Course summary

Our MSc in Plant Biotechnology and Enterprise explores the need for society to increase agricultural productivity amid global warming and equips you with the skills and experience in biotechnological innovation and commercial know-how to support the vital efforts to shape food production in the future. The course is designed to fill a gap in biosciences education. It has been developed against a backdrop of a decade-long fall in crop protection and biotech products caused by fewer companies working in the sector, a difficult legislative environment and the lack of professionals with the right abilities and specific knowledge to convert their ideas into commercial products. You will study five taught modules delivered through a wide-ranging mix of lectures, seminars, small group classes and practical laboratory-based workshops. The final element of the course is a 6-month research project carried out on a subject of interest. The project brings together your laboratory, research and planning skills into a thesis and presentation under the guidance of a research-active supervisor. Three taught modules have been developed specifically for this course; Frontiers in Plant Science, Agriculture and Biotechnology and Technology in Biosciences. They cover research and innovation in the field and offer opportunities to interact with the sector. Of the remaining two modules, Bioinformatics and Data Science will cover the computational and statistical analysis of big data while Innovation and Enterprise in Plant Biotechnology, run jointly with Durham Business School, adds a business element to the course as you take on a real-world innovation challenge. Ensuring a flow of new scientists into the plant technology sector has never been more important given the socio-economic context and the rise in global warming-linked natural catastrophes and this course will help meet that need, helping to shape a positive future.