Masters Degrees (Horticulture)

Social and therapeutic horticulture is the purposeful use of horticultural activities to promote health and well-being and facilitate social inclusion.

This exciting new course is designed to offer people, who are working in horticulture or therapy, the opportunity to further develop their skills in social and therapeutic horticulture. They will also reflect upon, debate and critique their current practice.

This programme is the first to be developed in the UK and will build upon Coventry's well-established and vocationally focussed qualification, the Professional Development Diploma.

WHY CHOOSE THIS COURSE?

The development of the MSc course has been actively supported by practitioners in the field, service-users and others; including the national charity, Thrive; Pershore College and the Association of Social and Therapeutic Horticulture Practitioners. Its creation will bring this developing profession in line with established international practitioners in the USA, Canada and Japan.

The Social and Therapeutic Horticulture MSc will provide students nationally and internationally with a unique opportunity to gain specialist knowledge and skills in social and therapeutic horticulture. The target market for this programme includes a wide range of working individuals from a variety of backgrounds and sectors related to health, social care and disability.

Expressions of interest and applicants include:
-Occupational therapists
-Social workers
-Horticulturalists, environmentalists and green care workers
-Social and therapeutic practitioners
-Practitioners across education including main stream and special needs
-Charity workers (trustees, practitioners and managers)
-Doctors, nurses (mental health, adult nursing) and psychologists
-Probation officers
-Speech and language therapists
-Teachers of children and adults with special educational needs
-Care managers, private practitioners and project managers

Studying on the MSc Social and Therapeutic programme MSc will help students to:
-Develop as innovative, enterprising, evidence based practitioners of social and therapeutic horticulture
-Critically appraise and reflect on practice within the changing context of health and social care from the service users’ perspective and with deep consideration of their needs
-Critically evaluate the context of social and therapeutic horticulture within service delivery and the wider arenas of health, social care and nature-based care
-Actively engage in and be responsible for the critical analysis of their own learning, recognising areas for development and strengths
-Be a dynamic participant within support networks/communities of practice to develop and promote a deep consideration and further exploration of the potential and use of social and therapeutic horticulture
-Actively engage in the critical analysis and evaluation of the evidence base

WHAT WILL I LEARN?

The Social and Therapeutic Horticulture MSc is a blended learning programme that combines experiential and online learning with independent study. Innovative teaching and learning techniques will utilise real site partners, digital technology and practical activities that will focus upon communities and sustainable practice.

Critical discussion and debate with social therapeutic horticulturalists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists and other health and social care professionals are promoted within the modules of study, enabling students to develop their skills in clinical reasoning, reflection and research. This course will give students the confidence and authority to explore, appraise and critique current and contemporary practice and the evidence base that supports the use of social and therapeutic horticulture. By completing the programme students will be boosting their managerial knowledge, leadership and communication skills in this exciting new area. They will be the first of a new generation of master’s graduates who are able to fulfil leading roles in the social and therapeutic workplace, education or research.

Students can study the programme either full-time across one academic year or part-time. The course consists of six mandatory modules and the research dissertation.

The mandatory modules for this programme are:
-Social and Therapeutic Horticulture: Diversity of Theory and Practice
-The Expert Practitioner: A Practical Analysis
-Nature Assisted Practice
-Evaluating Social and Therapeutic Horticulture in Practice
-Research Methodology, Designs and Methods
-Data Analysis
-The research dissertation which can be based on empirical research study or a systematic review of the evidence to support social and therapeutic interventions

HOW WILL THIS COURSE BE TAUGHT?

The Social and Therapeutic Horticulture MSc will be offered on a full-time and part-time basis and as stand-alone CPD opportunity. It will be delivered in a flexible learning format, comprising face-to-face contact with attendance normally on Tuesdays and Thursdays, guided study, independent studies, and online resources to be completed at home or in the workplace.

HOW WILL I BE ASSESSED?

You are assessed in a variety of ways both in groups and individually. You will have a combination of practical, presentation and written assessments. These may include group and conference style presentations, reflective critiques, an online annual report and action plan, project report writing and dissertation.

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Overview

This is a modular course for students with a background in plant biology or horticulture, who wish to develop their knowledge of the commercial production and storage of horticulture crops.

Core Modules

* International Crop Production
* Postharvest Physiology and Pathology
* Logistics & Supply Chain Management
* Research Methods
* Personal Development Planning
* Crop Production Technology
* Controlled Environment Agriculture
* Packaging & Product Innovation
* Global Trade and Dissertation.

The course can be completed in one year on a full-time basis. Part-time students can take two-three years to complete the course.

Key Features

* A combination of theory, practical experience and industrial visits
* Development of interpersonal and communication skills
* An international dimension to the course content
* Opportunity to undertake original research in the UK or abroad.

