Academic

Three images: the first shows three people, one holding a rabbit; the second shows students exploring a factory in hardhats; the third shows a sandy beach with cliffs

BITS Program: Required courses

Tropical Horticulture Ecology 

Tuesday to Friday (TWRF), May 21-June 11, 2025; final exam June 13

AEBI 421 Trop. Horticultural Ecology 3 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

This 4-week-long course is co-taught by McGill and University of the West Indies (UWI) teaching staff. McGill and UWI undergrad students will share the learning experience! This course introduces students to the island agri-food system and importation vs local production issues. Students will visit the port of Barbados and grocery stores to view imports and current food situation. They will also visit tropical orchards, parks, nurseries, and government centres to see varied aspects of local food production.

 Students in a greenhouse Students listen to an instructor in a group standing outside in a tropical setting Students take notes as they listen to an instructor in a group standing outside in a tropical setting


Sustainable Land Use

Tuesday to Friday (TWRF), June 18-July 4, 2025; final exam July 4

AEBI 423 Sustainable Land Use 3 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

This 3-week-long course introduces undergraduate students to tropical forages and feeds and domestic and wild animal production in Barbados. Land resources, environmental and socio-economic constraints affecting sustainable forage, feed, and animal production in the tropics are examined. Students will explore the production of small and large ruminants, dairy and poultry and visit nature parks with wild animals and birds on the island.

Students at a dairy facility A group of brown goats stand in a pen Students stand in a farm field listening to an instructor


Tropical Energy & Food Technology

Tuesday to Friday (TWRF), July 10–25, 2025; final exam July 25

AEBI 425 Tropical Energy and Food 3 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

This 3-week-long course introduces undergraduate students to tropical energy options (biodiesel, solar, wood, etc.) and related food and bioproducts (ie. rum industry products) in the tropics. Students will visit innovative local production facilities and food industry sites to fully illustrate tropical energy sector and agri-food industries in Barbados.

A person poses for a photo in front of a tall stone building Solar panels Students in a factory like facility


Barbados Interdisciplinary Project

Monday (M), May 19-August 2, 2025; no final exam

AEBI 427 Barbados Interdisc Project 6 Credits
    Offered in the:
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Summer

This is a project-based, research and communication course, designed to solve real-world problems related to nutrition, food, or energy issues at the local, regional, or international scale in Barbados. Under the supervision of the project director, groups of 2-4 students develop working plans and carry out a pilot research project, in consultation with academic, industrial, governmental, or non-governmental partners. Students will work directly with mentors at a designated host institution in Barbados over the 13-week interval and present a final report on their findings.

Three people pose for the camera, one of them holds up a rabbit Two people tend to plants in an experimental greenhouse, one stands on a ladder A diver swims toward the camera underwater

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