MSc Sustainability in Agriculture and Business (Distance Learning)

SRUC Scotland's Rural College

This postgraduate programme will contextualise and critique agricultural systems within the evolving contemporary political and regulatory framework, aiming to equip you with technical and professional knowledge relevant to sustainable agriculture and develop the skills you need to adapt to changing environments, solve problems and propose solutions to the issues faced by agriculture. The programme aims to future proof learning and personalise your learning journey by using authentic real world applications and tailored assessments centred around your personal preference, opportunity or experience.

Course Overview

With agriculture accounting for 38% of the global land surface, there is increasing interest in finding sustainable solutions for future agricultural development. Different agricultural production models contribute to a variety of environmental, social and economic goals and aim to limit the trade-offs between productivity and sustainability of land use.

This postgraduate qualification will provide a grounding in sustainable farming systems (e.g. organic farming, agroecology and regenerative agriculture), natural capital and enterprise, examining and critiquing different models of production. The programme will provide students with opportunities to develop both production relevant skills in soil, crop and livestock management, and business, communication and entrepreneurship skills, immersing them in real world applications relevant to future employment. The programme taps into the need for sustainable management of land and water resources, supporting biodiversity and working to address societal challenges and will typically be based on one to three years part time online distance learning in a format that offers flexible progression routes from PGCert to PGDip and MSc, thus enabling students in employment and with different life circumstances to achieve their optimum level of award.

Studied over three academic years, the MSc programme comprises eight taught modules plus an in-depth independent research project which enables students to pursue their own interests and develop skills of specific relevance to current and future careers.

What you'll learn

Learning Outcomes

1. Identify, evaluate and recommend evidence-based solutions to solve complex problems in sustainable agriculture contexts.
2. Evaluate and drive the development of personal skills, attributes and professional behaviour.
3. Develop in depth knowledge of the main theories, principles and concepts related to sustainable farming systems and apply to relevant real-world scenarios.
4. Integrate a range of communication skills relevant to agricultural challenges, adapting communication styles for different people, situations and audiences.
5. Gather, manage and evaluate quantitative and/or qualitative data, using appropriate tools to draw conclusions from it.
6. Synthesise and critique information, recognising reliability of sources in establishing current understanding, identifying research questions and proposing solutions in the area of sustainable agriculture.
7. Design, execute and evaluate research to test hypotheses and to create new ways of viewing and/or addressing issues which can contribute to the field of sustainable agriculture.