Agriculture - Food, Science, Engineering

Water and Agriculture (EA)

  • ECTS

    120 credits

  • Training structure

    Faculty of Science

  • Language(s) of instruction

    French

Presentation

The Master's degree in Water and Agriculture is part of the Master's degree in Water Sciences (website: https: //www.master-eau.fr/eau-et-agriculture).

It offers multi-disciplinary scientific training dedicated to water management issues related to agricultural activities in both North and South. Agriculture accounts for 70% of the world's freshwater withdrawals. Agricultural pollution, mainly non-point source pollution, is responsible for long-term degradation of water quality. The challenges associated with agriculture are therefore multiple, both for the environment and for uses: quantitative, qualitative, multi-actor and multi-scale. 

In the context of global change - notably climate change, erosion of biodiversity, growing food needs - the implementation of practices that are more respectful of the environment (water, soil, biodiversity...), the search for non-conventional resources through the reuse of treated wastewater, for example, and the adaptation of cropping systems are all possible courses of action.

They require high-level management training in these issues, with a mastery of processes, tools and methods specific to agro-hydrosystems. 

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Objectives

The main objective is to train managers of water resources and/or agro-hydrosystems, based on a scientific foundation in water sciences and agronomy, and a mastery of specific or multi-disciplinary tools and methods.

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Know-how and skills

Interdisciplinary skills: integrative vision of water management issues from local to global scales

Disciplinary skills :

  •   Define and analyze complex agro-hydrosystems using modeling, experimental, participatory, analytical and geomatic scientific methods. 
  •   Define the contours of a question on a given issue, on a scientific front, in the fields of water-soil-plant, water-agriculture, agri-environment; design appropriate approaches or solutions.
  •   Mobilize the academic knowledge required for project exchange.

Cross-disciplinary technical skills

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

Cross-functional organizational skills

  •   Work independently: prioritize, manage time, self-evaluate, develop a project
  •   Implement a project: define objectives and context, carry out and evaluate the action.
  • Define a problem; construct and develop an argument, an approach; draw up a synthesis.

Interpersonal and language skills :

Language skills

  •   Communicate orally and in writing in French and English. 

Interpersonal skills

  •   Leading a team of technicians or managers
  •   Teamwork: integration, positioning, cooperation
  •   Integrating into a professional environment: identifying and communicating skills, situating a company or organization in its socio-economic context, identifying resource people and the various functions of an organization, situating oneself in a hierarchical and functional environment, respecting procedures.
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International training

Double degrees, joint degrees, Erasmus Mundus

International dimension

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

Double degree with the University of Barcelona

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Organization

Knowledge control

Continuous assessment with a variety of methods depending on the teaching unit (orals, study reports, quizzes, proctored exams, work reports, scientific articles).

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Open on a sandwich basis

The work-study program is organized in 3- to 5-week blocks (training establishment/employer structure). In M1, full presence within the structure from mid-April to the end of August. In M2, full presence at the company from end-February to end-August.

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Internships, tutored projects

Internship

Mandatory

Length of internship

8

Internship abroad

Possible

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

M2 scientific project (6 weeks): personalized project, individually or in groups, with pedagogical support from a teacher or researcher, leading to the writing of a review article. For work-study students, this project is adapted to the tasks expected by the host organization.

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

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Program

M1 welcomes up to 15 students.

M1 courses are either common to other Water master's courses, or specific to the Water and Agriculture course.

In M2, the majority of teaching is specific to the course, with a few modules at the interface with other courses. Students from engineering programs (including those run by the French Ministry of Agriculture, via AgroParisTech and L'institut Agro) and from other Master's programs join the class.

The teaching units are led by recognized specialists in the topics covered. Lecturers and researchers from partner organizations (INRAE, IRD, CIRAD) make a major contribution to teaching, which also benefits from the input of numerous professionals (design offices, development companies, ASAs, international organizations, etc.).

All courses are taught on the Montpellier campuses (University, Montpellier Supagro, AgroParisTech - Lavalette site), with the addition of a one-week field placement (Salon-de-Provence) at the start of M2, occasional field trips and participation in scientific or professional events.

