Master of Science in Bioscience Engineering: Agricultural Sciences

The Bioscience Engineering: Agricultural Sciences programme aims to train engineers who contribute to the development of sustainable agricultural systems to feed a growing world population, and to cultivate plants and crops for non-food applications.

Enrol

Master's Programme

2 year 120 credits

Faculty of Bioscience Engineering

Dutch

contact

About the programme

Programme summary

Find out more

Off to a good start

After graduation

First year

(version 13 )

Course schedule 1st semester Course schedule 2nd semester

1 General Courses

Course	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Agricultural Constructions	1	sem 2	nl	Jan Pieters	5

Animal Physiology	1	sem 1	nl	Veerle Fievez	4

Identification and Diagnosis of Plant Diseases, Pests and Weeds	1	sem 1	nl	Luc Tirry	6

Nutrient Management	1	sem 2	en	Stefaan De Neve	5

Plant Husbandry	1	sem 1	nl	Benny De Cauwer	5

Gene Technology and Plant Biotechnology	1	sem 1	nl	Laurens Pauwels	5

Monitoring Systems in Agriculture	1	sem 1	nl	Wouter Maes	5

Experimental Design	1	sem 2	en	Stijn Luca	3

2 Elective Courses

Subscribe to 28 credit units from no less than 1 and no more than 3 module(s) from the following list. Subject to approval by the faculty.

Full-time standard learning track:

Students can choose which of the elective course units are taken in the first respectively the second standard learning track year (unless otherwise specified); in combination with the general course units, students take a total of 54 to 66 credits per standard learning track year. The sum of the total number of credits taken up over the 2 standard learning track years must be 120 credits.

2.1 Master Specific Courses

Subscribe to no more than 28 credit units from the following list.

Study fields (see reference):

G = Crop Protection
P = Plant Production
D = Animal Production
E = Agricultural Economics

Course	Ref	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Agronematology	G			Wim Wesemael	5

Crop Protection Chemistry	G	sem 2	nl	Pieter Spanoghe	5

Biological Control of Crop Pests and Diseases	G	sem 1	en	Monica Höfte	5

Applied Entomology	G	sem 2	nl	Patrick De Clercq	5

Weed Science	P, G	sem 1	nl	Benny De Cauwer	5

Plant Breeding	P, G	sem 1	en	Steven Maenhout	5

Precision Agriculture	P, G	sem 2	en	Abdul Mouazen	5

Plants and Microclimate	P	sem 1	en	Kathy Steppe	5

Plant Production	P			Emmy Dhooghe	4

Tropical Crop Production	P	sem 2	en	Eduardo de la Pena	4

Applied Soil Biology	P	sem 1	en	Stefaan De Neve	4

Organic Farming	P,G,D,E	sem 1	nl	Patrick De Clercq	4

Technology of Animal Products	D	sem 2	nl	Frank Devlieghere	5

Consumer Behaviour and Marketing of Bio-industrial products	E	sem 2	nl	Wim Verbeke	5

Economics and Management of Natural Resources	E	sem 2	en	Stijn Speelman	4

Sociological Perspectives on Rural Development	E	sem 2	en	Joost Dessein	5

Project Design in Agri-food Systems	E	sem 2	en	Marijke D'Haese	5

Planning for Multifunctional Landscapes		sem 2	en	Ann Verdoodt	5

2.2 Skills and Attitudes

Subscribe to no more than 10 credit units from the following list, with no more than 10 credit units with reference a.

Course	Ref	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Internship	a	year	nl,en	Paul Van der Meeren	5

International Internship	a	year	nl,en	Paul Van der Meeren	5

Extended Internship	a	year	nl,en	Paul Van der Meeren	10

Extended International Internship	a	year	nl,en	Paul Van der Meeren	10

Bio-ethics		sem 1	en	Michiel De Proost	3

Scientific Communication in English		sem 2	en	Geert Jacobs	5

Seminar				Mieke Uyttendaele	3

2.3 Open Choice

Subscribe to course units from courses offered at Ghent University and at the alliance partner VUB, including the Ghent University Elective Courses.
A maximum of 2 such courses is allowed.
Maximum 8 credit units language courses are allowed within this master programme.
Subject to approval by the Faculty.

Second year

(version 13 )

Course schedule 1st semester Course schedule 2nd semester

1 General Courses

Course	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Human Nutrition	2	sem 1	nl	John Van Camp	4

Agricultural and Rural Policy, EU Perspective	2	sem 1	en	Jeroen Buysse	5

Quality Management and Risk Analysis	2	sem 2	en	Liesbeth Jacxsens	5

Animal Nutrition	2	sem 2		Veerle Fievez	5

Integrated Sustainable Agriculture	2	year	nl	Stefaan De Smet	5

2 Elective Courses

Subscribe to 28 credit units from no less than 1 and no more than 3 module(s) from the following list. Subject to approval by the faculty.