If you would like to find out more about our postgraduate courses please see here: http://www.writtle.ac.uk/Postgraduate-Courses

Career Prospects

Upon completion of the course, graduates have moved into crop production with international growers and management positions with major import/export organisations.

Entry Requirements

Applicants will normally hold a BSc or equivalent in a horticulture or plant science related topic, but applications are equally welcome from individuals with extensive industrial experience.

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Keeping pace with developments

Like other products in the horticultural production chain, fruit, vegetables and flowers reach domestic and international markets through many channels. Stakeholders in the chain have to respond not only to the changes brought by technology, they also have to deal with an ever-greater number of national and international laws and regulations, such as those governing international food quality standards. Designed to increase your ability to anticipate and exploit these developments, this programme examines each stakeholder in the chain (suppliers, farmers, processors, traders, retailers and consumers), particularly in the stages from input to processing. It also approaches the overall chain from the perspective of logistics, economics, quality control, marketing channels, and information flows.

The programme is primarily aimed for mid-career horticulture professionals involved in management or co-ordination. Typically, they will currently be working in a commercial role or in a ministerial section or department. Others may be involved in regional development policies or development projects. Yet others may be lecturers at institutes of higher education.

Competences

In line with the educational principles at Dutch Universities of Applied Sciences, this programme ensures that participants develop competences with regard to:
• facilitating the governance of sustainable value chains
• initiating innovative chain processes and projects
• supporting business service entrepreneurs
• demonstrating a professional attitude in a changing international business environment
• conducting applied research that contributes to an efficient and sustainable value chain
• developing policies for inclusive value chains
• effectively communicate value chain developments to specialists and non-specialists

Career benefits

Managers and advisors of programmes and companies related to horticulture chains will gain specialised competences that enable them to improve the management and innovative capacity of the organisation. One would be able to function effectively in the areas of logistic efficiency, provision of information, quality control, reducing production cost and improved profitability, managing chain innovation or chain differentiations. The graduate will be able to identify and connect the relevant stakeholders in the value
chain to meet the goals of the organisation.

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Overview

The course will provide students with the opportunity to:

* Study to an advanced level the techniques used for the production and postharvest handling of horticultural crops and the underlying mechanisms which determine and limit these techniques
* Develop a thorough knowledge of the horticultural business environment and marketing processes concerned with the trade of horticultural produce
* Apply research methodology and information technology to horticultural practice
* Identify and critically evaluate important trends and developments within the horticultural industry
* Identify the needs of national and international communities, and reconcile these with the aims and objectives of specific horticultural organisations

This is a broad based course for students with a basic grounding in plant biology, who want to develop their knowledge of commercial crop production and the postharvest handling of horticultural crops.

If you would like to find out more about our postgraduate courses please see here: http://www.writtle.ac.uk/Postgraduate-Courses

Teaching methods

Teaching methods include lectures, workshops, seminars, tutorials, visits, case studies and student managed learning. Self guided study takes place under the supervision of horticultural staff who ensure that students maximise their use of all study facilities at the College, including the estate. Students will be assessed by a variety of methods including written papers, case studies and project reports. This flexible approach allows students to monitor their knowledge and skills development throughout the course.

Research

The research project/dissertation provides an opportunity to undertake specialist research in specific fields. It must also include an investigative component to demonstrate that the student can apply learning to a problem-solving situation. The project is supervised by a member of the academic staff, and takes place over a 20-week period during the summer. The research project can be based at Writtle or at an external organisation; international placements may also be arranged. However students who embark upon an industry-based project must have access to the same level of facilities and support as students carrying out their research at the College.

Key Features

* A combination of theory, practical experience and industrial visits alongside the development of interpersonal and communication skills
* An international dimension to the course content
* Opportunity to undertake original research in the UK or abroad

Career Prospects

Upon completion of the course, graduates have moved into crop production with international growers and management positions with major import/export organisations.


Details of this course are accessible, on request, from the course leader.

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This course critically examines the role of agriculture (including horticulture) and agricultural research in addressing the major challenges and opportunities related to agricultural intensification and environmental sustainability in tropical and sub-tropical regions of the developing world. A flexible course is offered, including a horticulture pathway. The course explains the roles of agriculture and horticulture in development and the different biophysical, economic and social environments in which they are practised.

Recent research developments and innovative practices in response to challenges such as poverty, climate change and environmental sustainability are elaborated upon and supported by field visits. The factors that influence and enhance the relevance, quality and impact of research and farmer innovation processes are described.

Graduates are well suited to working along the research to-development continuum – whether in research, extension or development, within international and national institutions.

WHAT WILL YOU STUDY?

Sample modules:
-Rethinking agricultural development (including horticulture): implementing solutions
-Agriculture in the tropics
-Experimental agriculture/horticulture
Please note that all modules are subject to change.

