NUI Galway

Agricultural Climate Change & Transitions

The Course
Transitioning to Sustainable Agriculture is a challenge affecting people from every country and sector. The new MSc ACT (Agriculture, Climate Change & Transitions) is a unique, multi-institution course taught over two years as a partnership between NUI Galway and five outstanding partner universities.

The first year is taught in NUI Galway and covers training in the agricultural sector, climate change challenges, soil science and agri-biotechnology. Site visits are made to Teagasc research facilities, and to innovative Irish farms. The second year is taught in Austria, Italy or France and provides specialised instruction in sustainability, including an independent research project. Language training is also included, making MSc ACT graduates highly employable.

YEAR 1
NUI Galway includes language training.

YEAR 2 at Partner University (includes independent research project)

University of Catania (English)
Sustainable intensification

BOKU Vienna (English)
Agro-Meteorology

3 Good Reasons To Study This Course

1. Mobility: the MSc ACT is a joint degree based on a robust and simple system of mobilities between EU partners.

2. Selection of partner institutions: students study for their first year (two semesters) in NUI Galway, and for their second year in one of our partner organisations (a further two semesters): BOKU Vienna, Austria (in English); University of Catania, Italy (in English); or SupAgro Montpellier, France (in French).

3. You will develop the following graduate attributes: the capacity to identify agricultural and rural development issues; ability to support processes of technical and organisational change in rural areas; the means to critically assess development actions.

Entry requirements

Minimum Entry Requirements
Important Note: Applicants should follow the procedures described
on master-act.eu before beginning their application.

Requirements for entry are:

• Bachelor of Sciences or equivalent in agri-related sciences, or a BA
in Social Sciences with a particular experience in agriculture;

• Excellent academic background (first class or 2.1 honours degree
required);

• IELTS 6.5 (non-native speakers of English);

• A cover letter and letters from at least two referees.

Duration

2 years (Note: Year 1 is spent at NUI Galway; the MSc is completed in Year 2 at a partner European institution).

Careers or further progression

Future Employment Agricultural Development Manager; Environmental Change Lobbyist; Climate Change Advisor; Corporate Carbon Market and Accounting Specialist; Extension, Education and Community Change; Policy Analyst.

Career Opportunities
More productive and resilient agriculture will need better management of natural resources, including land, water and soil. Graduates will find work in institutions working towards food security goals and mitigating negative effects of climate change. They will also be able to pursue PhD studies, for example, the Plant and AgriBiosciences Structured PhD. Graduates will be empowered to carry out research in agriculture-related activities in temperate, subtropical or tropical environments. The unique combination of field- and disciplinerelated activities will also qualify you to carry out adviser- or policyrelated activities within agricultural development.

Further enquiries

CONTACT
Professor Charles Spillane and Dr Peter McKeown Plant and AgriBiosciences Research Centre (PABC), Ryan Institute T: +353 91 493 388 E: charles.spillane@nuigalway.ie/ peter.mckeown@nuigalway.ie