Masters in Plant Biology for Sustainable Production

How can the cultivation of plants be adapted to new climate conditions? How do we best protect plants from disease and how can plant breeding contribute to good quality, high yield and sustainability? Learn how to address these questions (and more) by studying this international Master’s programme!

Held by internationally renowned experts, the courses included in this programme focus on plant-based solutions for the development of agriculture and forestry. Elective specialisation courses will give you the opportunity to broaden your knowledge in a specific area of plant biology. You will choose to specialise in one of the following fields:

• Plant Protection and Breeding (Campus Alnarp)

In this specialisation, you will focus on plant protection and plant breeding, or in other words “what we grow in our fields and how we do it”. Agriculture contributes to the majority of our food and feed production, and can provide new environmentally-friendly materials and chemicals. The aim with plant protection and breeding is to secure our crop production and increase yield, without increasing inputs and lessening the environmental and climate impacts.

• Abiotic and Biotic Interactions of Cultivated Plants (Campus Uppsala)

In this specialisation, you will get an insight into the complex life of plants. Plant constantly interact with the environment. Some of these interactions are positive, such as with beneficial microorganisms, but plants also face different types of stress that they have to handle. It can be abiotic factors, such as heat or drought, or biotic factors, such as herbivory animals or pathogens. The specialisation Abiotic and Biotic Interactions of Cultivated Plants prepares you to develop plant-based solutions to the predicted increase in such stresses in the near-future.

• Erasmus Mundus emPLANT+ (Campus Uppsala)

In the European ERASMUS Mundus Plant Breeding Masters programme, emPLANT+, you will take the second year at a partner university. Application to emPLANT+ is done through the consortium homepage, where it is also possible to apply for scholarships:  http://emplant-master.eu/scholarship-erasmus-mundus .

With a Master’s degree in biology you will be able to continue your studies towards a PhD and will be prepared for research in all of the specialisations included in the programme. You will also have the skills required for employment in several land-based sectors related to modern crop and tree breeding and plant protection.

At SLU, we engage students in some of the most important issues facing the 21st century, such as global warming, the food crisis, and our dependence on non-renewable energy.

The teaching style at SLU promotes critical thinking. As a student, you are expected to question beliefs that are often taken for granted and we also expect you to question what you learn. Debating with classmates and lecturers is accepted and welcomed. SLU’s teaching staff crave academic excellence and are focused on producing a highly employable student body. Communication skills, the ability to work in a team and solve problems, an awareness of the commercial landscape and work experience are just some of the qualities that make our graduates employable.

To strengthen your ability to build a career in an increasingly competitive job market, as a student at SLU you are encouraged to learn through experience.

You study real-life situations, take a hands-on approach to problem-solving, and make valuable contact with the business sector. Lectures, tutorials, laboratory work, fieldwork, group projects, and independent study are just some of the teaching methods used here.

Assessment procedures also vary depending on the course and can include written assignments and examinations, individual and group projects, laboratory reports, and oral presentations. Here at SLU we are committed to developing the internationalization aspect of our syllabus, network, and student experience.

Global perspectives have been integrated into the design, development, and presentation of all programs and courses. We welcome students from all over the world and by offering students the chance to make important international connections, we are increasing our students’ global employability.

See all SLU's Master's programmes here

See SLU's International Bacehlor's programme here