Full-time standard learning track:

2.1 Master Specific Courses

Subscribe to no more than 28 credit units from the following list.

Study fields (see reference):

G = Crop Protection
P = Plant Production
D = Animal Production
E = Agricultural Economics

Course	Ref	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Agronematology	G			Wim Wesemael	5

Crop Protection Chemistry	G	sem 2	nl	Pieter Spanoghe	5

Biological Control of Crop Pests and Diseases	G	sem 1	en	Monica Höfte	5

Applied Entomology	G	sem 2	nl	Patrick De Clercq	5

Weed Science	P, G	sem 1	nl	Benny De Cauwer	5

Plant Breeding	P, G	sem 1	en	Steven Maenhout	5

Precision Agriculture	P, G	sem 2	en	Abdul Mouazen	5

Plants and Microclimate	P	sem 1	en	Kathy Steppe	5

Plant Production	P			Emmy Dhooghe	4

Tropical Crop Production	P	sem 2	en	Eduardo de la Pena	4

Applied Soil Biology	P	sem 1	en	Stefaan De Neve	4

Organic Farming	P,G,D,E	sem 1	nl	Patrick De Clercq	4

Technology of Animal Products	D	sem 2	nl	Frank Devlieghere	5

Consumer Behaviour and Marketing of Bio-industrial products	E	sem 2	nl	Wim Verbeke	5

Economics and Management of Natural Resources	E	sem 2	en	Stijn Speelman	4

Sociological Perspectives on Rural Development	E	sem 2	en	Joost Dessein	5

Project Design in Agri-food Systems	E	sem 2	en	Marijke D'Haese	5

Planning for Multifunctional Landscapes		sem 2	en	Ann Verdoodt	5

2.2 Skills and Attitudes

Subscribe to no more than 10 credit units from the following list, with no more than 10 credit units with reference a.

Course	Ref	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Internship	a	year	nl,en	Paul Van der Meeren	5

International Internship	a	year	nl,en	Paul Van der Meeren	5

Extended Internship	a	year	nl,en	Paul Van der Meeren	10

Extended International Internship	a	year	nl,en	Paul Van der Meeren	10

Bio-ethics		sem 1	en	Michiel De Proost	3

Scientific Communication in English		sem 2	en	Geert Jacobs	5

Seminar				Mieke Uyttendaele	3

2.3 Open Choice

3 Master's Dissertation

Course	Ref	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Master's Dissertation		2	year	nl	Stefaan De Smet	30

Full programme

(version 13 )

Print

1 General Courses 62

Course	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Agricultural Constructions	1	sem 2	nl	Jan Pieters	5

Animal Physiology	1	sem 1	nl	Veerle Fievez	4

Identification and Diagnosis of Plant Diseases, Pests and Weeds	1	sem 1	nl	Luc Tirry	6

Nutrient Management	1	sem 2	en	Stefaan De Neve	5

Plant Husbandry	1	sem 1	nl	Benny De Cauwer	5

Human Nutrition	2	sem 1	nl	John Van Camp	4

Gene Technology and Plant Biotechnology	1	sem 1	nl	Laurens Pauwels	5

Agricultural and Rural Policy, EU Perspective	2	sem 1	en	Jeroen Buysse	5

Monitoring Systems in Agriculture	1	sem 1	nl	Wouter Maes	5

Experimental Design	1	sem 2	en	Stijn Luca	3

Quality Management and Risk Analysis	2	sem 2	en	Liesbeth Jacxsens	5

Animal Nutrition	2	sem 2		Veerle Fievez	5

Integrated Sustainable Agriculture	2	year	nl	Stefaan De Smet	5

2 Elective Courses 28

Subscribe to 28 credit units from no less than 1 and no more than 3 module(s) from the following list. Subject to approval by the faculty.

Full-time standard learning track:

2.1 Master Specific Courses

Subscribe to no more than 28 credit units from the following list.

