Target level of study
BAC +5
Training structure
Faculty of Science
Language(s) of instruction
French
Presentation
The Wood Sciences master's degree addresses wood from its formation in trees to its multiple uses, from materials to molecules, integrating economic, climatic and environmental issues. This training requires skills in biology, ecology, chemistry, physics, mechanics and social sciences.
This demanding interdisciplinary training is based on innovative learning methods to develop the personal project of each person in a spirit of cooperation.
The training is open to work-study (5 places) and initial training (15 places).
For more information: https://master-bois-fds.edu.umontpellier.fr/
Objectives
This master's degree trains executives, engineers and future researchers in wood sciences, a source of proposals for development and innovation in companies in the forest-wood sector and research laboratories.
Particular attention will be paid to transversal skills ensuring the adaptability of diplômé.es to the eco-engineering and bio-based materials sector (project management, problem solving, scientific approach, etc.).
Know-how and skills
- Acquire interdisciplinary knowledge in wood sciences from its formation in the tree to its multiple uses, from materials to molecules, by integrating economic, climatic and environmental issues.
- Identify, formulate and solve complex problems in current and emerging areas of wood science.
- Develop a spirit of openness and cooperation and build a personal project
Organization
Knowledge control
The étudiant.es will be evaluated in continuous assessment in different forms.
Special features
The premises of the master's degree in wood sciences are located in building 4 of the Triolet campus.
They are composed as follows:
- Wood machining workshop
- Wood lab room
- Project Room
Open on a sandwich basis
Contract type | Apprenticeship contract, Professionalization contract |
---|
Internships, tutored projects
Internship | Mandatory |
---|---|
Length of internship | 4 months in M1, 4 months in M2 |
Internship abroad | Possible |
2 internships of at least 4 months from March to June or from March to August in M1 and M2 are planned: one in a company and one in academic research.
M1 case study project (5 weeks)
R&D project in M2 (6 weeks)
Fil Rouge project over the two years of the training.
Program
The Master in Wood Sciences is based on active and innovative pedagogies:
- Problem-Based Learning (PBL),
- Interdisciplinary projects,
- Field trips,
-Autonomy
- Development of the personal project.
The training will be face-to-face. Two weeks in M1 are organized off campus.
Select a program
Wood Sciences
How the tree works
ECTS
4 credits
Training structure
Faculty of Science
Hourly volume
33h
Morphogenesis and processes fundamental to the development of the tree
Primary growth (organogenesis and elongation; caulinar & root)
Secondary growth (how cambium and phellogen work)
Branching and branching patterns
Reproduction (from flower to fruit) and reproductive phenology
Tree architecture
Architectural models
The concept of architectural unity
The reiteration
Senescence and Dieback
Morphogenetic gradients
Root architecture
Diversity, variability and plasticity of tree functioning and adaptation
Structure-time relations: dendrochronological approaches
Phenology and chronobiology
Primary growth, branching, flowering and morpho-anatomical markers
Cambial functioning and growth rings
A posteriori reconstruction of the development of the tree
Ecophysiology and functional architecture of trees
Mechanical support
Root absorption (incl. role of mycorrhizae)
Conduction
Photosynthesis
Reserves
Reproduction
Trade-off and trade-offs between functions
Adaptations and structure-function relationships
Adaptation to herbivory (spinescence, underground stems, latex, chemical compounds, ...)
Resistance to pathogens (bark, latex, etc.)
Fire resistance (bark, ability to reject, pyrophytes, etc.)
Drought tolerance/resistance
Wood as a marker of history
Anthracology
Dendrochronology / Dendroclimatology
Marker of vegetation, uses, climate
Practical work analysis of carrots after drying...
