Sustainable International Agriculture (SIA), MSc

The MSc programme in Sustainable International Agriculture (SIA) is a joint degree programme offered by the Faculties of Agricultural Sciences at the University of Göttingen and Organic Agricultural Sciences of the University of Kassel in Witzenhausen. The programme is internationally oriented and offers three specialisation profiles: International Agribusiness and Rural Development Economics: This profile equips students to analyse socio-economic interactions between individuals, resources and markets in agriculture using up-to-date quantitative and qualitative methods. Students gain the tools to address key questions in agricultural systems at different levels, ranging from global challenges such as hunger and international trade to issues at the level of food value chains, food safety and quality, and household-level questions such as agricultural productivity, participation and poverty. The profile prepares graduates for careers in research, business, public administration and international organisations. International Organic Agriculture: This profile offers students the opportunity to specialise in Organic Agriculture. It covers a broad range of subjects, including soil, crop and animal sciences as well as environmental, social and economic aspects. Students learn to assess scientific literature, apply qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection and analysis, and interpret research findings in the context of organic and international agriculture. Practical facilities, including a research greenhouse, a 340-hectare research farm, various laboratories and modern IT equipment, support individual study profiles. The profile prepares graduates to contribute to science, policy and development for more resource-efficient and sustainable agriculture worldwide. Tropical Agricultural and Agroecosystems Sciences: This profile prepares students for professional work in the sustainable use of tropical and subtropical agroecosystems. A wide range of modules in soil, plant, animal and socio-economic sciences, combined with method-oriented teaching, provides the basis for analysing, understanding and improving farming systems in the context of population growth, globalisation and climate change. A biannual two-week excursion to a tropical country and participation in ongoing long-term field research projects give students the opportunity to apply their knowledge under real conditions. Students choose one of three specialisation profiles. Each profile combines compulsory modules with a broad range of compulsory elective and elective options, allowing students to build expertise in their chosen field while maintaining a broader perspective on agricultural systems. International Agribusiness and Rural Development Economics: Students complete four compulsory modules (24 ECTS): World Agriculture Markets and Trade, Socioeconomics of Rural Development and Food Security, Sustainable International Agriculture: Basic Principles and Approaches, and Econometrics I. In addition, they choose five compulsory elective modules, including at least one module that develops methodological skills, and six elective modules. International Organic Agriculture: Students complete five compulsory modules (30 ECTS): Soil and Plant Science, Organic Livestock Farming under Temperate Conditions, Applied Statistical Modelling, Sustainable International Agriculture: Basic Principles and Approaches, and Organic Cropping Systems under Temperate and (Sub-)Tropical Conditions. In addition, they choose four compulsory elective modules, including at least one module that develops methodological skills and one economics module, and six elective modules. Tropical Agricultural and Agroecosystems Sciences: Students complete five compulsory modules: Soil and Plant Science, Tropical Animal Husbandry Systems, Applied Statistical Modelling, Sustainable International Agriculture: Basic Principles and Approaches, and Management of Tropical Plant Production Systems. In add