Bachelor of Science

Organic Farming & Marketing

To address the challenges of our time, such as the finite nature of natural resources and global food security, we need an agriculture that equally considers climate, environmental, and animal protection. In the Bachelor's degree programme "Organic Farming and Marketing," we train specialists who possess skills in agricultural production and beyond.

 

Apply now!

Until 31 August: Applicants with a German university entrance qualification can go directly to the → application portal

Please note: Unfortunately, the deadline for applicants with a non-German university entrance qualification already expired.

Welcome week from 22 to 26 September

ÖLV: Welcoming the ÖLV students

Stadtcampus

ÖLV: Field trip

Produce and market high-quality food!

The programme teaches how to design sustainable animal and plant production. Students learn to produce high-quality food and market it effectively while conserving natural resources. You will develop the ability to solve practical problems independently and as part of a team, even in dynamic and complex environments. The degree programme offers excellent conditions with a strong practical focus and opportunities to actively build contacts with potential employers in the organic agriculture and food sector.

The programme is offered both as a Bachelor's degree and as a dual Bachelor's degree. The dual or training-integrated programme combines theoretical knowledge transfer and practice-oriented project work at the university with practical application on training farms in a mutually beneficial way. "Dual" means that agricultural vocational training and the Bachelor's degree in Organic Farming and Marketing take place alternately.

Study content

Individual study contents

The degree programme consists of 6 semesters. You can collect 30 ECTS per semester, 180 ECTS in the entire Bachelor's degree programme. 

In the first two semesters, you will acquire foundational knowledge—both in the classroom and through hands-on experience. Following this technical preparation and an orientation workshop, you will begin your practical semester (practical phase) in the fourth semester. In the fifth semester, you choose one of three specialisations: Plant Production, Animal Production or Sustainable Agriculture and Food Management.

Modules per semester

In the first semester, you will learn the theoretical basics of biology, economics, site-specific factors and scientific methodology. In addition, an interdisciplinary module will introduce you to the principles of sustainability. 

You will acquire basic knowledge of the biology of crops and farm animals. Ethological, anatomical and physiological basic knowledge of farm animals and their importance for maintaining health are part of this module.

The contents of the module include the history of origins, development phases and current challenges of organic agriculture. We want you to develop a systemic understanding of sustainability.

In addition to basic knowledge of economics, in this module we classify agricultural and food economics as part of the national economy. Agricultural business management enables you to solve individual farm decision-making processes and to apply planning instruments.

Basic knowledge of the site factors soil, hydrology, geology, geomorphology and climate will enable you to evaluate sites for soil fertility. You will learn about the requirements of plant nutrition in organic farming and the resulting interactions.

We teach you central techniques of scientific work and their interdisciplinary application as well as the organisation of work processes for the joint creation of scientific achievements. This also includes the basics of statistics.

In the second semester you will acquire more specific basics on marketing, arable and crop farming and animal production. You will gain practical experience on a partner farm allowing you to apply your knowledge and gain first-hand insight into the real working and living environments of the organic agricultural and food industry in the Berlin-Brandenburg region.

This module is about the development and implementation of strategic and operational marketing decisions of actors in the agri-food sector.

You learn the structure, function and application criteria of machines and equipment as well as the evaluation from a technical point of view.
This includes the forage-related assessment of grassland stands based on species composition and the derivation of management measures.

Expertise in animal breeding and husbandry, the planning and evaluation of husbandry systems for livestock are included in this module. You will also learn about origins and breeding methods for organic farming.

With a problem- and action-oriented learning approach, you will gain access to a project of the practice partner. For finding solutions, the development of professional competence is of equal importance to social and personal competence.
You acquire your knowledge independently, actively and on your own responsibility. At the same time, you will gain your first practical experience in the company.

Based on the experimental design, which was usually developed in the compulsory elective module Crop Production Systems 1, you will set up a field trial and record field data. The data evaluation is carried out independently. Your trial results are presented at the HNEE field day or at a specialist event.

The third semester serves to deepen your knowledge of the basics of animal and plant production. This semester also introduces agricultural and food policy, accounting, and financial management.

