Training Structure
College of Sciences
Language(s) of Instruction
French
Overview
Plants form the basis of our food chain, both directly and indirectly. In their environment, plants are constantly interacting with microorganisms that make up their microbiome. Some of these microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, viruses, etc.) cause serious damage to crops, while others generally improve their health (nutrition, growth, or disease resistance). Consequently, a strategy for addressing the challenges of both production and food safety—for animals and humans alike—is to understand how plants respond to, adapt to, and potentially benefit from the presence of microorganisms in their environment.
For more information about this course and its content, visit https://bioagro.edu.umontpellier.fr/biologie-des-plantes/interactions-plantes-microorganimes/
Objectives
Through a balanced combination of coursework and hands-on training (10 months of laboratory internships spread across the M1 and M2 years), our goal is to train students to describe and understand the molecular mechanisms underlying plant interactions with their biotic environment. To achieve this, we will draw on the wealth of scientific expertise in this field within the Muse network (University of Montpellier, CIRAD, IRD, INRAE, Montpellier Supagro).
Expertise and Skills
Knowledge and understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the relationships between a plant and its biotic environment
Furthermore, although the program focuses on the study of biotic interactions, by the end of the program, students will also have acquired skills in key subject areas ranging from physiology to genetics, epigenetics, and plant breeding.
Students will also develop proficiency in using current research tools (statistics, modeling, database management, etc.)
Organization
Internships, supervised projects
Internship | Required |
|---|---|
Duration of the internship | 4 months (M1) and 6 months (M2) |
Internship Abroad | Possible |
Duration of the internship abroad | 4 months (M1) and 6 months (M2) |
Our faculty has an extensive network that provides opportunities for internships (4 months in the first year of the master’s program and 6 months in the second year) that align with your academic or professional goals, whether locally in Montpellier, elsewhere in France, or abroad. Each internship is evaluated through a written report and an oral presentation before a panel of experts.
The program also includes two course units entirely dedicated to project management in the field of science, with the goal of developing the skills needed to organize work on a project, whether conducted individually or as part of a team.
Program
The Plant-Microorganism Interactions (IPM) track consists of 4 semesters (120 ECTS) comprising course units (UE) specific to this track as well as others shared with the three other Plant tracks (BiPa, BPT, MEV). The list of course units for this track is available on the Master’s program website at https://bioagro.edu.umontpellier.fr/master-biologie-agrosciences/biologie-des-plantes/
The first semesters of the M1 and M2 programs are devoted to academic coursework. The second semesters are primarily dedicated to internships (in laboratories or companies) in the program’s thematic fields and aligned with the student’s career goals. Note that all practical assignments for the disciplinary course units in Semester 1 are grouped together in a dedicated course unit at the very beginning of Semester 2.
Study or internship opportunities (ERASMUS), lasting one or two semesters, are greatly facilitated by the extensive network of partnerships between the University of Montpellier and European universities.
Select a program
M1 - Plant-Microorganism Interactions (IPM)
Plants form the basis of our food chain, both directly and indirectly. In their environment, plants are constantly interacting with microorganisms that make up their microbiome. Some of these microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, viruses, etc.) cause serious damage to crops, while others generally improve their health (nutrition, growth, or disease resistance). Consequently, a strategy for addressing the challenges of both production and food safety—for animals and humans alike—is to understand how plants respond to, adapt to, and potentially benefit from the presence of microorganisms in their environment.
Biostatistics with R
5 creditsElements of Plant Pathology
3 creditsPlant Cellular and Molecular Biology
3 creditsPlant Development
5 creditsPlant-Microorganism Interactions
5 creditsFundamentals of Ecophysiology
2 creditsPlant Molecular Genetics
5 creditsPlant Nutrition
2 credits
Bioinformatics: Data and Databases
2 creditsLiterature Review
2 creditsCHOICE 1
3 creditsChoose one of the following two options:
Gene Networks—Modeling
3 creditsBreeding of Tropical and Mediterranean Plants
3 credits
4-month internship
15 creditsExperimental Approaches to Plant Biology
5 creditsProject Management
3 credits
M2 - Plant-Microorganism Interactions (IPM)
Laboratory or Company Internship
28 creditsCritical Analysis of Scientific Information
2 credits
Epigenetics in Plants
3 creditsBigOmics, Comparative Genomics
2 creditsEcophysiology: From Phenotype to Ideotype
2 creditsQuantitative Genetics
3 creditsData Processing
3 creditsBioinformatics: Building Queries
2 creditsPhytobiome School
3 creditsInteractions and Signaling
3 creditsCHOICE 1
3 creditsChoose 1 of 4
Adaptation of Tropical Field Crops to Climate Change
3 creditsPlants and People: A Shared History
3 creditsModel plants, modeling
3 creditsVirology
3 credits
Project Management
3 creditsCrop Protection
3 credits
Admission
Admission Requirements
Applications can be submitted through the following platforms:
French and European students:
- For the M1 program, follow the “My Master’s” procedure on the website: https://www.monmaster.gouv.fr/
- For the M2 program, students must submit their application through the e-candidat portal: https://candidature.umontpellier.fr/candidature
Applications are reviewed by an academic committee composed of the program’s leading faculty members.
Successful applicants must complete their administrative registration as soon as possible, then proceed with their academic registration, specifying the courses they have selected.
Target Audience
Students with a bachelor's degree in biology who are interested in the field of biotic interactions.
Admission to the master's program is based on the quality of the application, as evaluated by the faculty.
Mandatory Prerequisites
Basic knowledge (bachelor's degree level) in plant physiology, genetics, and cellular and molecular biology
Recommended Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of and interest in the biology of biotic interactions—whether beneficial and/or pathogenic
And then
Continuing Education
A logical next step toward a Ph.D. under the LMD system.