Programme Structure

In the Plant Science specialisation you work with individual plants and plant products, from genes to traits, genetic resources, quality parameters and postharvest biology, plant functions in relation to agricultural and horticultural production and use of plants.

Central topics are physiological and molecular methods to improve plant performance, plant responses to internal and external growth factors, interaction of plants and other organisms, nutritional composition of food, feed, energy, high value crops and ornamental plants.

Courses

In the compulsory course "Experimental Plant Science" (15 ECTS) you gain experience in conducting experimental work in plant science on the basis of your previous acquired knowledge and skills. The course covers a range of established methods, state-of-the art and cutting-edge technologies used to study plants, their development and function. The course runs over two blocks to allow studying the processes involved in growth and development of plants over longer time periods.

The aim of the course is to give in depth knowledge and understanding of key physiological and molecular function of plants and plant organs, from molecular and cellular perspectives to whole plant level. Learning, understanding, and practice is obtained by combining knowledge about plants within a number of selected themes with appropriate methods and technologies used to analyse plants and plant products.

Restricted elective courses are key courses which you select from the list of relevant courses (see list below). To ensure the focus on plant application you must choose at least one course with a production perspective. A Project in Practice can be included as a credit activity.  

The elective courses allow you to create your own academic and professional profile. You can choose courses which either deepen or broaden your competencies. Elective courses can be followed either at The Faculty of Science, at one of the other faculties at the University of Copenhagen or at other Danish and international universities.

Master's Thesis

You complete your programme with a thesis worth 45 or 60 ECTS on an issue or a scientific problem within your core area of interest.

The thesis involves independent experimental work or collection and analysis of data. It is often carried out in collaboration with a research group or with external partners e.g., private firms, proposing problems for which solutions are needed.

The Plant Science specialisation can be structured in four different ways, depending on whether you write a thesis worth 45 or 60 ECTS and whether you start in September or February.

Programme Overview, Study Start September, Thesis 45 ECTS

Compulsory courses: 15 ECTS
Restricted elective courses: 37.5 ECTS
Elective courses: 22.5 ECTS
Master's thesis: 45 ECTS

One block each year equals nine weeks of study and 15 ECTS.

Programme Overview, Study Start September, Thesis 60 ECTS

Compulsory courses: 15 ECTS
Restricted elective courses: 22.5 ECTS
Elective courses: 22.5 ECTS
Master's thesis: 60 ECTS

One block each year equals nine weeks of study and 15 ECTS.

Programme Overview, Study Start February, Thesis 45 ECTS

Study start in February is only for students with a reserved access to the programme. Read about reserved access here >>

Compulsory courses: 15 ECTS
Restricted elective courses: 37.5 ECTS
Elective courses: 22.5 ECTS
Master's thesis: 45 ECTS

One block each year equals nine weeks of study and 15 ECTS.

Programme Overview, study start February, Thesis 60 ECTS

Study start in February is only for students with a reserved access to the programme. Read about reserved access here >>

Compulsory courses: 15 ECTS
Restricted elective courses: 22.5 ECTS
Elective courses: 22.5 ECTS
Master's thesis: 60 ECTS

One block each year equals nine weeks of study and 15 ECTS.

Restricted Elective Courses

Choose your restricted elective courses from the list below. Click on each course for a detailed description.

• Plant Infection and Disease Management
• Scientific Writing, Planning and Presentation
• Fruit and Berry Crop Physiology and Quality
• Plant Nutrition and Soil Fertility
• Genome and Cell Biology
• Plants in Populations, Communities and Ecosystems
• Tropical Crop Production
• Advanced Crop Production
• Tree Biology and Arboriculture
• Frontiers in Plant Science
• Entrepreneurship and Innovation (block 1 or 4)
• Climate Management in Plant Production and Research
• Applied Statistics
• Tropical Botany B
• Biorefinery – From Plants to Bioenergy, Biochemicals, Biomaterials, and High Value Products
• Applied Insect Ecology and Biological Control
• Pesticide Use, Mode of Action and Ecotoxicology
• Plant Ecophysiology in a Changing Climate
• Cool Climate Viticulture and Enology
• European Farm and Food Systems
• Project in Practice

In the specialisation Production and Environment, you work with production systems, both in the field and in protected cultivation.

