European Farm and Food Systems

Course content

The course has focus on land based production systems, their environmental effects and the context they are embedded in. An important part is methods and tools to work analytically and professionally with these systems on field, farm and system level.

This course is mandatory on the MSc Agriculture program, specialisation Production and Environment.

The course is centered around a close collaboration with a partner company in agriculture. During the course the students spend two weeks doing field work in the company, engaging in real-life cases. The work process is facilitated and structured, from identification of areas of improvement through interactions with the partner, through problem analysis, solution creation and prioritizing to delivering a partner document with proposals for action to the partner. The teaching and learning environment is characterized by being experiental (learning by doing) and interactive (involving stakeholders) and the specific knowledge and skills are determined by the concrete cases worked with.


Course contents include:
- farm economy and environmental regulation as conditions for farming in Europe
- methods for sustainability assessment
- field investigation of concrete topics and problems
- qualitative methods as a tool in working with external partners
- tools to facilitate successful problem-based group work

 

Education

MSc Programme in Agriculture

Learning outcome

After completing the course the student should:

Knowledge
- show overview of important conditions (biophysical, legal, economic and institutional) forming the context for European farm and food systems 

Skills
- demonstrate ability to select and apply appropriate methods to describe, analyse and develop viable solutions to, problems within European agriculture, food and environment

Competences
- show capacity to work systematically and professionally to create value within agriculture, food and environment  
- demonstrate awareness of own and other's professional capacities
- communicate ideas and giving constructive feedback efficiently to peers and stakeholders

 

 

 

The course is structured with 2 weeks of preparation, 2 weeks of field work and 4 weeks of processing and project work. Preparation includes teacher and student lead lectures and practicals on theory, methods and tools to be used in field work. Supervised groups prepare a synopsis before the field trip, conduct fieldwork, prepare and submit a course report. During the project process groups present their work and receive feedback on their proposals for viable solutions both from peers and from external professionals.

See Absalon for literature and other resources

The course requires knowledge of agriculture and environment corresponding to a BSc in one of these fields. If needed please seek teacher advice vl@plen.ku.dk

Academic qualifications equivalent to a BSc degree is recommended.

Oral
ECTS
15 ECTS
Type of assessment
Oral examination, 20
Description of Examination: Individual oral examination (20 min, no preparation time) based on project report, individual learning document and course curriculum.
Aid
All aids allowed
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
External censorship
Criteria for exam assessment

See learning outcome

Single subject courses (day)

  • Category
  • Hours
  • Class Instruction
  • 24
  • Exam
  • 6
  • Excursions
  • 120
  • Guidance
  • 10
  • Lectures
  • 22
  • Practical exercises
  • 25
  • Preparation
  • 65
  • Project work
  • 140
  • English
  • 412