Masters degrees in Agriculture explore the understanding and management of farmland, forestry, fisheries and livestock. They focus on a wide range of specialist topics, from commerce and technology to sustainability and zoology.
These courses can be taught or research-based, with many drawing on existing undergraduate science qualifications. MBAs are also available in specific specialisms such as food production and agricultural management
Join the new world of agriculture
Elevate your career with the new Master of Agriculture.
If you are passionate about the primary industries, Massey University’s new Master of Agriculture will help you progress your career.
Our proud record dates back to 1927 when we offered New Zealand’s first degrees in agriculture and horticulture.
Massey is world-ranked and New Zealand’s No 1 university in agriculture according to the QS (Quacquarelli Symonds) rankings. We are also ranked in the top 150 universities worldwide for agriculture by the ShanghaiRanking's Global Ranking of Academic Subjects.
As a student, you will benefit from our internationally recognised capability and leadership in this area.
Your study will cover a wide range of topics including related environmental, consumer and policy issues in areas like:
As well as subject-related skills, you will gain and/or improve your critical analysis, project management and communication skills. You will learn how to integrate science, new and emerging technologies and sustainable management to resolve issues relevant to the primary industries.
The Master of Agriculture may be endorsed in agriculture; horticulture; equine or life cycle management.
The Master of Agriculture is one of the new 180-credit masters being offered by Massey University. The qualification can be completed full time in only three semesters, so if you are able to include the summer semester it may be possible to complete in one year. If you are working while you study, we offer the flexibility to complete over a longer period of time.
Course work will include 120 credits of taught material. The remaining 60 credits are composed of a unique professionally-focused research project. This project will take place in the work force, helping you produce a relevant, industry-related piece of work that will be immediately useful to you and the industry upon completion.
Massey’s Manawatu campus hosts the only multi-function teaching laboratories in Australasia. The labs, built in 2010, won a Best Practice Award for Innovation at the Association for Tertiary Education Management conference in Australia and was shortlisted for the international UKS-Lab awards.
The facility is unique in Australasia in that it allows each laboratory to be tailored to accommodate a variety of disciplines. Technicians can do preparation in the dedicated technical area before moving this into the lab, which means students can spend more time doing lab practical work.
As a student of the Master of Agriculture you will have access to lecturers and supervisors acknowledged as being among the best in the world. Collaboration between Massey University and adjacent Crown Research Institutes offers unrivalled advantages to postgraduate students’ access to specialised skills, equipment and networking opportunities.
You will have access to a wide range of facilities and services including the Pasture and Crop Research Unit, the Fertiliser and Lime Research Unit, the Plant Growth Unit, The Equine Unit, the Life Cycle Management Centre, Massey University farms, teaching laboratories and Library resources.
Studying towards your masters is a satisfying and challenging process that will give you a sought-after postgraduate qualification.
For students with previous postgraduate qualifications, such as the BAgriScience (Hons), this is a one year programme based entirely on a research project and thesis. Otherwise you may choose the Master of Science (Agricultural Science) as a more in-depth research option.
This programme is aimed at students who wish to pursue a career in agriculture and sustainable development in the private sector, research, NGO or government communities. It provides a firm grounding in research methods applicable to the study of sustainable agriculture and the intellectual tools for understanding sustainable agriculture systems. The courses combine theoretical approaches and empirically based learning from case studies of real projects and agricultural scenarios.
Many of NRI's academics are research active. Teaching will focus on case studies from NRI's corporate experience. You will look at how research into agricultural issues, both in the natural and social sciences, can be translated into knowledge and products that have real impact on increasing the effectiveness of agriculture in enhancing livelihoods for all stakeholders. The potential role of agricultural innovations, both in technology, including biotechnology, knowledge systems, extension services and institutional partnerships in promoting development are also a strong theme in courses.
The aims of the programme are:
As of the 2018/2019 session the courses offered on this programme will be revised and the programme title may change, but the content will still focus on sustainable agriculture.
Students are required to study the following compulsory courses
Students are required to choose 60 credits from this list of options
All courses are subject to student numbers
Assessment consists of a combination of:
This programme provides specialist expertise for those working or seeking to work in agricultural development or research, or pursuing an advanced agricultural or development qualification in the UK and overseas. Students graduate with a broad general knowledge of agricultural applications in sustainable development and also more focused in-depth knowledge.
There has never been a more urgent need to train food security researchers who are equipped with skills in agronomy, plant pathology, plant disease and plant genetics, and knowledge of modern agricultural systems and agricultural policy. As outlined in The Royal Society’s 2009 report Reaping the Benefits: science and the sustainable intensification of global agriculture, it is of vital importance that we increase crop yields significantly over the next 50 years, while also decreasing our dependency on chemical intervention and fertilizers.
This interdisciplinary programme was developed in collaboration with a variety of stakeholders, including: the agricultural industry, government agencies (including Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (defra) and The Food and Environment Research Agency (fera)), and farmers and food manufacturers. Research-led teaching in molecular plant pathology, plant sciences, and microbiology is strongly supplemented by Rothamsted Research, North Wyke expertise in grassland management, soil science, and sustainable farming systems. The combination of expertise in both arable and pastureland systems ensures a truly rounded learning experience. Leading social scientists also provide valuable input on land use and economic practices in rural areas.
The curriculum is designed to address critical shortages of experts capable of working in government agencies, agriculture, and the food industry as researchers, advisers, policy developers, and managers. The programme provides opportunities to gain industrial and practical experience and observe food security issues first-hand during field trips.
