AgriFood Sustainability & Technology (MSc)

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Course Overview
Key Facts
Course Outline
Why Choose This Course?
Course Fees
Find Out More

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Course Overview

Welcome to the University of Galway's MSc programme in AgriFood Sustainability & Technology.

The agri-food sector is Ireland's largest indigenous industry, employing over 150,000 people, and generating an annual output of over €24 billion. Globally, the food and agriculture industry is responsible for feeding the planet and employing 40% of the global workforce. However, agri-food sector in Ireland and globally is facing numerous challenges around land and water use, climate change, sustainability, health, and wellbeing. Our programme aims to equip students with the advanced skills, knowledge, and expertise needed to tackle these challenges and succeed in technical and production management roles within Agri-food growing industry.

At University of Galway, we offer a variety of forward-thinking topics, including Food Systems, Diets, Nutrition & Technology, AgriBusiness & AgriFood Market Trends, One Health, AgriEngineering, Agritech & AgriInformatics, Geospatial Analysis and Remote Sensing and others. Our students also have the opportunity to undertake a research project in industry or academia.

During the programme, students visit agri-food industries to see the practical applications of their knowledge and hear from guest speakers. Our programme generates graduates with interdisciplinary skills to respond to challenges and opportunities in Ireland and other leading agrifood nations worldwide. Run in collaboration with Ireland's Agriculture and Food Authority (Teagasc) and other leading agrifood partners from Ireland and internationally, our programme provides a strong enabling platform for students to develop careers in the agrifood sector globally.

Applications and Selections

1.Apply via https://nuigalway.elluciancrmrecruit.com/Apply/Account/Login

2. Create an account.

3. Add your contact information, country of permanent address prior to study (where you are living now), and other relevant information as requested.

4. In the programme information box, indicate:

Academic Level >> Taught Masters
College/Interest Type >> Agriculture
Academic Programme >> Agrifood Sustainability & Technology (MSc)-AST
Academic Term >> Autumn 2023

Press Submit

5. Add the password, and create the account.

6. Submit the application (the submission of the application cost 35 Euro).

7. Add all required documents, like BSc degree marks (we accept with 2.1 and 2.2), personal statement (250-500 words why you are interested to do a research), recommendations (from your tutors, employers, whatever is relevant), proof of identity (usually passport or driving licence).

8. Personal statements of applicants meeting the initial academic requirements for this course will be accessed by academic staff before a decision concerning the offer of a place can be made. It is expected that in the personal statement applicants will be able to demonstrate a keen interest in agriculture and all aspects of the farm-to-fork process.

9. Next, your application will be reviewed by the MSc AgriFood Sustainability & Technology committee and successful candidates will receive the Letter of Offer, that need to be accepted by applicant within 4 weeks.

Who Teaches this Course

Dr Luis Quiroz, Programme Director

Luis Quiroz Photo

Professor Charles Spillane

Prof. David Styles, Lecturer in Life Cycle Assessment

Dr Anne Mullen, Lecturer in Climate Change, Agriculture & Food Security

Dr Peter McKeown, Lecturer in Climate Change, Agriculture & Food Security

Dr Ronan Sulpice, Lecturer in Plant System Biology

Dr Sinead McCarthy, Teagasc, Environmental Economics / Rural Development Programme Coordinator
Dr Kevin Kilcline, Teagasc, Rural Economy & Development Centre
Prof Dearbhaile Morris, Personal Professor of Antimicrobial Resistance and One Health, and Head of the Discipline of Bacteriology at the School of Medicine
Prof John Dalton, Professor of Molecular Parasitology

And other members of the multidisciplinary Plant & AgriBiosciences Research Centre (PABC) of the Ryan Institute at University of Galway.

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Requirements and Assessment

Key Facts

Entry Requirements

NQAI Level 8 honours degree or equivalent to a minimum standard of Second Class Honours, Grade 2 or equivalent in an appropriate discipline is required. Please see Your Country for country specific entry requirements. Work experience may also be considered..

Other requirements: proof of identity, academic transcripts, an academic recommendation, Personal Statement (max. 600 words), two-page CV.

All applicants, whose first language is not English, or who have not been educated through the medium of the English language during their two most recent years of study, must present an English language qualification taken within two years of the start of the course. Suggested English language qualifications include IELTS, Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE), Cambridge C2 Advanced (CPE), TOEFL iBT/TOEFL iBT Home Edition, Pearson PTE.

