Personalised course content
You will complete the Ecological Agriculture and Food Systems degree programme after four semesters. During this time, you will also undertake a practical placement. You will earn 30 ECTS credits per semester, resulting in a total of 120 ECTS credits. In the first two semesters, the programme focuses primarily on teaching you the fundamentals. At the end of the first semester, you can apply for the Double Degree programme, which we offer in collaboration with our partner university, ZHAW. In the third semester, you will complete your practical placement in the agricultural and food sector or in research. In the fourth semester, you will write your Master’s thesis. Thanks to a wide range of compulsory elective modules, you can tailor your course of study to suit your individual needs.
Modules per term
The first semester takes place at the HNE in Eberswalde and focuses on the first major module, ‘Introduction to Sustainable Agricultural and Food Systems’ (12 ECTS). Students also have the option of choosing three compulsory elective modules. In the autumn, it is possible to apply for the double degree programme.
You will gain an understanding of the complexity of agricultural and food systems, thereby realising their central importance to processes of social transformation. Furthermore, you will get to know one another as a group of student experts (highlighting the expertise within the group as a resource for interdisciplinary work).
You will gain an overview of management practices, particularly for larger livestock populations (herd, health, nutrient and quality management). Using practical examples, you will learn how to apply the relevant management tools.
Through an overview of agricultural assessment systems, particularly with regard to sustainability and animal welfare, you will learn how they are applied in practice. You will also gain an understanding of current issues in organic livestock farming.
Drawing on the latest scientific articles, you will be able to provide well-founded and thoughtful answers to pressing questions relating to grassland management and grassland ecology.
You will acquire a basic theoretical and practical understanding of quality assessment methods and, building on this, will be able to critically evaluate quality control procedures.
Here you will gain an understanding of the physiological processes that occur in plants under stressful conditions. You will learn about the effects of climate change on the cultivation of crops.
You will learn to systematically analyse selected policy issues, institutional frameworks and political processes within the policy area of agricultural and food systems.
For a working farm, you will plan a new branch of operation involving livestock, taking into account herd size, housing systems, feed requirements and economic considerations. In addition, you will deepen your knowledge of specific animal species as potential sources of income.
Against the backdrop of legal and industry requirements for food businesses operating in an environmentally sustainable manner, you will learn about the importance of operational quality assurance systems and how to plan them.
Using selected examples from agriculture and horticulture, you will learn to assess the impact of process engineering on a farm’s resource consumption.
The Research Methods module and the Regional Value Creation in Agriculture and Food project module together form the core of the second semester. The methods learnt are put into immediate practical application in the project module, for example through collaboration with partner organisations from the InnoForum. In parallel, students can take two compulsory elective modules.
You will learn about data collection methods and how to analyse data using statistical techniques. You will also gain detailed knowledge of research methods in plant science, animal ecology and the social sciences.
Working in small groups, you will use an inquiry-based teaching approach to explore, through specific real-world questions, the development and theoretical implementation of strategies for regional businesses in the agricultural and food industries.
Systematic analysis and evaluation of cultivation methods in organic farming. Strengths and weaknesses analysis of nutrient cycles in livestock and non-livestock farms. These are the topics covered in this module.
In this module, we provide an understanding of the various approaches to advisory services, as well as how they are organised and funded within organic farming. You will learn to view advisory services as a process, enabling you, as an advisor, to tailor your approach to the specific situation and support clients through processes of change.
They understand the importance of digital product and company descriptions for ordering, production, picking and billing processes in the food industry.
You will gain an overview of the production of the most economically important vegetable varieties in organic farming. The course covers methods used in field vegetable cultivation, greenhouse cultivation, seedling production and plant protection.
This module enables you to analyse business models in the agricultural and food sectors, discuss the impact of changing conditions on these models, and develop practical scenarios for their further development.
You will gain an understanding of sustainable consumption patterns and the factors that influence them, and learn about the key barriers to sustainable consumption and how these can be addressed. You will use marketing research methods as a basis for decision-making regarding (sustainability-focused) marketing strategies for stakeholders in the agri-food sector.
They are able to describe operational and strategic management tools, as well as approaches from the functional areas of management, sustainability management, organisation and coordination in agriculture and agribusiness, and apply them to real-world business situations.
As a student, you will learn to analyse, evaluate and plan grazing systems in a practical setting, taking into account local, operational, agri-environmental policy and societal conditions.
You will undertake your personalised work placement semester in the agriculture and food sector or in research. The work placement project is designed to enable you to produce a research paper. The third semester usually takes place at HNEE. For double-degree students, this is when you head to Switzerland to study at ZHAW.
During the placement, you will gain an insight into the typical content, processes and functional areas of business management (planning, finance, controlling, human resources management, etc.). Where possible, you should work independently and be entrusted with your own tasks. Part of the internship period must be set aside for the development of your research project. The topic will be determined following a collaborative research process with the supervisor at the host company and a supervising lecturer from the University for Sustainable Development.
In parallel with and following the practical placement, you will work on a research question developed jointly with the host organisation, in accordance with academic standards. The research project is carried out as a collaborative process involving the host organisation and an HNEE lecturer, with the aim of developing well-founded and tailored solutions. The results will be presented and discussed during a Transfer Camp.
In the fourth semester, you will write your Master’s thesis. To do this, you will return to HNEE.
FAQ: Course Content
HNEE is a typical ‘campus university’, which is why students on the MSc OLE programme spend most of their day on the city campus. Lecture theatres, seminar rooms, the canteen and the library are all within easy reach here. The day is divided into lecture periods, time for group work or research in the library, and informal discussions over lunch in the canteen. On other days, the programme includes field trips or practical exercises. Students then travel by bike, train or HNEE buses to partner organisations in the region or to the teaching and research station in the Uckermark.
• Shaping the sustainability transition in the agricultural and food sector
• Analysing and evaluating complex value chains in the organic agricultural and food sector
• Shaping participatory and transdisciplinary development and research processes
The modules include face-to-face teaching sessions (lectures, tutorials, seminars, field trips) as well as time set aside for self-study and group work. In addition to ongoing modules offered on a weekly basis, there are also modules offered as intensive courses during the intensive week. Project workshops and innovative teaching and learning methods are module formats that enable students to take an active role in the teaching process and to contribute their own areas of focus to the curriculum.
Thanks to the ‘Regional Value Creation in Agriculture and Food’ project module and the practical study semester, the practical component is very substantial, even when compared to other Master’s programmes. Furthermore, the collaboration with the InnoForum Ökolandbau Brandenburg provides a close link to the professional world, which is utilised in teaching.
Alongside your studies, you have the opportunity to gain practical work experience as a working student or research assistant in companies or research projects. Through the InnoForum Ökolandbau Brandenburg, you can find farms in the region where you can work as a student.
As a link to the professional world, HNEE coordinates the Innovation Centre for Sustainable Food Systems. This gives students direct access to potential employers and companies, allowing them to get to know them whilst still studying.
