Master's Degree Programme
| About the programme Language: English (See language requirements) | Place of study: Aarhus | Commencement: August / September (no winter intake) |
One of the greatest challenges of the twenty-first century is at the core of the MSc in Agro-Environmental Management programme. Nationally and globally there is a need for solutions that combine the increasing demand for food with sustainable management of nature, the climate and the environment.
With an MSc in Agro-Environmental Management, you will acquire a holistic understanding of agro-ecosystem processes and the interaction between agricultural production, nature and environmental management. You will be able to help make a difference by creating win–win situations that address these challenges.
The MSc in Agro-Environmental Management builds on components from four core areas at Aarhus University, providing students with a broad education with specialised skills. We aim to provide a holistic understanding of the environment, nature, climate and agriculture. The broad base ensures that students are taught by leading international scientists within the main study areas.
The programme looks at topics such as nutrient cycling and environmental management; environmental effects of various types of production; xenobiotics; use of natural resources; landscape ecology and biodiversity; geographic information systems; environmental legislation, regulation and administration; nature restoration; and climate change.
These topics are of global relevance. Combined with the considerable Danish expertise and experience in this area, this means that the degree programme attracts students from all over the world. We therefore guarantee that, as a student on the MSc in Agro-Environmental Management programme, you will be challenged and stimulated at both the scientific and social levels. In the course of the programme, each student will be connected with relevant research groups in connection with project work or their thesis.
The MSc in Agro-Environmental Management is open to students with a BSc degree in the fields of agricultural sciences, natural resources, biology, geology or geography. The objective of the degree is to provide the tools needed to assess and apply theoretical and experimental methods and results, so as to clarify relationships in primary agriculture and the interaction with the environment.
With an MSc in Agro-Environmental Management you will be well equipped to seek a wide variety of jobs. Graduates have extensive knowledge and interdisciplinary expertise in the areas of agriculture, nature, the environment and climate interactions. This means that there are job opportunities in regional environment agencies, municipal nature conservation offices, agricultural advisory services, firms of consulting engineers, educational institutions, NGOs concerned with nature and the environment, engineering firms, and EU institutions, ministries and other public authorities.
Research is also an obvious career path. Students can apply for admission to the university’s PhD programme either after the first year of the MSc degree or following completion of the thesis.
The field of Agricultural Sciences at Aarhus University belongs to the elite among agricultural science institutions worldwide and carries out cutting edge research. The core areas of research are: Climate and natural resources, environment and bioenergy, organic farming, food quality, farm animal production and plant production.
Sustainability is a fundamental principle. The goal is to seek solutions that contribute to environmentally and economically sustainable development of the agricultural and food industries.
Agricultural Sciences at Aarhus University ranks 35 in the 2020 US News Best Global Universities Ranking, and 19 in the 2020 National Taiwan University Ranking.
This is a fantastic place to study. It meets all my expectations. I’m enjoying learning about how to manage agriculture and the environment so that the negative impacts can be reduced or eliminated. And the teachers are fantastic. They are so helpful.
Sandhya Karki
Graduate, MSc in Agro-Environmental
Management programme, from Nepal
The following Bachelor's degrees qualify students for admission to the Master's degree programme in Agro-Environmental Management:
Other degrees may also give entry to the Master's degree programme in Agro-Environmental Management:
Upon admission further requirements regarding composition of the degree programme may be stipulated
Language Requirements
Since English is the language of instruction in all subjects, all applicants are required to provide evidence of their English language proficiency.
Legal right of admission
Students with a Bachelor's degree programme in Agrobiology at Aarhus University have the right to be admitted to the Master's degree programme in Agrobiology on the condition that application is made for admission to the Master’s degree programme no later than three years after completion of the Bachelor’s degree programme. The legal right of admission requires receipt of the application by Aarhus University within the appropriate period of time. Read more about legal right of admission.
As the Master’s programme only admits a limited number of students each year, meeting the admission requirements does not in itself guarantee admission to the programme.
Allocation of student places is based on an overall assessment. In evaluating qualified applicants, the admissions committee assess applicants on the basis of the following criteria:
Academic background
* Relevant courses include core courses within the subject areas of Agro-Environmental Management, Mathematics, Statistics and Probability Theory.
Please note that grades obtained after the time of application cannot be included in the assessment of grade level.
The admissions committee assess each applicant on the basis of the information provided in diplomas, transcripts, and course descriptions.
