Agriculture - Food, Science, Engineering

Water and Agriculture (EA)

  • ECTS

    120 credits

  • Training Structure

    College of Sciences

  • Language(s) of Instruction

    French

Overview

The Water and Agriculture master's program is a track within the Water Sciences master's program (website: https://www.master-eau.fr/eau-et-agriculture)

It offers a multidisciplinary scientific program focused on water management issues related to agricultural activities in both the North and the South. Agriculture accounts for 70% of freshwater withdrawals worldwide. Agricultural pollution, which is primarily nonpoint source, causes long-term degradation of water quality. The challenges associated with agriculture are therefore multifaceted, affecting both the environment and water uses: quantitative, qualitative, multi-stakeholder, and multi-scale. 

In the context of global change—including climate change, the loss of biodiversity, and growing food demands—the implementation of more environmentally friendly practices (related to water, soil, biodiversity, etc.), the exploration of unconventional resources through the reuse of treated wastewater, for example, and the adaptation of cropping systems are all potential courses of action.

This requires training high-level managers in these areas, ensuring they have a thorough understanding of the processes, tools, and methods specific to agro-hydrosystems. 

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Objectives

The primary objective is to train professionals—including water resource managers and/or agro-hydrosystem managers—by providing them with a solid scientific foundation in water sciences and agronomy, as well as proficiency in specific or multidisciplinary tools and methods.

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Expertise and Skills

Interdisciplinary Skills: An Integrative Approach to Water Management Issues from the Local to the Global Level

Subject-Specific Skills:

  •   Define and analyze complex agro-hydrosystems using modeling and scientific methods—including experimental, participatory, analytical, and geomatics approaches 
  •   Define the scope of a question related to a specific issue or area of scientific research in the fields of water-soil-plants, water-agriculture, and agro-environment; develop appropriate approaches or solutions
  •   Draw on the academic knowledge needed to contribute to a project.

Technical Cross-Functional Skills

  •   Use information and communication technologies and data analysis methods
  •   Develop skills in documentary and investigative research, as well as in interpreting documents by integrating oral, graphic, and written expression

Organizational Cross-Functional Skills

  •   Working Independently: Setting Priorities, Managing Time, Self-Assessment, and Developing a Project
  •   Implementing a project: defining the objectives and context, carrying out the project, and evaluating it.
  • Define a problem; construct and develop an argument or approach; draft a summary.

Interpersonal and language skills:

Language Skills

  •   Communicate in writing and orally in French and English. 

Interpersonal Skills

  •   Lead a team of technicians or managers
  •   Working as a Team: Fitting In, Finding Your Place, Cooperating
  •   Integrating into a professional environment: identifying and communicating one’s skills; understanding a company or organization within its socioeconomic context; identifying key contacts and the various roles within an organization; navigating a hierarchical and functional environment; and following procedures.
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International Training

Dual degrees, joint degrees, Erasmus Mundus

International Dimension

Hosting Erasmus Students (partnership agreements with UM, Institut Agro, and AgroParisTech)

Dual Degree Program with the University of Barcelona

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Organization

Knowledge Assessment

Continuous assessment using a variety of methods depending on the course unit (oral exams, research reports, quizzes, proctored exams, project reports, scientific articles).

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Open on an alternating basis

The work-study program is organized in 3- to 5-week blocks (training institution/employer). In the first year of the master’s program (M1), students are required to be present at the employer’s facility full-time from mid-April through the end of August. In the second year of the master’s program (M2), students are required to be present at the employer’s facility full-time from late February through the end of August.

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Internships, supervised projects

Internship

Required

Duration of the internship

8

Internship Abroad

Possible

M1 Internship: 2 months at a company, public institution, or laboratory, in France or abroad.

M2 Research Project (6 weeks): a personalized project, conducted individually or in groups, with academic guidance from a faculty member or researcher, culminating in the writing of a review article. For students in work-study programs, this project is tailored to the tasks expected by the host organization.

M2 Internship: 6 months at a company, public institution, or laboratory, in France or abroad.

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Program

The M1 program accommodates up to 15 students.

The courses in the M1 program are either shared with other tracks in the Water master’s program or specific to the Water and Agriculture track.

In the M2 program, most courses are specific to the track, with a few modules that overlap with other tracks. Students from engineering programs (including those offered by the Ministry of Agriculture through AgroParisTech and the Institut Agro) or from other master’s programs join the cohort.

The course modules are led by recognized experts in the subject areas being taught. Faculty members and researchers from partner organizations (INRAE, IRD, CIRAD) play a major role in the teaching, which also benefits from the involvement of numerous professionals (engineering firms, development companies, ASA, international organizations, etc.).

