The focus of the BFSS is the study of Sustainability in the Caribbean. McGill University has become a prominent hub for sustainability, both through the McGill Office of Sustainability and the McGill Sustainability Systems Initiative. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations are an important statement of an international consensus on development priorities to address the most pressing global challenges of our time and create a more sustainable future. The BFSS curriculum focuses on the Sustainable Development Goals identified as a priority by the government of Barbados and the Small Island Developing States (SIDS). Students registered in the BFSS learn about the science of sustainability and how it integrates the three pillars of sustainability – environmental, social and economic –, and apply this knowledge to a real-life question by conducting an applied, field-based, research project.
The program runs over 13 weeks in total and is capped at 20 students.
The BFSS consists of three 3-credits courses (GEOG 340, ATOC 341 and BIOL 343) and a 6-credit research project (FSCI 444). Each course lasts two weeks, with two modules of 4 days of teaching per course. Each module consists of lectures and other activities (seminars, study cases or field trips), typically in the afternoon. One day a week throughout the courses is dedicated to research projects, giving students a chance to plan a well-designed research project with ample opportunity for feedback.
The program director coordinates the entire program (i.e. all four courses), and there are up to six instructors teaching GEOG 340, ATOC 341 and BIOL 343. Each instructor will spend one week at the Bellairs Research Institute to teach one module. FSCI 444 is co-supervised by a McGill faculty and a local partner, and students work in groups (2 to 4 students).
The program is also made available to students from the University of the West Indies Cave Hill in Barbados.
Testimonies for former BFSS students
“The BFSS was an eye-opening, once in a lifetime kind of experience. I would strongly recommend to anyone who is deeply interested in environmental sustainability, who is ready to get out of their comfort zone, who will put in effort to learn (a lot!) from distinguished professors, and who wants to forge meaningful connections. Bonus if you love the sun, ocean and amazing beaches (who doesn't?).”
Irene Yao, BFSS 2023
"BFSS was one of the coolest experiences I've had the pleasure of participating in. I was able to realize opportunities for myself that I now carry onward into my educational career, and have made lifelong friends."
Ben Chamberland, BFSS 2023
Information - Barbados Field Study Semester
Field Studies & Internship Office
Faculty of Science
ifso.science [at] mcgill.ca
Prof. Virginie Millien
Academic Director, Barbados Field Study Semester Program
virginie.millien [at] mcgill.ca