For more detailed information on the test scores required please refer to this page - https://www.universityofgalway.ie/international-students/studyinireland/entryrequirements/

Additional Requirements

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

Duration

1 year, full-time

Next start date

September 2025

A Level Grades ()

Average intake

QQI/FET FETAC Entry Routes

Closing Date

Please view the offer rounds website.

NFQ level

Mode of study

ECTS weighting

Award

CAO

Course code

MSC-AST

Course Outline

The interdisciplinary MSc Agrifood Sustainability & Technology program is a full-time learning course, and it runs over 12 months from beginning of September through to end of August. The MSC-AST taught modules (60ECTs) are delivered in a flexible learning format, accommodating students with special needs requirements. The MSC-AST program was designed in coordination with our strategic partner Teagasc to provide training to meet current and future skills gaps in the agrifood sector. MSC-AST provides a

The curriculum encourages students’ critical thinking and focuses on agriculture and agrifood sustainability combined with technological, institutional, business and social innovations. During academic year students are exposed to a variety of assessments’ formats such as blogs, reflective journals, business canvas, videos, presentations, discussions, graphic abstracts, GIS story maps, scripts, review and research articles, to engage and motivate students a wide range of tasks and helped keep things different.

The MSC-AST program generates job-ready graduates by providing the upskilling and reskilling education and training (including substantial data analysis on agrifood sustainability transition pathways; convergent & disruptive technologies; entrepreneurship and new business models in agrifood sector) to facilitate career conversion into high-quality employment in the rapidly growing agrifood sector in Ireland.

Semester 1 : Understanding Ireland’s Agriculture & AgriFood Sector, AgriFood Sustainability & Agri-Resilience Challenges, Understanding AgriBusiness & AgriFood Market Trends, PAB5114: AgriFood Career, Communication & Impact Pathway Skills, Food Systems, Diets, Nutrition & Technology; and Designing and Writing a Sustainability Research Fellowship Proposal. In Semester I students will also take the (h) PAB5121 module: Writing a Review Article on a Sustainable Development Topic, which will span into Semester 2.

Semester 2 : One Health, AgriEngineering, Agritech & AgriInformatics, Geospatial Analysis and Remote Sensing, Data Analysis for Sustainability Research.

To complete 60 ECTs of taught modules, students can select one of the two optional modules: Writing and Publishing a Peer-Reviewed Sustainability Research Article (Semester 2) or Green Lab Principles and Practice (Semester 1 &2).

During Semester 2 and until the end of the program each student will conduct a minor research project on “Agrifood Sustainability & Technology” which will be co-supervised by expert members of the MSc (AgriFood Sustainability & Technology) programme committee along with experts from partner research groups in the University of Galway Plant & AgriBiosciences Research Centre (PABC), Ryan Institute, or from external partner organisations and companies in Ireland (e.g., Teagasc) and globally. Students will be assessed by a combination of written exams and continuous assessment.

Why Choose This Course?

Career Opportunities

Graduates of the MSc (AgriFood Sustainability & Technology) will fill a critical skills gap in the workplace for graduates who have the multidisciplinary knowledge and skills regarding agrifood sustainability and innovation to drive positive change in the agrifood sector in Ireland and globally. Graduates will be provided with significant career training throughout the program so that they will be highly competitive for positions in leading-edge agrifood companies and public sector organisations (e.g., government agencies, regulatory bodies, etc) in Ireland and globally. Graduates who are interested in establishing their own enterprises or companies will also be facilitated by the MSc (AgriFood Sustainability & Technology) programme.

Who’s Suited to This Course

Learning Outcomes

Transferable Skills Employers Value

Work Placement

Study Abroad

Related Student Organisations

Course Fees

Fees: EU

€8,750 p.a. (€8,890 including levy) 2025/26

Fees: Tuition

€8,750 p.a. 2025/26

Fees: Student levy

€140 p.a. 2025/26

Fees: Non EU

€28,000 p.a. (€28,140 including levy) 2025/26

For 25/26 entrants, where the course duration is greater than 1 year, there is an inflationary increase approved of 3.4% per annum for continuing years fees.

Postgraduate students in receipt of a SUSI grant – please note an F4 grant is where SUSI will pay €4,000 towards your tuition (2025/26). You will be liable for the remainder of the total fee. A P1 grant is where SUSI will pay tuition up to a maximum of €6,270. SUSI will not cover the student levy of €140.

Note to non-EU students: learn about the 24-month Stayback Visa here.