MSc Programme in Agriculture

The programme is organised in accordance with Danish Ministerial Order no.

814 of 29 June 2010 on bachelor and master’s programmes (candidatus) at universities (the ministerial order of the study programmes). The programme is offered under the Natural Science Study Board.

Graduation from the programme confers the degree Master of Science (MSc) in Agriculture.
In Danish: Cand.agro. (candidatus/candidata agronomiae).

 

Chapter 1. The programme’s objective and competence profile

The MSc in Agriculture programme offers a general specialisation as well as three specific specialisations in the field of Plants and Environment.

 

Specialisations within Plants and Environment

 

1.1 The programme’s objective

The main objectives of the specialisations within the field of Plants and Environment are to provide the graduates with:

• a theoretical and method-oriented knowledge of biological sciences within the fields of plant production, food systems, natural resource use and environmental impacts
• the ability to analyse complex problems of importance for the agricultural industry, governmental agencies or educational programmes, both in national and international contexts
• skills to communicate knowledge and collaborate at all levels, with a broad knowledge of the interactions between agriculture, society and the environment

1.2 The programme’s general profile

There are three specialisations within the field of Plants and Environment, namely Biological Processes and Crop Quality, Crop Production and Management, and Systems and Sustainability. These require a specific course combination and result in specific competences as described below. It is also possible to obtain a general profile within the field of Plants and Environment. In that case the student must design an individual profile by combining the elective and core elements of the programme.

 

1.3 The programme’s employment prospects

The programme is intended for students who wish to work with the complex problem situations related to our use of natural resources for food production. The programme aims to qualify graduates to find solutions, which secures environmentally sound production of food, feed and fibres. The programme provides students with a range of competences within disciplinary and applied fields, which forms a good foundation for a broad range of carrier opportunities:

• Advising and consultancy within crop production and performance, nature and environment, economy and financing, nationally and internationally, e.g. in development projects
• Research, innovation and product development within food and feed production, seeds, plant protection, plant breeding or environmental technology in public institutions, private business or in own enterprise
• Policy development and administration related to food production, environment, GMO, in both the public sector (ministries and municipalities) and in private organisations, including international NGOs
• Teaching and communication in universities or agricultural schools or to the broader public

1.4 The programme’s competence profile

General competences for the specialisations within the field of Plants and Environment
During the Master’s programme in Agriculture with specialisations within the field of Plants and Environment students must acquire the knowledge, skills and competences described below. These qualifications are acquired through the completion of core modules and elective courses and the writing of a master’s thesis. After completion of the programme, a person holding an MSc in Agriculture with specialisation within the field of Plants and Environment should be able to:

 

1.4.1 Knowledge

• Give a detailed account of the theoretical basis and current research within fundamental and applied aspects of plant sciences, agricultural production and environmental impacts
• Reformulate theories, principles and scientific results to independently form hypotheses and theories
• Critically reflect on the scientific methods used within the subject areas of the programme

1.4.2 Skills

• Utilise and apply the knowledge obtained in core and elective courses as well as from other disciplines in an integrated manner when analyzing current problems in agriculture and environment
• Draw up a research plan, including discussion of problem identification, research question formulation, data requirements and appropriate selection of experimental or empirical methods, as well as independent analyses, interpretation and critical discussion of own results
• Analyse scientific literature and assess possibilities and limitations in the application of theories, methods and new technologies
• Formulate own information need and use relevant IT-based tools to search for and retrieve scientific literature from international databases and other sources of knowledge
• Communicate effectively to specialist and non-specialist audiences at a variety of levels, using modern and appropriate information and communication tools in all work processes

1.4.3 Competences

• Demonstrate capacity for independent thought, creativity and rigour in the application of knowledge and skills in work situations or in research
• Participate in public discussions of the impact of animal or crop production on society and environment, both from an international and a national perspective
• Work independently and effectively on an individual basis, as well as in project teams and interdisciplinary environments, cooperate with relevant partners, discuss solutions and reach consensus
• Manage complex and unpredictable work and development scenarios within the professional scope of the programme
• Use lifelong learning as a principle to independently evaluate and structure learning processes and assume responsibility for continuous professional development 

