MSc in Crop Production Engineering

1. Name of the master’s programme: Crop Production Engineering

2. The level of qualification that can be obtained in the programme and the designation of the qualification in the diploma:

• level qualification: master degree (magister, master: MSc)
• qualification: Crop Production Engineer

3. Field of study: Agriculture

4. Degrees accepted as prerequisites for entry into the master's programme

4.1. The following undergraduate programmes can be considered for full credit: agricultural engineering and crop production engineering.

4.2. The following undergraduate programmes can be taken into account by completing the credits of specified in point 9.3: rural development engineering, agricultural and rural development agricultural engineering, agricultural instructor, horticultural engineering, viticulture and oenology engineering, and nature conservation engineering.

4.3. The credits specified in point 9.3. may also be taken into account for those bachelor's and master's degree programmes as well as those programmes pursuant to Act LXXX of 1993 on Higher Education, which are accepted by the Study and Credit Transfer Committee of the higher education institution based on a comparison of the knowledge serving as the basis for determining the credit.

5. Training period in semesters: 4 semesters

6. The number of credits required to obtain a master's degree: 120 credits

• orientation of the major: theory-oriented (60-70 percent)
• credit value assigned to the thesis: 30 credits
• minimum credit value assigned to optional subjects: 6 credits

7. The field of study classification according to the unified classification system for training areas of qualifications: 621/0811

8. The training objective and professional competencies of the master's programme

The aim of the training is to train crop production engineers who, with their acquired knowledge of natural sciences, agricultural and environmental sciences, are capable of performing the highest level of management tasks of crop production related activities, processes and quality assurance services and of supervising them, taking into account the complex system of relationships between agriculture, plant breeding and the environment. They are suitable for managerial and research positions. They are prepared to continue their studies in doctoral training.

8.1. The professional competencies to be acquired

8.1.1. The Crop Production Engineer

a) according to his/her knowledge

• knows and understands the characteristics of the agricultural economy and its actors, the role and significance of crop production in the national economy in terms of food production and raw material production.
• possesses general and specific knowledge of agricultural, natural science, technical, and economic fields related to crop production.
• understands the reasons for the connection of crop production to related fields, understands and systematizes the connections.
• knows and understands the basic concepts, connections, and processes of food chain safety.
• has detailed knowledge of the current requirements of the knowledge and activity system of crop production, leading theories, cause-and-effect relationships, limitations of their application, and the terminology describing them.
• has detailed knowledge of the characteristics of the operation of issues related to crop production, implementation methods, rules, and characteristics, as well as their reasons.
• possesses modern management theory and psychological knowledge applicable in the field of crop production and agricultural economics.
• knows and applies the methods and tools of professional and effective oral, written and network communication in Hungarian and one foreign language.
• has extensive general education, social and agricultural history knowledge.
• has detailed knowledge of the natural science foundations of crop production, the relationship between crop production, the environment and nature, the foundations of the production of healthy, high biological value, plant-based products.
• has detailed knowledge of the connections between crop production and food chain safety.
• knows the basic principles of sustainable farming and technical and technological development of crop production and possesses the most modern plant production technological knowledge.
• knows and understands the basic principles of protecting the natural environment, environmental, nature conservation, hygiene, food safety, food health, and occupational safety regulations related to crop production.
• in general knows the strategic role of K+F+I  (Research+Development+Innovation) in the agricultural economy, but in fundamentals and in detail in relation to crop production.
• has insight into the connections between the European Union, policy, and company-level K+F+I activities, and the existing interactions.
• knows the specific research methods and abstraction techniques of crop production, and the ways of developing the practical aspects of theoretical issues.

