NUI Galway - Agricultural, Climate Change & Transitions

Course Overview/Contact:

Climate change poses many threats to agriculture, including reduction of agricultural productivity, production stability and incomes in areas of the world that already have high levels of food insecurity and limited means of coping with adverse weather. The new MSc ACT is a two-year international programme which equips students with tools to transform agriculture to feed a growing population in the face of a changing climate without hindering the natural resource base

The Masters in Agriculture, Climate change, Transitions (ACT) is offered by a consortium of six European universities, in close partnership with a network of international groups, third country universities, research institutes and civil society organisations that share in common the aim to develop capacities on the long term to reduce impact of climate change on food security and, in return, to mitigate the change by sustainable agricultural practices.

The course develops 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;
• critically assess development actions.  

Ag development capacities

• Assess agricultural development and food security options in a given environment : alternative technologies or genetic resources, land use options, cropping and animal rearing/pastoral systems, market based and non market oriented modes of organisation, value chains, financial options (including insurance);
• Identify the critical aspects of professional situations within natural resource management in relation to agricultural activities;
• Have a clear understanding of the relationships in the natural resources-plant-environment continuum (the climate, crop, livestock, and natural risk management);

• Describe the patterns characterising these situations and analyse the social and economic challenges linked to them;
• Support processes of technical and organisational change in rural areas and provide development support;
• Evaluate development projects and programmes

Climate change capacities

• Demonstrate an in-depth understanding of climate change and its linkage to the global environmental changes ;
• Evaluate opportunities that may arise from environmental and climate changes, as well as assess risks of climatic changes and climate variability ;
• Assess environmental impact (LCA, C sequestration…) for agricultural and development proposals or existing value chains.
• Master the use of modelisation tools for a prospective vision of climate change modalities and impact and or the mitigation effect of diverse development scenarios.

Ethics, soft skills and communication

• Work in multidisciplinary teams and communicate effectively using a wide range of materials.
• Think, communicate, cooperate and solve problems from an interdisciplinary perspective;
• Demonstrate capacity to innovate efficiently, manage change and work among communities;
• Express and communicate scientific knowledge and concepts across a range of professions.

Carried by a multidisciplinary team of researchers, specialised trainers and professionals involved in agricultural development in developing countries, the MSc.ACT is a joint degree based on a robust and simple system of mobilities between EU partners.

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); the University of Catania, Italy (in Italian); or SupAgro Montpellier, France (in French).

At NUI Galway, students will study 55 ECTS of taught material, including topics such as Climate Change, Agriculture & Global Food Security; Gender, Agriculture and Climate Change; Natural Resources & Livelihoods; AgriBiology; Soil Sciences; Plant & Agri-Biotechnologies; and Understanding AgriBusiness & AgriFood Market Trends.

Once based at the partner organisation in their second year, students will also perform a 30 ECTS research project.

Career Opportunities:

More productive and resilient agriculture will need better management of natural resources, such as land, water and soil. Graduates of the MSc.ACT will not only be able to find work or future research working towards food security goals but also help mitigate the negative effects of climate change, in . They will also be able to pursue PhD studies, for example in the Plant & AgriBiosciences Structured Phd. 

The programme has been designed to develop graduates who are empowered to carry out research within agriculture-related activities in temperate, subtropical or tropical environments. The unique combination of field-and discipline-related activities within the same programme qualifies the graduate to carry out adviser- or policy-related activities within agricultural development. 

Potential professional activities include:

• Agricultural Development project manager;
• Environmental change lobbyists and activists;
• Agriculture and climate change advisor;
• Corporate Carbon market and accounting specialists for agriculture and forestry;
• Extension, grassroots Education and Community change agents;
• Agricultural and environmental policy analysts, advisors and programme officers.
• Sectors of particular relevance are:
• Funding and Development Agencies;
• Consultancy companies on agriculture, natural resource management and the environment;
• Non-governmental organisations;
• Professional organisations.

Find out more:

Prof. Charles Spillane & Dr. Peter McKeown,
Plant & AgriBiosciences Research Centre (PABC),
Office ADB-2006,
Áras de Brún,
National University of Ireland Galway,
University Road, Galway
H91 REW4
Ireland.
http://master-act.eu/
E: charles.spillane@nuigalway.ie  /  peter.mckeown@nuigalway.ie
T: +353 86 796 3624

Entry Requirements:

Applicants should follow the procedures described on http://master-act.eu/ BEFORE beginning their PAC application.

Requirements for entry are:

• Bachelor of Sciences (180 ECTS) or equivalent in Agricultural Sciences, or a BA in Social Sciences with a particular experience in agriculture.
• Excellent academic background (1^st class degree normally required).
• IELTS 6.5 (non-native speakers of English). 
• A cover letter and letters from at least two referees.