1.5 Graduates with the specialisation in Biological Processes and Crop Quality should furthermore be able to:

 

1.5.1 Knowledge

• Describe how plant genetic constitution, soil quality and external plant growth factors affect crop physiology, performance and crop quality
• Demonstrate overview of and critically reflect on key genetic, biological and ecological processes within soils, plants and the environment

1.5.2 Skills

• Apply and master appropriate up-to-date methodologies (molecular, analytical, modelling) for research on plant and/or environmental processes
• Analyse interactions between abiotic factors, external inputs (fertiliser, pesticides, energy) and intrinsic plant physiology on plant productivity, plant quality and/or the environment

1.5.3 Competences

• Demonstrate applicability of new technologies within the context of applied crop production, and assess how the technology affects both product quality and the environment

1.6 Graduates with the specialisation in Crop Production and Management should furthermore be able to:

 

1.6.1 Knowledge

• Describe the biological complexity within the crop production system, including the biology and ecology of pests, diseases, weeds and other antagonists
• Account for the effects of genetic constitution and external plant growth factors on crop production and quality, including the effects of climate and external inputs
• Critically reflect on environmental impacts of crop production, in particular the efficiency of energy, water, nutrients and other crop inputs and effects on natural habitats
• Demonstrate overview of components of farming systems and their interactions in different contexts
• Reflect on farmers’ decision making

1.6.2 Skills

• Systematically analyse crop production, with respect to system productivity, profitability and environmental impact
• Apply up-to-date tools for strategic planning and management of crop production, including crop rotation, fertilisation, plant protection and postharvest management, within the current national and EU legislative framework
• Implement and assess new technologies in crop production and associated industries

1.6.3 Competences

• Transfer and communicate research results to end-user and provide adequate and timely advice on applied crop management and environmental impacts, promoting good agricultural practice (GAP)
• Participate in development of new certification and traceability schemes, interacting with professionals within other disciplines

1.7 Graduates with the specialisation in Systems and Sustainability should furthermore be able to:

 

1.7.1 Knowledge

• Summarise and describe the complexity of agricultural crop production systems, including ecosystem interactions and element cycling and transport at local to global scales
• Critically reflect on environmental impacts and sustainability of crop production, in particular the efficiency of energy, water, nutrients and other crop inputs, and effects on natural habitats
• Describe how legislative and regulatory measures at the national and international level can be utilised for reducing environmental impact of agricultural systems

1.7.2 Skills

• Apply and master appropriate up-to-date methodologies and tools (e.g. mechanistic modelling, Life Cycle Analyses, Environmental Impact Assessment) for quantifying environmental load and sustainability of crop production systems
• Discuss and assess different environmental policy initiatives, and how they are affected by environmental ethics and sustainability concepts of different stakeholders

1.7.3 Competences

• Generalise and transfer research results on environmental processes and impacts to overall analyses of agricultural systems sustainability and global climate change
• Construct relationships between basic science of environmental problems and the economic, social and political barriers to solutions in national and international settings

Chapter 2. Degree programme content 

2.1 Content

The programme is set at a total of 120 credits, equivalent to two full years of study.

 

År 1	Blok 1
	Blok 2
	Blok 3
	Blok 4

 

 

År 2	Blok 1
	Blok 2
	Blok 3	Thesis (30 or 45 credits)
	Blok 4

 

	Thesis
	Core courses (the suggested block placement of core courses above is not mandatory. The placement strictly depends on which core courses are chosen - see list below).
	Elective courses

The programme must include the following elements:

• A thesis of 30 or 45 credits
• Core courses of 45 or 60 credits, depending on the thesis
• Elective courses of 30 credits

Thesis (30 or 45 credits), compulsory courses and core courses (at least 45 or 60 credits) must comprise at least 90 credits.

 

Thesis must be 30 or 45 credits. Theses of 45 credits must have an experimental character.

 

LFKK10387 Erhvervsprojekt/LFKK10387E Project in Practice and courses taken at other national and foreign universities may generally be included as elective credits.

