Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security MSc

Please rest assured we make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the programmes, services and facilities described. However, it may be necessary to make changes due to significant disruption, for example in response to Covid-19.

View our Academic experience page, which gives information about your Newcastle University study experience for the academic year 2025-26.

See our terms and conditions and student complaints information, which gives details of circumstances that may lead to changes to programmes, modules or University services.

An MSc is a taught Master’s degree. It usually involves the study of a science-related subject. It typically includes:

• subject-specific taught modules
• a dissertation or research project of approximately 15,000 – 18,000 words

You'll usually study an MSc full-time over 12 months.

A Master of Science is typically awarded for the successful completion of 120 credits of taught modules and a 60-credit dissertation or research project.

Find out about different types of postgraduate qualifications.

Module information is intended to provide an example of what you will study.

Our teaching is informed by research. Course content changes periodically to reflect developments in the discipline, the requirements of external bodies and partners, and student feedback.

Full details of the modules on offer will be published through the Programme Regulations and Specifications ahead of each academic year. This usually happens in May.

To find out more please see our terms and conditions.

Optional modules availability

Some courses have optional modules. Student demand for optional modules may affect availability.

You’ll learn through a range of methods including:

• lectures
• seminars
• practical and field classes
• tutorials
• case studies
• small group discussions

You’ll be in charge of your own learning through independent study to complement the structured sessions.

Credit Accumulation Transfer Scheme

We offer flexible learning for those already working in the industry through the Credit Accumulation Transfer Scheme. This framework enables us to award postgraduate-level qualifications using credit-bearing stand-alone modules as 'building blocks' towards a qualification. This means that the credits from modules undertaken within five years can be 'banked' towards the award of a qualification.

Depending on your modules, you'll be assessed through a combination of:

• Case study
• Computer assessment
• Dissertation
• Essay
• Oral presentation
• Report
• Written exercise

Research dissertation project

During your studies, you'll complete a major research project.

We'll help you design and deliver a project based on a lab or field investigation. You'll collect, analyse, and interpret data to produce a thesis. You’ll write your thesis in the style of an academic paper. You can complete your project and thesis overseas.

Throughout your studies, you’ll have access to support from:

• academic staff
• personal tutors and research supervisors
• our University Student Services Team
• student representatives
• peers

You'll also be assigned an academic member of staff, who will be your personal tutor throughout your time with us. They can help with academic and personal issues.

Your teaching and learning is also supported by Canvas. Canvas is a Virtual Learning Environment. You'll use Canvas to submit your assignments and access your:

• module handbooks
• course materials
• groups
• course announcements and notifications
• written feedback

Dr Hannah Davis

Dr Hannah Davis is the Degree Programme Director and an experienced researcher in ruminant nutrition and grazing management. Hannah's research aims to understand how dairy management practices affect milk quality, animal health, and environmental impact to optimise sustainable farming systems.

Our lecturers and research

Our lecturers are industry-experienced and research-active. Our research in integrated agricultural production focuses on:

• regenerative agriculture
• vertical farming
• natural capital
• soil science
• plant science
• ecology and biodiversity
• dairy and beef production

Strategic research embraces work on:

• precision agriculture
• rhizosphere function
• plant-soil feedback
• soil-carbon dynamics
• nutrient cycling
• sustainable livestock

Applied research addresses issues of:

• climate change mitigation (including biofuels)
• regenerative farming systems
• low-input crop systems
• agriculture-environment interactions
• crop health and production

From 1 January 2021 there is an update to the way professional qualifications are recognised by countries outside of the UK

Check the government’s website for more information.

As a general principle, you should expect the tuition fee to increase in each subsequent academic year of your course, subject to government regulations on fee increases and in line with inflation.

Depending on your residency history, if you’re a student from the EU, other EEA or a Swiss national, with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you’ll normally pay the ‘Home’ tuition fee rate and may be eligible for Student Finance England support.

EU students without settled or pre-settled status will normally be charged fees at the ‘International’ rate and will not be eligible for Student Finance England support. You may be eligible for a scholarship worth 25% off the international fee. Search our funding database. 

If you are unsure of your fee status, check out the latest guidance here.

Scholarships

We support our EU and international students by providing a generous range of Vice-Chancellor's automatic and merit-based scholarships. See our searchable postgraduate funding page for more information. 

If you are an international student or a student from the EU, EEA or Switzerland and you need a visa to study in the UK, you may have to pay a deposit.

You can check this in the How to apply section.

If you're applying for funding, always check the funding application deadline. This deadline may be earlier than the application deadline for your course.

For some funding schemes, you need to have received an offer of a place on a course before you can apply for the funding.