NEW PROGRAMME
The Centre for Agroecology, Water and Resilience (CAWR) is excited to announce the launch of a new programme entitled MSc Agroecology, Water and Food Sovereignty (title subject to validation), which will commence in September 2018. The programme will encompass enhanced knowledge from our now larger team of experts and will be informed by recent research. This will replace the MSc in Agroecology and Food Security which will run for the last time in the September 2017-18 academic year. Please check our website for details which will be published very soon.
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Food security is of critical concern globally, and the development of food systems that provide food of high quality and quantity in a sustainable way, is now a research and policy priority.
The MSc in Agroecology and Food Security is designed to equip professionals and graduates with the knowledge to critically analyse and assess the relationships between agroecological food production and management, farming systems, climate change economics and the environment.
Run by Coventry University's Centre for Agroecology, Water and Resilience (CAWR) whose mission is to create resilient food systems worldwide, the course:
-Draws on the outstanding range of academic and practical expertise of CAWR staff plus world-renowned guest lecturers
-Is designed for students from a variety of different academic and professional backgrounds and from the natural and social sciences (e.g. previous experience of agriculture not necessary)
-Provides unique content in terms of its cutting edge focus on transforming the food system through alternative paradigms, concepts, and methodologies to enable real and equitable change
-Is based at the UK’s national centre for organic horticulture in 10 acres of organic gardens.
The course will provide you with the knowledge of the major agricultural production systems found in different parts of the world and the main theoretical approaches to understanding contemporary food systems.
The course covers a range of subject areas including:
For each module, teaching normally takes the form of weekly 'face-to-face' contact at the University (including lectures, workshops, seminars and exercises) throughout each semester, with associated directed and self directed study, which may be undertaken off-campus.
All students undertake an individual research project, which may be associated with an appropriate organisation or company in the UK or overseas. Equipped with a detailed understanding of food systems and a range of appropriate practical skills your potential for employment will be strong.
Opportunities present themselves in national and international government agencies, non governmental policy, research and development organisations, the private sector including food companies and the farming sector.
To prepare students for the challenges of the global employment market and to strengthen and develop their broader personal and professional skills Coventry University has developed a unique Global Leaders Programme.
The objectives of the programme, in which postgraduate and eligible undergraduate students can participate, is to provide practical career workshops and enable participants to experience different business cultures.
The ever increasing demand for organically produced foods requires new and different production systems. In order to create such sustainable organic production systems a fresh scientific approach is needed. The university has created a programme to train academic professionals who want to work in this field.
The Organic Agriculture programme has been designed to train students in multiple aspects of organic agriculture and the associated processing and marketing chain. An important goal is to prepare the students for interdisciplinary teamwork at an academic level.
On the programme of Organic Agriculture page you can find the general outline of the programme and more detailed information about courses, theses and internships.
Within the master's programme you can choose one of the following Specialisations to meet your personal interests.
The experience and diverse skills our students acquire working in interdisciplinary teams on practical cases, make them eligible for a broad range of jobs. Graduates of this programme will have career opportunities in agribusiness, research, extension, non-governmental organisations and public administration. Read more about career perspectives and opportunities after finishing the programme.
Related programmes:
MSc Management, Economics and Consumer Studies
MSc Forest and Nature Conservation
The Graduate Institute of International Development, Agriculture and Economics (GIIDAE) is now offering £125,000 worth of scholarship funding for 2018-19 academic year. Find out more here.
This course will prepare you for a research career in the agricultural and agri-environment sectors or for subsequent doctoral studies in agroecology and environmental sciences.
It is taught by researchers from the Centre for Agri-Environmental Research (CAER), one of the leading centres for agroecology research worldwide and highly respected by employers in the sector.
You will develop a multi-disciplinary appreciation of the underlying environmental, social and economic issues surrounding contemporary agricultural systems. You will also gain a rigorous training in research methods and statistical analyses commonly used in agriculture, ecology and environmental science.
You will then join one of the University’s thriving research teams to conduct a 30-week research project supervised closely by experts in the field. This will provide you with the necessary independent research skills to pursue a career in the sector.
Our programmes are excellent preparation for careers in international and rural development, agricultural economics, and marketing within the food chain and policy. Some 96% of our graduates are in work or further study six months after graduating.
Engagement with a wide variety of visiting speakers and field trips provides many opportunities for networking. In addition, competitive internships and placements, and research dissertations are an opportunity to showcase your skills, undertake overseas field research or link with organisations in the development sector. For examples of organisations our graduates go on to, please visit: http://www.reading.ac.uk/giidae" target="_blank">http://www.reading.ac.uk/giidae
Global socio-ecological problems call for multidisciplinary solutions that transcend the usual boundaries of science and decision-making. The Environmental Change and Global Sustainability (ECGS) Master’s programme trains you in wide-ranging interdisciplinary thinking skills and provides you with the ability to:
Further information about the studies on the Master's programme website.
ECGS is a truly multidisciplinary Master’s programme. It covers an introductory Core Module common to all students, followed by two distinct study tracks.
The introductory Core Module focuses on the methodologies of environmental and sustainability science as well as the interactions between science and society. The Core Module also offers a pool of optional methodological studies, providing you with the necessary research tools to tackle socio-ecological challenges.
If your orientation is in natural sciences, the Environmental Change study line can provide you with an understanding of the functioning of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and can give guidance toward their sustainable use.
If your interests are more in the social sciences and humanities, on the other hand, the Global Sustainability study line provides an understanding of the socio-cultural underpinnings of global sustainability challenges so that you can help to develop solutions that take social and environmental justice into consideration.
You can apply for one of the two studytracks in the ECGS Master’s programme: the Environmental Change study line or the Global Sustainability study line. You can refine your expertise in your chosen study line by choosing from study modules related to your specialised field of science or from interdisciplinary phenomenon-based modules.
Environmental Change modules are offered in, for example, the following research fields: aquatic sciences, soil and earth sciences, environmental ecology, environmental biotechnology and agroecology. Global Sustainability modules include themes such as environmental and natural resource economics, environmental policy, development studies, public and social policy, consumer research, forest policy and economics, and development geography. ECGS also offers a variety of modules integrating both natural and social scientific perspectives including phenomenon-based modules on the Baltic Sea and the Arctic as well as a variety of interdisciplinary fields such as climate change, food and consumption systems, urban studies and socio-ecological systems studies.
As an international applicant, you will be assessed and accepted for the Master’s program based on the scientific relevance of your bachelor’s degree and your success in previous studies.
MRes degrees can be studied as a stepping stone to doctoral level study or as a standalone qualification for those interested in research careers in industry.
Students spend one third of the course studying four taught modules, and the remainder of their time is focused on an in-depth research project. The courses are delivered in one or two-week blocks throughout the academic year.
We offer a range of MRes titles, which are reviewed each year, and all subjects link in to areas of research that the university is actively involved with. The programme provides:
Completing an MRes will also help you to develop transferable skills in areas such as experimental design, report writing, statistics, presentation skills, team working and critical appraisal.
These awards are strongly underpinned by the university’s excellent programme of agri-environmental research and long-standing collaborations with research institutes and other organisations in the UK and overseas.