 

At the start of the programme, the student must select the general specialisation or one of the other three specialisations within Plants and Environment.

2.2 The specialisations within Plants and Environment

 

2.2.1 The general specialisation in Plants and Environment
Students following the general specialisation in Plants and Environment design an individual profile, consisting of 45 or 60 credits (depending on whether the size of the thesis is 45 or 30 credits, respectively) from the core courses listed under the three other specialisations.

Students admitted to and following “ENVEURO - Joint European Master in Environmental Science” programme will automatically fulfill the core-course requirement, and be associated with the general specialisation in Plants and Environment. For student admitted to ENVEURO the main supervisor for the thesis may be employed at any of the ENVEURO partner universities.

 

Core courses 45 or 60 credits must be chosen

 

LMAF10070	Statistisk dataanalyse 2	7.5 credits
or
LMAF10065	Applied Statistics	7,5 credits
LMAF10074	Matematik og modeller	7.5 credits
LMAF10078	Matematik og optimering	7.5 credits
LFYF10037	Climate, Weather and Plants	7.5 credits
LKEF10095	Pedology	7.5 credits
LKEF10100	Biokemi 2	7.5 credits
LKEK10103	Terrestrial Environmental Chemistry	7.5 credits
LBIK10142	Landscape Ecology	7.5 credits
LBIK10144	Molecular Plant Biochemistry and Physiology	7.5 credits
LBIK10145	Molecular Plant Breeding	15 credits
LBIF10183	Genetik	7.5 credits
LBIK10194	Advanced Biotechnology and Intellectual Property Rights	15 credits
LBIF10156	Plant Genomics	7.5 credits
LBIF10176	Conservation and Management of Genetic Resources	7.5 credits
LBIK10180	Applied Microbiology	7.5 credits
LBIK10185	Plant Genetics and Biotechnology (summer course)	5 credits
LBIK10187	Plant Pathology in a Changing World (summer course)	5 credits
LBIF10197	Molekylærbiologiske metoder	7.5 credits
LPLK10287	Agroforestry	7.5 credits
LPLF10289	Applied Plant Nutrition	7.5 credits
LPLF10294	Cool Climate Viticulture and Enology	7.5 credits
LPLF10312	Pesticide Use, Mode of Action and Ecotoxicology	7.5 credits
LPLF10314	Plant Breeding	7.5 credits
LPLF10316	Plant Ecophysiology	7.5 credits
LPLF10317	Plant Infection and Disease Management	7.5 credits
LPLF10323	Plants in Populations, Communities and Ecosystems	7.5 credits
LPLF10327	Seed Science and Technology	7.5 credits
LPLF10329	Tropical Botany A	15 credits
LPLF10330	Tropical Botany B	7.5 credits
LPLF10331	Vand og jord i planteproduktionen	7.5 credits
LPLF10342	Insects in Agricultural and Horticultural Crops	7.5 credits
LPLK10345	Climate Management in Horticultural Production	7.5 credits
LPLK10348	Quality and Postharvest Biology of Plant Products	7.5 credits
LPLF10350	Plant Diseases	7.5 credits
LPLF10355	Organic Food Systems	7.5 credits
LPLF10359	Fruit and Berry Physiology and Quality	7.5 credits
LPLK10360	From Plants to Bioenergy	7.5 credits
LPLK10364	Biological Control of Pests	7.5 credits
LPLK10365	Climate Change – Effects on Food and Feed	7.5 credits
LPLK10366	Horticultural Production Chains	7.5 credits
LPLK10367	Tropical Crop Production	7.5 credits
LPLK10371	Crop Production in a Farming System Perspective	7.5 credits
LPLF10372	Weed Biology and Management	7.5 credits
LTEF10152	Geographical Information Systems	7.5 credits
LTEK10157	Natural Ressource Sampling and Modelling	7.5 credits
LTEK10160	Environmental Technology for Treatment and Management of Biowaste	5 credits
LTEA10163	Environmental and Ecotechnology	7.5 credits
LOJF10224	Forvaltningsret	7.5 credits
LOJF10218	Environmental and Natural Resource Economics	7.5 credits
LOJF10226	International Economics	7.5 credits
LOJF10261	Miljø- og planlovgivning - natur og vand	7.5 credits
LOJK10278	Technology Assessment	7.5 credits
LNAK10010	Environmental Impact Assessment	7.5 credits
LNAK10028	Urban Ecosystems: Structures, Functions and Designs	7.5 credits
LNAK10037	Applied Ethnobotany	7.5 credits
LNAK10043	Environmental Management in Europe	15 credits
LNAF10044	Life Cycle Assessment within Biological Production Systems	7.5 credits
LNAF10050	Land Use, Element Balances and Environmental Impact	7.5 credits
LNAK10073	Rural Landscapes: Methods and Approaches in Policy Making	7.5 credits
LNAF10079	Restoration of European Ecosystems and Freshwaters: In Intensively Cultivated Landscapes	7.5 credits
LFKK10253	Rådgivning	7.5 credits
LFKK10258	Qualitative Methods in Agricultural Development	7.5 credits
LFKK10265	Conflict Management	7.5 credits
LFKF10281	Sociologiske metoder i biovidenskab	7.5 credits
LFKK10387	Erhvervsprojekt/LFKK10387E Project in Practice	15 credits

