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.
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.
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.
International Training
Dual degrees, joint degrees, Erasmus MundusInternational Dimension
Hosting Erasmus Students (partnership agreements with UM, Institut Agro, and AgroParisTech)
Dual Degree Program with the University of Barcelona
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).
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.
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.
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.
Select a program
M1 - Water and Agriculture (EA)
Water and Crop Production
3 creditsProject Management 1
2 creditsWater and Agriculture: Challenges and Scientific Questions
3 creditsBibliographic Project
3 creditsSoil Hydrodynamics
3 creditsFree-Surface Hydraulics
3 creditsEnglish Theme 1
2 creditsCHOICE 1
9 creditsChoose 3 out of 7
Aquatic Contaminants and Sustainable Development
3 creditsFrom Land Use Planning to Land Management
3 creditsHow Aquatic Ecosystems Function
3 creditsWater Treatment Sector and Wastewater Treatment Byproducts
3 creditsIssues, Stakeholders, Regulation, and Challenges in Water Management
3 creditsThe Water Cycle and Watersheds
3 creditsOcean, Atmosphere, Climate
3 credits
OPTION 2
2 creditsChoose one of the following two options:
A Critical Approach Through Film
2 creditsCommunication Techniques
2 credits
GIS Applications
3 creditsLand and Farms
3 creditsEnglish, Topic 2
2 creditsM1 Internship - EA
6 creditsApplied Geostatistics
2 creditsHydrology of Cultivated Basins
3 creditsIWRM Participation Practices
3 creditsStatistics
3 creditsEU OPTION 1
3 creditsChoose 1 of 3
EU OPTION 2
2 creditsChoose one of the following two options:
M1 - Water and Agriculture (EA) - APPRENTICESHIP
Project Management 1
2 creditsWater and Agriculture: Challenges and Scientific Questions
3 creditsBibliographic Project
3 creditsSoil Hydrodynamics
3 creditsFree-Surface Hydraulics
3 creditsEnglish Theme 1
2 creditsWater and Crop Production
3 creditsCHOICE 1
9 creditsChoose 3 out of 7
Aquatic Contaminants and Sustainable Development
3 creditsFrom Land Use Planning to Land Management
3 creditsHow Aquatic Ecosystems Function
3 creditsWater Treatment Sector and Wastewater Treatment Byproducts
3 creditsIssues, Stakeholders, Regulation, and Challenges in Water Management
3 creditsWater Cycle in a Watershed
Ocean, Atmosphere, Climate
3 credits
OPTION 2
2 creditsChoose one of the following two options:
A Critical Approach Through Film
2 creditsCommunication Techniques
2 credits
GIS Applications
3 creditsWork-Study Program
3 creditsLand and Farms
3 creditsEnglish, Topic 2
2 creditsM1 EA Work-Study Internship
6 creditsApplied Geostatistics
2 creditsHydrology of Cultivated Basins
3 creditsCHOICE 2 APP
2 creditsChoose one of the following two options:
IWRM Participation Practices
3 creditsStatistics
3 credits
M2 - Water and Agriculture (EA)
CHOICE 1
6 creditsChoose 2 out of 5
Numerical Methods for Modeling
2 creditsMass and Heat Transport - Geothermal Energy / Transport Modeling
3 creditsProject Management-2
3 creditsIrrigation and Development
3 creditsScientific Writing
3 credits
Evaporation, from the plot to the agricultural watershed
3 creditsHydraulic Transfer Processes and Simulation
3 creditsReUSE, Irrigation, and Water Quality
2 creditsGeoprospective, Water and Landscape
3 creditsHydrological Modeling of Farmland Basins
3 creditsScientific Project 1
2 creditsBiogeochemistry: Pollutant Transport in Cultivated Environments
3 creditsOperation and Management of Irrigation Systems
3 creditsEU Master's Degree (M2) Field Internship: Basic Management Processes
3 credits
ELECTIVES (22 ECTS)
22 creditsChoose one of the following two options:
Professional M2 Internship - EA
22 creditsM2 Research Internship - EA
22 credits
EU OPTION 5 ECTS
5 creditsChoose one of the following two options:
5 ECTS ELECTIVES
5 creditsOPTION 4-2-2
2 creditsChoose 1 of 3
Event Project / Request for Proposals
2 creditsWater and Development
2 creditsWater and the South
2 credits
OPTION 4-2-1
3 creditsChoose one of the following two options:
Water and Climate Change
3 creditsM2R Preparation - EA
3 credits
International Field Schools - North & South
5 credits
Scientific Project 2
3 credits
M2 - Water and Agriculture (EA) APPRENTICESHIP
CHOICE 1
6 creditsChoose 2 out of 5
Numerical Methods for Modeling
2 creditsMass and Heat Transport - Geothermal Energy / Transport Modeling
3 creditsProject Management-2
3 creditsIrrigation and Development
3 creditsScientific Writing
3 credits
Evaporation, from the plot to the agricultural watershed
3 creditsHydraulic Transfer Processes and Simulation
3 creditsReUSE, Irrigation, and Water Quality
2 creditsGeoprospective, Water and Landscape
3 creditsHydrological Modeling of Farmland Basins
3 creditsScientific Project 1
2 creditsBiogeochemistry: Pollutant Transport in Cultivated Environments
3 creditsOperation and Management of Irrigation Systems
3 creditsEU Master's Degree (M2) Field Internship: Basic Management Processes
3 credits
EU OPTION 5 ECTS
5 creditsChoose one of the following two options:
5 ECTS ELECTIVES
5 creditsOPTION 4-2-2
2 creditsChoose 1 of 3
Event Project / Request for Proposals
2 creditsWater and Development
2 creditsWater and the South
2 credits
OPTION 4-2-1
3 creditsChoose one of the following two options:
Water and Climate Change
3 creditsM2R Preparation - EA
3 credits
International Field Schools - North & South
5 credits
Scientific Project 2
3 creditsM2 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.
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:
- 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
International students from outside the EU: Follow the “Études en France” procedure:https://pastel.diplomatie.gouv.fr/etudesenfrance/dyn/public/authentification/login.html
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.
Tuition Fees
standard
Capacity
15 in M1
21 in square meters
Mandatory Prerequisites
Undergraduate-level scientific literacy.
Transferable skills (writing, proficiency with office software)
And then
Continuing Education
Opportunity to pursue a Ph.D.
Continuing Your Education Abroad
Opportunities for study abroad (dual degree with the University of Barcelona), Erasmus+, doctoral studies abroad
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)