All classes are held on the Montpellier campuses (University of Montpellier, Montpellier Supagro, AgroParisTech—Lavalette campus), supplemented by a one-week field internship (in Salon-de-Provence) at the beginning of the M2 program, occasional field trips, and participation in scientific or professional events.

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Select a program

  • Water and Crop Production

    3 credits
  • Project Management 1

    2 credits
  • Water and Agriculture: Challenges and Scientific Questions

    3 credits
  • Bibliographic Project

    3 credits
  • Soil Hydrodynamics

    3 credits
  • Free-Surface Hydraulics

    3 credits
  • English Theme 1

    2 credits
  • CHOICE 1

    9 credits
    • Choose 3 out of 7

      • Aquatic Contaminants and Sustainable Development

        3 credits
      • From Land Use Planning to Land Management

        3 credits
      • How Aquatic Ecosystems Function

        3 credits
      • Water Treatment Sector and Wastewater Treatment Byproducts

        3 credits
        • Water Treatment and Wastewater Treatment Byproducts Program CC

        • Water Treatment and Wastewater Treatment Byproducts Program CC

      • Issues, Stakeholders, Regulation, and Challenges in Water Management

        3 credits
      • The Water Cycle and Watersheds

        3 credits
      • Ocean, Atmosphere, Climate

        3 credits
  • OPTION 2

    2 credits
    • Choose one of the following two options:

      • A Critical Approach Through Film

        2 credits
      • Communication Techniques

        2 credits
  • GIS Applications

    3 credits
  • Land and Farms

    3 credits
  • English, Topic 2

    2 credits
  • M1 Internship - EA

    6 credits
  • Applied Geostatistics

    2 credits
  • Hydrology of Cultivated Basins

    3 credits
  • IWRM Participation Practices

    3 credits
  • Statistics

    3 credits
  • EU OPTION 1

    3 credits
    • Choose 1 of 3

      • Introduction to the R Programming Language

      • Groundwater Management

        3 credits
      • Remote Sensing for Water Management

        3 credits
  • EU OPTION 2

    2 credits
    • Choose one of the following two options:

      • Water Quality and Microbiology

        2 credits
      • Hydrodynamics and Applied Hydraulics, Flood Risks

        2 credits
  • Project Management 1

    2 credits
  • Water and Agriculture: Challenges and Scientific Questions

    3 credits
  • Bibliographic Project

    3 credits
  • Soil Hydrodynamics

    3 credits
  • Free-Surface Hydraulics

    3 credits
  • English Theme 1

    2 credits
  • Water and Crop Production

    3 credits
  • CHOICE 1

    9 credits
    • Choose 3 out of 7

      • Aquatic Contaminants and Sustainable Development

        3 credits
      • From Land Use Planning to Land Management

        3 credits
      • How Aquatic Ecosystems Function

        3 credits
      • Water Treatment Sector and Wastewater Treatment Byproducts

        3 credits
        • Water Treatment and Wastewater Treatment Byproducts Program CC

        • Water Treatment and Wastewater Treatment Byproducts Program CC

      • Issues, Stakeholders, Regulation, and Challenges in Water Management

        3 credits
      • Water Cycle in a Watershed

      • Ocean, Atmosphere, Climate

        3 credits
  • OPTION 2

    2 credits
    • Choose one of the following two options:

      • A Critical Approach Through Film

        2 credits
      • Communication Techniques

        2 credits
  • GIS Applications

    3 credits
  • Work-Study Program

    3 credits
  • Land and Farms

    3 credits
  • English, Topic 2

    2 credits
  • M1 EA Work-Study Internship

    6 credits
  • Applied Geostatistics

    2 credits
  • Hydrology of Cultivated Basins

    3 credits
  • CHOICE 2 APP

    2 credits
    • Choose one of the following two options:

      • Water Quality and Microbiology

        2 credits
      • Hydrodynamics and Applied Hydraulics, Flood Risks

        2 credits
  • IWRM Participation Practices

    3 credits
  • Statistics

    3 credits
  • CHOICE 1

    6 credits
    • Choose 2 out of 5

      • Numerical Methods for Modeling

        2 credits
      • Mass and Heat Transport - Geothermal Energy / Transport Modeling