  

2.2.2 The specialisation in Biological Processes and Crop Quality

Depending on the size of the thesis, core courses on methodologies and disciplinary areas must comprise a minimum of either 45 if thesis is 45 credtis or 60 credits if thesis is 30 credits.

 

The thesis must be in the subject area of the core courses of the specialisation.

 

Core course on methodologies (a minimum of 15 credits must be chosen):

 

LMAF10070	Statistisk dataanalyse 2	7.5 credits
or
LMAF10065	Applied Statistics	7.5 credits
LMAF10074	Matematik og modeller	7.5 credits
LKEF10095	Pedology	7.5 credits
LKEK10103	Terrestrial Environmental Chemistry	7.5 credits
LBIK10194	Advanced Biotechnology and Intellectual Property Rights	15 credits
LBIF10156	Plant Genomics	7.5 credits
LBIF10176	Conservation and Management of Genetic Resources	7.5 credits
LBIK10180	Applied Microbiology	7.5 credits
LØJK10278	Technology Assessment	7.5 credits
LBIK10185	Plant Genetics and Biotechnology (summer course)	5 credits
LBIK10187	Plant pathology in a Changing world (summer course)	5 credits
LBIF10197	Molekulærbiologiske metoder	7.5 credits

 

Core course within disciplinary areas (a minimum of 15 credits must be chosen):

 

LFYF10037	Climate, Weather and Plants	7.5 credits
LKEF10100	Biokemi 2	7.5 credits
LBIK10144	Molecular Plant Biochemistry and Physiology	7.5 credits
LBIK10145	Molecular Plant Breeding	15 credits
LBIF10183	Genetik	7.5 credits
LPLF10289	Applied Plant Nutrition	7.5 credits
LPLF10312	Pesticide Use, Mode of Action and Ecotoxicology	7.5 credits
LPLF10314	Plant Breeding	7.5 credits
LPLF10316	Plant Ecophysiology	7.5 credits
LPLF10317	Plant Infection and Disease Management	7.5 credits
LPLF10323	Plants in Populations, Communities and Ecosystems	7.5 credits
LPLF10327	Seed Science and Technology	7.5 credits
LPLF10329	Tropical Botany A	15 credits
LPLF10330	Tropical Botany B	7.5 credits
LPLF10331	Vand og jord i planteproduktionen	7.5 credits
LPLK10345	Climate Management in Horticultural Production	7.5 credits
LPLK10348	Quality and Postharvest Biology of Plant Products	7.5 credits
LPLF10359	Fruit and Berry Physiology and Quality	7.5 credits
LPLK10360	From Plants to Bioenergy	7.5 credits
LPLF10364	Biological Control of Pests	7.5 credits
LPLK10365	Climate Change – Effects on Food and Feed	7.5 credits
LPLK10371	Crop Production in a Farming System Perspective	7.5 credits
LNAK10028	Applied Ethnobotany	7.5 credits

 

2.3.3 The specialisation in Crop Production and Management
Depending on the size of the thesis, compulsory courses and core courses within disciplinary and applied areas must comprise a minimum of either 45 if thesis is 45 credits or 60 credits if thesis is 30 credits.

