MSc. (graduate) degree programme · The MSc. degree is awarded to students upon successful defence of their master's thesis and after passing final state examinations in three courses.

MSc. (graduate) degree programme

SUSTAINABLE RURAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE TROPICS AND SUBTROPICS

Programme Description

The aim of this programme is to prepare graduates to work in the field of international development with a specific focus on sustainable development practices in tropical rural regions. Our interdisciplinary approach puts emphasis on deepening theoretical knowledge and practical skills related to issues surrounding poverty, techno-economic development, environmental engineering, project management, alternative energy sources and technologies and their environmental impact in countries in the tropics and subtropics.

Students will graduate with knowledge and skills in the following areas:

• Rural communication and extension • Environmental engineering

• Agricultural engineering

• Agricultural technologies with a focus on mechanization of plantation crops

• Economic analysis of agricultural and environmental technologies

• Alternative energy sources with a focus on biomass

• Waste management • Soil and water conservation technology

• "Remote sensing" (GIS, GPS, RST ) • Food processing technologies

• Mechanical and physical properties of agricultural materials

• Project planning and management • Rural sociology

Graduates will be prepared to pursue a wide range of career options, including:

• managerial positions in the public and private sectors (i.e. management and development of agricultural enterprises with a focus on technological processes, food technology, service and repairs and trade in the technology sector)

• expert advisers in the field of environmental engineering (agricultural machinery, earth technology, water and soil conservation, maintenance of machinery and technology, rehabilitation technology, machinery, waste management, energy)

• managerial positions of domestic organizations which focus their business activities in developing countries and international cooperation

• professional advisers in government institutions (e.g. Czech ministries or local governments) and international organizations (e.g. FAO, UNEP, UNIDO, UNDP) focused on development programs, applied research and crisis management

• managers of enterprises in developing countries which specialize in agricultural production scientists, researchers and university staff

• professional advisers for development projects in the tropics and subtropics

Programme Format All graduate programme degrees at Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences (FTA) follow the standard 2-year (4-semester) format, culminating in a final exam consisting of oral exams in three courses and a thesis defence. A strong emphasis is placed on language skills. All aspects of the courses are conducted in English, including written coursework, thesis preparation and final examinations.

Admission Requirements

All prospective students must already have completed the equivalent of a bachelor's level study programme (see art. 1, law 147/2001 Coll.). Applicants with a bachelor's degree from a university outside the Czech Republic must show proof of their education in accordance with law No. 111/1998 Coll., (i.e. by an official document issued by the Czech Ministry of Education recognizing the Czech equivalent of completed coursework, qualifications and type of degree). The MSc. study programme is directly linked to two BSc. degree programmes at FTA (Sustainable Rural Development in the Tropics and Subtropics and Tropical and Subtropical Agriculture), however prospective students with bachelor's degrees in fields, including economics, engineering, agriculture and environmental studies should also be well-qualified to continue their studies in Sustainable Rural Development study programme. Entrance exams are organized in the form of oral exams and are held in English.

Coursework and Thesis Preparation

The aim of all courses is to broaden and deepen students' practical, as well as, theoretical knowledge. Courses are commonly divided into a two-part structure, lectures and tutorials (practical application), with 4 hours of class time devoted to each course per week.

Obligatory courses: Obligatory courses constitute approximately two-thirds of the coursework needed for a degree in Sustainable Rural Development. Credits for obligatory courses have usually 5-6 credits (ECTS) per course

Optional courses: Students are encouraged to select optional courses related to their master's thesis. Credits for optional courses range from 4-5 credits (ECTS) per course. Master’s thesis: Master's thesis topics can investigate a wide range of rural development issues in the tropics. Emphasis is put on the experimental portion of the thesis preparation, which should be carried out in either a developing country or in the laboratory. Students have many opportunities to collaborate on development projects run by the FTA abroad. It is expected that the quality of each thesis should lead to its acceptance for publication in a scientific journal or for presentation at an

international conference. Students earn a total of 25 credits (ECTS) for the topic selection, designing, data analysis and submission of their master's thesis.

Division of Course Credits

Course Credit load per course

Total credit load for the degree programme

Obligatory courses 5-6 62

Optional courses 2-5 33

Master's thesis 2-15 25

Total 120

List of courses and study timetable

1st year - Obligatory courses

Winter (1st

)semester Summer (2nd

)semester Lecturer

Name of Courses Hours L/T

Course Assessment

Ects Hours

L/T Course

Assessment Ects

Development and Poverty Reduction Strategies (IEI03E)

2/2 Final Exam + Course

Grade 5

Vladimír Verner, Ph.D. (FTA CULS)

Water Resources Management (ZBX03E)


Grade 6

Prof. Pavel Kovář, Ph.D. (FES CULS)

Economics of Farming Systems (IEI02E)


Grade 5


Scientific Seminar (IUI62Z)

0/2 Credit 2 Jana Mazancová, Ph.D.

(FTA CULS)

Diploma Thesis - Assignment (IXI01Z)

Credit 2

(FTA CULS)

Orientation Meeting (IXI02Z)

Credit 0 Jiří Hejkrlík, Ph.D.