Rachel Frei, MSc student in Agro-Environmental Management, BSc in Environmental Science and Management from The University of Rhode Island, USA
I wanted a Master’s program that could offer me both a structured programme and flexibility when choosing my thesis topic. The Agro-Environmental Management-programme is a mix of mandatory and elective courses, plus a thesis project varying in length of your choice.
The course structure was a large part of my decision to study in Aarhus. I wanted to ensure that I would be studying the most important topics in the subject of agriculture and conservation, which was well covered in the mandatory courses. I also wanted flexibility to choose other courses I had interest in, which I could do through electives. Choosing a thesis size and topic was the overall deal breaker in my decision. I liked the idea that I could cater my project to what I felt was most important for my learning experience. For some, it was a shorter thesis, with more elective courses. For me, it was a larger thesis that integrated more lab work, and less course work.
I also wanted a university that was a front-runner in the subject I would be studying and known internationally for such. No surprise there, Aarhus University and Denmark as a whole are leaders in agriculture research and innovation. This also means that students have the top scientists in their field teaching courses and supervising their thesis work.
Aarhus is, what many people would describe as, a Big Little City. It has the feeling of being a bigger city with an active metropolitan downtown, but is still small enough to uphold its charming and cozy reputation. It is filled with quaint cafés and quiet study spots perfect for creating your own Danish hygge. Aarhus also has great nature, from beaches to forests; you are never too far away from a leisurely stroll in the fresh air. If I am not in class or studying at the library, I love taking walks in Risskov forest or visiting one of the many museums downtown.
As for the university and its students, Aarhus University makes up a large portion of the city. There is never a shortage of social events or Friday Bars in the weekends, but always plenty of time and silence in the week to focus on your studies. Not only has it made getting work done in the week stress-free, you always have something to look forward to come Friday!
The university is also very international, so for someone studying far away from home, like me, it is easy to find other students in the same situation. You can also join one of the many groups or sports teams around the city to feel a bit more at home. Traveling home and traveling in Europe is also easy as Aarhus is a busy hub for transportation by plane, train, boat, and bus, but within the city itself, I prefer my bike!
The Agro-Environmental Management-programme provides a holistic view of our food and agriculture sector from both a Danish and international perspective. It not only explores topics in agronomy, but also climate change, agriculture policy, as well as farm and rural land management. It focuses on where agriculture and environmental conservation meet. Having both a Danish and international perspective means that what you learn can easily be applied at different scales and in different locations around the world.
The programme also incorporates lab work, farm visits, and excursions around Denmark supplementing what you have studied in the classroom through hands-on learning. The professors are passionate about what they are teaching and are eager to see each student excel.
Most of all, the programme itself has some of the best students. We aren’t ever a large group of students which means class sizes are kept small and you really get know the people you study with. This makes for an exciting and comfortable learning environment. There is also a fair mix of Danes and internationals in the group so not only do you get multiple perspectives on agricultural topics, but also in culture, language and food! I would most definitely recommend the program to someone interested, that being you don’t mind getting your hands a little dirty!
This data is derived from AU's 2016 employment survey. This data should not be considered a completely accurate representation of the labour market and job functions for all graduates of the individual degree programmes. It exclusively represent the responses submitted to the survey in the years in question.
The objective of this degree is to provide you with the tools to assess and apply theoretical and experimental methods and results in order to clarify relationships in primary agriculture and the interaction with the environment.
With an MSc in Agro-Environmental Management you are well equipped to seek a wide variety of jobs. With extensive knowledge and interdisciplinary expertise in the area of agriculture, nature, environment and climate interactions there are job opportunities in, for example, regional environment agencies, municipal nature conservation offices, agricultural advisory services, consulting engineers, teaching, NGOs in nature and environment and EU institutions, ministries and other public authorities.
Research is also an obvious career choice that can be achieved via application to the university’s PhD programme either after the first year of the MSc degree or following the completion of the thesis. Read more about our PhD programmes here.
Agro-Environmental Management builds on components from four core areas at Aarhus University, and you therefore get a broad education with specialised skills. The strong base means that the teaching is undertaken by leading international scientists within the main study areas. We aim to give you a holistic understanding of the environment, nature, climate and agriculture.
The topics of the degree such as climate change, aquatic environment, soil resource and society are global and with the considerable Danish expertise and experience in this area the degree attracts students from abroad. We therefore guarantee that you will be challenged on both the scientific and social levels as you will have many fellow students from various nations. It also means that you will be taught in English.
