Master in Agricultural Sciences
How can agriculture feed the world’s population, protect natural resources, and remain economically successful at the same time? The Master’s programme in Agricultural Sciences provides the knowledge and skills needed to develop solutions to these challenges and actively shape the future of agriculture and food systems.
The programme focuses on current research questions and their practical application. Students deepen their knowledge in a specialisation of their choice and explore the ecological, economic, and social dimensions of agriculture and food systems. A mandatory professional internship complements the academic training and promotes the transfer of scientific knowledge into practice. It lasts at least 16 weeks and typically takes place during the third semester of the Master’s programme. The programme culminates in the Master’s thesis.
The Master’s programme offers a high degree of flexibility and allows students to tailor their educational profile to their specific interests. By choosing a specialisation, students define the academic focus of their education. Minors and electives open up additional opportunities to pursue personal interests and develop interdisciplinary skills.
There are three specialisations to choose from:
- Agricultural Economics
- Animal Sciences
- Plant Sciences
In addition, students may choose either one minor and elective courses totalling 10 credit points each, or two minors totalling 10 credit points each.
Students engage with current issues in basic and applied research and expand their technical, methodological, and analytical skills. They learn to analyse challenges at the intersection of agriculture, the environment, the economy, and society, and to develop solutions for conflicting goals between sustainability, competitiveness, and societal expectations.
The Master’s degree qualifies graduates for demanding positions in business, public administration, consulting, professional associations, international organisations, and research. At the same time, it lays the groundwork for an academic career and a doctoral degree.
The Master’s degree programme in Agricultural Sciences requires 120 credit points (as shown below).
With a Master’s degree in Agricultural Sciences, students gain professional qualifications and the right to pursue a doctorate. The Master’s degree entitles the holder to use the academic title “Master of Science ETH in Agricultural Sciences”.