You will be introduced to the evaluation and planning of cattle, pig and chicken feeding. The focus is on the livestock species cattle.

The evaluation of crop production systems (arable and grassland systems), the classification of crop types with their requirements as well as yield and quality parameters are the content of the module. You independently develop solutions for problems in the various crop-specific cultivation methods.

The topic of the module is the evaluation of the effects of current developments in agricultural, food, nutrition and environmental policy from an individual farm, regional, sectoral and macroeconomic perspective.

You will learn about instruments of internal and external accounting, agricultural accounting and balance sheet analysis. Financial mathematical basics and the application of financial planning instruments will become your tools of the trade.

Building on your foundational studies and orientation workshop, you will complete a practical semester in a relevant organisation or business in the fourth semester (practical phase). 

In the practical phase, you will take a look at how organic farming and the food industry work. The focus is on the practical application and deepening of knowledge and skills that you have previously acquired in the course of your studies. Above all, you will carry out and analyse practical work according to a jointly determined training framework plan under qualified guidance.
This includes insights into circular economy, processes in plant cultivation and animal husbandry, in the processing and marketing of products and in quality assurance in organic farming.

In the fifth semester, you choose one of the three specialisations offered: Plant Production, Animal Production or Sustainable Agriculture and Food Management.

In the specialisation Animal Production, you acquire in-depth competences on the husbandry and health of the main farm animal species cattle, pigs and chickens, but also other animal species such as the small ruminants goats and sheep as well as poultry such as geese. Current challenges for animal husbandry such as climate, environmental and animal welfare improvement and current social debates about the role of animal husbandry in society are also covered in the specialisation.

In the crop production specialisation, you will acquire in-depth skills for investigating current crop production issues from practice (e.g. planning, setting up and evaluating field trials for testing new crops, varieties, fertilisation methods). Students expand their specialist knowledge of organic vegetable production and special crops. The integration of crop production methods into the agro-ecological context plays an essential role. Current challenges such as the adaptation of cultivation systems to the effects of climate change or the promotion of biodiversity through the application of special conservation measures are also addressed.

In the specialisation Sustainable Agriculture and Food Industry, you will acquire in-depth competences for the analysis of business models in the agriculture and food industry, taking into account sustainability-specific guiding questions, on the environments and framework conditions of typical business models and value chains in the agriculture and food industry. Students expand their competences for the economic evaluation of selected agricultural production processes and branches of animal and plant production, as well as quality assurance in food value chains. Current sustainability challenges in the food system and approaches to solving them form the basis of this specialisation.

In preparation for your scientific final project, you will learn the basic working steps of planning, conducting and evaluating (field) experiments and empirical social research. These are applied exemplarily to their own and current questions.

You will collect parameters on the agroforestry trial area, plan and carry out a trial set-up and evaluate it. In doing so, you will learn about agro-ecological interrelationships, political framework conditions and potentials of different agroforestry systems.

Students undertake the conceptual development, preparation and practical implementation of a field trial on currently relevant issues of organic arable, crop and field forage production.

We will show you possibilities for the use of working horses in arable and vegetable farming, grassland, forestry and landscape management. You will receive basic information on the training of horse and owner, on husbandry and feeding and the classification of the use of working horses under aspects of sustainability.

In this module, acquire an understanding of digitalisation as a permanent task of business management. This includes operational planning, reports and evaluations as well as necessary data. In an exemplary application of IT-supported data provision, you will immerse yourself in digitalised business management and process design.

In this intensive seminar we will work with you on central questions and topics of business start-ups in the agricultural and food sector and deal with the planning of steps in start-up and succession processes.

Selected agricultural or horticultural operational issues for the redesign, further development or adaptation of agricultural technology processes are the focus of this module. This includes detailed planning and evaluation of outdoor and indoor technology procedures and the use of machines, plants and equipment.

An assessment and improvement of the influence of agricultural use on natural soil functions as well as on the environment is the content of the module.

This is about the design of future sustainable food systems based on the consideration, analysis and evaluation of sustainable food from socio-cultural, economic and technical perspectives.