Interdisciplinary project common thread 1
ECTS
3 credits
Training structure
Faculty of Science
Personal project and professional motivation
ECTS
2 credits
Training structure
Faculty of Science
Analysis, data and statistics applied to wood sciences
ECTS
3 credits
Training structure
Faculty of Science
Hourly volume
21h
- Introduction to statistics and scientific approach
Scientific approach
Data structuring
Descriptive statistics
Overview of analytical methods
A Critical Look at Statistics
- Univariate analyses
Comparison tests
Compliance of a distribution
Simple regression and variance/covariance analysis
- Multivariate Analyses
Correlations and principal component analysis
Multiple linear regression
Non-linear adjustments
- Classification and discrimination
Classification (supervised, unsupervised)
Segmentation and discrimination
- Statistical analysis tools
Introduction to R software
Wood for the tree 1: chemical composition and microstructure
ECTS
5 credits
Training structure
Faculty of Science
Hourly volume
36h
- Taxonomy / phylogeny: the concept of species
- The origins of the tree / the origins of wood - Appearance of tree forms, invention of wood and evolution
- Evolution of the cambium and the vascular system
- Diversity of woody planes (tracheids / vessels / fibers / parenchymas)
- Anatomical traits and taxonomic recognition of temperate and tropical woods
- Chemical composition of wood
- Macromolecules (Cellulose, hemicelluloses, lignins,...) and their properties (Tg)
- Nano-structure - meso and nano-porosity, organization of cellulose microfibrils (interaction between chemical compounds)
- Chemical composition of wood
- Secondary metabolites (function, composition, diversity), extractable
- Chemical composition of wood - Gums, latex, exudates, resins
Diversity of mechanical and physicochemical properties
ECTS
5 credits
Training structure
Faculty of Science
Hourly volume
40,5h
Mechanical behaviour of wood
One-dimensional elastic behavior and material strength (RDM) applied to structures with wooden beams and introduction to design codes (finite element modeling).
One-dimensional visco-elasticity and damping.
Orthotropic behavior.
Behavior at breakage.
Quasi-static and vibration measurement methods.
Woods vs. other materials (Ashby maps).
Physicochemical properties of wood
Thermal and hygroscopic properties (shrinkage-swelling), consequence on elastic properties.
Relationships between structure, chemistry and physico-mechanical behavior (from the cell wall scale to the macroscopic scale).
Sensory properties: colours, smells, touch, sound and taste properties.
Diversity of woods and diversity of uses
Variability within a species and diversity between species (temperate, Mediterranean, tropical) of physico-mechanical properties.
Woods at the interface of several categories of diversity (biological, physico-mechanical, functional, cultural), illustrated by specific uses and through different geocultural areas.
Wood Science Case Study
ECTS
5 credits
Training structure
Faculty of Science
The case study is a stimulating stage in training and learning which aims, through a real situation of a company, industrial sector or research, linked to the forestry-wood sector, to develop not only the knowledge of students, but above all the know-how and interpersonal skills of managers and leaders. The case study is therefore oriented towards active learning of the students through group reflection and discussion in a real situation.
The different subjects of study are proposed by industrialists, professionals and researchers and teacher-researchers. The themes of the subjects are interdisciplinary, scientific, technical, or socio-economic.
To meet the client's request, the student uses his or her previous knowledge and combines it with his or her newly acquired knowledge. Supervised by one or more pedagogical tutors, the group of students will be in charge of developing instructions, procedures, specifications, reports and study results from the results of tests, trials and/or surveys, in order to meet the client's request. Dialogue with one's peers, through exchange, confrontation or argumentation, contributes strongly to the good conduct of this project.
Forests, timber and global issues
ECTS
3 credits
Training structure
Faculty of Science
Hourly volume
24h
History and sociology around wood
History of the uses of wood, from the Paleolithic to the present day
Myths around trees and wood: a storytelling tour of the Jardin des Plantes
Wood and the forest: representations and uses
Carbon and climate change
Greenhouse effect and climate change
Carbon footprint from forest to wood products
Economics and geopolitics of the timber industry
Carbon economy
The global timber industry - Geopolitics and sustainability of wood uses - Global flows
Players in the traditional and technical wood industry, in France and around the world
Geopolitics of production, conflicts of land use. Value of the forest in relation to other uses (mining, agriculture, urban planning, etc.)
Forest ecosystem services
Biodiversity, air/water filtering, hydraulic regulator
Reception of the public, picking products, hunting,
Landscape, opening/closing of environments
Annual project common thread 2
ECTS
5 credits
Training structure
Faculty of Science
From the tree to the uses
ECTS
5 credits
Training structure
Faculty of Science
Hourly volume
46,5h
Logging and primary processing.
