Master of Science in Bioscience Engineering Technology: Agriculture and Horticulture (Plant and Animal Production)
The Master of Science in Bioscience Engineering Technology: Agriculture and Horticulture (Schoonmeersen Campus - Ghent) focuses on science and innovation in agriculture and horticulture. You learn to apply biological and technological knowledge to improve plant and animal production.
What
If you are passionate about plant and animal production, this Master's programme is the right choice. Admission into the programme depends on your successful completion of the academic Bachelor's programme in Bioscience Engineering Technology (option Agriculture). Students with a professional Bachelor's diploma can be admitted into the programme after completing an academic bridging programme.
The Master's curriculum merges a strong theoretical foundation with a practical focus. In addition to various compulsory course units, there is the option to specialise in a specific discipline. We offer an innovation-based elective module on plant and animal production, focusing on optimising production processes of primary raw materials needed for 'Food', 'Feed', 'Fibre' and 'Fuel'.
This Master's programme offers an in-depth understanding of the agricultural production system in all its aspects. Including topics such as plant and crop sciences, crop protection, plant and animal nutrition, plant and animal genetics, and management, the curriculum covers and explains the diversity of the agricultural production system. Each topic is treated with ample attention to careful and sustainable management of the production environment and production factors. To illustrate the theoretical findings, we visit various companies at home and abroad. This gives you a realistic perspective on daily practice in the agricultural industry.
The Production and Environment module merges agriculture with nature. You will learn how agriculture and nature conservation can go hand in hand. Agriculturists play an essential role in nature conservation. This module offers fundamental knowledge on sustainable production processes, forest management, green space management, and nature rehabilitation. You will discover how to practice agriculture with respect for nature. Through site visits and projects, you will learn how theory is implemented.
The Master's programme culminates in a dissertation, which is original research on a current agricultural or nature management topic.
Are you up for an international experience? We can offer you that! You can do your Master's dissertation abroad or embark on an international work placement. Are you interested in tropical agriculture? Then we have a specific elective set for you.
For whom
The admission requirements vary. Depending on your prior education, you are either able to enrol directly, or there are additional requirements.
Labour Market
Bioscience Engineering Technology (Agriculture and Horticulture) graduates have many career options. You are a well-educated professional in high demand by the government and the agriculture, horticulture, and green sectors.
Agriculture has evolved greatly over the past few years. Technology has become increasingly important, so engineers with the proper knowledge and creativity are sought after. There are various domains for you to explore: supply, production, trade and processing. There are technical commercial roles, information, foreign aid, and research and education openings. Or perhaps you could start your own business?
In addition to evolutions in agriculture, there has been an increased focus on green practices and nature, including trending topics such as management agreements, niche agriculture like agroforestry, and nature exploitation. Bioscience Engineering Technology graduates can build bridges between agriculture and nature conservation. You have the vision to contribute to a sustainable future.
The Bioscience Engineering Technology diploma is specialised but versatile enough to allow you to work in various sectors.
Are you curious to learn about your future career options? Please refer to the inspiring stories shared by our alumni! They recount their exciting career opportunities as Engineering Technology graduates (in Dutch:‘industrieel ingenieur’) in the agriculture and horticulture industries. Discover how they put their knowledge and skills into practice, and let their success stories motivate you.
Quality Assurance
At Ghent University, we strive to educate people who dare to think about the challenges of tomorrow. For that purpose, we provide education that is embedded in six strategic objectives: Think Broadly, Keep Researching, Cultivate Talent, Contribute, Extend Horizons, Opt for Quality.
Ghent University continuously focuses on quality assurance and quality culture. The Ghent University's quality assurance system offers information on each study programme’s unique selling points, and on its strengths and weaknesses with regard to quality assurance.
More information:
Unique Selling Points
- Multidisciplinarity: we train highly qualified engineers who can take on a variety of assignments and positions, mainly in the primary production chain. This production chain starts with the development, production and supply of genetically modified starting materials (seeds, vegetatively propagated plants, young animals, ...), means of production (substrates, fertilisers, cattle feed) and means of investment (machinery, greenhouses, stables). The primary production chain links are plant breeding and animal husbandry.
- Integration of theory and practice: among our research and experimentation facilities are a testing farm, an in vitro and a phytopathological lab. These facilities allow our students to gain practical and research experience during their Master’s dissertation. They also stimulate their problem-solving capacities and offer an environment for working together in dynamic teams. The application-oriented engineers they will become will have to position themselves as ‘translators’ from concept to product.
- Multiperspectivism: our students learn to approach problems from different angles and place them in a broader perspective. This is why we also encourage our students to gain international experience and to get in touch with international students or lecturers. The Master’s dissertation and the work placement are linked to topical issues raised by companies or sectors. Incorporating the perspective of the professional field thus comes naturally. Company visits also contribute to this.
- Student talent development: apart from lectures and practicals, our teaching methods include project teaching, company visits, work placements, workshops and other active methods. These ensure that students can show their talents and develop them further.
- Knowledge creation: our wide range of well-considered course units and electives guarantees a gradual accrual of knowledge and skills.
Strengths
- A permanent quality culture: the Programme Committee manages the information flow and consultations between faculty services, lecturers and students. It also monitors the quality and profile of the study programme. During its monthly meetings, the Programme Committee can promptly address potential issues and important considerations.
- Dedicated team of lecturers: our study programme features a dedicated team of lecturers from various fields, integrating their passion for teaching with a commitment to globally focused research.
- Solid study track counselling: students can get personal advice from our well-organised study track counselling to compile their curriculum via an academic bridging programme or a personalised study track.
- Student involvement: in addition to the traditional channels for representation and quality assurance, including the Programme Committee (programme level) and Quality Assurance Committee (faculty level), students have set up a Participation Committee (PACO). Student representatives place relevant issues on the Programme Committee’s agenda.
- Approachability: we highly value direct and intensive interaction between our lecturers and students.
Challenges
- Internationalisation: too few students graduate with a study-abroad experience. We aim to inspire our students and emphasise the worldwide scope of their future field of study. For similar reasons, we want to send out more Erasmus students and offer better guidance on compiling suitable modules. Our lecturers’ research is embedded in various international partnerships. Our students can use these contacts for Master’s dissertation or work placement purposes.
- Sustainability: this topic is not an explicit enough part of our curriculum yet. We have added a new elective on sustainable production systems to the curriculum. However, the topic should be incorporated more explicitly into other course units as well.
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Feedback: sometimes there is still insufficient feedback on papers and reports. More so than before, we invest in feedback on assignments. This implies that lecturers and students consult each other more on the timing/deadline of these assignments and what is expected of the students.
Tailored coaching programme: as stipulated in the quality improvement plan, the study programme in liaison with the faculty and the Education Department, is set to eliminate the weaknesses within a reasonable time frame. The study programme delivers regular progress reports to the Education Quality Board.
This study programme is accredited by the Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders (Dutch: NVAO). Accreditation was extended following the positive outcome of the institutional review in 2022. Programme quality was validated by a quality review, i.e. a screening of the Education Monitor by the Education Quality Board. The Quality Assurance Resolution (in Dutch) can be found here.
This information was last updated on 10/07/2024.
In case of questions or suggestions with regard to the publicly available information, please contact the study programme.