WHAT CAREER CAN YOU HAVE?

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

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MSc Plant Sciences

The Plant Sciences programme has been designed to help meet the worldwide demand for scientific expertise in the development of plant and crop production and farming systems.

Programme summary

Plant Sciences deals with crop production ranging from plant breeding to the development of sustainable systems for the production of food, pharmaceuticals and renewable resources. It is linked with a professional sector that is highly important to the world economy. The programme focuses on the principles of plant breeding, agro-ecology and plant pathology and the integration of these disciplines to provide healthy plants for food and non-food applications. Technological aspects of crop production are combined with environmental, quality, socio-economic and logistic aspects. Students learn to apply their knowledge to develop integrated approaches for sustainable plant production.

Specialisations

Crop Science
Sound knowledge of crop science is essential to develop appropriate cultivation methods for a reliable supply of safe, healthy food; while considering nature conservation and biodiversity. An integrated approach is crucial to studying plant production at various levels (plant, crop, farm, region). This requires a sound understanding of basic physical, chemical, and physiological aspects of crop growth. Modelling and simulation are used to analyse yield constraints and to improve production efficiency.

Greenhouse Horticulture
Greenhouse horticulture is a unique agro-system and a key economic sector in the Netherlands. It is the only system that allows significant control of (a-) biotic factors through protected cultivation. The advances in this field are based on technological innovations. This specialisation combines product quality with quality of production and focuses on production, quality- and chain management of vegetables, cut flowers and potted plants.

Natural Resource Management
The development of sustainable agro-ecosystems requires understanding of the complex relationships between soil health, cultivation practices and nutrient kinetics. Other important aspects include the interactions between agriculture and nature, and competing claims on productive land worldwide. Natural Resource Management provides knowledge and tools to understand the interactions between the biotic and abiotic factors in agro-systems to facilitate diverse agricultural demands: bulk vs. pharmaceutical products, food vs. biofuel, conservation of biodiversity, climate change, and eco-tourism.

Plant Breeding and Genetic Resources
Plant Breeding and Genetic Resources ranges from the molecular to the population level and requires knowledge of the physiology and genetics of cultivated plants. Plant breeding is crucial in the development of varieties that meet current demands regarding yield, disease resistance, quality and sustainable production. The use of molecular techniques adds to the rapid identification of genes for natural resistance and is essential for accelerating selection by marker assisted breeding.

Complete Online Master
In September 2015, Wageningen University started the specialisation "Plant Breeding" as the first complete online Master of Science. For more information go to http://www.wageningenuniversity.eu/onlinemaster.


Plant Pathology and Entomology
The investments made in crop production need to be protected from losses caused by biotic stress. Integrated pest management provides protection by integrating genetic resistance, cultivation practices and biological control. This specialisation focuses on the ecology of insects, nematodes and weeds, and the epidemiology of fungi and viruses, including transmission mechanisms. Knowledge of plantinsect, plant-pathogen, and crop-weed relations establishes the basis for studies in integrated pest management and resistance breeding.

Your future career

Graduates in Plant Sciences have excellent career prospects and most of them receive job offers before graduation. They are university-trained professionals who are able to contribute to the sustainable development of plant production at various integration levels based on their knowledge of fundamental and applied plant sciences and their interdisciplinary approach. Graduates with a research focus are employed at universities, research institutes and plant breeding or agribusiness companies. Other job opportunities are in management, policy, consultancy and communication in agribusiness and (non-) governmental organisations.

Alumnus Maarten Rouwet.
“I was born in Germany and raised in the East of the Netherlands. After high school I applied for the Bèta-gamma bachelor at the University of Amsterdam where I majored in biology. After visiting the master open day at Wageningen University I knew that the master Plant Sciences had something unique to offer. In my master, I specialised in plant breeding, an ever so interesting field of research. I just started my first job as junior biotech breeder of leavy vegetables at Enza Zaden, a breeding company in Enkhuizen. One of my responsibilities is to identify resistances in wild species of lettuce and to implement these in breeding programmes of cultivated lettuce.”

Related programmes:
MSc Biosystems Engineering
MSc Biotechnology
MSc Biology
MSc Forest and Nature Conservation
MSc Organic Agriculture
MSc Plant Biotechnology.

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This course (previously known as Health Through Occupation) gives you license to register and practice as an occupational therapist with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).

It is ideal for graduates of any subject who wish to gain both a professional and academic qualification and start a career in this challenging and highly rewarding field.

You will explore occupational health through our innovative problem-based learning approach, with an emphasis on practical application of skills and knowledge. Through this balance of theory and practice experience you will graduate a capable and confident occupational therapist.

Our high quality teaching and research are renowned, and have an applied focus. We have established strong links with specialist practice educators to ensure the provision of support and guidance both within the university and in practice.

