Aims
This programme aims to provide an interdisciplinary training in scientific principles necessary for understanding the interactions of agriculture with the environment, with an emphasis on sustainability and the ecological consequences of unsound management. Through the taught modules and assignments you develop a flexible, technical knowledge and skills base, which is essential for a career in research, development or extension relating to problems of sustainability in farming systems, environmental management and rural development.
Programme Description
The programme provides an advanced interdisciplinary and holistic understanding of the scientific principles and technical skills required to analyse farming systems and the rural environment in relation to soils, ecology and environmental systems and to assess their sustainability in the context of social acceptability and environmental change.
You take 80 credits of compulsory modules and select 30 credits of optional modules. You also complete a research project leading to a thesis (70 credits) that may be undertaken overseas.
Compulsory modules typically include: climate change and land use - science, policy and action; land-water interface; sustainable development and environmental change; quantitative techniques, experimental design and data analysis; environment and habitat assessment field class; environmental assessment ; global ecosystems and environmental change.
Optional modules (10 credits each) may include: ecosystem management; ecological survey techniques; GIS and remote sensing; trees – growth, management and environmental impacts; soil management in ecological farming systems; ecological and sustainable livestock production systems; ecological and sustainable crop production systems.
To find out more please go to: http://www.ncl.ac.uk/postgraduate/taught/subjects/agriculture/courses/6