 

The thesis must be in the subject area of the core courses of the specialisation.

 

Compulsory courses (7.5 credits):

 

LPLK10371	Crop Production in a Farming System Perspective	7.5 credits
or
LNAF10050	Land Use, Element Balances and Environmental Impact	7.5 credits

 

Core course within disciplinary areas (a minimum of 15 credits must be chosen):

 

LMAF10070	Statistisk dataanalyse 2	7.5 credits
or		7.5 credits
LMAF100651	Applied Statistics	7.5 credits
LFYF10037	Climate, Weather and Plants	7.5 credits
LPLF10289	Applied Plant Nutrition	7.5 credits
LPLF10312	Pesticide Use, Mode of Action and Ecotoxicology	7.5 credits
LPLF10314	Plant Breeding	7.5 credits
LPLF10317	Plant Infection and Disease Management	7.5 credits
LPLF10327	Seed Science and Technology	7.5 credits
LPLF10329	Tropical Botany A	15 credits
LPLF10330	Tropical Botany B	7.5 credits
LPLF10331	Vand og jord i planteproduktionen	7.5 credits
LPLF10342	Insects in Agricultural and Horticultural Crops	7.5 credits
LPLK10345	Climate Management in Horticultural Production	7.5 credits
LPLK10348	Quality and Postharvest Biology of Plants Products	7.5 credits
LPLF10350	Plant Diseases	7.5 credits
LPLF10359	Fruit and Berry Physiology and Quality	7.5 credits
LPLK10365	Climate Change - Effects on Feed and Food	7.5 credits
LPLK10366	Horticultural Production Chains	7.5 credits
LPLF10372	Weed Biology and Management	7.5 credits

 

Core course within applied areas (a minimum of 15 credits must be chosen):

 

LBIK10187	Plant pathology in a changing world	5 credits
LPLF10294	Cool Climate Viticulture and Enology	7.5 credits
LPLF10355	Organic Food Systems	15 credits
LPLK10360	From Plants to Bioenergy	7.5 credits
LPLF10364	Biological Control of pests	7.5 credits
LPLK10367	Tropical Crop Production	7.5 credits
LOJF10224	Forvaltningsret	7.5 credits
LOJF10261	Miljø- og planlovgivning - natur og vand	7.5 credits
LFKK10253	Rådgivning	7.5 credits
LFKK10265	Conflict Management	7.5 credits
LFKK10387	Erhvervsprojekt/LFKK10387E Project in Practice	15 credits

 

If more than 7,5 credits are chosen within the group of compulsory courses, the minimum of core courses are proportionally reduced.

 

2.3.4 The specialisation in Systems and Sustainability
Depending on the size of the thesis, compulsory courses and core courses within methodologies and applied areas must comprise a minimum of either 45 if thesis is 45 credits or 60 credits if thesis is 30 credits.

 

The thesis must be in the subject area of the core courses of the specialisation.

 

Compulsory courses (15 credits):

 

LNAK10043

Environmental Management in Europe

15 credits

 

 

Core course within methodologies (a minimum of 15 credits must be chosen):

LTEF10152	Geographical Information Systems	7.5 credits
LTEK10157	Natural Ressource Sampling and Modelling	7.5 credits
LTEA10163	Environmental and Ecotechnology	7.5 credits
LOJF10218	Environmental and Natural Resource Economics	7.5 credits
LOJF10226	International Economics	7.5 credits
LOJK10278	Technology Assessment	7.5 credits
LNAK10010	Environmental Impact Assessment	7.5 credits
LNAF10044	Life Cycle Assessment within Biological Production Systems
LFKK10258	Qualitative Methods in Agricultural Development	7.5 credits
LFKK10265	Conflict Management	7.5 credits
LFKF10281	Sociologiske metoder i biovidenskab	7.5 credits

 