b) according to his/her competencies

• able to navigate and form a professionally grounded opinion in domestic, international economic policy and social events and phenomena related to crop production and agriculture.
• able to develop one's own position and defend it in a debate on general social, agro-economic and specifically crop production issues.
• able to take a versatile, interdisciplinary approach to the professional problems of crop production.
• able to apply complex, new methods and techniques and technologies applicable to crop production in practice.
• able to identify special professional problems related to crop production, to explore and formulate the detailed theoretical and practical background necessary for their solution.
• able to perform a detailed analysis of the concepts that make up the knowledge system of crop production, to explore the comprehensive and special connections, and to formulate its synthetic evaluation and prepare a report.
• able to define, plan and organize activities related to crop production, as well as to provide the necessary conditions for their implementation, and to continuously manage and control the implementation.
• able to actively engage in research and development projects, and also able to manage such projects.
• able to carry out professional activities within the framework of the law.
• able to analyze the activities and practical problems of the managed organization using scientific methods.
• able to create the conditions for change and implement change in order to modernize the work of the organization.
• able to apply the most modern information technology tools, to implement professional, effective oral and written communication.
• able to express opinions in writing and orally on issues related to crop production at a high level in Hungarian and a foreign language, and to participate in discussions.
• able to understand the knowledge transfer techniques of the field, to find and use Hungarian and foreign language publication sources, to process them and apply them in his/her work.
• able to perform basic and managerial tasks related to crop production, manage conflicts, develop and implement solution proposals.
• able to assess and sustainably manage the agroecological potential related to crop production at different scales in regional, settlement and estate-level planning processes.
• able to understand and authentically convey summary and detailed problem areas related to crop production.
• is critical and demanding of himself.
• strives for continuous self-education.

c) according to his/her attitude

• he/she participates professionally in the comprehensive and special relationships and takes on the professional identity, that constitute the specific character of crop production and its place in society.
• open and receptive to learning about modern and innovative crop production processes and their practical application.
• recognizes values, receptive to the application of crop production methods and tools that provide effective solutions.
• committed to solving problems based on professional foundations.
• his/her professional interest has deepened and consolidated.
• committed to environmental protection, nature conservation and sustainable agricultural economics.
• open, proactive, empathetic, thoughtful and subordinates his opinion to professional aspects.
• recognizes and accepts the limitations and risks of decisions related to crop production.
• determined, persistent, but accepts professionally based critical comments.
• it is important for him/her to adhere to the ethical rules and norms of scientific research.

d) according to his/her autonomy and responsibility

• has autonomy in developing comprehensive and specific professional issues related to crop production, representing and justifying professional views.
• has autonomy in the implementation of activities related to crop production.
• is an equal partner in professional cooperation.
• takes responsibility for taking the initiative in establishing cooperation.
• is capable of implementing various functions of management in practice, motivating those managed, evaluating their performance, and handling emerging conflicts legally and effectively.
• is capable of independent, environmentally friendly management, and of applying and developing modern agricultural technologies related to crop production.
• thinks through and responsibly represents the ethical issues of crop production and assumes the consequences of his decisions.
• makes decisions with a sense of professional responsibility and demonstrates legal compliance, which he also expects from his subordinates.

9. Characteristics of the master’s programme

9.1. Professional characteristics

9.1.1. A The disciplines and scientific areas leading to the qualification on which the programme is built:

• basic knowledge of natural sciences, agricultural sciences, economics and humanities [multidisciplinary natural sciences (physical, chemical, biochemical, biological knowledge of environmental science); economic and humanities knowledge (administrative knowledge, sociology, management knowledge); scientific research-
• methodological, analytical and communication knowledge (environmental and agricultural science research methodology, scientific communication)] 15-28 credits;
• professional knowledge of crop production (general and detailed crop production, crop production technology and its technical aspects, precision farming, soil fertility maintenance and adaptive tillage, plant biotechnology, plant protection aspects of crop production, diseases and pests of arable crops, options for protection against them, weed knowledge and weed control, grassland management, food chain safety, professional administration and management knowledge, economic aspects of crop production) 39-56 credits.

9.1.2. Optional subject-specific knowledge (variety recognition and seed certification, basic issues and techniques of plant breeding, its effects on crop production, the opportunities offered by transgenic plants and the risks of their application, quality assurance and quality testing issues of organic crop production and arable crop production, nutrient supply of arable crops and irrigated crop production, landscape and integrated crop production, cultivation of medicinal and spice plants, technical aspects of crop production mechanization, land certification and regional development, knowledge of communication crop production, consultancy and research methodology) 15-30 credits.

9.2. Requirements for the internship

The internship has at least four weeks duration as specified in the training curriculum.

9.3.  Minimum entry requirements into the master's degree cycle for holders of the diploma specified in point 4.2.  and 4.3.:

The minimum number of credits required for entry to a master's degree programme other than a bachelor's degree is at least 84 credits from previous studies, as follows:  

• natural science knowledge 18-20 credits;
• physiological and biochemical knowledge 15 credits;
• agricultural knowledge 18-20 credits;
• economic and management knowledge 15 credits;
• technical and legal knowledge 15 credits.

The condition for admission to a master's degree programme is that the student has at least 60 credits based on his/her previous studies. The missing credits must be obtained according to the study and examination regulations of the higher education institution.