Master's Programme in Plant and Forest Biotechnology

About this programme

Plant biotechnology is an important tool to solve global problems. How do we produce enough food in the world? How do we develop renewable fuels and manage ecosystems in an environmentally friendly and sustainable manner? The Master’s programme in Plant and Forest Biotechnology gives you specialized competence and skills to recognize, understand and find solutions to these challenges. The programme provides you with theoretical and practical knowledge about plant physiology, molecular biology, biotechnology and functional genomics; together with an understanding of the ethical, ecological and legal aspects of plant biotechnology. Advanced knowledge is given in plant cell and molecular biology as well as plant growth and development. This knowledge is then applied in the fields of plant breeding, biotechnology and functional genomics. The different courses within the programme contain a variety of laboratory experiments, providing you with hands-on experience and training in how to design, perform and report scientific experiments. During your studies you also have the opportunity to establish contacts with agricultural and forestry biotechnology companies. The programme is organised by the Department of Plant Physiology (Umeå University) and the Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology (Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences). Together they form the Umeå Plant Science Centre, UPSC, where world leading research in plant and forest biotechnology is being conducted. Many of your teachers are active scientists and the education is anchored around the various r