Agro-Environmental Management 

Overview

An ideal learning environment 

Denmark, a country that produces three times as much food as it consumes, is an ideal location for studying agricultural systems. Its agricultural history and long-standing strict environmental regulations mean that students have many practical examples and a large existing body of research to draw from. Aarhus University is alone in offering this specific degree.

The Agro-Environmental Management programme from Aarhus University looks at topics such as carbon cycling and climate change; nutrient cycling and environmental management; environmental effects of various types of production; soil ecosystem services; xenobiotics; use of natural resources; geographic information systems; environmental legislation and regulation; and nature restoration.

These topics are of global relevance. Combined with the considerable Danish expertise and experience in this area, this means that the degree programme attracts students from all over the world. We therefore guarantee that, as a student on the Agro-Environmental Management MSc programme, you will be challenged and stimulated at both the scientific and social levels. In the course of the programme, each student will be connected with relevant research groups in connection with project work or their thesis.

A mixture of Danish and international students provides an optimal environment for peer-to-peer learning. Danes can share their experience of working in a highly regulated industry with strong environmental protections, and international students can bring both problems and solutions from their home countries to the discussions, an opportunity that will prepare all students to work in a globalised world.

From 2020, some of the courses will be organised in collaboration with the International Master of Science in Soils and Global Change (IMSOGLO), a European Erasmus Mundus programme. The Master’s programme is a collaboration between Aarhus University and three other European universities. It covers the interactions of soils with global change, both in terms of changing climate and changing land use.

Careers

Graduates of this programme go on to work in advisory services, for city or regional administration, private companies, or NGOs. They may also find careers at the UN or work in independent consulting, offering assessment services. Students who do their thesis in the context of a specific company are often offered a job there. Many students go on to study for a PhD.

“I choose the AEM Master’s because I wanted a holistic view of our food and agriculture systems. I wanted to learn from a Danish and an international perspective. On the programme I acquired a strong foundation in agronomy, environmental conservation, climate change, and policy regulation, all in connection with agriculture and rural land development. Not only did I use these topics in my thesis, but they are the skills and knowledge I will apply and build upon in a future career or a PhD.”