Bachelor Agricultural Sciences

Career profile

Agricultural Sciences graduates are in great demand in the global food system. They play a significant role in the search for solutions to problems such as:

• how the growing world population can be sustainably fed without damaging soil, water and air resources
• how the raw materials for producing food and their processing quality can be continuously adapted to market requirements.
  

Agricultural scientists occupy management positions in commerce and industry, public administration, private organisations and research. Those working at universities and research centres in Switzerland and abroad deliver new insights and deduce methods, processes or procedures. They apply their knowledge in consulting services or in the field of development cooperation. Their expertise enables them to help shape the political and economic conditions underlying global nutrition working in public administration or on international committees.

Bachelor's degree programme (180 credits)

The first two years cover scientific and subject-specific fundamentals. Practical experience is gained through excursions and a ten-week internship with an agricultural farm after the fourth semester.

In the third year, students build on these experiences through scientific learning, while gaining methodological skills. The Bachelor’s degree programme concludes with a Bachelor’s thesis.

General basic courses:
Mathematics, Chemistry, Biology, Physics, etc.
Social science subjects: Law, Economics
General Agricultural Science subjects
Basics of Agricultural Sciences
Specialist areas in Agricultural Sciences: Plant Sciences, Animal Sciences, Agricultural Economics, methodological subjects
Agricultural Economics, methodological subjects
Excursions, agricultural internship, Bachelor’s thesis

For detailed information go to the pages in German Agrarwissenschaften

Master's degree programme (120 credits)

There are three specialisations (majors) to choose from in the Master’s degree programme:

• Plant Sciences deals with issues relating to producing, cultivating and protecting plants.
• Animal Sciences covers basic knowledge in subjects such as genetics, nutrition, physiology and animal husbandry.
• Agricultural Economics takes an in-depth look at economic and social aspects in the use of natural resources.

The specialisation is enhanced by specific supplementary subjects and general electives. Students cement their specialist knowledge during a professional internship (16 weeks, in Switzerland or abroad), while refining the social, methodological and communication skills they will need for their area of work. The Master’s thesis completes the programme.

A specialisation (major) selected from:

• Plant Sciences
• Animal Sciences
• Agricultural Economics

Supplementary area (minor I), second supplementary area (minor II) or electives
Professional internship (30 credits)
Master’s thesis (6 months)