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Select a program

M1 - Water and Agriculture (EA) - APPRENTISSAGE

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  • CHOICE 2

    2 credits
  • Project management 1

    2 credits
  • Water and agriculture: scientific issues and challenges

    3 credits
  • CHOICE 1

    9 credits
    • Choice of 3 out of 7

      • Functioning of aquatic ecosystems

        3 credits
      • Functioning of hydrosystems

        3 credits
      • From planning to land management

        3 credits
      • Regulatory issues and challenges in water management

        3 credits
      • Aquatic contaminants and sustainable development

        3 credits
      • Watershed water cycle

      • Ocean, Atmosphere, Climate

        3 credits
  • Bibliographic project

    3 credits
  • Soil hydrodynamics

    3 credits
  • Free surface hydraulics

    3 credits
  • Thematic English 1

    2 credits
  • Eau et production végétale - Water and crop production

    3 credits
  • CHOICE 1

    6 credits
    • Choice of 2 out of 5

      • Numerical modeling methods

        2 credits
      • Mass & heat transport - Geothermy / 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 cultivated basins

    3 credits
  • Scientific Project 1

    2 credits
  • Biogeochemistry of pollutant transfer in cultivated environments

    3 credits
  • Operation and management of irrigated systems

    3 credits
  • UE M2 field placement: elementary management processes

    3 credits
  • CHOICE 22 ECTS

    22 credits
    • Choice: 1 of 3

      • M2 Internship - EA

        22 credits
      • M2 Research Internship - EA

        20 credits
      • M2 Research Internship - EA

        22 credits
  • UE CHOICE 5 ECTS

    5 credits
    • Your choice: 1 of 2

      • CHOICE 5 ECTS

        5 credits
        • CHOICE 4-2-1

          3 credits
          • Choice: 1 of 3

            • Preparation M2R - EA

              3 credits
            • Water and climate change

              3 credits
            • Preparation M2R - EA

              3 credits
        • CHOICE 4-2-2

          2 credits
          • Choice: 1 of 3

            • Events project / Call for tender

              2 credits
            • Water and Development

              2 credits
            • Water and the South

              2 credits
      • International Field Schools - North & South

        5 credits
  • Scientific Project 2

    3 credits

M2 - Water and Agriculture (EA) APPRENTISSAGE

See the complete page of this course

  • CHOICE 1

    6 credits
    • Choice of 2 out of 5

      • Numerical modeling methods

        2 credits
      • Mass & heat transport - Geothermy / 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 cultivated basins

    3 credits
  • Scientific Project 1

    2 credits
  • Biogeochemistry of pollutant transfer in cultivated environments

    3 credits
  • Operation and management of irrigated systems

    3 credits
  • UE M2 field placement: elementary management processes

    3 credits
  • UE CHOICE 5 ECTS

    5 credits
    • Your choice: 1 of 2

      • CHOICE 5 ECTS

        5 credits
        • CHOICE 4-2-1

          3 credits
          • Choice: 1 of 3

            • Preparation M2R - EA

              3 credits
            • Water and climate change

              3 credits
            • Preparation M2R - EA

              3 credits
        • CHOICE 4-2-2

          2 credits
          • Choice: 1 of 3

            • Events project / Call for tender

              2 credits
            • Water and Development

              2 credits
            • Water and the South

              2 credits
      • International Field Schools - North & South

        5 credits
  • Scientific Project 2

    3 credits
  • M2 Apprenticeship - EA

    22 credits

Admission

Access conditions

Hold a validated L3 level (entry to M1) or M1/2ᵉ year engineering school (entry to M2).

Evaluation of applications based on motivation and previous experience. Academic results assessed in the core areas of the course.

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How to register

Main registration in one of the 3 co-accredited institutions. Free administrative registration in the other partner establishments.

Applications can be submitted on the following platforms: 

French & 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

Holders of a bachelor's degree in one of the following scientific fields: Earth Sciences, Life Sciences, Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Engineering Sciences, etc. Returning students are also given careful consideration. A strong interest in agronomy or agricultural development is essential.

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Tuition fees

standard

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Capacity

15 in M1

21 in M2

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Necessary prerequisites

Scientific culture at undergraduate level.

Cross-disciplinary skills (writing, office automation)

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And then

Further studies

Possibility of pursuing a doctorate.

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Studying abroad

mobility opportunities (double degree with the University of Barcelona), Erasmus+, doctorate abroad

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Professional integration

This course has a national and international outlook and is aimed at professions such as :

  • Managers responsible for designing, operating, advising and promoting :
  • quantitative water management (irrigated perimeters, rain-fed agrosystems, resource exploitation and development);
  • water quality management for environments and resource basins;
  • integrated water resource management (agencies/basin associations, local authorities)
  • Careers in innovation, research and expertise (international organizations) after doctoral studies (CIFRE contract, doctoral contract)
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