Corsi di studio Corsi di Laurea MagistraliNatural Resources Management for Tropical Rural Development (B216)

Natural Resources Management for Tropical Rural Development (B216)

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Master's of Sciences

Name and features

Course name: Natural Resources Management for Tropical Rural Development

Degree code: LM-69 Classe delle lauree magistrali in Scienze e tecnologie agrarie

Curricula: E28 - Agricultural production

E29 - Land and water

Duration: 2 years

Credits: 120

Language: English

Website: www.tropicalruraldevelopment.unifi.it/

Informational material: brochure

Description

The MSc in Natural Resources Management for Tropical Rural Development is a cutting-edge graduate program, fully taught in English, which promotes research and professional training in the sectors of modern and sustainable agriculture, forestry, animal sciences and natural resource management.

This degree is a peculiarity of the University of Florence, especially for the School of Agriculture, which has gradually acquired expertise and links in tropical and international relationship.

Students graduated in our MSc course have got job positions as EU or FAO expert, manager in public and private firms operating in agro-food sectors overseas, project manager for Italian Ministry, project director in several NGOs.

Specific educational objectives

The training course includes characterizing, integrative, monodisciplinary lessons. The number of exams is 12, including the acquisition of free credits. Each subject of the Master course includes lessons and exercises, the latter on average equal to 40% of the frontal teaching load. The activities courses are distributed in semesters. All courses are entirely in English, including lessons, teaching materials and exams.

The last semester of the second year is mainly intended for the preparation of the graduation thesis.

- First year: technical-scientific and cultural training of the agronomist who works in emerging countries, including qualifying knowledge for the class, knowledge related to the tropical and subtropical environment in general and safeguarding biodiversity, related knowledge to agricultural, forestry and animal production systems, and to the management of territorial resources in particular the management of water resources and the territory, all of them specifically oriented to the problems of developing countries and in particular with tropical climate.

- Second year: two separate curricula with completion of the characterizing training of the student.

The second semester is mainly dedicated to the preparation of the graduation thesis. By using the free credits, the student will be able to increase his specific preparation in class-related or related-integrative sectors or even dedicate a greater commitment to a possible internship or to the preparation of the final paper.

Admission requirements

The criteria for enrolling in the Degree Course in Natural Resources Management for Tropical Rural Development (Italian Degree Class LM-69) for the oncoming academic year are:

italian university courses of classes L-25 (D.M. 270/04) and 20 (D.M. 509/99), as well as graduates in Agricultural Sciences, Forestry Sciences and equivalent courses, according to ante-D.M. 509/99 classifications, can access without any integrative activity/course,
a bachelor (BSc) degree in other scientific disciplines, obtained in Italy or abroad and recognized as suitable by the Admission Committe, need to have taken the following exams: 1. AGRONOMY (6 ETCS) 2. TREE CROPS (6 ETCS) 3. HERBACEOUS CROPS (6 ETCS) 4. PLANT PATHOLOGY AND ENTOMOLOGY (6 ETCS) 5. ANIMAL HUSBANDRY (6 ETCS) 6. AGRICULTURAL HYDRAULICS (6 ETCS)

Missing exams can be taken at the University of Florence or at other Universities.

To satisfy the English language proficiency requirements, students must either:

be resident in a country where English is the official language;
give evidence that their undergraduate course was taught entirely in English;
hold an English language certificate at European B2 level (Cambridge First certificate, TOEFL, IELTS, or any equivalent or higher certification).

Enrolment

For non-EU students residing abroad

For EU students and levelled non-EU students

Articulationd of training activities and curricula

The course has a normal duration of 2 years: a first common year and second year with the possibility to choose between two curricula “Agricultural production” or “Land and Water” . Normal activity of the student corresponds to the achievement of 60 credits per year.

The students that have, however, obtained 120 credits, fulfilling all the provisions of the Regulations of the Master of Science in Natural Resources Management for Tropical Rural Development, can obtain the title even before the two-year deadline.

Credits reserved for the activities autonomously chosen by the student can also be acquired in the form of additional language skills in the Spanish, Portuguese and French languages through the acquisition of credits certified by the University.

Final exam

The admission to the final exam require the achievement of all credits in the training activities foreseen in the study plan, except those foreseen for the final exam.

The preparation of the experimental thesis (27 credits) includes a period of work in the field and / or in the laboratory, including preferably an experience in tropical developing countries. Foreign students will normally be admitted performing their experiments in Italy.

The final product, written in English, must be characterized by a high level of originality and advanced scientific knowledge. It will be defended by an oral presentation in front of the Commission where the supervisor (and possible co-supervisors) are official members. It is requested to present the thesis in 15 minutes at once, after the invitation from the President of the Commission.