MSc Agroecology, Water and Food Sovereignty

Overview

The Agroecology, Water and Food Sovereignty MSc is a trans-disciplinary course addressing current issues related to food production, access and management of natural resources, climate change and land degradation. It also aims to address the environmental, socio-economic and institutional implications in the building of resilient societies.

The course has a strong focus on resilient food and water systems, critically-analysed under environmental, socio-economic and political lenses to reflect the broad range of issues that relate to food and water sovereignty and how agroecology can alleviate them.

As part of this course you will undertake a professional development module which is currently accredited by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI).

Course information

Sustainable and fair food production systems are vital, not only for our health and well-being, but also for that of plants, animals and the natural environment. As demand for the most basic of resources intensifies, we urgently need to address the practical aspects of managing and delivering sustainable and resilient systems to meet these needs.

Throughout this trans-disciplinary MSc, you will focus on the role agroecology, water and food sovereignty plays in meeting governance and socio-economic challenges facing current food and farming systems. We look across the social and natural sciences to explore and integrate new thinking and resilient interventions in agriculture that aim to protect biodiversity, restore the ecosystem and deliver nutritious food and clean water in an increasingly fragile natural environment.

Career prospects

Upon successful completion of this course, career opportunities may include scholarly research to strengthen the impact of academia on shaping resilient societies; employment by development organisations, local and national governing bodies, and international institutions (e.g. United Nations [UN], Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs [DEFRA], Natural England, Environment Agency, Department for International Development [DFID], Consortium of International Agricultural Research Centres [CGIAR], International Livestock Research Institute [ILRI], International Centre for Research in Agroforestry [ICRAF], Oxfam); and entrepreneurship in several sectors, e.g. agriculture, environmental management, civil society, and policy.