        3 credits
      • Project Management-2

        3 credits
      • Irrigation and Development

        3 credits
      • Scientific Writing

        3 credits
  • Evaporation, from the plot to the agricultural watershed

    3 credits
  • Hydraulic Transfer Processes and Simulation

    3 credits
  • ReUSE, Irrigation, and Water Quality

    2 credits
  • Geoprospective, Water and Landscape

    3 credits
  • Hydrological Modeling of Farmland Basins

    3 credits
  • Scientific Project 1

    2 credits
  • Biogeochemistry: Pollutant Transport in Cultivated Environments

    3 credits
  • Operation and Management of Irrigation Systems

    3 credits
  • EU Master's Degree (M2) Field Internship: Basic Management Processes

    3 credits
  • ELECTIVES (22 ECTS)

    22 credits
    • Choose one of the following two options:

      • Professional M2 Internship - EA

        22 credits
      • M2 Research Internship - EA

        22 credits
  • EU OPTION 5 ECTS

    5 credits
    • Choose one of the following two options:

      • 5 ECTS ELECTIVES

        5 credits
        • OPTION 4-2-2

          2 credits
          • Choose 1 of 3

            • Event Project / Request for Proposals

              2 credits
            • Water and Development

              2 credits
            • Water and the South

              2 credits
        • OPTION 4-2-1

          3 credits
          • Choose one of the following two options:

            • Water and Climate Change

              3 credits
            • M2R Preparation - EA

              3 credits
      • International Field Schools - North & South

        5 credits
  • Scientific Project 2

    3 credits
  • CHOICE 1

    6 credits
    • Choose 2 out of 5

      • Numerical Methods for Modeling

        2 credits
      • Mass and Heat Transport - Geothermal Energy / Transport Modeling

        3 credits
      • Project Management-2

        3 credits
      • Irrigation and Development

        3 credits
      • Scientific Writing

        3 credits
  • Evaporation, from the plot to the agricultural watershed

    3 credits
  • Hydraulic Transfer Processes and Simulation

    3 credits
  • ReUSE, Irrigation, and Water Quality

    2 credits
  • Geoprospective, Water and Landscape

    3 credits
  • Hydrological Modeling of Farmland Basins

    3 credits
  • Scientific Project 1

    2 credits
  • Biogeochemistry: Pollutant Transport in Cultivated Environments

    3 credits
  • Operation and Management of Irrigation Systems

    3 credits
  • EU Master's Degree (M2) Field Internship: Basic Management Processes

    3 credits
  • EU OPTION 5 ECTS

    5 credits
    • Choose one of the following two options:

      • 5 ECTS ELECTIVES

        5 credits
        • OPTION 4-2-2

          2 credits
          • Choose 1 of 3

            • Event Project / Request for Proposals

              2 credits
            • Water and Development

              2 credits
            • Water and the South

              2 credits
        • OPTION 4-2-1

          3 credits
          • Choose one of the following two options:

            • Water and Climate Change

              3 credits
            • M2R Preparation - EA

              3 credits
      • International Field Schools - North & South

        5 credits
  • Scientific Project 2

    3 credits
  • M2 Internship for Apprentices - EA

    22 credits

Admission

Admission Requirements

Hold a validated L3 degree (for admission to M1) or be in the first year of an engineering school program (for admission to M2).

Applications are evaluated based on the applicant's motivation and prior experience. Academic performance is assessed in the core areas of the applicant's academic background.

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Registration Procedures

Primary enrollment at one of the three co-accredited institutions. Free administrative enrollment at the other partner institutions.

Applications can be submitted through the following platforms: 

French and European students:

International students from outside the EU: Follow the “Études en France” procedure:https://pastel.diplomatie.gouv.fr/etudesenfrance/dyn/public/authentification/login.html

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Target Audience

Any holder of a bachelor’s degree in a scientific field—such as Earth Sciences, Life Sciences, Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Engineering—is welcome to apply. Applications from individuals returning to school are also carefully considered. A strong interest in the field of agronomy or agricultural development is essential.

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Tuition Fees

standard

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Capacity

15 in M1

21 in square meters

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Mandatory Prerequisites

Undergraduate-level scientific literacy.

Transferable skills (writing, proficiency with office software)

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And then

Continuing Education

Opportunity to pursue a Ph.D.

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Continuing Your Education Abroad

Opportunities for study abroad (dual degree with the University of Barcelona), Erasmus+, doctoral studies abroad

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Employment Placement

This program has a national and international scope and is designed for careers such as:

  • Managers responsible for design, operations, consulting, and facilitation in the following areas:
  • quantitative water management (irrigated areas, rain-fed agrosystems, resource use and development);
  • water quality management for aquatic environments and within watersheds;
  • integrated water resources management (river basin agencies/associations, local governments)
  • Careers in innovation, research, and expertise (international organizations) following a Ph.D. program (CIFRE contract, doctoral contract)
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