Successful completion of the professional elements of the programme leads to the award of a postgraduate diploma in Occupational Therapy.

Course structure

This intensive programme runs over 45 weeks per year, for two years. Your time on the course will be balanced between campus-based study and clinical practice.

Sessions are held in small groups, they are interactive, integrated, self-directed, and focus on problem-solving, to examine real-life situations. The use of problem-based learning is considered crucial to students' fast attainment of masters-level standards, and for critical evaluation.

Other learning experiences are arranged according to the need of the problem; these may be lectures, practical sessions, skills classes, debates or seminars. Most importantly, all subjects are integrated around the problems.

Our postgraduate programmes are taught by a wide variety of methods – small active learning groups, seminars, action learning sets, PBL, lectures, self-directed literature searches.

Understanding the relationship between occupation and human health and wellbeing is also explored through student participation in a variety of activities such as cooking, craft, horticulture, performing arts and pottery.

Assessments allow for individual feedback in essential professional skills including written critique, report writing, team working, presentation skills, and verbal/written presentation of intervention.

Areas of study

You will examine topics such as:

• theories of occupation and occupational science (causes of occupational problems)
• occupation related to population health
• clinical reasoning
• occupational therapy process (assessment, treatment, and evaluation)
• occupational therapy skills (creative, productive, leisure and daily living)
• research methods and professional issues.

Syllabus

Year 1 modules:

Human Occupation (including two-week beginner practitioner placement)
Assessing Occupational Capacities
Novice Practitioner (practice placement)
Maximising Occupational Capacities
Intermediate Practitioner (practice placement)
Evaluating Occupational Therapy

Year 2 modules:

Occupational Therapy: Teams
Diverse Practice (practice placement)
Occupational Therapy: Settings
Competent Student Practitioner (practice placement)
Occupational Therapy: Consumers
Achieving Best Practice
Research project

Facilities

There are a range of skills rooms which are equipped so that students can learn and practise practical skills with each other prior to working with patients and clients.

Human Movement Laboratory:

The high-tech Human Movement Laboratory is used widely in teaching and research for students in the school of health professions studying physiotherapy, occupational therapy and podiatry, and is also used for commercial consultancy.

In the lab you will use the latest technology to measure and assess all aspects of human movement, joints, muscles, soft tissue structure and nerves. The laboratory has state-of-the-art equipment for conducting cardio-pulmonary investigations including Cosmed metabolic system and spirometry.

Exchange

The student exchange programme is for occupational therapy students registered on the Occupational Therapy (Pre-Registration) MSc at the University of Brighton, Occupational Therapy MSc students at the University of Wisconsin La Crosse (UWC) and Occupational Therapy BSc students at the Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen (RGU).

There are two options:

• Host option (year one)
• Travel option (year two)

First year students host visiting students during their Maximising Occupational Capacities module which runs from February to April each year. During the second year students have the option of visiting either UWC or RGU during their spring break.

Please see the website for more information
https://www.brighton.ac.uk/courses/study/occupational-therapy-pre-reg-msc-pgcert-pgdip.aspx

Our philosophy

The pre-registration occupational therapy programmes incorporate the experience of doing and making, in order to engage analyse and develop skill in therapeutic media. We have creativity studios for cooking, ceramics, crafts, and performing arts, and we have developed gardens for the practice of horticulture.

Around the world, many academic courses in occupational therapy are losing this aspect of their education, to give over more time to ‘theory’, but here at Brighton we believe that it is vital to retain these embodied learning experiences – which utterly link theory and practice - as they are indeed central to the understanding of the true essence and potential of occupation.

Recent research has revealed the connection between skilled hand use and the development of thinking. As one student, who could not imagine a course without these sessions, said “how can we learn about doing without doing?” These classes are central to the philosophy of our occupational therapy education at Brighton and they have become one of its hallmarks.

Careers and Employability

After professional registration with the HCPC graduates are eligible to take up opportunities in health and social care, in the NHS, social services, and the private sector. There are now many new and exciting possibilities for occupational therapists nationally and worldwide.

Occupational therapists work in an ever-widening range of mental health and physical disability settings including acute hospitals, long-term rehabilitation, social care, local communities, schools, factories, residential homes, institutions for older or more profoundly disabled people, voluntary organisations and prisons.

Completion of the Occupational Health (Pre-Registration) MSc will also prepare you for further study at MPhil and PhD level if you wish to continue pursuing an academic path.

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Students will learn how to acquire knowledge from a range of sources including history, horticulture, architecture, garden archaeology and other subjects, to develop an appreciation of the study of garden history as a cultural discipline.

Students will be able to appreciate the differences in garden-making over time and in different countries, from the 16th century to the present day in Britain, Europe and America. Emphasis will be on design and management, ownership, and the culture from which these examples have evolved.

