MRes Crops for the Future

For more information on MRes Crops for the Future:

Contact Programme Administrator s.x.wallace@dundee.ac.uk

This degree is designed to enhance students research and communication skills in the key areas of crop and environmental science that will be required to underpin sustainable agriculture in the 21st century. The course is suitable for either UK or overseas students who wish to move into this highly topical area of applied biology. It will lay the ideal training foundations for a research career, beginning with entry to PhD research.

Programme Content

There are core modules in:

  • Basic Concepts in Molecular, Genomics and Bioinformatics - basic molecular biology, plant and pathogen genomics, bioinformatics, GM technology
  • Crop Evolution and Biodiversity - crop and plant biodiversity, molecular taxonomy and comparative genomics, plant biodiversity of native and endangered species for conservation purposes, ecological impacts of GM plants
  • Soils, Roots and Environmental Microbiology - soil structure, texture and mechanical properties; root structure, function and physical interactions with soil, soil fluids and water uptake by roots, environmental microbiology
  • Plant-Environment Interactions - nutrient capture and utilisation, crop physiology and modelling, control methods, trophic interactions
  • Pests and Pathogen Biology - plant pathogen interactions, novel resistance strategies, diagnostics, epidemiology and the ecology of disease
  • Crop Improvement and Biotechnology - plant breeding, GM strategies, marker aided selection, biotechnology and breeding for quality traits

In addition, there will be a series of case studies, keynote lectures and workshops delivered by external experts on subjects of particular topical interest.

Methods of Assessment

Continuous assessment (40%) and examination (60%).

Entry Requirements

You should have, or expect to have a first class or good upper second class degree in an appropriate subject.

If your first language is not English, then you need to demonstrate that you have a good command of the English language.

Sources of Funding

For overseas students, the following sources are available:

University of Dundee Overseas Student Scholarships (http://www.dundee.ac.uk/admissions/international/fees_funding/postgraduate_fees.htm)

Saltire Scholarships (http://www.dundee.ac.uk/postgraduate/fees_funding/scholarships/saltire_scholarships.htm)

Scottish Overseas Research Students Awards Scheme (SORSAS) awards are available (http://www.somis.dundee.ac.uk/registry/misc/ors.html)

For UK and EU students, the following sources are available:
BBSRC Masters Training Grants are available on this course (read the news item).  For more information, contact the Programme Administrator above.

For Scottish students Carnegie-Cameron Scholarships are available (http://www.dundee.ac.uk/postgraduate/fees_funding/scholarships/carnegie_cameron_scholarships.htm)