Agricultural Sciences and Sustainability

Entry requirements

Normally a good undergraduate honours degree (high 2:2 or above), or equivalent from a university outside the UK, in a subject relevant to agriculture, ecology, geography or environmental sciences. Applicants who have relevant career experience are also welcome to apply.

Months of entry

September

Course content

Prepare for a research career in the agricultural and agri-environment sectors – or for doctoral studies – with our MSc by Research in Agricultural Sciences and Sustainability master’s degree.

Study at one of the UK’s leading universities for environmental and ethical performance (the University of Reading is ranked 4th in the People and Planet University League, 2024/25).

You’ll gain a multi-disciplinary appreciation of the underlying environmental, social and economic issues surrounding contemporary agricultural systems, and receive rigorous training in research methods and statistical analyses.

You will then build upon this knowledge by designing your own extended research project and have the opportunity to address the research questions that you are passionate about, with close support from researchers in the Departments of Sustainable Land Management, Crop Science or Animal Sciences.

Choose MSc by Research in Agricultural Sciences and Sustainability at the University of Reading

You will:

• join the highest placed UK university for Agriculture and Forestry at 20th in the world (QS World Rankings by Subject, Agriculture and Forestry, 2025), with its own farms and specialist facilities
• gain the skills to plan, manage and conduct an in-depth field and/or lab-based research project
• develop your critical appraisal skills of research literature at the interface between agriculture, ecology and environmental science.

Joining this programme means you’ll also be joining the Graduate Institute of International Development, Agriculture and Economics, based in the School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, where we are committed to empowering change through our teaching and research. Our academics tackle some of the world’s most pressing issues across their respective fields of expertise, and our mission is to make a difference in the context of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

Facilities

As an MSc by Research in Agricultural Sciences and Sustainability student, you will have access to the following:

• Crops Research Unit at Sonning Farm, has facilities to support field plot experiments on all temperate arable and forage crops within a dedicated 12 ha, irrigable field site, and supporting laboratory and teaching facilities.
• Crop and Environmental Laboratory, with 2,500 m2 of heated glasshouses, climate-controlled and factorial houses, controlled environment growth cabinets, and a protected field plot experimental area.
• Centre for Dairy Animal Research (CEDAR) is a unique world-renowned facility for applied and strategic animal research in a commercial environment.

Information for international students

For a list of requirements by country, please visit our Country-Specific Information page.

IELTS: 6.5 overall with no element less than 5.5 (or equivalent).