Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security (Taught)

This course will equip you with the specialist knowledge and skills needed by governments, NGOs, commercial companies, and farms as they respond to some of today's biggest challenges within the agriculture and food sectors.

You will delve into critical issues such as the human exploitation of the Earth’s resources, poverty alleviation, critical approaches to rural development, and ethical and cultural implications of policy development.

If you are driven by a desire to shape public and political attitudes, this is the ideal environment in which to develop a strategic and operational mind-set in a way that will expand your own opinions and those of global decision-makers.

Practical exercises which are embedded into your study will prepare you for a successful career including preparing tenders, presentations, and group assignments. This programme attracts students from around the globe. This is a key part of the study experience; working on a range of tasks using examples from around the world and drawing on each other's knowledge and experiences. You will gain skills including critical analysis, open-mindedness, and reflection as well as technical knowledge.

Course Modules

The course may be studied full-time over 12 months, comprising five core modules and three 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 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.

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.

Core modules:

• Integrated Agricultural Systems

• Research Skills

• International Rural Development

• Poverty and Food Security

• Dissertation

• Managing Global Soils in a Changing Climate

• Facing the global challenges in food and agriculture:

PLUS a choice of THREE elective modules (all modules 15 credits each):

• Entrepreneurship and Business Planning

• Environmental Science and Technology in Agriculture

• Sustainable Business Strategy

• Organic and Regenerative Systems

• Livestock Production Technology and Innovation

• Climate Change and Sustainability

• Small Scale Farming and Local Food Supply

• Crop Production Technology and Innovation

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-safs-modules