MSc Agriculture and Development
Course director: Dr Alistair Murdoch
The MSc in Agriculture and Development is a one year, full-time Masters degree course which critically examines the role of agriculture and agricultural research in addressing the major challenges and opportunities related to agricultural intensification and environmental sustainability in tropical and sub-tropical regions of the developing world.
Aims and objectives
The aim of this MSc course is to enable students to explain the role of agriculture and of agricultural research for development in the context of the research-to-development continuum. More specifically, students will be able to:
- Explain the role and contributions of agriculture to human development as: an economic activity, a source of food and livelihood security, a provider of ecosystem services, and a way of life
- Describe the different physical, economic and social environments in which the agriculture of developing countries is managed and improved
- Elaborate the recent developments in agricultural research in response to international challenges such as climate change, environmental sustainability, ecosystem services, and globalization
- Describe the factors and processes that influence the use of agricultural knowledge, science and technology for development, and explain how to enhance the relevance, quality and impact of agricultural scientific research.
Transferable skills
The course requires a substantial amount of independent reading, research and study and students are expected to take personal responsibility and show initiative in developing their knowledge and understanding of the field of study. In following this course students will enhance their professional capability in working effectively in their chosen field of expertise along the research-to-development continuum. Students will learn to work independently, under time pressures, and will learn to set priorities and manage their time in order to meet strict deadlines. Students will also have the opportunity to enhance and develop their skills relating to communication (both oral and written), presentations, information handling, data analysis and interpretation, problem solving, teamwork, and the use of information technology.
Course structure
The course starts at the beginning of the Autumn Term and is fully taught for two ten-week terms (120 credits). The remainder of the course, from June until September, is devoted to preparation of a 12–15,000 word dissertation (60 credits), for submission in early September.
Entry requirements
Entrants to this course are normally required to have obtained an honours degree or its equivalent in agriculture, forestry, botany, biological, soil, environmental, or social sciences; in rural development, development planning and management or a related subject. Applicants with other qualifications and who have at least 2 years' professional experience in a relevant field of agriculture and development are also eligible to apply for admission to this course. References are also taken into account.
For Home and EU students, the course is available on a part-time basis over two years.
Subject streams
Students follow compulsory modules (worth 70 credits) and select a further 50 credits from an extensive list of optional modules (each worth 10 credits). These optional modules allow students to focus on subject areas of interest, e.g. social and policy modules or modules focusing on the science of production and the environment, as well as gain skills in areas such as quantitative methods, project planning or communication.
Compulsory modules:
- Perspectives on Development
- Research and Study Skills for Independent Study
- Agriculture in the Tropics
- Rethinking Agricultural Development
- Experimental Agriculture
and one of the two following modules:
- Research Methods for Communication and Development
- Quantitative Methods for the Life Sciences
Optional modules include:
- Agricultural Project Planning and Management in Developing Countries
- Climate Change and Food Systems
- Communication and Innovation in Development
- Environment and Development: Problems and Policies
- Nematodes as Pests and Beneficials
- Participatory Interventions in Development
- Quantitative Methods for the Life Sciences (if not taken as a specialist module)
- Research Methods for Development and Communication (if not taken as a specialist module)
- Water, Agriculture and Irrigation
Further details of each of the above modules can be found on the main University module description pages www.reading.ac.uk/modules.
(Please note that the programme may be subject to change from the list above)
Career prospects
Graduates from the MSc in Tropical Agricultural Development are well suited to careers in agricultural research within international and national institutions, in governmental and non-governmental organisations operating in the tropics, and in international development and humanitarian assistance agencies.
Please see what recent Agriculture and Development graduates have to say about the course, and what they are up to now.