1stand 2nd processing
Structuring the 1sttransformation
Growth constraints and technological consequences
Drying and hygroscopic behaviour
Degradation and durability
English for wood science 1
ECTS
2 credits
Training structure
Faculty of Science
Hourly volume
18h
Listening comprehension - video supports, conferences, group exchanges
Reading comprehension - based on articles in the scientific press
Interactive Speaking - lectures, debates and group work
Writing - note-taking (reports)
Wood for the tree 2: biomechanics and tree hydraulics
ECTS
3 credits
Training structure
Faculty of Science
Hourly volume
22,5h
Biophysical specifications for the tree
Mechanics of the shaft subjected to gravity
Shaft hydraulics
Shaft mechanics under external loading
Integrative biophysics of the tree
Biophysical adaptations and wood quality
How the tree works
ECTS
4 credits
Training structure
Faculty of Science
Hourly volume
33h
Morphogenesis and processes fundamental to the development of the tree
Primary growth (organogenesis and elongation; caulinar & root)
Secondary growth (how cambium and phellogen work)
Branching and branching patterns
Reproduction (from flower to fruit) and reproductive phenology
Tree architecture
Architectural models
The concept of architectural unity
The reiteration
Senescence and Dieback
Morphogenetic gradients
Root architecture
Diversity, variability and plasticity of tree functioning and adaptation
Structure-time relations: dendrochronological approaches
Phenology and chronobiology
Primary growth, branching, flowering and morpho-anatomical markers
Cambial functioning and growth rings
A posteriori reconstruction of the development of the tree
Ecophysiology and functional architecture of trees
Mechanical support
Root absorption (incl. role of mycorrhizae)
Conduction
Photosynthesis
Reserves
Reproduction
Trade-off and trade-offs between functions
Adaptations and structure-function relationships
Adaptation to herbivory (spinescence, underground stems, latex, chemical compounds, ...)
Resistance to pathogens (bark, latex, etc.)
Fire resistance (bark, ability to reject, pyrophytes, etc.)
Drought tolerance/resistance
Wood as a marker of history
Anthracology
Dendrochronology / Dendroclimatology
Marker of vegetation, uses, climate
Practical work analysis of carrots after drying...
Interdisciplinary project common thread 1
ECTS
3 credits
Training structure
Faculty of Science
Personal project and professional motivation
ECTS
2 credits
Training structure
Faculty of Science
Analysis, data and statistics applied to wood sciences
ECTS
3 credits
Training structure
Faculty of Science
Hourly volume
21h
- Introduction to statistics and scientific approach
Scientific approach
Data structuring
Descriptive statistics
Overview of analytical methods
A Critical Look at Statistics
- Univariate analyses
Comparison tests
Compliance of a distribution
Simple regression and variance/covariance analysis
- Multivariate Analyses
Correlations and principal component analysis
Multiple linear regression
Non-linear adjustments
- Classification and discrimination
Classification (supervised, unsupervised)
Segmentation and discrimination
- Statistical analysis tools
Introduction to R software
Wood for the tree 1: chemical composition and microstructure
ECTS
5 credits
Training structure
Faculty of Science
Hourly volume
36h
- Taxonomy / phylogeny: the concept of species
- The origins of the tree / the origins of wood - Appearance of tree forms, invention of wood and evolution
- Evolution of the cambium and the vascular system
- Diversity of woody planes (tracheids / vessels / fibers / parenchymas)
- Anatomical traits and taxonomic recognition of temperate and tropical woods
- Chemical composition of wood
- Macromolecules (Cellulose, hemicelluloses, lignins,...) and their properties (Tg)
- Nano-structure - meso and nano-porosity, organization of cellulose microfibrils (interaction between chemical compounds)
- Chemical composition of wood
- Secondary metabolites (function, composition, diversity), extractable
- Chemical composition of wood - Gums, latex, exudates, resins
Diversity of mechanical and physicochemical properties
ECTS
5 credits
Training structure
Faculty of Science
Hourly volume
40,5h
Mechanical behaviour of wood
One-dimensional elastic behavior and material strength (RDM) applied to structures with wooden beams and introduction to design codes (finite element modeling).
One-dimensional visco-elasticity and damping.
Orthotropic behavior.
Behavior at breakage.
Quasi-static and vibration measurement methods.
Woods vs. other materials (Ashby maps).
Physicochemical properties of wood
Thermal and hygroscopic properties (shrinkage-swelling), consequence on elastic properties.
Relationships between structure, chemistry and physico-mechanical behavior (from the cell wall scale to the macroscopic scale).
Sensory properties: colours, smells, touch, sound and taste properties.
Diversity of woods and diversity of uses
Variability within a species and diversity between species (temperate, Mediterranean, tropical) of physico-mechanical properties.
Woods at the interface of several categories of diversity (biological, physico-mechanical, functional, cultural), illustrated by specific uses and through different geocultural areas.
Wood Science Case Study
ECTS
5 credits
Training structure
Faculty of Science
The case study is a stimulating stage in training and learning which aims, through a real situation of a company, industrial sector or research, linked to the forestry-wood sector, to develop not only the knowledge of students, but above all the know-how and interpersonal skills of managers and leaders. The case study is therefore oriented towards active learning of the students through group reflection and discussion in a real situation.
