ECTS
120 credits
Duration
2 years
Training structure
Faculty of Science
Language(s) of instruction
French
Presentation
The Engineering for Eco-design of Food (ICOA) program, an initial training or apprenticeship integrated into the Biology and Agrosciences major, is co-accredited by the University of Montpellier and the Institut Agro de Montpellier (National Higher Education Institution for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment). It is positioned at the interface between process engineering and life sciences and offers an integrated approach to food design, combining knowledge of processes (physical and biological) and mastery of the organoleptic and nutritional quality of products as part of an approach to reducing the environmental impact of the sectors.
The major disciplinary fields on which the courses are based are engineering sciences, namely biotechnology, food science, physical chemistry, green chemistry, and sustainable process engineering. This highly multidisciplinary program prepares students for careers in all areas of the agri-food industry (production, R&D, quality control) and, more broadly, in all sectors dedicated to the valorization of agricultural resources (materials, energy, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, etc.).
The two years are punctuated by an internship (minimum 3 months and 5 months in M1 and M2 respectively) that students can identify from a very wide range of available internships or by soliciting the active network of alumni from the program.
For a limited number of students (2 to 3 selected on the basis of their academic record and career plans) wishing to acquire additional skills in project management, a joint degree with the Montpellier Institute of Business Administration (IAE Montpellier) may be offered. By choosing an additional 5 ECTS course unit related to management topics, students can obtain a double master's degree: Master ICOA and Master in Technology and Science Management.
For more information about this course and its content, visit https://bioagro.edu.umontpellier.fr/ingenierie-pour-leco-conception-des-aliments/.
Further studies
NaN%
Objectives
Supporting dietary diversification towards increased consumption of plant-based resources, establishing responsible supply chains, and reducing loss and waste are all global challenges that must be taken into account in a project focused on more sustainable food systems. These challenges involve the emergence of new professions in which professionals will be able to provide technical solutions that respect and integrate all aspects of food system sustainability. The objective of this master's program is to train scientists who are capable of responding to these issues and who are able to integrate all sectors related to the transformation and valorization of agri-resources, particularly the agri-food industry. It also serves as a springboard to doctoral studies, particularly in the context of Montpellier, which is a major European research hub in the field of agrosciences.
Know-how and skills
Beyond general knowledge of the formulation, dimensioning, and management of food processing and preservation processes and the tools used to analyze them, graduates demonstrate the skills necessary to understand and solve problems related to the qualitative and quantitative management of agricultural resources in a context of sustainable development. By integrating a systemic dimension of agro-resource management (food supply and valorization of by-products and co-products), they demonstrate solid expertise in the development of new technologies, eco-design, and industrial ecology, skills that contribute to the mastery of the transformation of agro-resources into food, but also into materials and renewable energy (to a lesser extent), while respecting current and future challenges in research, development, and sustainable production. A key feature of this program is its specialization in food issues in developing countries.
Organization
Knowledge assessment
Each course unit is assessed either in the form of a final written exam, individual or group assignments and a final written exam, an oral presentation, or a written summary.
Open alternately
Type of contract | Apprenticeship contract |
|---|
Work-study students work in a company for four weeks during odd-numbered semesters (Semester 1 in M1/Semester 3 in M2) and then return to the company for a period of time equivalent to the internship periods of the initial training program during even-numbered semesters (3-4 months in Semester 2/5 months in Semester 4).
Internships, supervised projects
Internship | Mandatory |
|---|---|
Internship abroad | Possible |
The ICOA master's program includes numerous editing and project management exercises that allow students to learn the tools specific to these disciplines and be immediately operational when they enter the job market.
These skills are developed through team exercises and in collaboration with partner companies, during which students are asked to respond to an industrial problem or to design and develop a new food product. Beyond deploying their innovative strengths, students discover the business world and the processes that enable fundamental research or inventions to be applied on an industrial scale.
In addition to these practical exercises, other projects are carried out during the two-year training program: coordination of the alumni network (via LinkedIn), organization of a scientific seminar, etc.
Students are also made highly aware of professional integration through a dedicated course unit, during which they will work on developing their CV and cover letter. Job interviews conducted by a guest speaker from the business world will allow students to gain experience in this area. These skills will be immediately put into practice through the search for an internship at the end of each of the two years of the ICOA program (lasting a minimum of 3 and 5 months for M1 and M2 students, respectively). Depending on the student's aspirations, these internships can be carried out in public research laboratories or in companies. Every effort is made within the program to support students who wish to do their internship abroad.
Program
The ICOA program follows progression rules based on a teaching structure divided into four semesters. The master's degree is awarded upon acquisition of 120 ECTS (in accordance with the European Credit Transfer System) each semester, comprising several teaching units (UE) worth 30 ECTS.Even-numbered semesters are mainly dedicated to internships, which can be completed in France or abroad. The program is built around a single compulsory course.
Select a program
M1 - Food Engineering and Eco-Design (ICOA)
The first year of the ICOA program offers a unique curriculum structured around four disciplinary areas: biological engineering, food process engineering, bioproduct development engineering, and professional integration. It is designed to provide students with the foundations for dual expertise in Process Engineering and Biotechnology/Food Science. The professional nature of the program is reflected in two teaching units on project management and professional integration. Courses in English and biostatistics, which are common to other programs, complete the curriculum.
Biostatistics with R
5 creditsBiological catalysis and microbiology
3 creditsThe wealth and potential of agricultural resources
3 creditsEnglish
5 creditsPreparation for internships and professional integration
2 creditsFluid mechanics
2 creditsStructural characterization of foods and imaging
2 creditsFood process engineering
5 creditsFunctional properties of nutrients
3 credits
Development & structuring of bioproducts
3 creditsFood Science and Processing
5 creditsFood quality and safety
2 creditsProject management
3 creditsFirst-year internship
15 creditsBioprocess Engineering - Batch
2 credits
M2 - Food Engineering and Eco-Design (ICOA)
The second year of the more professionally-oriented ICOA program is organized around three major themes: intensification of processing methods, sustainability of supply chains, and innovation. It is also largely built around several project design and management exercises in which students are (i) required to design/develop new foods by integrating all the environmental components of the processes, (ii) respond to issues raised by industrial partners in relation to the development of bioproducts.
Integrated management of agro-industry by-products and co-products
5 creditsProcess optimization/instrumentation
5 creditsLife cycle analysis and impact assessment
2 creditsContinuous and fed-batch bioprocess engineering
3 creditsFood packaging: design tools for reducing
2 creditsDevelopment of new food products
3 creditsControl of nutritional quality and risks
3 creditsProcess simulation tools
2 creditsMethods for eco-designing new foods
5 credits
Creation and implementation of R&D projects
5 credits5-month internship
25 credits
Admission
Admission requirements
The training is open to holders of:
- A Bachelor's degree in Science and Technology with a major in "Chemical and Biological Sciences" and "Life and Earth Sciences"
- Other science and technology degrees, or equivalent, and validation of prior learning for professionals, selection based on application
- a Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Engineering.
Proficiency in French, DELF level C1, is required for foreign applicants.
Registration procedures
Applications can be submitted on the following platforms:
French & European students:
- For the M1, follow the "My Master's Degree" procedure on the website: https://www.monmaster.gouv.fr/
- For M2 students, applicants must submit their application via the e-candidat application: https://candidature.umontpellier.fr/candidature
Capacity
20 enrolled in M1
30 enrolled in M2