Agroecology (Taught)

The MSc in Agroecology draws on our extensive expertise in combining academic and applied learning to support you to be well-informed, skilled, and confident in contributing to the development of resilient agroecosystems. Our network of professional links and affiliations with agricultural, land-based and environmental initiatives both in the UK and abroad ensures that you gain breadth and depth in your studies, agroecological experience, and research.

Agroecology is gaining increased attention today for its contributions to farm and food systems, to social innovation, and to research. Agroecology supports the development of resilient food ecosystems. It does so by drawing on science, social studies, and ecological principles to foster synergies between plants, animals, humans and the wider environment. Central to agroecological initiatives is that they are economically viable, that they support human and social values, and that they are ecologically responsible.

The MSc Agroecology covers the fundamentals of Agroecology, including its ecological approach to developing and maintaining resilient food systems. You will access and learn from RAU’s wide network of local and national business links, farms, social enterprises and food system innovators through seminars, site visits and placements.

You will study Agroecology on a campus that has, since its inception 175 years ago, been guided by the founding purpose of ‘caring for the land’ and be taught by lecturers with a breadth of experience in teaching, professional practice, and research. There will be the opportunity to blend on-campus study with site-based experience ensuring that there is a tight link between theory and practice.

Your professional competencies will be developed through dedicated modules which support you in the development of skills and competencies for future – or ongoing – work in the agriculture and environmental sectors. These will include studies in agroecological principles and practices, the role of agroecologically-oriented farm advisors, how farming and land management can make the transition to becoming more agroecological as well as how to contribute to the ecology of the whole food system through policy, practice, and social enterprise.

This course is delivered in partnership with The Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group.

The course may be studied full-time over 12 months, comprising seven core modules and two elective modules, followed by a Research Project carried out over the summer culminating in a review of a key topic and an academic paper. You can enter the programme in either September or January.

You will gain a broader understanding of relevant issues through knowledge acquisition, intellectual enquiry, debate, and team/individual research.

In addition to lectures, you will participate in case studies, seminars and management projects. This approach fosters teamwork and complements individual study and student learning.

Course Modules

The modules available for this course are shown below. They may change for your year of study as we regularly review our module offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Modules

• Organic and Regenerative Systems

• Fundamentals of Agroecology

• Integrated Agricultural Systems

• Research Skills

• Dissertation

• Agroecological Principles in Practice

• Applied Farmland Ecology (FWAG)

• Small Scale Farming and Local Food Supply

Plus a choice of TWO elective modules:

• Climate Change and Sustainability

• Managing Global Soils in a Changing Climate

• Management of Woodlands and the Natural Environment

The availability of electives to individual students will be dependent on timetabling considerations and on sufficient students electing to take part.

https://www.rau.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/msc-agroecology-modules