This degree will provide an academically rigorous environment in which students will learn a range of academic research and writing skills. Teaching will be undertaken at the Institute of Historical Research (http://www.history.ac.uk/), with a strong emphasis on tutor/student interaction in class. There will be practical sessions at museums and libraries, as well as visits to gardens in London. There will also be an optional field trip to Italy in the spring.

Structure

The course will be run on a full-time basis over one year. Teaching will take place on Thursdays from 10:00 to 17:00 and will be divided between two terms. The third term will be dedicated to dissertation preparation and writing. Please get in touch if you would like to see the full timetable.

Students must complete core module 1, core module 2 (selecting three options from the six provided), and core module 3 - a 15,000 word dissertation in order to be awarded the full MA.

However, there are a range of options available for flexible study:

Those wishing to pursue this course on a part-time basis can complete Modules 1 and 2 (the taught elements of the course) in their first year and Module 3, the dissertation, in their second year
Module 1 can be undertaken as a standalone unit leading to a PGCert, the credit for which can be banked should the student wish to complete the MA at a later date (within a prescribed time frame) Please enquire for further details.
Module 1: Researching Garden History (60 credits)

The first term will showcase the huge variety of resources available to study garden and landscape history from archaeology, architecture, cartography, horticulture, manuscripts, paintings and other works of art, from the sixteenth century to the present day.

Sessions include:

Early maps of gardens (British library)
Garden Archaeology (Hampton Court)
Gardens and Architecture referencing Drawings Collection at the RIBA and V&A
The Italian Renaissance and English Gardens
The eighteenth century garden + visit to Chiswick House
Gardening and Photographic images
Assessment

A 5,000 word report on the history of a garden chosen by the student and an accompanying presentation.

Module 2: Culture and Politics of Gardens (60 credits)

This module consists of six optional units of which students must choose three.

These sessions aim to:

Develop students’ knowledge and understanding of gardens and landscapes in different countries
Develop students’ critical analysis and judgement
Demonstrate the importance of context and the relationship of garden and landscape history to other disciplines such as literature, social history, film and visual media and the history of ideas
The module will look at Historiography, theory, the connection between culture and politics in landscape making and the expansion of the skills of term one across regional boundaries.

For instance, the influence in Britain of the Italian Renaissance’s new ideas on garden making, including architecture, sculpture and hydraulic engineering; iconography in gardens and landscapes; formality in garden-making as an indicator of the power of the owner, from the sixteenth century onwards, as in France; different aspects of the ‘natural’ garden from the eighteenth century onwards; conflict between the ‘natural’ and the formal in the nineteenth century between William Robinson and Reginald Blomfield in Britain; gender and garden making; and shifting boundaries between architect, landscape architect and plantsman relating to the status of those designing gardens and landscapes in the 21st century.

Students will choose one unit from each group:

Students will choose one unit from each group:

Group A
French gardens of the seventeenth century
The evolution of the English garden in the sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries

Group B
The eighteenth-century garden
The American garden

Group C
The Suburban Garden in England between the wars
Twentieth- and twenty-first-century gardens

Please note: Optional units are subject to change. Please consider this a guide only.

Assessment

Two 5,000 word assessed essays on two of the three options taken, and an assessed student presentation on the outline of the intended dissertation.

Module 3: Dissertation (60 credits), 15,000 words

Mode of study

12 months full-time or 24 months part-time.

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Programme description

Food production has tripled in the last forty years, but one billion people still go hungry every year. On average 30% of all food produced is wasted in the pathway from ‘field to fork’. With the global human population set to rise from seven to over nine billion by 2050, we urgently need sustainable solutions that will allow us to increase the global food supply while preserving the integrity of agricultural and non-agricultural ecosystems.

Our trees and forests face new plant health threats which in turn threaten areas of great natural beauty and diversity, and affect both rural and urban landscapes. Our unique MSc Sustainable Plant Health will give you the opportunity to develop your understanding of the vital role of plant health, applying your skills by conducting laboratory and field studies.

This programme is primarily aimed at graduates wishing to pursue a career in plant protection in agriculture, horticulture, forestry or urban settings, and also careers in policy development and implementation, plant health inspection, academic and industrial research, consultancy and conservation management, and private industry.

Programme structure

This 12 month programme involves two semesters of classes followed by an individual research project. Students will take 80 credits of compulsory courses, with the opportunity to choose two optional courses. Field trips will also form a crucial part of this course.