You will deal with the requirements for the registration and approval of a food business. You will learn about the duties of a person responsible for food processing. Facilities and processes for the production of food of plant and animal origin and the design of quality assurance measures are included.

In this module, we discuss the assessment of ecosystem services (ESL) such as agricultural production, climate protection or the conservation of genetic resources with the help of relevant tools in practical operations, the analysis of conflicting goals and development options for optimising ESL.

Here you will deepen the knowledge you have acquired in the basic modules by applying it on sample farms. We also work with you on breeding, husbandry and feeding, the analysis and planning of farm branches.

The module lets you experience potentials of agriculture for social services in the fields of health, inclusion, employment, education and therapy. You will deal with planning and implementation in cooperation with other social services in agriculture.

Various less frequently kept animal species come into question as a possible alternative source of income in agriculture and you will learn to assess the corresponding farm branches comparatively. You will have basic knowledge of breeding, husbandry and feeding for the individual animal species. You will apply this knowledge in exercises.

Production diseases of cattle, pigs and chickens with corresponding disease symptoms and causes as well as the derivation of preventive measures are the focus of this module.

You will use instruments of business management, transfer approaches of management, organisation and coordination to operational situations. In the module you will also learn how to assess inter-company cooperation and value creation networks in the organic agricultural and food sector.

You will deepen your chosen specialisation. For this purpose, you choose three elective modules assigned to the specialisation during the course of study. The thesis in the sixth semester is thematically adapted to the specialisation.

You will analyse business models in the agricultural and food sector and consider the effects of changing framework conditions on them. In the module, you develop application-oriented scenarios for further development.

We give an overview of the most important vegetable species and their location requirements. Characteristics of field vegetable cultivation, greenhouse cultivation and young plant cultivation and a comparison of different cultivation methods is part of the content. You will derive suitable measures for different types of crops and learn principles of proper harvesting and storage for important vegetable species.

You will learn about business management evaluations and the analysis of selected agricultural branches and production processes of crop and livestock production. This also includes the application of cost-performance accounting instruments (e.g. contribution margin accounting, farm branch accounting).

Different forms of use of horse husbandry in agriculture and basic knowledge in the areas of horse breeding, horse husbandry and horse feeding are taught in this module.

Through a project-oriented and research-based learning approach, students are able to independently analyse typical business processes and marketing developments. They are also able to carry out business management planning from practice and develop marketing concepts. This takes place in groups in cooperation with company managers and specialist lecturers.

You can deepen and apply the knowledge acquired in the basic modules using example farms in the areas of breeding, husbandry and feeding. This also includes the analysis and planning of farm branches.

In this module we work on the recording of grassland stands and their assessment according to agricultural and nature conservation criteria with reflection of development goals for the stands. Subsequently, we derive corresponding management recommendations.

We develop possibilities for the use of regenerative forms of energy on farms. In doing so, we include current regenerative energy sources with their conversion paths for energetic and material use and look at possibilities for the material and energetic use of renewable raw materials.

After graduation

Career prospects

Organic farming is now an integral part of agricultural and food systems—these sectors can no longer be imagined without it. As the entire sector continues to grow, so do the fields of employment. The demand for professionals with a new understanding of management and values is high. In short: you are needed.

Job profiles/prospects

Upon completing your studies, you will be equipped to act in a demand-oriented way within the organic agriculture and food industry, guided by the principles of sustainability. This practice-oriented degree qualifies you for roles across all stages of the agricultural value chain. Career prospects include positions in agricultural and food businesses, trade, associations, and organisations such as advocacy groups, consultancies, public administration, politics, and certification bodies.

The practical semester helped me to find my direction early on, plan my professional career, and establish valuable contacts. I did my internship at Demeter e.V. in the press and public relations department. Today, I’m a team leader in the processing department at Demeter.

 

Silke Runge-Jelich

Demeter e.V., graduate, course of studies in organic agriculture and marketing

Application

I want to apply...

Application period

Summer semester:

for higher semester: 1.12. to 15.1. 

Winter semester:

for the first semester: 1.6. to 31.8.

for higher semester. 1.6. to 15.7.

