Program Overview

Erasmus Mundus Master Degree in Plant Breeding (emPLANT+)

The Erasmus Mundus Master's Degree in Plant Breeding is a postgraduate program designed to train highly qualified professionals in the field of plant breeding. Offered by a consortium of leading European universities, the program combines knowledge in agronomy, conventional breeding techniques, genetics, in vitro breeding, biotechnology, and bioinformatics, together with skills in project management, intellectual property law, intercultural and linguistic competencies.

Description of the Title

The Erasmus Mundus Master's Degree in Plant Breeding enables graduates to apply their knowledge in various areas related to research and development in the agri-food sector and biotechnology.

Objectives of the Degree

• To train highly qualified plant breeders in plant breeding techniques.
• Develop competencies in biotechnology and genetics for the improvement of plant species.
• Apply in vitro culture techniques and transgenic plant breeding in breeding programs.
• Integrate knowledge of project management and intellectual property rights in plant breeding.
• Encourage complex problem-solving and modeling in plant breeding programs.

Career Opportunities

The Erasmus Mundus Master's Degree in Plant Breeding provides graduates with various career opportunities in the field of plant breeding and biotechnology, including:

• Research and development in academic institutions and research centers.
• Management of genetic improvement programs in agricultural and biotechnology companies.
• Consultancy in plant biotechnology and sustainable agriculture.
• Advice on intellectual property rights related to genetic innovations.
• Positions in R&D departments in government agencies and NGOs related to agriculture.
• Development of international cooperation projects in the agricultural area.

Aimed Primarily At

Students will be eligible for the Erasmus Mundus Master's Degree in Plant Breeding if they can prove that they hold a Bachelor's Degree in the field of Agri-Food, Plant Production, and Life Sciences, including:

• Agricultural Engineer
• Forestry Engineer
• Technical Agricultural Engineer
• Technical Engineer in Agricultural Exploitation
• Technical Engineer in Horticulture and Gardening
• Technical Engineer in Agricultural and Food Industries
• Forestry Technical Engineer
• Degree in Biotechnology
• Degree in Biochemistry
• Bachelor of Science in Food Science and Technology
• Degree in Environmental Sciences
• Degree in Biological Sciences
• Degree in Enology
• Other qualifications in the aforementioned fields, subject to evaluation by the consortium's Executive Board.
• Foreign students with homologated or equivalent degrees that allow access to postgraduate studies in the country of issue.

Structure of the Master's Degree

Credits: 120 ECTS

• Mandatory: 0 ECTS
• Electives: 90 ECTS
• External internships: 0 ECTS
• Final Master's thesis (TFM): 30 ECTS

Module 1. First Year: 60 ECTS Mandatory

• Subject: MATE – Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences
  • Minimum credits: 60
  • Character: Elective
• Subject: ULS – Institut PolyTechnique UniLaSalle (Beauvais – France)
  • Minimum credits: 60
  • Character: Elective
• Subject: SLU – Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (Uppsala – Sweden)
  • Minimum credits: 60
  • Character: Elective

Module 2. Second Year: 30 ECTS Mandatory

• Subject: UPV – Universitat Politècnica de València (Valencia – Spain)
  • Minimum credits: 30
  • Character: Elective
• Subject: ULS – Institut PolyTechnique UniLaSalle (Beauvais – France)
  • Minimum credits: 30
  • Character: Elective
• Subject: BOKU – Universität für Bodenkultur Wien-University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences
  • Minimum credits: 30
  • Character: Elective
• Subject: UMIL – Università Degli Studi di Milano
  • Minimum credits: 30
  • Character: Elective

Module 3. Master's Thesis: 30 ECTS Final Degree Project

• Subject: Master's Thesis
  • Minimum credits: 30
  • Character: Final Degree Project

Internships

During the Erasmus Mundus Master's Degree in Plant Breeding, students have the opportunity to carry out external internships that allow them to apply their knowledge in real environments. These internships can be carried out in companies of the agricultural sector, research centers, or institutions linked to plant breeding, thus facilitating the integration of theory and practice in their professional training.

Research and Access to Ph.D.

Lines of research of the master's degree:

• Crop breeding
• Biotechnology applied to plant breeding
• Plant genetics and molecular biology
• In vitro culture techniques
• Bioinformatics in plant breeding
• Project management in genetic improvement
• Intellectual property in plant biotechnology
• Big data analysis in agronomy
• Intercultural competencies in agriculture
• Innovations in seed technologies

Academic Exchange / Agreements with Other Universities

Students will be able to carry out an academic stay in one of the 97 countries with which the UPV has an agreement. There are more than 1,000 destinations to choose from in Europe (Erasmus scholarships), the United States, Japan, South Korea, China, Australia, and Latin America, among others.

Facilities and Laboratories

The Universitat Politècnica de València provides the following laboratories and facilities:

• Plant Biotechnology Laboratory
• Molecular Genetics Laboratory
• Greenhouses for Experimental Crops
• Seed Analysis Laboratory
• Biological Resources Center

Master's Thesis

To obtain the Erasmus Mundus Master's Degree in Plant Breeding, you will have to defend a Master's Thesis. This work will consist of carrying out a research or development project related to plant breeding, allowing the application of the knowledge acquired during the program and contributing to the advancement of this field.

Collaborating Companies and More

The Erasmus Mundus University Master in Plant Breeding has collaborations with important entities in the field of research and the agricultural industry. Through its contacts, a collaboration network is established with companies such as:

• BASF
• Syngenta
• Limagrain
• Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)
• Rijk Zwaan
• Corteva Agriscience

These companies contribute their expertise and resources, offering students opportunities for internships and research projects in a professional environment.