Compulsory courses typically will be*:

Fundamentals of Plant Health
Forensic Plant Health
Plant Health in a Global Context
Research Skills and Field Trip
Dissertation

Option courses may include* (select two):

Atmospheric Quality and Global Change
Ecosystem Services 1: Ecosystem Dynamics and Functions
Foundations in Ecological Economics
Frameworks to Assess Food Security
Human Dimensions of Environmental Change and Sustainability
Principles of Environmental Sustainability
Soil Ecology and Taxonomy
Soil Protection and Management
Applications in Ecological Economics
Case Studies in Sustainable Development
Ecosystem Services 2: Ecosystem Values and Management
Environmental Impact Assessment
Forests and Environment
Integrated Resource Planning
Interrelationships in Food Systems
Land Use/Environmental Interactions
Soil Science Concepts and Application
Sustainability of Food Production
Understanding Environment and Development

*Please note: courses are offered subject to timetabling and availability and are subject to change each year.

Learning outcomes

On completion of this course our graduates will have gained:
•Specialist knowledge and understanding of plant health, and its evaluation, impact and management
•Skills to detect and identify agents detrimental to plant health
•An understanding of the nature and diversity of plant health interactions
•The ability to develop strategies for plant health management taking into account their impact on agricultural and non-agricultural ecosystems
•Knowledge of the relevance of plant health to sustainability and food security
•Improved analytical skills and critical thinking

Career opportunities

Plant health scientists are employed in a range of vocations: environmental consultancy, research, overseas development, agriculture, horticulture, forestry, urban planning, policy development, plant inspection and management. Long term career prospects are strong as agricultural scientists will continue to be needed to balance increased output with protection and preservation of ecosystems.

Our graduates will gain particularly valuable skills due to our programme's unique approach looking at impacts across ecosystems. They also benefit from the applied nature of the course allowing them to use their practical skills in a range of field trip environments with expert supervision.

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Life and plant science undergraduates, and professionals in commercial horticulture and agriculture looking to develop their career, from the UK and overseas, will benefit from a broad, research-led syllabus. Taught content will equip the graduate with the expertise needed to work independently in a range of areas of current commercial plant science, at supervisory or management level, or in applied research. As well as ensuring a thorough grounding in basic science and horticultural technology, the modern molecular biology content is particularly relevant, since new technologies are rapidly entering the commercial arena. The independent research project will be set in a research institution or appropriate local industry, and will be designed around the student's interests and expertise.

The MSc focuses on methods used in the evaluation and improvement of conventional crops that feed the growing world population, but also alternative protected crops and ornamentals along with postharvest management, business and environmental concerns, and plant stress and disease in a changing climate.

Experts in this increasingly important area are needed in businesses nationally and internationally, in research and innovation, and at government and agency level where the ability to understand and follow current developments is required to guide and direct global sustainable solutions to population change.

The aims of the programme are:
• To provide knowledge of the science of plant biology and its application in the commercial and research arena
• To introduce the practicalities of horticulture and agriculture technologies including consideration of sustainability
• To examine the commercial aspects of this business area, including the planning, execution and evaluation of trials to exploit and develop novel approaches, practices, and crops
• To allow the student to synthesise, evaluate and critically judge which technologies and research findings are of value and appropriate to their current or future employment environment in a UK or international setting.

Visit the website http://www.gre.ac.uk/pg/engsci/aps

Food and Agricultural Sciences

The Natural Resources Institute (NRI) has an internationally-recognised academic reputation and provides taught postgraduate courses in a wonderful environment for students.

NRI provide research, consultancy, training and advisory services to underpin sustainable development, economic growth and poverty reduction. The majority of our activities focus on the harnessing of natural and human capital for the benefit of developing countries, though much of our expertise has proved to be of growing relevance to industrialised nations.

What you'll study

• Molecular and plant biology principles for plant improvement
• Research methods in plant science
• Independent research project
• Plant growth and cropping technology

Options:
• Agroforestry
• Agronomy and crop physiology
• Applications and aspects of commercial crop science
• Food and markets
• Planning for personal and professional development
• Plant disease management

Fees and finance

Your time at university should be enjoyable and rewarding, and it is important that it is not spoilt by unnecessary financial worries. We recommend that you spend time planning your finances, both before coming to university and while you are here. We can offer advice on living costs and budgeting, as well as on awards, allowances and loans.

Find out more about our fees and the support available to you at our:
- Postgraduate finance pages (http://www.gre.ac.uk/finance/pg)
- International students' finance pages (http://www.gre.ac.uk/finance/international)

Assessment

Examinations, coursework, research project dissertation.

Specialist equipment/facilities

Molecular biology laboratories, horticultural and agricultural facilities

Career options

Production managers - management of plant/crop production (protected and non-protected crops) and postharvest facilities.

Development specialists - selection, development and evaluation of existing and novel plants and crops.

Retailing produce - food and crop technologists, retailing food and non-food derived crops and products, including fresh produce and postharvest technologists.