(FTA CULS)

Marketing of TS Products (IEI06E)


Grade 5

Petra Chaloupková, Ph.D. (FTA CULS)

Rural Sociology and Demography in DC (IUI14E)


Grade 5

Jana Mazancová, Ph.D. (FTA CULS)

Human Nutrition and Prevention of Food-borne Diseases (IAI11E)


Grade 5

Assoc. Prof. Daniela Lukešová, Ph.D. (FTA CULS)



(FTA CULS)

Diploma Thesis – Research Design (IXI03Z)

Credit 3

(FTA CULS)

Total 20 Ects 19 Ects

1st year - Optional courses

Winter (1st


)semester Name of course Hours

L/T Course

Assessment Ects

Hours L/T

Course Assessment

Ects Lecturer

Management of Energy Resources in Tropics and Subtropics (IUI24E)


Grade 5

Assoc. Prof. Vladimír Krepl, Ph.D.; Jana Mazancová, Ph.D.

(FTA CULS)

Biodiversity Conservation and Protected Areas (IAI40E)


Grade 5

Karolína Brandlová, Ph.D. (FTA CULS)

Soil Conservation and Protection (API03E)


Grade 6

Prof. Josef Kozák, Ph.D., dr.hc (FAFNR CULS)

Civil Society and Inter-Governmental Organizations (IEI01E)


Grade 5

Jiří Hejkrlík, Ph.D. (FTA CULS)

Agroforestry (ICI05E) 2/2

Final Exam + Course

Grade 5

Assoc. Prof. Bohdan Lojka, Ph.D. (FTA CULS)

Economic Botany (ICI06E) 2/2

Final Exam + Course

Grade 5

Assoc. Prof. Ladislav Kokoška, Ph.D. (FTA CULS)

Summer Sports (RTX11Z)

1

week Credit 2 (KTV CULS)

2nd year – Obligatory courses

Winter (1st


)semester Lecturer


Course Assessment

Ects Hours

L/T Course

Assessment Ects

Introduction to Engineering (IUI04E)


Grade 5

Assoc. Prof. Vladimír Krepl, , Ph.D. (FTA CULS)

Project Management and Planning (IUI69E)


Grade 5

Prof. Bohumil Havrland, Ph.D. (FTA CULS)

Environmental Engineering in Agriculture II (IUI16E)


Grade 5

Tatiana Ivanova, Ph.D. (FTA CULS)

Rural Communication and Extension (IUI61E)


Grade 5

Jana Mazancová, Ph.D. (FTA CULS)



(FTA CULS)

Diploma Thesis – Data Analysis (IXI04Z)

Credit 5

(FTA CULS)

Rural Mechanization and Electrification (IUI23E)


Grade 5




(FTA CULS)

Diploma Thesis – Submission (IXI05Z)

Credit 15 (FTA CULS)

Total 27 Ects 21 Ects

2nd year - Optional courses

Winter (1st


)semester Lecturer


Course Assessment

Ects Hours

L/T Course

Assessment Ects

Winter Sports (RTX10Z)

1 week

Credit 2 (KTV CULS)

Renewable Energy Resources for the Rural Tropics (IUI51E)


Grade 5

Assos. Prof. Jan Banout, Ph.D. (FTA CULS)

Methods of Social Research (EHI06E)


Grade 5

Prof. Věra Majerová, Ph.D. (FEM CULS)

Regional Studies: CIS and Transitive Countries (IUI79E)


Grade 4


Regional Studies: Latin America and the Caribbean (IUI58E)


Grade 4


Regional Studies: South-East Asia (IEI14E)


Grade 4


Regional Studies: Africa and the Middle East (IEI15E)


Grade 4

Jiří Hejkrlík, Ph.D. (FTA CULS)

Farm Waste Management (IUI62E)


Grade 5

Assos. Prof. Jan Banout, Ph.D. (FTA CULS)

Footnotes FTA CULS Prague – Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague FAFNR CULS Prague - Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague FEM - Faculty of Economics and Management, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague FES – Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague

Graduation Requirements

The MSc. degree is awarded to students upon successful defence of their master's thesis and after passing final state examinations in three courses. The course matter for state examinations is organized according to the obligatory and optional course lists. The two obligatory courses are determined by the examination committee. Students must select one of five optional courses for their third exam. The term “Final State Examination” comprises the exams in 3 courses. Final State Examination obligatory courses:

• Development Economics

• Project Management and Planning in Developing Countries Final State Examination optional courses:

• Marketing of Tropical and Subtropical Products

• Sociology and Demography of Rural Areas in Less Developed Countries

• Human Nutrition and Prevention of Food Born Diseases in TS

• Environmental Engineering in TS Agriculture II

• Microfinancing and Rural Economics

Master's Thesis Defence

Students’ defences of their written master's theses are held on separate dates than Final State Examinations.

Examples of MSc. thesis topics

• Interactions between desertification, farming activities and migration in developing countries.

• Rural socioeconomic structure in developing countries, sustainable development strategies and their local effects

• The impact of environmental concern in product perception in developing countries

• The dynamics of microfinance group contracts and poverty reduction of rural areas in developing countries

• Postharvest processing of selected fruits in Double-Pass Solar Dryer in Lejlek region, Kyrgyzstan

• Construction and design of pneumatic lift net for fresh water fishing in north Vietnam

• Evaluation of biogas quality from home biogas pits installed in central Vietnam

MSc. (graduate) degree programme · The MSc. degree is awarded to students upon successful defence of their master's thesis and after passing final state examinations in three courses.

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