 

Apply now

First, please register on the Hochschulstart application portal to obtain your identification numbers (applicant ID and BAN), which are required for your application. 
Next, submit your application via the HNEE portal at → https://bewerbung.hnee.de, where you will create an applicant account. You will receive a confirmation email from us containing your username and password. You may then log in to enter the required information and upload your documents.
After submitting your application online, you’ll be able to view a summary of your information by clicking the “Print” button. We recommend saving or printing this summary and reviewing it carefully to ensure all details are correct. If you notice any errors after submission, please get in touch with us e-mail at studieren(at)hnee.de before the application deadline.
You can track the status of your application both on the Hochschulstart portal and the HNEE application portal. Your status on Hochschulstart will remain “received” and will only change to “valid” shortly before the ranking lists are created.

  • General higher education entrance qualification (Abitur), or
  • Subject-specific higher education entrance qualification or entrance qualification for universities of applied sciences, or
  • A first higher education degree qualifying for a profession, or
  • A recognised professional qualification in accordance with §10(2), points 6 to 11 of the Brandenburg Higher Education Act (as amended on 28 April 2014), e.g. Master craftsperson (Meister) or certified business administrator (Fachwirt)
    For the degree programme Organic Agriculture and Marketing, credit may be awarded for vocationally acquired competences—for example, from formal training in the professions of farmer, gardener, or animal farmer, as well as agricultural master craftsperson training or biodynamic agriculture apprenticeships.
  • We strongly recommend completing a multi-week internship on an organically managed farm before starting your studies. Based on experience, a pre-study internship is especially beneficial for applicants without prior hands-on experience in agriculture.
  • General higher education entrance qualification (Abitur), or
  • Subject-specific higher education entrance qualification or entrance qualification for universities of applied sciences, or
  • A first higher education degree qualifying for a profession, or
  • A recognised vocational qualification in accordance with §10(2), points 6 to 11 of the Brandenburg Higher Education Act (as amended on 28 April 2014), e.g. Master craftsperson (Meister*in) or certified business administrator (Fachwirt*in)
  • For applicants to the dual study programme: A copy of the vocational training contract for agricultural training (Landwirt*in)
  • Optional (if already completed): Proof of a relevant internship, Voluntary Ecological Year (FÖJ), or vocational training of at least six months—for example, in farming or gardening.

When applying for the dual study programme, the same application documents must be submitted, and the application must clearly indicate that it is for the dual study track.

Application period

Summer semester:

for higher semester: 1.11. to 1.12. from a non-EU country or an EU/EEA country

Winter semester:

for the first semester: 1.4. to 15.7. from a non-EU country or an EU/EEA country

for higher semester: 1.4. to 15.7. from a non-EU country or an EU/EEA country

 

Apply now via uni-assist

Please apply early if you need to apply for a visa for your studies. The processing times are sometimes very long.

Please first register on the Hochschulstart application portal to obtain the identification numbers required for your application (applicant ID and BAN). If you obtained your school-leaving qualification outside Germany, you must not apply directly to our university, regardless of your citizenship. Instead, please apply via the uni-assist e.V. application portal. Uni-assist is a central service provider that conducts a preliminary review of international applications on behalf of many German universities. Detailed information about the application process can be found on the uni-assist website, including country-specific guidance.

If your application is complete and meets the formal admission requirements, uni-assist will forward it to our university. Once your application has been imported into the HNEE application system, you will receive an email with login details for the HNEE application portal, allowing you to track the status of your application.

  • A higher education entrance qualification obtained abroad that is recognised as equivalent to a German university entrance qualification
  • Optional (for EU citizens and if already completed): Proof of a relevant internship, Voluntary Ecological Year (FÖJ), or vocational training of at least six months—for example, in farming (Landwirtin), animal farming (Tierwirtin), or a related field
  • Other relevant documentation, such as:
    – Certificate from the Academic Evaluation Centre (APS) for applicants from China, India, Mongolia, or Vietnam
    – Proof of having passed a university entrance examination

Applicants with an international educational background must also demonstrate German language proficiency at C1 level, in accordance with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

You can check whether you meet the admission requirements on the uni-assist website 

  • Assessment test M-course
  • For the degree programme “Organic Agriculture and Marketing”, credit may be awarded for vocationally acquired competences—for example, from training as a farmer, gardener, or animal farmer, as well as agricultural master-level training or biodynamic agricultural apprenticeships.
  • We recommend completing a multi-week internship on an organically managed farm before beginning your studies. Based on experience, a pre-study internship is particularly beneficial for applicants without prior practical experience in agriculture.

