Master of Science (Advanced) in Agricultural Innovation

With a Master of Science (Advanced) in Agricultural Innovation you will have the skills required to solve the complex challenges facing the world.

Globally agriculture will need to feed over nine billion people by 2050. With a changing climate and increasing competition for land, water and energy resources, the agricultural sector will need to find innovative ways to do more with less. To achieve this, an interdisciplinary approach to problem solving will be required. By completing courses in environmental management, business, computer science, biology, engineering or systems modelling, you will have the skills to integrate and adapt knowledge from different disciplines to design novel solutions to complex problems.

The Master of Science (Advanced) in Agricultural Innovation program provides you with the opportunity to extend your practical and coursework experience with the development and implementation of a research project supervised by an academic. This is particularly relevant to those who wish to benefit from the research strengths of ANU and pursue a career in research.

You will learn from world-leading experts from across ANU, and its industry partners, through initiatives including the Agrifood Innovation Institute (AFII). In partnership with government and industry, AFII brings together research and technology to address industry challenges, cutting across traditional discipline boundaries.

Working in multidisciplinary teams on industry projects, graduates will translate research and theory into real-world outcomes, gaining industry relevant skills and a deep understanding of the challenges faced by industry.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must present a Bachelor degree or international equivalent

The GPA requirement for this program must be met by both the program as a whole, as well as by the 8 courses in a cognate discipline. Where more than 8 cognate courses have been completed by the applicant, ANU will take the best 8 courses when assessing the cognate GPA.

The GPA for a Bachelor program will be calculated from (i) a completed Bachelor degree using all grades and/or (ii) a completed Bachelor degree using all grades other than those from the last semester (or equivalent study period) of the Bachelor degree. The higher of the two calculations will be used as the basis for admission.

Ranking and English Language Proficiency: At a minimum, all applicants must meet program-specific academic/non-academic requirements, and English language requirements. Admission to most ANU programs is on a competitive basis. Therefore, meeting all admission requirements does not automatically guarantee entry.

In line with the University's admissions policy and strategic plan, an assessment for admission may include competitively ranking applicants on the basis of specific academic achievement, English language proficiency and diversity factors. Applicants will first be ranked on a GPA ('GPA1') that is calculated using all but the last semester (or equivalent) of the Bachelor degree used for admission purposes. If required, ranking may further be confirmed on the basis of:

Prior to enrolment in this ANU program, all students who gain entry will have their Bachelor degree reassessed, to confirm minimum requirements were met.

Further information: English language admission requirements and post-admission support

Employment Opportunities

Stakeholder engagement with research and industry during the program development phase continually identified the skill shortage of system thinking, team ready and broad knowledge graduates. An aging community within the agricultural research and industries is considered a limitation to advancing the agri system. Graduates would be expected to build careers in state and federal government, as researchers in industry bodies, corporations and research institutions, as innovation technologist across the agricultural sector and in supporting non government organisations globally. Graduates would have the capacity to enter at managerial and strategic thinking level positions and also educate the next generation of leaders in agricultural fields.