Institutes, NGOs and governmental bodies - governance and policy linked to application of horticultural/agricultural technologies.

Applied research scientist - application of plant science into practice.

Find out how to apply here - http://www2.gre.ac.uk/study/apply

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Delivered by an expert academic team, including members of OPENspace, the international research centre for inclusive access to outdoor environments, this programme takes an innovative, interdisciplinary approach to the study of salutogenic landscapes and the importance of the environment for human health and wellbeing.

In providing a unique opportunity for academics and practitioners working in landscape architecture, planning, design, geography, public health, psychology, epidemiology, horticulture and ecology to understand the evidence base and to operationalise the planning and design of salutogenic landscapes, the programme offers the most advanced theoretical and methodological access to the latest research in the field.

You will be encouraged to translate research into practice, develop a better understanding of the evidence base to inform your work and guide more effective environmental interventions.

Programme structure

The programme combines lectures, seminars and project work with student-led oral and graphic presentations, essays and a supervised dissertation. Guest lecturers within OPENspace’s network of professional contacts will further augment the programme.

It is structured around four compulsory courses and three option courses, drawn from architecture, landscape architecture, and from other Schools within the University of Edinburgh.

Career opportunities

This degree provides preparation for work in sectors including public health, urban development, green infrastructure planning, human geography, horticulture and therapeutic environments, in addition to deepening engagement with landscape and wellbeing for established practitioners in architecture, landscape architecture and health. It is also an excellent preparation for students wishing to undertake doctoral-level research.

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Agriculture faces many challenges, not least coping with the rising demand for food, biofuel and other products by an increasing population combined with the demands for a more sustainable industry. Food security is key and requires the reconciliation of efficient production of food with reducing agriculture’s environmental footprint.

About the course

The MSc Environmental Management for Agriculture course examines agriculture activities and their potential to impact both positively and negatively on the environment. It explains how environmental management systems, environmental auditing, life cycle assessment and environmental impact assessment can be used in the farm situation.

This course aims to use environmental management to deliver sustainable agricultural management. Students will gain a holistic understanding and the interdisciplinary training to identify on-farm environmental risks and the knowledge and skills needed to develop answers.

The two specialist core modules have been designed to ensure understanding of the issues, where the science is balanced with the practical demands of the farm/producer/grower. You will develop the expertise required for a career in research, development, policy, or within the advisory sector relating to sustainability in farming systems, the food supply chain, environmental management and rural development, or to apply there skills in agriculture.

Crop plants are prone to suffer the effects of pests, pathogens and weeds and these reduce crop productivity. The next generation of crop protection scientists need to be educated to undertake this task and the MSc Environmental Management for Agriculture course also has two option modules in crop protection to enable this route to be followed if you want to pursue a career in applied biology, particularly in the area of crop protection science, peri-urban agriculture/horticulture and related areas.

The structure of the MSc Environmental Management for Agriculture course is based on four core modules and a choice of five specialist modules, as well as a supervised research project related to the field of agriculture. Students will begin their studies, for both full-time and part time students, with a core module in Sustainability and Environmental Systems.

This course is available both full and part-time with intakes in September (Semester A) and January (Semester B). Full time study in Semester A takes 1 year. Full time study beginning in Semester B will take 15 months. Part time study options typically take two years but students are given a maximum of five years to complete.

Why choose this course?

-Learn environmental skills to enable the delivery of sustainable agricultural production
-Crop protection modules are available
-BASIS points are available for specialist agriculture modules
-Flexible modular structure enables students to study whilst working. This allows part-time student to not have to take more than 12 days off a year (if studying over 2/3 years)
-Accredited by the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessement (IEMA) and the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM)
-Networking opportunities per module with lunch and refreshments provided within your fees
-Learning resources such as textbooks will be provided within your fees

Professional Accreditations

Three modules are accredited by the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA) for Associate membership (giving exemption from the Associate Entry Examination). Accreditation by the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM) is being applied for. BASIS points are available for the specialised agriculture modules.

Teaching methods

The MSc Environmental Management for Agriculture course approach integrates blended learning, combining:
-Face-to-face teaching and tutorials with online learning materials
-Field and laboratory work
-Easy contact with tutors
-Online submission of assignments

All modules are delivered as intensive two or three day short courses that run primarily on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
Full-time students attend tutorials in the weeks following a short course, receiving face-to-face support.

Part-time students attend courses at the University for only about eight working days a year. These students complete their assignments through making use of our outstanding virtual learning environment Studynet and keeping in remote contact with tutors. Students normally complete the part time course within two years but we give maximum of five years.

Our outstanding virtual learning environment Studynet will enable you to keep in remote contact with tutors and submit assignments online.

Assessment is primarily by assignments, often directly related to environmental management in the workplace or field. These can include reports, essays, seminars and online tests.

