Degree course in Sustainable agriculture

Course Name

SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE

Course Code

LM20

Class (Ministerial code)

LM-69

Website

http://dsa3.unipg.it/it/corsi-di-laurea-magistrali

Field(s) of study

Area 08 – Agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary

Qualification award

Master Degree

Level of qualification according to the NQF and the EQF

EHEA Second cycle; EQF Level 7

Length of programme / number of credits

2 years / 120 ECTS

Language of Teaching

Italian

Mode of study

In-class

Didactic centre

Via Borgo XX Giugno, 74 - Perugia

Programme director

Prof. Roberto Buonaurio

Access to the course

Open access with assessment of personal competencies

Available places

65

Specific admission requirements

Italian First cycle qualification (Laurea) or foreign equivalent in the same or related subject area, with possible extra work if required competences are lacking

Evaluation of specific subject knowledge on entry

Foreign students are required to take a test to verify their proficiency of the Italian language, except Erasmus Incoming students, Exchange Students and students in mobility as per the Cooperation Agreement

Profile of the programme

The student will initially acquire preparatory knowledge in pedology, experimental methodology, landscape survey and mapping, circular economy, and hydrology. Then he has to choose one of the following curricula: Organic and eco-compatible agriculture, Bioeconomics, Territorial and landscape planning and management. These are focused mainly on precision agriculture, agri-food policy, landscape planning and design. The professional knowledge acquired in classes, laboratories and field, through an intense multidisciplinary student-teacher interaction, will allow the persons that graduated in this course to sustainably manage agricultural production and to program, manage and evaluate projects for sustainable rural area development and enhancement of agriculture sustainability.

Programme learning outcomes

The graduate in Sustainable Agriculture will develop knowledge and skills on: sustainable use of land and water resources; theoretical principles of circular economy; survey and representation of the agro-forestry territory through topography, GIS, Remote Sensing; organization of scientific experiments and statistical processing of data. Additionally, he will develop specific knowledge on: 1) eco-compatible cultivation and control of crops through the precision agriculture and biodiversity conservation and management; 2) establishment and management of new business paths oriented towards the sustainability of production processes and the reduction of food waste along the supply chains; 3) design, implementation and management of interventions aimed at transforming the territory, the landscape and urban green areas.

Qualification requirements and regulations

Admission to the final test for achievement of the qualification will require that the student has acquired all the credits included in the study plan for training activities other than the final test. The final test for the achievement of the qualification is public and consists of the presentation of a thesis work to the degree committee. This work consists in the preparation of a study based on literature review, experimentation and/or research on a topic of relevant interest for Sustainable Agriculture.

Examination regulations and grading scale

In general the student assessment occurs through an oral exam, which sometimes is accompanied by a written exam or the delivery of a written report. Intermediate tests are requested for some courses. The exam grades are measured in thirtieths (0-30 scale), the minimum grade is 18/30 and the maximum grade is 30/30. The maximum grade can be enhanced with “cum laude” (30 cum laude), in case of excellence. Grades are given by an exam committee of at least two lecturers, whose President is the chair of the course. The main exam sessions are held in January/February, June/July and September. Students may retake exams, if not passed. The University provides an ECTS Grading Table, which shows the actual distribution of the examination and final grades among students for each degree programme. The final degree evaluation is expressed in one-hundred-and-tenths (0-110 scale). The minimum grade is 66/110 and the maximum grade is 110/110. The calculation of the final grade of each candidate takes into account the average of the grades obtained in the subject exams, as well as the quality of the work performed in research or in the final thesis, which is discussed in public before a degree committee. “Cum laude” (110 cum laude) may be added to the maximum grade if the exam commission unanimously agrees.

Obligatory or optional mobility windows

Students can participate in the European Erasmus+ program which allows them to carry out study or traineeship activities at foreign Universities. Erasmus+ for study allows to spend a period of continuous study in a foreign University, while Erasmus+ for training allows spending a period of internship in a company, institution, or non-governmental organization based in a foreign country.

Work-based learning

The internship represents an important moment in the student professionalization process and addresses the student to the labour market and is also aimed at identifying and planning the activities covered by the final degree. The internship takes place in Italian and foreign non-university structures (e.g. companies from various agricultural sectors, public institutions, professional offices, associations, etc.).

Occupational profiles of graduates

Professional outlets for graduates are foreseen in the fields of agricultural, environmental and sustainable development of the territory, with particular expertises in the economic-environmental analysis, environmental and territorial assessments, elaboration of environmental policies and sustainable development policies. Graduates are able to provide service activities in private companies, freelance profession, public administration, research institutions, international organizations. - The profile of the graduate falls within the profession of the senior Agronomist

Free-choice training activities