Master Plant Biotechnology

For Who

The Master of Science in Plant Biotechnology is an advanced master for students with a biotechnology background who want to shift their focus towards fundamental plant biotechnological research in one year. See Admission criteria.

What

The program is fairly unique in the world, because it allows students with a biotechnology background to acquaint in-depth insights into plant biotechnology in one year within a scientific environment that is world-leading. The Master in Plant Biotechnology aims at providing answers to the complex questions of how we will deal with the growing demand for plant-derived products such as feed, food and bio-energy, which need to be produced on less arable land and under environmentally more challenging conditions. Our program (60 credits) is embedded within an environment of top science and industrial entrepreneurship where translational research enables the transfer of knowledge from plant models to crops. The aspiration is to transfer cutting-edge plant biotechnological know-how and expertise to the next generation of scientists, so that they can use this knowledge to solve local and global problems. The emphasis of the program lies on the acquisition and use of advanced knowledge of plants from a molecular point of view, providing students a strong technical expertise and a critical scientific mind-set, and immersing them in state-of-the-art molecular plant biotechnology and various related technologies, while also addressing the practical applicability of the knowledge adhered. They obtain experience in every aspect of scientific research during the master's dissertation (24 credits). After choosing a subject, the students are hosted in a lab and work for about 2,5 days per week on their project, during which they get involved in project development, execution and interpretation, enabling them to comply with the wishes from international plant biotechnological industries. Also through choosing the elective courses, students can specialize in their field of interest. The teaching language is English.

Where

Our educational environment has been assessed as 'Harvard at the Leie' (VLUHR, 2015), referring to the top-quality education combined with top-quality research. Studying at Ghent University means studying at the largest agro-biotech campus in Europe. The Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics at Ghent University in collaboration with the VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology has a long-standing tradition of converting basic plant science into successful industrial entities: BASF Agricultural Solutions Belgium NV (previously Plant Genetic Systems and Bayer Crop Science), CropDesign, Syngenta (previously Devgen) and more recently Aphea.Bio and Protealis. Today, these companies together with our plant research center form the largest European Plant Biotechnology campus. This experience is integrated in our education and will prepare you for various positions in research labs and agro-biotech companies.

Curriculum

The curriculum covers all aspects of modern plant biotechnology related to state-of-the-art technologies, plant growth and development, abiotic stress and biotic interactions, IP and safety regulation. Moreover, through elective courses and a substantial master project, students can specialize further in their field of interest. More information about the program and course contents can be found here.

Learning Objectives

The Master of Science in Plant Biotechnology is characterized by five general learning objectives:

to acquire advanced knowledge of plant biology with emphasis on the molecular level;
to have extensive awareness of basic and applied scientific research in plant biotechnology;
to acquire specialized research skills in plant biotechnology;
to acquire skills in scientific communication, oral and written reports, project preparation, and to function in an international research environment;
to have advanced awareness of the valorization of research results in the field of plant biotechnology and for their economic and societal dimensions.

Summary

To summarize, the uniqueness of the program is based on following qualities:

Advanced Master: The program is aimed at students who already have a Master's degree or a four-year Bachelor’s degree (including a dissertation). See Admission criteria

High level: The students should have sufficient basic knowledge, which is assessed via a thorough screening during the intake interview. See Admission criteria

International intake: Although the English-taught program is also followed by Belgian students, the aim is to recruit students from all over the world.