systems
Introduction to safe, clean, and sustainable supplies of energy. Economic, social, environmental, and policy issues raised by current systems of energy use and production are examined.
BEST 203 - Ecology of Managed Ecosystems
Provides a foundation in managed ecosystems and community ecology. Includes material on forest ecology and agricultural ecosystems as managed environments.
BEST 204 - Land Use Management and Planning
Global overview of land use management and planning, with a focus on principles and practice.
WOOD 225 - Communications Strategies
Strategies for thinking critically and writing effectively about topics that engage practitioners in Forestry, particularly in Wood Products Processing. Planning, drafting and editing of professional-quality documents for specialists and other stakeholders. Developing oral presentation skills.

BEST 300 - Biobased Polymers and Bioproducts
Study of occurrence, synthesis, derivatization, physical properties, processing, and application of major bio-based polymers from biomass. Manufacturing processes and uses of biobased products are examined.
BEST 302 - Laboratory in Bioeconomy Technology (I)
Laboratory modules for bioeconomy technologies; bioenergy and bioproducts.
BEST 303 - Applied Biotechnology for Bioproducts
Use of microbiology and enzymology for processing and enhancing value of forest and agro-based bioproducts; saccharification of biomass, fermentation, and product upgrading with biocatalysts.
GEOG 319 - Environmental Impact Assessment
The principles, implementation, and role of environmental impact assessment in environmental management, in Canada and internationally.
POLI 375 - Global Environmental Politics
Ecological consequences of the global political economy.

BEST 400 - Biomimicry and Biocomposites
Introduction to principles of self-assembly, hierarchical structures, biocomposites, and unique adaptive structures.
BEST 401 - Carbon and Energy Economics
Understanding key issues for carbon management, protocols for carbon accounting and methodologies for emissions inventories and carbon costing. Economics and business response to climate change are examined.
BEST 403 - Integrated Strategies for Bioproduct Innovation
Project-based course on development of bioeconomy products; demonstration of out-of-box thinking, service learning and teamwork. Restricted to students in the Forest Bioeconomy Sciences and Technology program.
CONS 425 - Sustainable Energy: Policy and Governance
Energy as a global policy problem; current energy challenges; energy systems and energy analysis; the politics and policy of energy alternatives.
WOOD 461 - Globalization and Sustainability
Examination of globalization and its impact on sustainability, including social, economic, and environmental aspects.

Disciplines

Faculty of Forestry

Requirements

Entry Requirements

Graduation from a university-preparatory program at a senior secondary school: General Secondary Education Certificate (Tawjihi). Certificates must be official. Photocopies are acceptable if certified by school principal, head, or counsellor. Notarized copies are not acceptable.

Career

By 2030, there will be up to 1 million new bioeconomy jobs in the European Union alone. As a BEST graduate, you will be familiar with key facets of the bioeconomy and possess the skills required to work in energy, design and develop renewable materials, and establish leading land-use strategies. Possible job titles include:

Energy engineer
Community energy specialist
Biomass conversion and processing technologist
Product sustainability specialist
Carbon compliance specialist
Technology development advisor
Environmental sustainability consultant
Fermentation scientist
Laboratory operator

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Your future in Forest Bioeconomy Sciences and Technology

Fee Information

Tuition Fee

CAD 54,012

Application Fee

CAD 125

How to Apply

As you complete the online application, keep the following tips in mind:

Start early and take your time. Once you begin the application, you will be able to save it and return to it later – but only up until the deadline. Once you have submitted your application to UBC, you will not be able to edit it. Since the online application can sometimes time out if left open for too long, we recommend working on your personal profile questions outside of the application (where you can run them through a spell-checker) then copy and paste them into your application.
Let the online application guide you. You’ll be asked to provide only the information we need based on your degree choice(s), your previous education, and other factors.
Tell us your full academic history. It’s important to include all of the high schools, colleges, and/or universities you have attended. Don’t leave anything out!
Be accurate. UBC has a number of methods in place to authenticate information provided in the application. These methods include, but are not limited to, contacting references, verifying academic records, and requesting additional documentation to verify your personal profile. If an application is found to contain untrue or incomplete information, UBC may, at its discretion: withdraw an offer of admission; require you to withdraw from UBC; subject you to academic discipline; or share the information provided with other post-secondary institutions, law enforcement agencies, or other third parties.
Use an email address you check frequently. Once you have submitted your application, UBC will communicate with you primarily by email.
Note your UBC student number. Write down your UBC student number somewhere safe. You’ll need it in future correspondence with UBC.