Master's Programme in Agricultural, Environmental and Resource Economics, Master of Science (Agriculture and Forestry), 2 years

The Master’s Programme in Agricultural, Environmental and Resource Economics at the University of Helsinki trains students as applied economists specialising in agriculture, the environment and natural resources. Students choose one of two study tracks: Agricultural Economics or Environmental and Resource Economics.

The programme comprises 120 ECTS and is designed to be completed in four semesters. It includes at least 60 ECTS of field-specific advanced studies, at least 10 ECTS of entrance studies, 15–30 ECTS of methodological and theoretical studies, practical training, seminars, career orientation and career planning, and 0–24 ECTS of elective studies. The Master’s thesis is 30 ECTS and is the centrepiece of the second year. Students may complete an internship with partner organisations in Finland or abroad, and the programme offers study exchanges with partner universities.

The programme is designed for students interested in agriculture, environmental sustainability and natural resource management. It also supports students aiming for research, policy analysis, advisory roles, farm management, rural enterprise development or agribusiness.

Modules

• Agri-food markets and policy
• Production economics and farm management
• Entrepreneurship and business management
• Environmental economics
• Natural resource economics
• Climate change
• Baltic Sea protection
• Forest economics
• Agri-environmental policy

Strong foundations in economics, statistics and mathematics are important, ideally combined with some background in agricultural sciences, environmental sciences or a related field. Applicable fields of study include economics, econometrics, mathematics and other relevant disciplines. For the Agricultural Economics track, agricultural science, business economics and business management are also applicable. Admission is assessed on the basis of past academic performance, the applicability of previous studies and a motivation letter. Direct admission to the Agricultural Economics track is possible from the University of Helsinki bachelor’s programmes in Environmental and Agricultural Economics, Agricultural Sciences, Food economics and consumption, Biology, and Liberal Arts and Science, subject to the completion of required or selected courses in agricultural economics. Direct admission to the Environmental and Resource Economics track is possible from the University of Helsinki bachelor’s programmes in Environmental and Agricultural Economics, Food economics and consumption, Environmental Sciences, Economics, Biology, and Liberal Arts and Science, subject to the completion of required or selected courses in environmental and resource economics.

• research
• policy analysis
• advisory roles
• farm management
• rural enterprise development
• agribusiness
• national and municipal administration
• consulting and advisory firms
• universities and research institutes
• banks
• insurance institutions
• NGOs
• international organisations
• specialist
• consultant
• teacher
• entrepreneur
• researcher
• senior officer
• product manager
• head of finance