The following application documents must be uploaded exclusively via the uni-assist application portal. Please note that this list is not exhaustive and additional documents may be requested.

  • Copy of the higher education entrance qualification in the original language
  • Depending on the type of qualification and country of origin, the higher education entrance qualification may include the following documents (see uni-assist country information):
    • school-leaving certificates with a transcript of grades
    • academic records from one to two years of study
    • other certificates relevant to the higher education entrance qualification (e.g. certificate from the Academic Evaluation Centre for applicants from China, India, Mongolia, or Vietnam; proof of having passed a university entrance examination)
  • German language certificate at level C1 (according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages – CEFR)
  • If you are applying for the dual study programme, please include a copy of your vocational training contract for agricultural training (Landwirt*in).

Foreign certificates must be translated into German or English by a sworn translator.

When applying for the dual study programme, the same documents must be submitted, and the application must clearly indicate that it is for the dual study track.

Application period

Summer semester: 1.11. to 1.12.

Winter semester: 1.6. to 15.7.

 

Apply now

 

As a secondary auditor (Nebenhörer*in), you may only apply for modules offered in the respective semester. An overview of the available modules can be found here. Please note that the modules offered, including their schedules and content, are subject to change.

Students who are already enrolled at another university as main (degree-seeking) students may be admitted to Hochschule für nachhaltige Entwicklung Eberswalde (HNEE) as secondary auditors (Nebenhörer*innen), subject to available capacity. Admission requires that simultaneous enrolment at both institutions (parallel studies) is feasible and that the selected module constitutes a meaningful supplement to the student’s primary programme of study.

Secondary auditors are not members of HNEE. They may participate in examinations with the approval of the respective examiners and in accordance with the applicable examination regulations. The scope of examinations taken may not lead to the award of a degree. There is no legal entitlement to participate in examinations. Further provisions are set out in the current matriculation regulations of HNEE.

Formal applications must be submitted during the application period by post or e-mail to the Student Service Centre.

There is a fee for secondary auditoring. The amount of the fee is determined by the current fee schedules of HNEE, the AStA, and the Studierendenwerk Ost:Brandenburg.

When applying for the dual study programme, the same documents must be submitted, and the application must be clearly marked as a dual study application.

Application period

Summer semester: 1.11. to 1.12.

Winter semester: 1.6. to 15.7.

 

Apply now

 

As a guest student, you can only apply for modules in the corresponding semester. You can find an overview of the respective offers here. Please note that the modules offered, their dates and contents may be subject to change.

As a rule, applications for guest auditor status must be submitted to the Student Service Centre prior to the start of the courses (Guest auditor application).

Persons who are not enrolled as guest auditors may be admitted to courses of up to 8 semester weeks within the scope of available training capacity, even without proof of a university entrance qualification.

Guest auditor status is generally subject to a fee. No fees are charged to enrolled students. Guest auditor status is free of charge for interested persons with a refugee background.

Participation in courses within the relevant teaching areas will be confirmed in writing. Participation in examinations is excluded.

Formal applications are to be submitted during the application period by post or e-mail to the Student Service Centre during the application period.

When applying for the dual study programme, the same documents must be submitted, and the application must be clearly marked as a dual study application.

We are happy to welcome you to an → exchange programme at HNEE.

 

FAQ on application and admission

No, there are no separate application deadlines for applicants who obtained their Abitur or Fachhochschulreife before the current year. The current application deadlines can be found under the Application section for each degree programme.

 

If the number of applications is expected to exceed the number of available study places, the degree programme will be subject to admission restrictions (Numerus Clausus). Study places are allocated to applicants through a selection process, which involves creating several ranking lists. The average grade or waiting time of the last admitted applicant determines the admission threshold for that year.

