MSc Programme in Agricultural Development

The programme is organised in accordance with Executive Order no. 338 of 6 May 2004 on bachelor’s and master’s degree programmes in universities. The programme is under the Natural Science Study Board.

Graduation in the programme confers the degree Master of Science in Agricultural Development.

In Danish: Cand.scient. (candidatus/candidata scientarium) i Naturressourcer og udvikling.

 

Chapter 1. The programme’s objective and competence profile

1.1 The programme’s objective

 

As graduates will face a great variety of situations in their professional lives, the general aim of the MSc programme in Agricultural Development is to enable students to identify the critical aspects of professional situations within natural resource management within food, fibre, feed and fuel production in developing and transitional countries and to be able to describe the patterns characterising these situations.

 

The aim is to give participants the scientific knowledge and skills required to implement and manage research or advisory activities related to agricultural production, economics, environment, and human nutrition and food science in a development context. Students are encouraged through interdisciplinary, multicultural real life experiences to see the whole context of the systems encountered.

 

1.2 The programme’s general profile

 

The MSc programme in Agricultural Development encompasses all critical aspects of agriculturally related development activities, from soil fertility management to rural livelihood strategies. The learning approach is a combination of field-related experiences, teaching in traditions and methods related to data collection in complex real life situations, and discipline-based specialisations.

 

The Agricultural Development programme is a combination of:

• An interdisciplinary field-oriented common part which includes training in techniques for gathering data under a variety of field conditions combined with training in the research process
• A selective part which facilitates specialisation, and
• The thesis, which includes fieldwork in the setting of a developing country.

1.3. The programme’s employment prospects

 

The programme qualifies the graduate to a diverse international sector that holds many opportunities for professional jobs. Sectors of particular relevance are 1) universities and research institutions where graduates are involved in research or 2) development agencies with national and international scope where graduates are involved in implementing, managing and monitoring development activities or 3) government bodies where graduates are involved in policy related activities, and 4) private companies, consultancies and industries dealing with third world products or issues.

 

1.4. The programme’s competence profile

 

During the master’s programme in Agricultural Development students must obtain the knowledge, skills and competences described below. These qualifications are obtained partly through participation in core modules partly through the participation in elective courses and the preparation of a master’s thesis.

 

After completing the MSc programme in Agricultural Development the graduate should be able to:

 

1.4.1 Knowledge

• Provide an overview of agricultural development theories
• Give a detailed account of and critically evaluate current research and advanced theories in relation to sustainable use and management of natural resources in developing countries
• Summarise the theoretical basis of qualitative and quantitative data collection methodology, including interviews, questionnaires, surveys, and rapid appraisal techniques
• Reflect on the critical aspects of professional situations within natural resource management in relation to agricultural activities and describe the patterns characterising these situations on the basis of field work experience from rural areas in developing countries
• Show familiarity with interdisciplinary and intercultural work

1.4.2 Skills

• Apply relevant project planning, data collection and evaluation methodologies such as logical framework approaches in complex field settings and in research planning
• Participate in academic discussions on agricultural development and relationships to other study programmes
• Critically distinguish sustainability and livelihood issues in relation to natural resource management
• Undertake a research programme within life sciences at different international universities
• Identify, analyse and communicate a research question from a complex setting to broader audiences, both professionals and non-professionals, at a variety of levels, using modern and appropriate information and communication tools

1.4.3 Competences

• Participate in public discussions on an academic level regarding natural resource management in a global context in the role of researcher, advisor, policymaker or programme employee or manager
• Display independence, integrity and develop new relevant knowledge and skills when working in complex field settings on an individual basis, in teams as well as in cross-disciplinary and intercultural environments
• Use interdisciplinary, multicultural real life experiences to analyse the whole context of the systems encountered
• Display awareness of ethical and moral questions related to the management of different natural resources and take these into account when working in different cultural settings
• Manage research, advisory or management activities related to the area of sustainable use and management of natural resources in developing countries within Tropical Forestry, Animal Science, Crop Production and Protection, Development Economics, or Human Nutrition and Food Science, depending on the student’s choice of core and elective courses
• Carry out research-, adviser- or policy-related activities within agricultural development in government bodies, non-governmental organisations, research institutions, development agencies or international industry bodies

Chapter 2. Degree programme content

 

Year 1	Block 1	Qualitative Method in AD
	Block 2
	Block 3	Thematic course: Interdisciplinary Land Use and Natural Resource Management
	Block 4	Development Economics

 

Year 2	Block 1
	Block 2	Thesis (incl. field data collection)
	Block 3
	Block 4

 

Thesis, compulsory courses and core courses must comprise at least 90 credits.

