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MSc in Digital Technology for Sustainable Agriculture  (T385)

MSc (NFQ Level 9) · Academic Year 2024/2025
School
School of Biosystems and Food Engineering
Attendance
Full Time
Level
Graduate Taught
NFQ Level
9
Award
Master of Science
Mode of Delivery
Blended
Programme Director
Dr Dimitrios Argyropoulos
Overall Programme Credits:
90
Programme Credits:
Stage 1
Core/Option: 90 Electives: 0
Major/Minor Core & Option Credits:
Stage 1: 90

Curricular information is subject to change.

Digital Technology for Sustainable Agriculture is the integration of new and advanced technologies into crop and livestock farming systems to enable farmers and other professionals in the sector to improve food production. 

UCD’s MSc Programme on Digital Technology for Sustainable Agriculture is targeted towards providing students with cutting edge training in digital technology areas that include a number of modules in computer programming, data processing, Internet-of-Things and machine learning implementations. 

This programme will build student’s knowledge and skills-base to address the complexities of developing, deploying and managing digital technology in the agri-food sector with a focus on enhancing efficiency, sustainability and resilience at all levels of food production.

The programme also offers hands-on experience on a range of novel digital technology, training in state-of-the-art labs and applied research in a real life environment at the Lyons Research Farm.

Delivery Mode & Themes

This programme is primarily delivered face to face, but will also include some fully online modules and blended delivery models. All modules are optional and students will be able to take themed clusters of modules (e.g. three modules of precision farming, three modules of sensing technology, three modules of computers and electronics, three modules of data science) to reflect specific technical interests or needs for upskilling.

Individual Modules:
For students that are not in a position to take on the full programme a number of the modules on this programme can be taken individually via the Advance Centre  catalogue. Most modules are online so that you can fit study around your work and life.

Module Information:

Under the "What modules can I take?" section below you will see general module information, for a more detailed description including module selection rules click here.

The MSc programme provides students with an understanding of the “Digital Technology” tools that digitise data capture relating to the environment and activity (sensors circuits, systems and programming), move the data (accumulation networks), store the data (databases), analyse data to gain insights (models and AI), share the resulting information along the agricultural value chain (distribution networks) and provide actors and stakeholders access to the digital chain (interfaces).

Graduates of the MSc Digital Agriculture may find employment opportunities in the following areas:

  • Agricultural machinery (e.g. Agco, CNH Industrial, Claas, John Deere)
  • Precision farming (e.g. Amazone, Lemken, Rauch, Dairymaster)
  • Decision support in agriculture (e.g. Corteva Digital Ag, Syngenta Global)
  • IoT, data and predictive analytics (e.g. BASF, Bosch, IBM, Microsoft)

Stage 1

T385 Digital Technology for Sustainable Agriculture (Sept) is a 1-year 90-credit full-time Masters Programme comprising 30 Core credits per trimester to ensure a balanced workload. The 30-credit module BSEN40090 Biosystems Engineering Thesis is a Core Module and must be taken by all students in the Summer Trimester.

Below is a list of all modules offered for this degree in the current academic year. Click on the module to discover what you will learn in the module, how you will learn and assessment feedback profile amongst other information.

Incoming Stage 1 undergraduates can usually select an Elective in the Spring Trimester. Most continuing undergraduate students can select up to two Elective modules (10 Credits) per stage. There is also the possibility to take up to 10 extra Elective credits.

Module Type Module   Trimester Credits
Stage 1 Core Modules
BSEN40500 Hyperspectral imaging Autumn  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
BSEN40740 Soil Technology Autumn  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
BSEN40760 Computers & Electronics in Ag Autumn  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
BSEN40780 Remote Sensing and GIS Autumn  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
CPSC40100 Advances in Crop Mechanisation Autumn  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
STAT40800 Data Prog with Python (online) Autumn  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
BSEN30210 Precision Agriculture Spring  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
BSEN30520 Sensors and Sensing Systems Spring  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
BSEN30530 Numerical Methods for Agricult Spring  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
BSEN40510 Precision Livestock Management Spring  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
BSEN40520 Optical Spectroscopy Spring  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
BSEN40750 IoT enabled AgriFood Prod Spring  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
BSEN40090 Thesis Year-long (12 months)  30

See the UCD Assessment website for further details

Module Weighting Info
 
  Award GPA
Programme Module Weightings Rule Description Description >= <=
MTEMP009 Stage 1 - 100.00%
Standard Honours Award First Class Honours

3.68

4.20

Second Class Honours, Grade 1

3.08

3.67

Second Class Honours, Grade 2

2.48

3.07

Pass

2.00

2.47