You have access to excellent University facilities including a field station, laboratories and state of the art Learning Resource Centres.
Each module can be studied individually as a stand-alone course, please enquire for further details.

Structure

Core Modules
-Agricultural Pollution and Mitigation
-Foundation in Environmental Auditing
-Integrated Farm Management
-Management Skills for Environmental Management
-Sustainability and Environmental Systems

Optional
-Crop Pathogens, Pests and Weeds
-Crop Protection; Principles & Practice
-Ecology and Conservation
-Environmental Management for Agriculture Individual Research Project
-Integrated Waste and Pollution Management
-Research Methods
-Sustainability and Environmental Systems
-Water Pollution Control

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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.

WHY CHOOSE THIS COURSE?

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.

WHAT WILL I LEARN?

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:

• Food security; 
• agroecological production systems; 
• clean energy, climate and carbon; 
• agroecological techniques and practices; 
• stabilisation agriculture;
• gender, food systems and natural resources; 
• environmental impact assessment; 
• ecological management and assessment;
• international environmental law;
• remote sensing and digital image analysis; 
• project management.

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.

HOW WILL THIS COURSE ENHANCE MY CAREER PROSPECTS?

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.

GLOBAL LEADERS PROGRAMME

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.

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One of the most rapidly developing areas of toxicology is the use of molecular, cell biology and omics to identify adverse outcome pathways (AOPs) and to develop a mechanistic understanding of chemical toxicity at the cellular and molecular level. This is not only of fundamental interest (i.e., understanding the mechanism of action) but it also relates to an increased need for a mechanistic component in chemical risk assessment and development of high throughput screens for chemical toxicity.

The MRes in Molecular Mechanistic Toxicology is a one-year full-time programme that provides students with a research-orientated training in a lively, highly interactive teaching and research environment.

Programme content

The programme is coordinated by the School of Biosciences, which is recognised internationally as a major centre for both teaching and research in Toxicology. Molecular Toxicology is a major component of the School of Biosciences research activities along with interactions with other departments including Chemistry and the Medical School.

Specific areas of active research include:

- Mechanisms of cell toxicity
- Development of novel DNA binding chemicals
- Cellular proliferation and differentiation
- Environmental genomics and metabolomics
- Molecular biomarkers of genotoxicity, oxidative stress and cellular responses
- Role of environmental and genetic factors in disease
- Learning and teaching

Two five-week taught modules are held in Semester 1 in conjunction with the taught MSc in Toxicology programme. Training in generic and laboratory research skills is also an important element of the programme. The programme also includes a six-month research project, which provides students with an opportunity for further advanced research training and hands-on experience of molecular and cellular biology techniques embedded in a research laboratory. Research projects can take place either in academic or industrial institutions.

About the School of Biosciences

As one of the top biosciences departments in the UK, our research covers the entire spectrum of cutting-edge biosciences. We are home to the Institute of Microbiology and Infection and part of the University’s Systems Science for Health initiative.
Our research focuses on a number of important themes that run through modern biological and biochemical research: Biosystems and Environmental Change; Microbiology and Infection; Molecules, Cells, Signalling and Health; and Plant Science.
Our postgraduate students join a diverse international community of staff and students. For students on research degrees, the annual Biosciences Graduate Research Symposium, organised by PhD students, is an example of an event where the whole School comes together to talk about science.
We have extensive high-technology facilities in areas such as functional genomics, proteomics and metabolomics, including a world-class Advanced Mass Spectrometry Facility. Our cutting-edge facilities extend to protein structure determination and analysis, confocal microscopy, drug discovery, horticulture, structural biology and optical imaging. The £8 million Phenome Centre Birmingham is a large metabolic phenotyping facility led by internationally recognised metabolomics and clinical experts at the University of Birmingham, in collaboration with Birmingham Health Partners.

Funding and Scholarships

There are many ways to finance your postgraduate study at the University of Birmingham. To see what funding and scholarships are available, please visit: http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/funding

Open Days

Explore postgraduate study at Birmingham at our on-campus open days.
Register to attend at: http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/visit

Virtual Open Days

If you can’t make it to one of our on-campus open days, our virtual open days run regularly throughout the year. For more information, please visit: http://www.pg.bham.ac.uk

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Overview

Bespoke postgraduate research degrees tailored to individual’s needs and interests in the areas of:
* Applied Biology
* Horticulture
* Agriculture
* Conservation Management

Candidates undertake one year (twelve months) of full-time study and research (or two years part-time) and present a dissertation, which sets out the results of investigational work carried out during the period of study.

In the Centre of Equine and Animal Science, research interests:

• Fertility and reproductive performance
• Health and Nutrition
• Behaviour and Welfare
• Complementary Therapies and Ethnoveterinary Medicine
• Sports Performance

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