EN
Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Technologies
Program aims
The Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Tecnologies is based on a holistic understanding of the agricultural sector to prepare agronomists specialized in soil protection and amelioration, agricultural water conservation, plant production and protection, sustainable land use, and farm management. Therefore, graduates will gain an understanding of the complexity of the agricultural sector with an extensive knowledge of the biotic and abiotic factors governing the processes of food and non-food agricultural production systems, competencies to identify pathogenic agents and parasites and the related contrasting techniques, skills to assess and evaluate product quality and to assess and tackle economic and environmental impacts.
Program structure
The first year of the programme focuses mainly on developing the basic knowledge required to approach the core subjects characterizing the agronomist profession. The second year includes course units on the production of crop and tree species, the ecology of the agricultural ecosystem and plant disease protection as well as a mandatory professional internship in a company or research laboratory, offering to the students the possibility to transfer the theory learned into practice. The third year of the programme will cover the following subjects: plant production, agricultural machinery, hydraulics and agricultural water management, soil protection and amelioration.
During the second and third year, students will have the opportunity to perform practical work in the labs, in the vegetable gardens and in the experimental fields and greenhouses.
Specific and transversal skills
Theoretical knowledge and practical skills are developed through attendance to lectures, workshops, seminars, experimental activities, and field experience. The academic programme covers different but interconnected macro-areas of learning which provide the skills required to the modern professional figure of agronomist:
- plant production (comprehension of biotic and abiotic factors that regulate production processes; management of food and non-food agricultural production systems and their impacts on the environment);
- plant protection (recognition of adversities and formulation of integrated and suitable defense programs);
- agricultural machinery (identify the agricultural machines that best respond to company and environmental conditions; correctly operate company machinery for working the land, managing crops and harvesting products);
- agricultural water management (understand the most important principles of agricultural hydraulics that enable to design and verify pipelines and open channels);
- soil protection and amelioration (recognize the structure and characteristics of the soil as well as of the main chemical and biochemical processes involved to regulate its fertility);
- business administration (understand managerial, market and governance aspects characterizing the agrifood business).
Transversal skills include:
- full proficiency to work in English and Azerbaijani language;
- ability to work autonomously;
- team-work skills in the context of crop production and protection activities;
- ability to consult databases to acquire scientific knowledge on problems related to agricultural production and defense.
Main professional profile
The professional outline is an agricultural technician expert in all the aspects related to the production and defense of herbaceous and tree crops.
Main professional functions
Graduates will be able to carry out the following functions:
- manage the basic aspects connected to the management of an agricultural enterprise including the organization of the cycle of production, the work in the greenhouse and in the field, the storage of the products and their placement on the market;
- provide technical assistance and consultancy to agricultural businesses and farms for technical aspects related to the production and protection of trees and herbaceous crops;
- implement practices for sustainable and organic agriculture, manage and monitor the quality and productivity of organic and integrated production systems;
- perform feasibility studies for production systems for associations, consortia, cooperatives, commercial and public bodies and entities;
- perform technical-commercial activities for companies who deal with agricultural products (including plant protection);
- ensure phytosanitary control of nursery and seed production;
- work as a junior agronomist doctor.
The graduate will acquire a systemic knowledge about agricultural systems and will be able to carry out these functions with a large degree of autonomy and technical competencies. The Bachelor in Agricultural Technologies educates an autonomous professional figure who can further specialize and complete its profile through enrolling to specific master degree courses such as sustainable production systems, agrifood system management, precision farming and smart agriculture, and horticultural systems.
Employment opportunities
Graduates will have professional opportunities in the following entities:
- departments of agriculture, environment and territory of public bodies;
- agricultural consortia and companies in the seed sector;
- producer associations;
- large fruit and vegetable distribution;
- production and marketing companies in the primary and agro-industrial sectors;
- companies producing technical means for agriculture: e.g. machines, systems, defence, fertilisers, agrochemicals;
- quality control bodies;
- freelance agronomist (i.e. in several European countries there is a national habilitation to became agronomist. Without national habilitation an agronomist can work in a company or in a public body, but cannot sign projects as a professional).
The first cohort of students will be admitted in Fall 2024.