 

	Compulsory courses
	Core courses and thesis
	Elective courses

 

2.1 Content

 

The duration of the programme is two years – 120 credits. To fulfil the objectives of the programme the student must complete the following compulsory courses:

 

290006     Development Economics - 7.5 credits

400006     Thematic Course: Interdisciplinary Land Use and

                Natural Resource Management - 15 credits

400022     Qualitative Methods in Agricultural Development - 7.5 credits

 

The programme concludes with a 45-credit thesis within its subject area. The thesis must be based on at least three months of fieldwork in a developing country. The data for the thesis are expected to be collected during this period. The fieldwork may be combined with an internship at international organisations, NGOs, universities or similar. Students will obtain financial support in connection with thesis fieldwork under reservation of fulfilment of compulsory courses.

 

At least 15 credits must be chosen within the following core courses:

 

Economics Courses:

290013     Environmental and Natural Resource Economics - 7.5 credits

290036     Trade and International Economics - 7.5 credits

290049     Agribusiness Economics I – 7.5 credits

290050     Agribusiness Economics II – 7.5 credits

290060     Regional Economics and Rural Development - 7.5 credits

290061     Studies in Development Economics – 7.5 credits

 

Forestry Courses:

250002     Agroforestry - 7.5 credits

280008     Natural Resource Sampling and Modelling - 7.5 credits

290004     Applied Socio-economics in Tropical Forestry - 7.5 credits

310017     Participatory Forest Management - 7.5 credits

310037     Applied Ethnobotany – 7.5 credits

 

Courses in Plant Production and Protection:

250013     Diagnosis of Diseases and Pests of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants - 7.5 credits

250079     Biological Control of Pests - 7.5 credits

250082     Tropical Crop Production - 7.5 credits

310076     Land and Water Management - a Developing Country Perspective - 7.5 credits
 

Courses in Human Nutrition and Food Science:

270004     Chemical Food Safety – 7.5 credits

270025     Physical and Chemical Changes of Food Quality - 7.5 credits

270042     Food Quality and Processing Technologies - 7.5 credits

270064     International Food Legislation and Quality Management - 7.5 credits

270083     International Nutrition and Health – 7.5 credits

270084     Nutrition, growth and development – 7.5 credits

 

Courses in Animal Science:

260001     Advanced Herd Management - 7.5 credits

260005     Basal husdyrernæring og fysiologi - 7.5 credits

260016     Experimental Animal Nutrition and Physiology - Theoretical - 7.5 credits

260018     Applied Epidemiology - 7.5 credits

260025     Feed Evaluation and Feeding of Livestock - 7.5 credits

 

Other Courses:

250043     Tropical Botany A - 15 credits

250044     Tropical Botany B - 7.5 credits 

310010     Environmental Impact Assessment - 7.5 credits

 

The compulsory courses, core courses and the thesis comprise the core subjects (90 credits). There are 30 credits for elective courses and other elective study activities.

 

The programme may include 400040 Erhvervsprojekt / Project in Practice.

 

2.1.1 Erasmus Mundus

 

Based on the Agricultural Development programme, the Faculty of Life Sciences participates in two Erasmus Mundus master programmes, namely AGRIS MUNDUS – Sustainable Development in Agriculture, and SUTROFOR – Sustainable Tropical Forestry. Students enrolled in either one of these international programmes will spend either the first or the second year of their study at the Faculty of Life Sciences and will follow the Agricultural Development programme. For further information see www.agrismundus.eu/ and www.sutrofor.net.

 

 

Chapter 3. Admission requirements and admission

3.1 Admission requirements

 

The BSc Programmes in:

    Agricultural Economics (Jordbrugsøkonomi)

    Food Sciences (Fødevarevidenskab)

    Forestry and Landscape Engineering (Skov- og landskabsingeniør)

    Landscape Architecture (Landskabsarkitektur)

    Natural Resources (Naturressourcer) (all core modules)

 

qualify graduates directly for admission to the MSc Programme in Agricultural Development

 

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