You can find the admission thresholds for restricted degree programmes from the previous year here:
Admission thresholds for restricted degree programmes from previous years

No, you may only apply for one degree programme at our university. We encourage you to consult with us early on to determine which programme is the best fit for you. Please contact us via E-mail to arrange an appointment. Consultations are available by phone, online, or in person.

If your Fachhochschulreife (university of applied sciences entrance qualification) consists of a school-based and a practical part, you can only apply once both parts have been completed. For example, if the practical part ends after the application deadline, you will have to apply in the following year.

For applications to a master’s degree programme, we require a transcript from your university showing at least 150 ECTS credits, your current grade point average, and the expected date of graduation.

You have the option to apply for a study place at our university even without an Abitur. For this, you need a secondary school leaving certificate (Sekundarstufe I, e.g., Realschule), a relevant vocational qualification, and two years of professional experience, or a master craftsman’s certificate (Meister) or certified business administrator (Fachwirt) in any field.

Admission, rejection, or exclusion notices are made available in the online application portal. At the same time, a notification is sent to the email address registered in your applicant account.
For restricted-admission degree programmes, the notices are usually sent out two to four weeks after the application deadline for the respective programme.

Please note for degree programmes participating in the Dialogue-Oriented Service Procedure (DoSV):

If you are applying for a degree programme that takes part in the DoSV via Hochschulstart, you must first accept your offer of admission on the → Hochschulstart portal. Only after you have actively accepted the offer can HNE Eberswalde issue your official letter of admission.

If you do not meet the formal admission requirements, uni-assist will contact you during the application period to request any missing documents. You will receive an update on the status of your application within four weeks.

Before your studies

Here you will find all the important dates, all the information about the matriculation ceremony, the university library and the language centre.

LEARN MORE

All links for orientation from scholarships, funding opportunities to finding accommodation

INFORM ME NOW
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

Welcome Programme

Our students will help you with local orientation, enrolment, dealing with the authorities, finding accommodation and much more.

MORE INFORMATION

FAQ before starting your studies

Are there preparatory courses before the regular start of studies?

You will find the semester dates and the programme for the introductory events for first-year students on this page in good time.

When and how do I start my studies?

You will find the semester dates and the programme for the introductory events for first-year students on this page in good time.
There you will find out where to find your study plan in the campus management system → Mein EMMA and how to register for modules and exams, get to know the Moodle platform, where you will find all learning materials etc., get to know your contact persons and student representatives and initiatives as well as your fellow students and gain initial insights into individual degree programmes. So it's definitely worth taking part!

Please bring a valid ID for the identity check, as well as something to take notes with.
For meals, feel free to take advantage of the great offerings at our sustainability canteen.

You can access your study plan online through our campus management system → Mein EMMA. You will receive your login details by email after enrolment.

No, attendance is not compulsory—neither for courses nor for the introductory week (with the exception of the identity check at the beginning of your studies, most exams, and any registered excursions).
However, regular attendance is strongly recommended. It not only supports your learning progress but also helps foster the positive dynamic within our small learning groups.

Where can I get support at the beginning of my studies if I don't know my way around or have specific questions?

Most of your questions will likely be answered during the introductory events at the start of the semester. If you still have questions or specific needs, feel free to make use of → our advisory services.

General information about studying

General Student Counselling

Stadtcampus | House 5 ground floor, right
Schicklerstraße 5 | 16225 Eberswalde

+ 49 3334 657-149
studieren(at)hnee.de

Counselling appointment
Please make an appointment by phone or e-mail

Subject-specific information on the degree programme

Student counselling

Anja Hradetzky

Student advisor ÖLV

Head of study programme

Prof. Dr. Anna Maria Häring

Professorship for Policy and Markets in the Agricultural and Food Industry

START-UP CENTRE

Start your own business

Everything about founding: Advice, events, success stories and the HNEE Startup Lab

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Advice and events on application documents, career guidance and job advertisements

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UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

Most valuable library services

Information on the media catalogue, on borrowing media, publishing your own documents, academic work, research and citation

VISIT THE LIBRARY