Teaching is enriched by expert contributions from a broad cross-section of the industry. Scientific staff from Fera provide specialist lectures as part of the Crop Security module, members of the Plant Health Inspectorate cover field aspects of plant pathology, and a LEAF1 farmer addresses agricultural systems and the realities of food production using integrated farm management. In addition, teaching staff from the University and BBSRC Rothamsted-North Wyke will draw on material and experiences from their academic research and scientific links with industry.
All students will have opportunities to gain industrial and practical experiences. Teaching visits will be made to the Plant Health Inspectorate in Cornwall to see quarantine management of Phytophthora, and to a local LEAF farm to review the challenges and approaches to food production in integrated farm management systems. You will gain specialised experience in practical science or policy making through a dissertation or project placement with external agencies. Defra and Fera, for example, are offering five dissertation and/or project placements annually.
The programme is made up of modules. The list of modules may include the following;
The modules listed here provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand. Please see the website for an up to date list (http://www.exeter.ac.uk/postgraduate/taught/biosciences/foodsecurity/#Programme-structure)
The MSc Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture curriculum has been designed in collaboration with the agricultural industry to tackle the skills shortage that exists in this vital interdisciplinary area. This programme will provide the highly skilled individuals required in government agencies, agriculture and food industries for critical roles in scientific research, advice, evaluation, policy development and implementation tackling the challenges of food security.
With food security and sustainable agriculture a global concern, opportunities for specialists in the areas of agronomy, plant pathology, plant disease and plant improvement will be worldwide. By combining expertise across the natural, social and political sciences, this programme provides valuable interdisciplinary knowledge and skills in both arable and pastureland systems. Graduates will be prepared to take on the global challenges of food security and sustainable agriculture, being able to adapt to farming systems across the world and identify cross-disciplinary solutions to local agricultural problems.
The programme is enriched by expert contributions from a broad cross-section of the industry, with specialist lectures, teaching visits to observe the practical application of techniques, and industrial placement opportunities for project work or dissertations in practical science or policy making.
The M.S. degree in Sustainable Agriculture aims to provide advanced knowledge in the field of agricultural systems as well as skills to develop and manage sustainable production systems.
The context of the topics is international, having as its main area of investigation warm-temperate environments at a global level. The graduate in Sustainable agriculture must work to achieve food security objectives associated with improving the quality and wholesomeness of food products. The graduate must know the issues related to biodiversity, global change and ecosystem services, which are analyzed according to a systemic and adaptive approach, considering also the traceability of processes.
To address the global challenges, students are equipped with a wide learning platform, and are able to make comparisons between different production systems at the international level in terms of environmental, socio-economics, and regulatory environments.
With the aim of strengthening this global approach to sustainability and food security, the degree program has been included in an internationalization project in collaboration with the University of Georgia, USA, which enables students to achieve a dual degree in "Sustainable Agriculture" (Italy) and "Crop and Soil Science" (USA).
The course is intended for highly-motivated national and international students and is conceived for Bachelor graduates with a main interest in agricultural and environmental sciences.
The graduate in Sustainable Agriculture is able to perform a wide range of activities in a professional and efficient manner:
1) Operate internationally by conducting activities of planning, management, monitoring, coordination and training in agricultural production processes to meet the needs of the international market;
2) Be involved in activities of experimentation and research in both the public and private sectors (eg. Biotechnology companies);
3) Fill a position or interact with international organizations such as FAO, EU and World Bank;
4) Be involved in the transfer of technologies (innovation broker);
5) Manage technical and international business related to agricultural products and processing, and related to agricultural mechanization;
6) Play an active role in private and public structures aimed at land management and the management of water resources, including historical, cultural and landscape values of agricultural land;
7) Collaborate in the establishment and operation of projects in basic and applied research in the field of agricultural production in the international arena.
The training course in Sustainable Agriculture, lasting two years, includes two main areas of study:
1) Production: training in the areas of agronomy, crop and animal productions, soil science, plant breeding, and integrated management of pests and diseases, all aimed at the sustainability of the production process and its social implications;
2) Technology: training in the areas of management and protection of air-soil-water, use of biomass of agricultural plants and animals, land management, and management of the production process (at different geographic scales) considering both innovative technologies and socio-economic aspects.
Learning is based on active studies covering activities in the classroom, in the laboratory and in the field as well as the possibility of using the contribution of Italian and foreign teachers, and industry experts that can provide specific case studies. The program offers intensive individual tutoring of students, as well as the opportunity to intern for six months, in companies in the public and private sectors, possibly abroad, for the study of cases of excellence in preparation of the thesis
Visit the MSc “Sustainable agriculture” page on the Università di Padova web-site http://www.unipd.it/en/educational-offer/second-cycle-degrees/school-of-agricultural-sciences-and-veterinary-medicine?ordinamento=2016&key=AV2293 for more details.
The University of Padova, the Veneto Region and other organisations offer various scholarship schemes to support students. Below is a list of the funding opportunities that are most often used by international students in Padova.
You can find more information below and on our website here: http://www.unipd.it/en/studying-padova/funding-and-fees/scholarships
You can find more information on fee waivers here: http://www.unipd.it/en/fee-waivers
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
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
Sample modules:
Please note that all modules are subject to change. Please see our modules disclaimer for more information.
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
Study Applied Conservation Genetics with Wildlife Forensics with The University of Edinburgh
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