Study Plant & Crop Sciences: All you need to know
Photo by École polytechnique - J.Barande, CC BY-SA 2.0, modified
One of the biggest challenges in our world today is: How do you feed over seven billion people? And with a university degree in Plant & Crop Sciences, you can be part of the solution. Is this subject the right choice for you?
Read our guide to find out!
Study in Europe: Find programmes in Plant & Crop Sciences
Plant and Crop Science is a field of agriculture (pun intended!) that studies how to grow plants commercially and at industrial scales, and how to do so in a sustainable way. However, it is not just about how to grow plants:
Plant and Crop Science plays a major role in the sustainability and green energy industries. You will learn how to take care of the soil to ensure long-term productivity, how to protect natural ecosystems, how to get the best results using the least resources, and how to create biofuels to move us towards a greener future.
When it comes to studying your degree, choosing the right university can significantly impact your academic and professional trajectory. Rankings are a useful tool to have an idea about the quality of education, research opportunities, faculty expertise, and industry connections offered by universities.
Here’s a look at some of the top-ranked universities in Europe that offer Agriculture & Forestry degrees (according to the QS World University Rankings):
| Rank (Europe) | Institution | Country | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wageningen University & Research | Netherlands | 99 |
| 2 | Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences | Sweden | 89.1 |
| 3 | University of Oxford | United Kingdom | 83.4 |
| 4 | Ghent University | Belgium | 82.9 |
| 5 | University of Cambridge | United Kingdom | 82.3 |
| 6 | Norwegian University of Life Sciences | Norway | 82 |
| 7 | ETH Zurich | Switzerland | 81.7 |
| 8 | University of Copenhagen | Denmark | 80.5 |
| 9 | L'Institut Agro | France | 79.1 |
| 10 | University of Göttingen | Germany | 78.1 |
Study Plant & Crop Sciences: Find degrees fully taught in English
Many universities all over Europe offer Education & Teaching degree programmes completely in English. Depending on whether you plan to work as a teacher later on, you may also be able to choose modules in relevant subjects and receive teacher training.
Universities that offer Bachelors in Plant & Crop Sciences:
Find Bachelors in Plant & Crop Sciences
Universities that offer Masters in Plant & Crop Sciences:
Find Masters in Plant & Crop Sciences
In an undergraduate degree, you generally start broad and then specialise more as you progress. This allows you to explore your subject widely before becoming more focused. Not too many universities offer Plant and Crop Sciences as a Bachelor’s degree, but you’ll still find plenty of options across Europe. Programmes typically last between three and four years.
In the first year of a typical Bachelor in Plant and Crop Sciences you can expect to study general botany, cell biology, geology, and environmental sciences.
Later on, expect modules like…
To become an expert, getting a Master’s degree in Plant & Crop Science is the logical next step. Most courses are between one and two years full-time and combine class learning, laboratory work and one or more research projects - usually as part of your thesis.
For admission, most Masters in Plant & Crop Science will require a Bachelor’s degree in a related area like Biology or Environmental Science. Some field and/or work experience may be beneficial, but is generally not mandatory.
Many Plant Science Master’s programmes then allow you to specialise in a certain area. Some already have a focused curriculum, others allow you to pick modules based on your preferences. If you already know that you want to pursue a PhD later on, it makes sense to concentrate on whichever topics interest you the most.
Once you have decided that Plant and Crop Science might be the right choice for you, the next step is to find the right university. If there is a particular specialty you are interested in, check out the university’s research department. Choosing a leading university in your main area of interest gives you the opportunity to learn from the best! Not only will you be surrounding yourself with people who are already established in that field, you will also benefit from excellent networking opportunities.
Universities that have a strong Plant and Crop Science course will have access to growing facilities. Check the prospectus and see where the university is located and what land and outdoor facilities they have, and what affiliations they have. And if there is a particular habitat you are interested in, then check out universities that are in those regions.
With the climate crisis and a growing global population it’s becoming a massive challenge to feed everyone while making sure that our planet can sustainably continue to produce enough food.
And as a Plant and Crop Scientist, you will be in high demand! This is a career that can take you all over the world and that will play a vital role in the future survival of our planet and our population.
Typical employers include, but are not limited to:
Agriculture can be considered to be more the “business” side of crops: As a student in an Agriculture programme, you will focus more on crop and soil management, and the commerce side of operations and production.
In contrast, for a degree in Plant and Crop Sciences, the curriculum will typically focus more on the biology, physiology, genetics, evolution, and pathology of crops and plants.
29 Plant & Crop Sciences Programmes in Europe