The different subjects of study are proposed by industrialists, professionals and researchers and teacher-researchers. The themes of the subjects are interdisciplinary, scientific, technical, or socio-economic.
To meet the client's request, the student uses his or her previous knowledge and combines it with his or her newly acquired knowledge. Supervised by one or more pedagogical tutors, the group of students will be in charge of developing instructions, procedures, specifications, reports and study results from the results of tests, trials and/or surveys, in order to meet the client's request. Dialogue with one's peers, through exchange, confrontation or argumentation, contributes strongly to the good conduct of this project.
Forests, timber and global issues
ECTS
3 credits
Training structure
Faculty of Science
Hourly volume
24h
History and sociology around wood
History of the uses of wood, from the Paleolithic to the present day
Myths around trees and wood: a storytelling tour of the Jardin des Plantes
Wood and the forest: representations and uses
Carbon and climate change
Greenhouse effect and climate change
Carbon footprint from forest to wood products
Economics and geopolitics of the timber industry
Carbon economy
The global timber industry - Geopolitics and sustainability of wood uses - Global flows
Players in the traditional and technical wood industry, in France and around the world
Geopolitics of production, conflicts of land use. Value of the forest in relation to other uses (mining, agriculture, urban planning, etc.)
Forest ecosystem services
Biodiversity, air/water filtering, hydraulic regulator
Reception of the public, picking products, hunting,
Landscape, opening/closing of environments
Annual project common thread 2
ECTS
5 credits
Training structure
Faculty of Science
From the tree to the uses
ECTS
5 credits
Training structure
Faculty of Science
Hourly volume
46,5h
Logging and primary processing.
1stand 2nd processing
Structuring the 1sttransformation
Growth constraints and technological consequences
Drying and hygroscopic behaviour
Degradation and durability
English for wood science 1
ECTS
2 credits
Training structure
Faculty of Science
Hourly volume
18h
Listening comprehension - video supports, conferences, group exchanges
Reading comprehension - based on articles in the scientific press
Interactive Speaking - lectures, debates and group work
Writing - note-taking (reports)
Wood for the tree 2: biomechanics and tree hydraulics
ECTS
3 credits
Training structure
Faculty of Science
Hourly volume
22,5h
Biophysical specifications for the tree
Mechanics of the shaft subjected to gravity
Shaft hydraulics
Shaft mechanics under external loading
Integrative biophysics of the tree
Biophysical adaptations and wood quality
Professional integration and communication
ECTS
5 credits
Training structure
Faculty of Science
Hourly volume
30h
Interdisciplinary project common thread 3
ECTS
6 credits
Training structure
Faculty of Science
Uses for solid wood, panels and composites
ECTS
6 credits
Training structure
Faculty of Science
Hourly volume
48h
Use of timber:
Wood products for construction (solid, finger-jointed, glued-laminated, cross-laminated, panels, etc.), sectors, classifications and uses.
History of construction and contemporary architecture
Challenges and specificities of timber construction operations:
- Design: main structural checks, envelope, acoustics, etc.
- Implementation: particularities and organization of the sites.
- Operation: hygro-thermal performance, comfort and well-being, etc.
- Longevity and end-of-life: life cycle analyses of buildings, recyclability, re-use.
Noble woods in crafts for cabinetmaking, marquetry, violin making, etc.
Uses of industrial wood:
Wood materials for packaging (pallets, crates, tanks, etc.)
Composite materials with plant reinforcements including wood (in products for construction, transport, sports and leisure, design, etc.)
Wood materials in thermal insulation (loose, semi-rigid, rigid, etc.).
Functionalized wood materials (transparent wood, augmented wood, etc.)
Resources, materials and paper production (printing, technology, cardboard, etc.)
