Food Technology and Operations Management

The course provides an overview of the basic skills of a manager and applies these skills through a series of projects and case studies. It examines the evolution of management and the organizational culture and environment. It also teaches the decision-making skills and the skills involved in planning, organizing, leading and controlling, including planning and facilitating change, teamwork, applying motivational techniques and effective communication.

Building upon the core courses (General and Organic Chemistry and Physics), this course allows learners to apply scientific principles to understand the properties of foods and the important changes occurring during processing and storage. The course is intended to give learners a toolkit of core concepts they can use in the higher level processing and product development classes.

This course examines line extensions, product reformulations (e.g., salt reduction), packaging selection, and design and labeling. It explores regulatory and dietary considerations, and methods to reduce the development cycle (such as Design of Experiments). The course also emphasizes the team approach to successful product development and launch.

his course examines the assessment of risk – primarily from a food safety standpoint, as well as the management of those risks. Using HACCP, learners apply scientific principles to determine the risks that may arise, by examining the microbiological, chemical, and physical hazards that may develop. The financial results of such hazards coming to reality are also discussed.

This course gives learners further understanding of how operations management is applied in modern food manufacturing and service industries to improve operational performance. Learners conduct field studies in the food industry to evaluate how an existing company defines, plans, measures, and manages productivity and other key performance indicators.

Fosters abilities and values required for ethical decision making at work. Develops skills in logical analysis, a working knowledge of moral principles and theories, and the ability to diagnose and resolve moral disagreements commonly found at work. Examines and applies moral principles to historically famous cases in manufacturing, human resources, management, engineering, health care, and computing.
Prerequisite(s): BCIT ENGL 1177, or 6 credits BCIT Communication at 1100-level or above, or 3 credits of a university/college first-year social science or humanities course.

Building on the principles of food engineering and food processing, this course looks at advanced food processing techniques and the integration of the production line from preparation through to filling and packaging. The course combines the areas of food engineering and food processing to examine the development of a product from its production from raw materials to the final product with respect to the choice of equipment and application of unit operations such as heat and cold.
Prerequisite(s): FOOD 5040 and FOOD 5050 and OPMT 5343

This course examines site planning, layout and design, as well as materials for construction and sanitary design based on the site use for warehousing/storage. It also examines vegetable, fish, and meat production for new plant facilities and plant extensions. Reducing the environmental impact and energy consumption of a food plant is also explored.
Prerequisite(s): FOOD 5255

This course addresses how to assist in the management of a food processing facility. Emphasis is placed on the use and importance of Total Quality Management and Statistical Process Control, together with Good Manufacturing Practices. Learners develop a quality management system based on ISO 9000 standards and discuss government regulations, environment issues, and sustainability concerns. They also explore management practices appropriate for a food processing facility, including basic human resource management and financial administration.
Prerequisite(s): BUSA 7250 and FOOD 5255 and OPMT 5343

This course looks at storage and production planning and control, aspects of raw material and finished product specifications, traceability, allergen control, and the linkages throughout the value chain. It introduces the fundamentals of the procurement cycle including basic logistics.
Prerequisite(s): FOOD 5050 and OPMT 5343

This is a course in advanced composition and rhetoric, in which students will develop skills in complex critical analysis and interpretation by analyzing and evaluating materials from a variety of discourses or genres, including visual, online, and print; developing and writing essays, including critiques and research papers; applying and discussing principles of rhetoric and critical theory; examining and using methods of interpretation and analysis from the humanities and social sciences; evaluating the credibility of primary and secondary sources, including as it applies to media literacy, and for the purposes of academic research; situating discourses within their historical context and relevant to rhetorical theories of different periods (for example, Aristotle in the ancient world and Bakhtin in the twentieth century). The course format will include lecture, discussion, and both individual and group activities.
Prerequisite(s): BCIT ENGL 1177 or (equivalent), OR 6 credits BCIT Communication at 1100-level or above.

Discusses a variety of topics. The emphasis may vary from semester to semester but may include: the relationship between government and the business system in Canada, the impact of foreign investment and free trade, consumerism, environmental protection, the impact of the Canadian Bill of Rights, etc.
Prerequisite(s): Acceptance into the Bachelor of Business Administration program.

This course examines TQM, ISO 9000, ISO 14000, ISO 22000, GFSI, ASQ, SQF and BRC requirements as quality systems. It also covers the implementation of these systems and the effect on various units within the company.
Prerequisite(s): FOOD 6255 and OPMT 6343

This course examines the changing global nature of the food industry from dietary concerns to climate change and the effects on food security. It also examines waste management and the reduction of the global footprint of food companies.
Prerequisite(s): FOOD 6255 and LIBS 7001 and LIBS 7002 and OPMT 6343

This course introduces the fundamentals of project management. It covers the unique characteristics of projects and fundamentals of project planning such as WBS, Gantt charts, CPM, dealing with people and team issues, maintenance and control of projects, using check points and milestones, communication, and common sources of difficulty in project management. The course emphasizes Statistical Process Control techniques as a method for tracking improvements. The focus is on the food industry.
Prerequisite(s): FOOD 5050 and FOOD 6255

This course looks at industrial engineering techniques for improved efficiencies, cost reductions, and improved sustainability. It examines techniques such as SPC, Lean Manufacturing, and Six Sigma. In addition, loss control is covered.
Prerequisite(s): FOOD 5050 and FOOD 6010 and OPMT 6343

Develops simple, yet powerful methods for understanding and evaluating a wide variety of scientific and pseudo scientific material. Introduces some of the great thinkers and theories of the past, both winners and losers. Reflects on what makes scientific reasoning so effective, and uses these reflections to evaluate some contemporary criticisms of the place of science in society.
Prerequisite(s): BCIT ENGL 1177, or 6 credits BCIT Communication at 1100-level or above, or 3 credits of a university/college first-year social science or humanities course.

This course develops further supervisory, team building, performance appraisal, and conflict resolution skills. Learners acquire a number of skills and concepts from both the Organization Behavioural/Interpersonal Skills/Human Relations field and the Human Resource Management field.
Prerequisite(s): BUSA 7250 and FOOD 7030 and FOOD 7070

This course looks at the implementation of HACCP and Food Safety systems from the paperwork side to the logistics of implementation, including team building and management/employee commitment to the system.
Prerequisite(s): FOOD 6050 and FOOD 7030 and OPMT 7170

This capstone course for the degree is a project integrating food technology with operations management to solve a real industry problem. Learners are joined with actual companies to complete the project. With direction from the industry sponsor and supervision from a faculty advisor, the learners conduct a literature review, develop a detailed methodology, write progress reports, and communicate results in a final oral presentation and written technical report.
Prerequisite(s): Completion of all Level 5 through Level 7 courses.

This course explores in depth the relationship between a company and its vendors, including risk assessment, supplier selection, supplier monitoring, and vendor rating systems. For a HACCP Plan to be fully implemented it is important to determine what risks may be associated with incoming materials and set up a program that is designed to control and manage these risks.
Prerequisite(s): FOOD 7030 and OPMT 7070