Plant Biology for Sustainable Production MSc with a major in Biology

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 for Mitigating Climate Change (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.  

 
The fourth specialisation is given jointly by SLU, Uppsala University and Stockholm University: 

• Genetic and Molecular Plant Biology  
   
  This specialization focuses on the molecular and cell biology of plants, and the molecular mechanisms on how plants grow and develop. Compared to the other three specialisations more emphasis is given to fundamental research on plant function. During the first year of this specialisation, one course each is given by the three universities and the students form a joint group. After the initial common courses, it is possible to select courses in plant biology at the participating universities.
  
  

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. 

Modern biology enables detailed study of the genetics and physiology of plants. When combined with new technical methods of analysis, the production of crops and trees can be studied from molecular level to farm and forest level. This Master’s programme is designed to educate the next generation of plant biologists, enabling them to develop plant-based solutions to complex problems within agriculture and forestry.

The courses are taught by internationally renowned experts in plant biology and sustainable agriculture and forestry. The programme utilises resources from SLU’s main campuses. During the first year, all lectures are live-streamed so that students can follow the courses from dedicated classrooms on campus in Alnarp or Ultuna. In the second year, students will specialise in one of the following fields:

• plant breeding and protection
• abiotic and biotic interactions of cultivated plants

Students who complete the programme are awarded a Master’s degree (120 credits) which enables students to apply for doctoral studies as well as work in the industry or for public authorities, with a focus on sustainable solutions for our future society.

As the programme is aimed at students from various academic backgrounds, it begins with introductory courses in which students obtain basic knowledge of plant biology and molecular genetics as a foundation for other courses. The introduction also covers general skills such as referencing and sustainable development.

In their first year, students will take three courses which will provide them with deepened knowledge of subjects that are of importance to sustainable crop production, providing a progression in the subject.

The elective courses give students the opportunity to deepen their knowledge and specialise in an area of plant biology of their choice, e.g., plant protection and plant breeding to handle climate change, plants’ interaction with their surroundings and how they are affected by abiotic and biotic factors, or forestry and how biotechnology and breeding can be used to produce renewable biomaterials from forests.

The programme is taught in English.

Specialisations

The programme has three specialisations.

Specialisations 1 and 2 are coordinated during the first academic year, and students take foundation courses that give a solid basis in plant biology for continued studies during year 2, as well as providing training in general areas. The students can take these courses in Alnarp or Uppsala.

In year 2, students choose one of the specialisations:

• Plant Protection and Breeding for Mitigating Climate Change (Alnarp)
• Abiotic and Biotic Interactions of Cultivated Plants (Uppsala)

The specialisations build on the world-leading competence at SLU and complement one another.

The third specialisation, Genetic and Molecular Plant Biology, is a collaboration between SLU, Uppsala University and Stockholm University. The specialisation starts with three foundation courses, where each of the three universities is responsible for one course. This means that students take these courses in Uppsala (SLU and Uppsala University) and Stockholm. The specialisation in genetic and molecular plant biology cannot be combined with the other specialisations.

The students are expected to acquire knowledge of important research, development and methods with respect to plants used for sustainable crop production and thereby be able to work independently with related questions in agriculture and forestry, horticulture, industry, biotechnology and the environment.

The skills acquired on the programme include demonstrating the ability to independently, critically and creatively identify and formulate issues that concern the life processes of plants. All qualitative targets are covered during the foundation courses during the first year, as well as the independent project.

Visit the student pages to find out more and read the syllabus.

The programme is aimed at preparing the students for research and all of the specialisations included in the programme are connected to strong res- earch environments, which provides a good basis for future research studies. The degree will also enable the students to work within several green sectors related to modern crop and tree breeding and plant protection.

Qualification Awarded