Core course within applied areas (a minimum of 7.5 credits must be chosen):

 

LBIK10142	Landscape Ecology	7.5 credits
LPLK10287	Agroforestry	7.5 credits
LPLF10355	Organic Food Systems	15 credits
LPLK10365	Climate Change – Effects on Food and Feed	7.5 credits
LPLK10366	Horticultural Production Chains	7.5 credits
LPLK10371	Crop Production in a Farming System Perspective	7.5 credits
LTEK10160	Environmental Technology for Treatment and Management of Biowaste	5 credits
LNAK10028	Urban Ecosystems: Structures, Functions and Designs	7.5 credits
LNAF10050	Land Use, Element Balances and Environmental Impact	7.5 credits
LNAK10073	Rural Landscapes: Methods and Approaches in Policy Making	7.5 credits
LNAF10079	Restoration of European Ecosystems and Freshwaters: In IntensivelyCultivated Landscapes	7.5 credits

   

Chapter 3. Admission requirements and admission 

3.1 Admission requirements

 

The LIFE BSc Programme in Natural Resources (naturressourcer) with the core modul Plant Science (plantevidenskab) qualifies graduates directly for admission to the MSc Programme in Agriculture.

Students holding one of the following BSc degrees are admitted without further prerequisites:

BSc in Natural Resources (naturressourcer) with the core module Environmental Science (miljøvidenskab)

BSc in Natural Resources (naturressourcer) with the core module Nature Management (naturforvaltning)

 

Students holding one of the following BSc degrees are admitted provided that their examination includes specified courses or equivalent qualifications:

BSc in Natural Resources (naturressourcer) with the core module Environmental Economics (miljøøkonomi):

• LPLB10306 Soil Water-Plant Relations (Jord, vand og planter), or
• LKEB10084 Environmental Chemistry (Miljøkemi i biologiske systemer) (7.5 credits) 

BSc in Biology-Biotechnology (biologi-bioteknologi)

BSc in Veterinary Medicine (veterinærmedicin):

• LPLB10306 Soil Water Plant Relations (Jord, vand og planter), or
• LKEB10084 Environmental Chemistry (Miljøkemi i biologiske systemer) (7.5 credits)
• At least 7.5 credits within asic economics
• At least 7.5 credits within general ecology

    BSc in Biology (biologi) from the Faculty of Science:

• LPLB10306 Soil Water Plant Relations (Jord, vand og planter), or 
• LKEB10084 Environmental Chemistry (Miljøkemi i biologiske systemer) (7.5 credits)
• LMAB10069 Statistical Data Analyses 1 (Statistik dataanalyse 1) (7.5 credits)
• At least 7.5 credits within basic economics 

    BSc in Geography (geografi) from the Faculty of Science:

• LBIB10188 Plant Physiology (Grundlæggende plantefysiologi), or
• LKEB10084 Environmental Chemistry (Miljøkemi i biologiske systemer) (7.5 credits)  
• LMAB10069 Statistical Data Analyses 1 (Statistisk dataanalyse 1 ) (7.5 credits)
• At least 7.5 credits within basic economics
• At least 7.5 credits within organism diversity and systematics, botany/zoology

Applicants with a BSc in one of the above disciplines or similar from the University of Aarhus, Aalborg University, Roskilde University or University of Southern Denmark are qualified for admission on the basis of the same criteria.

 

Bachelors from other faculties under University of Copenhagen or from other national and international universities must have equivalent qualifications and their admission will be assessed on an individual basis.

 

3.2 Admission
Students from University of Copenhagen are admitted to the MSc in Agriculture twice a year (1 September and 1 February). Other students are admitted once a year (in September).

 

Transfer Agreement 2007-2008

Students admitted before 1 September 2007 must follow their old specialisation. If they want to change to another, they must apply Study and Students' Affairs for an exemption.

Depending on the size of the thesis (30 or 45 credits) core courses must consist of 30 or 45 credits. Core courses and thematic courses passed before 1 September 2008 can be a part of the group of core courses.

Furthermore, for the above mentioned students it is optional to write the thesis in either Danish or English.