Master of Science in Bioscience Engineering Technology: Agriculture and Horticulture (Horticulture)
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 aspire to a successful career in horticulture, this Master's programme is the right choice. Admission depends on completing the academic Bachelor's programme in Bioscience Engineering Technology (option Horticulture) or a professional Bachelor's programme and an ensuing academic bridging programme. Upon completion, you will be an Engineering Technology (in Dutch: ‘industrieel ingenieur') graduate with a specialisation in horticulture. In addition to various compulsory foundational course units, you choose a specialisation based on your interests: 'Horticultural Production' or 'Production and Environment.'
If you choose the former, you will immerse yourself in the world of vegetables, flowers, ornamental trees, and fruit cultivation. You will learn everything about plant breeding, nutrition management, and innovative cultivation techniques such as substrate cultivation and hydroponics. The curriculum also explores sustainable production systems and the management of horticultural businesses in depth. To illustrate the theoretical findings, we visit modern horticultural companies at home and abroad. Projects and workshops will give you a preview of practical applications.
The ‘Production and Environment’ module merges two worlds that increasingly benefit from mutual dialogue: plant production and nature management. Agriculture and horticulture are being challenged to manage the environment and nature sustainably and even to take on aspects of nature conservation. This elective module offers fundamental knowledge on forest management, green space management, and nature rehabilitation. Through site visits and projects, you will learn how theory is put into practice.
The Master's programme culminates in a Master's dissertation, which is original research on a current horticultural topic. We encourage international experiences, for example, through a dissertation or work placement abroad. We also offer elective course units on tropical agriculture.
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
A Master's diploma in Bioscience Engineering Technology (Agriculture and Horticulture) opens many career opportunities! Opportunities are plentiful in the agricultural and horticultural sectors and the related green sector, either in government employment or in the business world.
The agricultural and horticultural sectors are rapidly growing and increasingly reliant on technology, knowledge, and creativity. This demand explains why engineers with this specific profile are highly sought after. Career opportunities include supply management, production, trade and processing, technical-commercial positions, information, foreign aid, research, and education. Alternatively, you could become a self-employed entrepreneur.
Moreover, there has been a growing emphasis on green practices and nature within the agricultural and horticultural sectors, encompassing trending topics such as management agreements, niche agriculture like agroforestry, and nature exploitation. Bioscience Engineering Technology graduates are uniquely positioned to bridge the gaps between agriculture and nature and landscape conservation. You possess the knowledge and vision to shape these developments further.
The Bioscience Engineering Technology (Agriculture and Horticulture) diploma is the beginning of an exciting career. You specialise in one discipline of agriculture and horticulture, yet you possess a wide range of knowledge and skills. You are versatile and qualified for employment in various sectors.
Are you curious to learn about specific 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’). Discover how they put their knowledge and skills into practice, and let their success stories motivate you. Read these alumni testimonials and find out.
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: still 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.
- 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.