University of Manitoba
Department of Biosystems Engineering |
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Contact Information:
E2-376, EITC
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 5V6 Canada
| Phone: | 1-204-474-6033 | | Fax: | 1-204-474-7512 |
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Program Overview |
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The University of Manitoba's (UM) Department of Biosystems Engineering offers graduate programs leading to master of science (MSc), master of engineering (MEng) and doctor of philosophy (PhD) degrees. Graduate programs focus on the applications of engineering in biological systems and emphasize the acquisition of a broad range of skills and experience.
Applicants to the MSc program are normally required to hold a bachelor's degree in biosystems engineering or equivalent from a recognized university. Candidates with degrees in related areas may be accepted at the discretion of the head of the department. Candidates must complete a thesis based on original research, as well as a minimum of 18 credit hours of coursework in order to earn the MSc. The program takes approximately 18 to 24 months to complete and MSc students must spend at least one academic session in full-time resident graduate study.
Admission to the MEng program generally requires a bachelor of science (BSc) in engineering degree. Applicants with degrees in related areas are admitted at the discretion of the department head. Candidates must complete 30 hours of coursework, including six hours assigned to an approved project and report, and an oral presentation of the project to a department examining committee. Students can expect to graduate from the program in 12 to 18 months of study.
Admission to the PhD program is normally from the master of science program. MSc students making exceptional progress may be transferred to the PhD, based on a recommendation from their advisor, upon the consent of the department head. Graduation from the program is dependent on meeting the requirement of teaching and learning in postsecondary education. Each candidate's advisory committee must approve the process by which the teaching and learning requirement is met. The PhD program generally takes three years to complete.
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Admissions |
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The minimum standard for acceptance to the Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS) is a bachelor's degree with a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or equivalent in the last two years of full-time study. Admission to the MSc program in biosystems engineering requires a bachelor's degree in biosystems engineering or equivalent from a recognized university. Applicants to the MEng program must hold a BSc in any engineering discipline. Candidates with degrees in related areas may be granted admission at the discretion of the department head. Admission to the PhD program is normally from the master of science.
Interested students are advised to contact professors who are in their research area of interest to check for available positions. Upon successful contact, applicants must submit a completed application form, a nonrefundable application fee, official transcripts and a complete academic record to the department.
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Highlights |
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- Interdisciplinary approach encourages understanding of the interrelations among physical and biological factors
- Students have access to a university farm for research on both animal and crop production
- Seven fields of research available
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Program Facts |
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| Program Founded | 1906 | | Program Start Dates | Sept, Jan, May, Jul | | Expected Length Master | 18 mths | | Expected Length PhD | 4 yrs | | # of Faculty | 11 | | % with highest Degree in Field | 100% | | # of Endowed Chairs/ Professors | 1 | | Annual Research Funding | $1.5 million |
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Study Options |
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Student Profile - Masters |
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| Students Applied/yr | 80 | | Students Accepted/yr | 10 | | Students Enrolled/yr | 10 | | Total Program Enrolment | 45 | | # of International Students | 30 |
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Student Profile - Doctorate |
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| Students Applied/yr | 10 | | Students Accepted/yr | 5 | | Students Enrolled/yr | 5 | | Total Program Enrolment | 20 | | # of International Students | 10 |
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Admissions at a Glance |
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| Application Fee | $75 (dom); $90 (int'l) | | GRE Score | – |
Domestic Student Application Deadlines:
three months prior to desired start date
International Student Application Deadlines:
seven months prior to desired start date
Minimum English Requirements:
TOEFL 550 (pbt) or 213 (cbt); MELAB 80; IELTS 6.5; CanTEST 4.5; AEPUCE 65
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Annual Expenses (in C$) |
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**scholarships available**
| Domestic Student Tuition: | | | Master | $4,177 (1st yr); $674 (after) | | PhD | $4,177 (1st yr); $674 (after) | | International Student Tuition | | | Master | $8,354 (1st yr); $674 (after) | | PhD | $8,354 (1st yr); $674 (after) |
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Building and Facilities |
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The Department of Biosystems Engineering has the following research laboratories: Agricultural Ergonomics, Air Quality, Environmental Engineering, Bioprocess Engineering, Bioengineering for Biofuels and Bioproducts, Soil Dynamics & Biomachinery, Soil & Water Engineering, and Grain-Storage. The major research facilities in these laboratories include olfactometers for odour measurement, automated lab-on-a-chip DNA, RNA and protein electrophoresis, DNA mutation and polymorphism electro-phoresis analyses, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, a pilot anaerobic digester, pilot- and bench-scale membrane bioreactors, a tractor-driving simulator, a superheated steam drier, and a soil bin. The department also has a straw-bale building for conducting research on alternative building systems. A faculty managed research farm is available to the researchers in the department to conduct research on both animal and crop production, as well as the impact of agricultural practices on the environment.
