Programme of the ESB Engineering diploma in wood and biosourced materials science and technology


5 years of HE
esb engineering training wood and biosourced materials
  • Durée DURÉE 3 ans
  • Acces ACCÈS Bac +2
  • Diplome DIPLÔME Bac +5
  • Rentree RENTRÉE Septembre
  • Lieu LIEU Nantes

General organisation

The engineering programme uses both teaching periods devoted to a subject (theme) and hands-on periods.

Student-engineers carry out their hands-on work at ESB in case studies, projects, and workshops. Engineering apprentices carry out their hands-on work in host companies.

The program includes modules in French and in English. The International Timber Trade’s speciality is fully taught in English.

1st-year engineering

Firts semester – Designed to give students the knowledge and know-how required throughout the training programme: project management, familiarity with materials, circular economy basics, fundamental sciences, communications, etc.

Second semester – Prepares students for initial orientation choices. During this semester, students learn about the various specialities and digital tools. They carry out an initial circular economy project.

Course units (UEs) and related credits in the first-year engineering programme (60 ECTS credits)

SEMESTER 5

The basics

  • Company integration (1 ECTS)
  • Problem-solving methods (2 ECTS)
  • Basic sciences (3 ECTS)
  • Designing and completing a solution to a problem (4 ECTS)

Wood and biosourced materials

  • Wood and natural fibre sciences (6 ECTS)
  • Natural performance improvement (3 ECTS)

Circular economy 1 – supply and resources

  • Forestry and forest products (3 ECTS)

Project 1 – Scientific project (3 ECTS)

Human and social sciences (2 ECTS) : inter-cultural opening, office software applications, introduction to neuroscience, communication and involvement

Foreign languages

  • English (2 ECTS)
  • Second foreign languages (1 ECTS): German, Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, Portuguese, Russian, etc.

SEMESTER 6

Circular economy 1 – generalities

  • Sustainable management (3 ECTS)
  • Inter-semester exchange between schools on the campus (1 ECTS)

Professional project

  • Discovery of specialities: efficient use of forest production, production and processes, international timber trade, wood construction, research, innovation (4 ECTS)
  • Wood challenge project (3 ECTS)

Engineering and digital technology

  • Instrumentation and data processing (2 ECTS)
  • Information processing (1 ECTS)
  • CAD (2 ECTS)

Projects 2 : scientific, technological, or innovative project (3 ECTS)

Human and social sciences (2 ECTS)

Foreign languages

  • English (1 ECTS)
  • Second foreign languages (1 ECTS)

Professional experience in a company (7 ECTS)

  • Student-engineers : 8-week traineeship
  • Engineering apprentices : in their companies

2nd-year engineering

During these year, students develop their first minor to be chosen from 6 available specialities. Students also need to choose elective courses that will allow them to develop in-depth knowledge of wood science, engineering science, digital technology, production automation, etc.

Foreign exchange programmes are available during semesters 7 or 8 in the second year. ESB offers nearly 37 destinations including 4 dual degrees (Switzerland, Brazil, Chile, and Russia).

Course units (UEs) and related credits in the second-year engineering programme (60 ECTS credits)

SEMESTER 7

Circular economy 2 – Eco conception

  • General eco-design (3 ECTS)
  • Eco-design of biosourced composites (2ECT)
  • Eco-optimisation through life-cycle analysis (3 ECTS)
  • Eco-design linked to production (1 ECTS)

Circular economy 3 – Strategy and sustainable management

  • Economy and management (1 ECTS)
  • Marketing (1 ECTS)
  • Supply chain (2 ECTS)

Elective courses (for a total of 8 ECTS):

  • Elective courses (2 ECTS each): financial analysis and general economy, instrumentation and automation, wood sciences (anatomy, chemistry, physics), basic sciences (mathematics, mechanics), biorefinery, CAD/CAM, finite element modelling, wood-based composites, data programming, responsible design, virtual and augmented reality, entrepreneurship, robotics, new manufacturing technologies, electrical engineering.
  • Minor 1 (4 ECTS) – free selection amongst the specialities

Project 3 (3 ECTS) :

  • Research project
  • Industrialization project
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Personal project
  • Creative innovation

Human and social sciences (3 ECTS)

Foreign languages

  • English (2 ECTS)
  • Second foreign languages: German, Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, Portuguese, Russian, etc. (1 ECTS)