Your focus is on designing and managing economically viable and environmentally sound production systems, aiming for wise use of natural resources, biodiversity protection, and the provision of ecological services.

The major focus is on agricultural and horticultural systems in the European natural and regulatory context. In the compulsory course at the end of the first year you collaborate with a partner enterprise in food production.

Courses

In the compulsory course "Advanced Crop Production" in the first block of the programme you work with the improvement of crop production within modern cropping systems, mainly in temperate areas of the world. The course includes visits to Danish case farms with access to detailed farm data which enables you to analyze the complex, real-life problems within crop production.

The intensive course "European Farm and Food Systems" at the end of year 1 brings together the knowledge and skills you acquired in previous courses. In a three-week field work trip where you go off campus and engage in a real-life case (e.g., a large vegetable producer).

You learn to employ a structured work process to identify potential areas of improvement through interactions with key stakeholders. The teaching and learning environment is experimental (learning by doing) and interactive (involving stakeholders).

Restricted elective courses are key courses which you select from the list of courses in the curriculum (see list below). A Project in Practice can be included as a credit activity.

The elective courses allow you to create your own academic and professional profile. You can choose courses which either deepen or broaden your competences. Courses can be followed either at The Faculty of Science, at one of the other faculties at the University of Copenhagen or at other Danish and international universities.

Master's Thesis

You complete your programme with a thesis worth 30 or 45 ECTS credits on an issue or a scientific problem. The thesis often involves independent experimental work or collection and analysis of data. It can be carried out in collaboration with a research group or with external partners e.g., firms, public partners, or organisations with proposals for problems to which solutions are needed. 

The specialisation in Production and Environment can be structured in four different ways, depending on whether you write a thesis worth 30 or 45 ECTS and whether you start in September or February.

Programme Overview, Study Start September, Thesis 30 ECTS

Compulsory courses: 22.5 ECTS
Restricted elective courses: 45 ECTS
Elective courses: 22.5 ECTS
Master's thesis: 30 ECTS

One block each year equals nine weeks of study and 15 ECTS.

Programme Overview, Study Start September, Thesis 45 ECTS

Compulsory courses: 22.5 ECTS
Restricted elective courses: 30 ECTS
Elective courses: 22.5 ECTS
Master's thesis: 45 ECTS

One block each year equals nine weeks of study and 15 ECTS.

Programme Overview, Study Start February, Thesis 30 ECTS

Study start in February is only for students with a reserved access to the programme. Read about reserved access here >>

Compulsory courses: 22.5 ECTS
Restricted elective courses: 45 ECTS
Elective courses: 22.5 ECTS
Master's thesis: 30 ECTS

One block each year equals nine weeks of study and 15 ECTS.

Programme Overview, Study Start February, Thesis 45 ECTS

Study start in February is only for students with a reserved access to the programme. Read about reserved access here >>

Compulsory courses: 22.5 ECTS
Restricted elective courses: 30 ECTS
Elective courses: 22.5 ECTS
Master's thesis: 45 ECTS

One block each year equals nine weeks of study and 15 ECTS.

Restricted Elective Courses

Choose your restricted elective courses from the list below. Click on each course for a detailed description. 

• Plant Nutrition and Soil Fertility
• Plant Infection and Disease Management
• Scientific Writing, Planning and Presentation
• Plants in Populations, Communities and Ecosystems
• Fruit and Berry Crop Physiology and Quality
• Tropical Crop Production
• Entrepreneurship and Innovation
• Modelling of Soil-Plant-Atmosphere Systems
• Life Cycle Assessment within Biological Production Systems
• Environmental Management in Europe
• Experimental Plant Science
• Applied Insect Ecology and Biological Control
• Climate Change and Land Use
• Soil Biology
• Applied Statistics
• Climate Management in Plant Production and Research
• Biorefinery - From Plants to Bioenergy, Biochemicals, Biomaterials, and High Value Products
• Agroforestry
• Applied Agrohydrology
• Organic and Regional Food Systems
• Land Use and Environmental Modelling
• Pesticide Use, Mode of Action and Ecotoxicology
• Geographical Information Systems
• Cool Climate Viticulture and Enology
• Entrepreneurship and Innovation
• Project in Practice