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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

Entry requirements

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

Requirements for entry are:
• Bachelor of Sciences or equivalent in Agricultural Sciences, or a BA in Social Sciences with a particular experience in agriculture;

• Excellent academic background (1st class degree normally required);

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

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

Duration

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

Careers or further progression

Career Opportunities
More productive and resilient agriculture will need better management of natural resources, e.g. land, water and soil. Graduates will find work or future research working towards food security goals and help mitigate negative effects of climate change. They will also be able to pursue PhD studies, e.g. 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 discipline-related activities will qualify you to carry out adviser- or policy-related activities within agricultural development.

Further enquiries

Professor Charles Spillane and Dr Peter McKeown
Plant and AgriBiosciences Research Centre (PABC) NUI Galway
T: +353 91 493 655
E: charles.spillane@nuigalway.ie / peter.mckeown@nuigalway.ie

Comment

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.