English for wood sciences 2
ECTS
2 credits
Training structure
Faculty of Science
Hourly volume
18h
Listening comprehension - video supports, conferences, group exchanges
Reading comprehension - based on articles in the scientific press
Interactive Speaking - lectures, debates and group work
Writing - note-taking (reports)
Natural and cultivated forests
ECTS
5 credits
Training structure
Faculty of Science
Hourly volume
37,5h
Natural forest |
The main types of forests (tropical, temperate, Mediterranean, boreal,...) and their species |
|
Successive stages of the forest (pioneers,...) |
Cultivated forest and forestry |
Plantations, species |
|
Silvicultural practices: Gardened forest and natural regeneration, pruning, thinning, continuous cover, plantings, tree maturity, rotation time, production tables, management plan and landscaping |
|
Agroforestry |
Soil and nutrients |
Soil, litter and degradation of deadwood |
Threats and opportunities to forests |
Climate threats (drought, diseases, insects) and solutions for the future |
|
Anthropogenic threats (forest management, illegal trade, etc.) |
French sector |
Eco-socio-economic specificities |
Biorefinery and energy recovery
ECTS
6 credits
Training structure
Faculty of Science
Hourly volume
48h
Timber industry and sustainable development
ECTS
3 credits
Training structure
Faculty of Science
Hourly volume
24h
Company or laboratory internship
ECTS
15 credits
Training structure
Faculty of Science
Interdisciplinary project common thread 4
ECTS
6 credits
Training structure
Faculty of Science
Professional integration and communication
ECTS
5 credits
Training structure
Faculty of Science
Hourly volume
30h
Interdisciplinary project common thread 3
ECTS
6 credits
Training structure
Faculty of Science
Uses for solid wood, panels and composites
ECTS
6 credits
Training structure
Faculty of Science
Hourly volume
48h
Use of timber:
Wood products for construction (solid, finger-jointed, glued-laminated, cross-laminated, panels, etc.), sectors, classifications and uses.
History of construction and contemporary architecture
Challenges and specificities of timber construction operations:
- Design: main structural checks, envelope, acoustics, etc.
- Implementation: particularities and organization of the sites.
- Operation: hygro-thermal performance, comfort and well-being, etc.
- Longevity and end-of-life: life cycle analyses of buildings, recyclability, re-use.
Noble woods in crafts for cabinetmaking, marquetry, violin making, etc.
Uses of industrial wood:
Wood materials for packaging (pallets, crates, tanks, etc.)
Composite materials with plant reinforcements including wood (in products for construction, transport, sports and leisure, design, etc.)
Wood materials in thermal insulation (loose, semi-rigid, rigid, etc.).
Functionalized wood materials (transparent wood, augmented wood, etc.)
Resources, materials and paper production (printing, technology, cardboard, etc.)
English for wood sciences 2
ECTS
2 credits
Training structure
Faculty of Science
Hourly volume
18h
Listening comprehension - video supports, conferences, group exchanges
Reading comprehension - based on articles in the scientific press
Interactive Speaking - lectures, debates and group work
Writing - note-taking (reports)
Natural and cultivated forests
ECTS
5 credits
Training structure
Faculty of Science
Hourly volume
37,5h
Natural forest |
The main types of forests (tropical, temperate, Mediterranean, boreal,...) and their species |
|
Successive stages of the forest (pioneers,...) |
Cultivated forest and forestry |
Plantations, species |
|
Silvicultural practices: Gardened forest and natural regeneration, pruning, thinning, continuous cover, plantings, tree maturity, rotation time, production tables, management plan and landscaping |
|
Agroforestry |
Soil and nutrients |
Soil, litter and degradation of deadwood |
Threats and opportunities to forests |
Climate threats (drought, diseases, insects) and solutions for the future |
|
Anthropogenic threats (forest management, illegal trade, etc.) |
French sector |
Eco-socio-economic specificities |
Biorefinery and energy recovery
ECTS
6 credits
Training structure
Faculty of Science
Hourly volume
48h
Timber industry and sustainable development
ECTS
3 credits
Training structure
Faculty of Science
Hourly volume
24h
Company or laboratory internship
ECTS
15 credits
Training structure
Faculty of Science
Interdisciplinary project common thread 4
ECTS
6 credits
Training structure
Faculty of Science
Admission
Admission requirements
The master's degree is accessible by application. It welcomes holders of a Bac+3 in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mechanics or Environment, open to interdisciplinarity and motivé.es to reach the required level in the disciplines with which they are less familiar.
A few places are also open for holders of a Bac+3 in other disciplines (economics, architecture, political science, history, etc.), who are very highly motivated. Contact the training managers.
How to register
Applications can be submitted on the following platforms:
- French & European students: follow the "My Master" procedure on the website: https: //www.monmaster.gouv.fr/
- International students from outside the EU: follow the "Study in France" procedure: https://pastel.diplomatie.gouv.fr/etudesenfrance/dyn/public/authentification/login.html
Target audience
Bac+3 in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mechanics or Environment
Other disciplines: Contact the training managers.
And then
Further studies
PhD
Professional integration
H1206 - Management and engineering, studies, research and industrial development
K1802 - Local Development
H2204 - Supervision of the furniture and wood industries
K2402 - Research in Universe, Matter and Life Sciences
H2504 - Team management in the process industry