Study fields (see reference):

G = Crop Protection
P = Plant Production
D = Animal Production
E = Agricultural Economics

Course	Ref	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Agronematology	G			Wim Wesemael	5

Crop Protection Chemistry	G	sem 2	nl	Pieter Spanoghe	5

Biological Control of Crop Pests and Diseases	G	sem 1	en	Monica Höfte	5

Applied Entomology	G	sem 2	nl	Patrick De Clercq	5

Weed Science	P, G	sem 1	nl	Benny De Cauwer	5

Plant Breeding	P, G	sem 1	en	Steven Maenhout	5

Precision Agriculture	P, G	sem 2	en	Abdul Mouazen	5

Plants and Microclimate	P	sem 1	en	Kathy Steppe	5

Plant Production	P			Emmy Dhooghe	4

Tropical Crop Production	P	sem 2	en	Eduardo de la Pena	4

Applied Soil Biology	P	sem 1	en	Stefaan De Neve	4

Organic Farming	P,G,D,E	sem 1	nl	Patrick De Clercq	4

Technology of Animal Products	D	sem 2	nl	Frank Devlieghere	5

Consumer Behaviour and Marketing of Bio-industrial products	E	sem 2	nl	Wim Verbeke	5

Economics and Management of Natural Resources	E	sem 2	en	Stijn Speelman	4

Sociological Perspectives on Rural Development	E	sem 2	en	Joost Dessein	5

Project Design in Agri-food Systems	E	sem 2	en	Marijke D'Haese	5

Planning for Multifunctional Landscapes		sem 2	en	Ann Verdoodt	5

2.2 Skills and Attitudes

Subscribe to no more than 10 credit units from the following list, with no more than 10 credit units with reference a.

Course	Ref	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Internship	a	year	nl,en	Paul Van der Meeren	5

International Internship	a	year	nl,en	Paul Van der Meeren	5

Extended Internship	a	year	nl,en	Paul Van der Meeren	10

Extended International Internship	a	year	nl,en	Paul Van der Meeren	10

Bio-ethics		sem 1	en	Michiel De Proost	3

Scientific Communication in English		sem 2	en	Geert Jacobs	5

Seminar				Mieke Uyttendaele	3

2.3 Open Choice

3 Master's Dissertation 30

Course	Ref	MT1	Semester	Language	Instructor	Crdt
Master's Dissertation		2	year	nl	Stefaan De Smet	30

Learning outcomes

Competence field 3: Knowledge competency

Have qualitative and quantitative insight into plant and animal production and reproduction processes, their mutual interaction and the interactions with the biotic and abiotic environment
Identify the organisms that cause yield loss in crops and apply the methods for their integrated control
Have insight into the design of agricultural structures, with an emphasis on the interaction with plants and animals (e.g. through climate control)
Have insight into sensors and monitoring systems with applications in crop production and livestock farming, including processing and interpretation of data
Have insight into nutrient cycles and nutrient management and apply them to agriculture and the environment, both in human-managed and natural ecosystems
Have knowledge of foods, their intake and conversion by humans; know and apply quality management systems in food production
Have knowledge and apply molecular techniques for studying and identifying living organisms and for genetically modifying plants
Have insight into national and international policy mechanisms related to agriculture, the food sector and the rural environment
Develop experimental design and methods to investigate, evaluate and control agricultural processes and systems

Competence field 4: Scientific competency

Identify and analyze problems in agriculture and formulate clear research questions with a view to achieving effective and potentially applicable solutions
Consult and critically interpret professional literature according to scientific standards
Select, adapt or, if necessary, develop the appropriate analysis methods and process techniques
Extract yseful information from excessive, incomplete, or conflicting data
Plan, monitor and adjust scientific research
Accurately collect, scientifically process, critically analyze and interpret data in accordance with the principles of scientific integrity
Identify new or remaining bottlenecks and research questions based on knowledge, insight and experience

Competence field 5: Intellectual competency

Use one's own knowledge creatively, purposefully and innovatively in research, design and production
Argument scientifically in a multidisciplinary context
Demonstrate openness to new scientific developments and their applications in a broad scientific, economic and social context
Adopt an active and honest attitude towards permanent knowledge development, lifelong learning and independently steer one's own learning process

Competence field 6: Competency in collaborating and communicating

Have the required social and communication skills to work in a team
Collaborate and display early leadership in a multidisciplinary environment
Communicate clearly in writing and orally about one's own discipline in Dutch and English

Competence field 7: Social competency

Act ethically, professionally and socially responsible, also in an international or intercultural environment
Function autonomously within a short period of time in scientific research, in industrial functions, at consultancy firms, NGOs and government institutions
Consider sustainability aspects and social preconditions when developing a high-quality system, product, service or process
In professional actions, situate the social, ecological and socio-economic role of agriculture and the ethical aspects in the international context

Competence field 8: Engineering competency

Design, plan and execute an engineering project at the level of a starting professional in an independent and result-oriented manner
Understand the complexity of a problem/system using quantitative methods
Assess the risks and technical feasibility of a project
Integrate biological, physico-chemical, technological, economic and ecological aspects into research, production, quality management, management or policy