SEMESTER 8

Circular economy 3 – Strategy and sustainable management

  • Sustainable management (1 ECTS)
  • Global application (3 ECTS)

Elective courses (for a total of 12 ECTS):

  • Elective courses (2 ECTS each)
  • Minor 1 (4 ECTS)

Project 4 (3 ECTS) :

  • Research project
  • Industrialization project
  • Personal project
  • Creative innovation

Human and social sciences (1 ECTS)

Foreign languages

  • English (1 ECTS)
  • Second foreign languages: German, Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, Portuguese, Russian, etc. (1 ECTS)

Professional experience in a company (8 ECTS)

  • Student-engineers : 8-week traineeship
  • Engineering apprentices : in their companies

3rd-year engineering

The 1st semester is totally dedicated to the professional project. Students choose a second minor and a major related to one or the other of the minors followed.

The second semester takes place entirely in a company, where the student carries out an end-of-study project.

Course units (UEs) and related credits in the third-year engineering programme (60 ECTS credits)

SEMESTER 9

Minor 2 (4 ECTS)

Major (22 ECTS)

Human and social sciences (1 ECTS)

English (3 ECTS)

SEMESTER 10

Business game (2 ECTS)

End of studies project (28 ECTS) carried out as part of a work-study program or an 20-week traineeship.

ESB specialities available in the second and third years

In the 2nd and 3rd year, the students choose the lessons necessary for their professional project grouped into minors and majors.

Efficient use of forest production

This speciality is aimed at students who wish to practice a profession at the forest/industry interface. Engineers who graduate from this programme are able to harvest forest products using a sustainable approach and make efficient use of this resource.

UE for the Efficient use of forest production minor (A1)

  • Inventory
  • Upstream organisation

UE for the Efficient use of forest production major (A1)

  • Supply logistics
  • Primary processing
  • Harvesting & marketing

Production and processes

The engineers who choose this speciality are capable of managing the production of wood products and participating in their design. These engineers contribute to logistics and product development.

UE for the Production and processes minor (A2)

  • Eco-design
  • Technical data management ERP
  • Machine investment

UE for the Production and processes major (A2)

  • Purchasing & procurement
  • Production management
  • Industrial performance
  • QSE

International Timber Trade

This speciality prepares engineers for international trade and negotiation and ensures they are capable of reformulating the client’s need and coming up with relevant solutions. They identify new markets in the international context and help the company’s offer to progress.

UE for the International timber trade minor (A3)

  • Duties and regulations
  • International finance
  • International sales and purchases
  • Wood recognition and classification

UE for the International timber trade major (A31)

  • Business development
  • Digital business
  • International trade
  • International wood exchanges

Wood construction

Engineers specialised in wood construction manage construction projects that use wood and/or biosourced materials. They are capable of integrating constructive solutions that use wood and wood-derived products in building.

UE for the Wood construction minor (A4)

  • Engineering office design
  • Construction project management
  • Construction law

UE for the Wood construction – design office major (A41)

  • Comfort of the built environment
  • Economy and usage
  • Design office (
  • Construction and digital technology

UE for the Wood construction – project management major (A41)

  • Comfort of the built environment
  • Economy and usage
  • Construction organisation and coordination
  • QHSE

Innovation

Engineers who choose this speciality are trained to understand the corporate innovation process and implement innovative solutions in various processes: supply and procurement, production, marketing, distribution.

UE for the Innovation minor (A6)

  • Innovation
  • Technology

UE for the Innovation major (A61)

  • Creation
  • Innovation

Research

R&D engineers develop new materials or processes including wood or wood-derived materials. They manage research projects from the initial study phase through to the industrial application of the product.

UE for the Research minor (A5)

  • Wood science
  • Wood technology


UE for the Research major (A51)

  • Analysis and modelling
  • Communications
  • Comfort of the built environment
  • Circular economy
  • Research ecosystem
  • Experimental sciences

Non-ESB 3rd-year option

Engineering students (excluding apprentices) can complete their 3rd year in another institution in France or abroad.

3rd-year options in France

Internationally: 4 double degrees

  • Master of Technology in wood processing – Ural State Forest Engineering University (USFEU) in Yekaterinburg, Russia – 4-year double degree
  • Engineering degree – UFPR in Curitiba, Brazil – 4-year double degree
  • Civil engineering degree, wood industries – University of Bío-Bío (UBB) in Concepcion, Chile – 4-year double degree
  • Master’s in wood technology – Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH) in Biel, Switzerland – 4-year double degree