The department maintains a 1,400-square-metre laboratory for research on stored-grain ecosystems. Facilities in the laboratory include: machine vision equipment; a soft x-ray unit; near-ambient, high-temperature, infrared and microwave driers; a fan-testing unit; instrumentation for measuring loads in grain storage structures; equipment to measure physical, thermal, biological and quality characteristics of grains and oilseeds; thermal disinfestation systems; environmental chambers; grain handling and cleaning equipment; and several grain bins.
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Expenses and Financial Support |
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University of Manitoba Graduate Fellowships are available through competition in February of each year with current annual funding levels of $15,000 for master's and $16,500 for doctoral students. Competitive fellowships are also available from the Natural Sciences Engineering Research Council and Medical Research Council to applicants who are citizens or permanent residents of Canada. Prospective students can also be nominated to have their first-year graduate tuition fees waived. Research and teaching assistantships may also be available for selected candidates. More information and an awards database are available at the Graduate Studies website.
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International Students |
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The International Centre for Students (ICS) offers services and programs to help international students get the most out of their time at UM. International student services include pre- and postarrival guides available on the ICS website, orientation, assistance with immigration and accommodation issues, and campus buddy and host family programs. The Volunteer English Partner program and Living In Canada workshops assist international students with making the adjustment to living and studying in Canada. The International Student Adviser is available to help with any difficulties international students might have at the university or with immigration concerns. The ICS also sponsors activities and a student lounge.
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Research Areas |
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ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING
• Environmental impact assessments of agricultural & food production
• Anaerobic digestion of waste for biogas production
• Biological reduction of wastewater
• Utilization of membrane bioreactor technology
• Site preparation & selection
• Odour management
• Aerosolized biological agents
• Biofiltration
• Dispersion modelling
FOOD ENGINEERING
• Infrared processing of food
• Superheated steam drying
• Extraction technologies for a complex oil/juice crop
BIOIMAGING
• Computer analysis of images for grading, orientation and automation
• Computational geometry
• Hyperspectral imaging of biological and biomedical materials
POSTHARVEST PRESERVATION OF GRAINS
• Interdisciplinary research on grain storing & drying systems
• Computer simulation of stored-grain ecosystems
• Properties of grains & oilseeds
POWER & MACHINERY
• Harvesting & processing of new crops such as hemp & sea buckthorn
• Precision agriculture & equipment for manure handling
• Guidance systems for agricultural machinery
• Tillage and seeding
• Soil-machine interaction
BIOENGINEERING FOR BIOFUELS
• Hydrogen production from cellulosic biomass
• Bioreactors for biohydrogen production
SOIL & WATER
• Irrigation & drainage engineering
• Soil-plant-water relations
• Flow & contaminant transport in porous media
• Soil remediation
BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING
• Assitive technologies
• Biomechanics
• Bioimaging
STRUCTURES & BIOENVIRONMENTS
• Structural aspects of light-frame buildings
• Bulk solids storage structures (bins & silos)
• Bulk properties of grains & powders
• Flow of bulk solids
• Environmental control of animal & plant production systems
• Energy conservation in animal and plant production
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Faculty |
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- Britton, M. PhD, Texas A&M
- Cenkowski, S. PhD, Agricultural University of Wroclaw
- Chen, Y. PhD, McGill
- Cicek, N. PhD, Cincinnati
- Dick, K. PhD, Manitoba
- Jayas, D. PhD, Saskatchewan
- Levin, D. PhD, McGill
- Mann, D. PhD, Manitoba
- Morrison, J. PhD, Carleton
- Paliwal, J. PhD, Manitoba
- Sri Ranjan, R. PhD, Colorado State
- Zhang, Q. PhD, Pennsylvania State
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