Presentation

The course

This First Cycle Degree Course in Agricultural Sciences and Technologies is offered by the Department of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences (DiSSPA) at the University of Bari Aldo Moro, Italy.

The programme provides students with a solid foundation in agricultural sciences and technologies, combined with practical and professional training that prepares graduates for careers in the agricultural and agri-food sectors. The course consists of 180 CFU (University Educational Credits) and has a standard duration of three years.

The curriculum includes lectures, seminars, laboratory activities, fieldwork, practical exercises, internships, and individual or guided learning activities. Students complete 20 examinations, as well as assessments in foreign language proficiency and basic digital skills.

Admission requires a high school diploma or an equivalent foreign qualification. There is no restriction on student enrolment numbers.

Graduates acquire the scientific, technical, and operational skills needed to support safe, high-quality, and sustainable agri-food production. They learn to apply both traditional and innovative methodologies aimed at reducing resource waste and minimizing the environmental impact of production processes within an economically and ethically sustainable framework.

The programme also develops students’ ability to critically evaluate technical and managerial solutions, considering their economic, environmental, and social implications, and to communicate effectively with both specialist and non-specialist audiences.

Depending on the chosen study path, students may develop either broad managerial competencies in agricultural enterprises and rural systems (Rural Systems Management– GSR) or more specialised expertise in plant and animal production systems (Plant Production and Crop Protection – PVPC).

Graduates can ensure the safety, quality, and wholesomeness of food and non-food products.

The Plant Production and Crop Protection (PVPC) curriculum focuses on in-depth study of plant production techniques and processes, with particular attention to agronomic, phytosanitary, and sustainability aspects of cropping systems.

The Rural Systems Management (GSR) curriculum provides an integrated and systemic view of the activities and issues related to agricultural business management, with a focus on economic, organizational, and environmental aspects.

Course Goals and Learning Outcomes

The Degree Course in Agricultural Sciences and Technologies (STA) provides students with the knowledge and practical skills needed to work in the agricultural and agri-food sectors.

General Educational Objective: To meet the competition in international markets for products from technologically advanced countries, graduates in Agricultural Sciences and Technologies appear essential to leading the modernisation process of the agricultural sector. The students will learn how to address current challenges in agriculture through innovation, sustainability, and responsible territorial development.

Graduates acquire foundational knowledge in mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, zoology, agricultural entomology, and genetics. They possess expertise in the research methods of agricultural sciences, botany, general and specialised zootechnics, agro-industrial construction, hydraulics, land representation, economics and appraisal, agronomy, horticulture, floriculture, herbaceous crops, arboriculture, plant pathology, agro-food technology, and the comprehension of technical texts in English. Skills are developed through theoretical teaching, technical field trips, seminars, exercises, laboratories, internships, individual study, and tutoring. Learning is assessed through ongoing and final written and/or oral tests.

Professions and job market

The Course of Study aims to provide the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed for entry into the world of work or for further training at higher levels. The degree course aims to train two cultural and professional profiles: a technician for the management of the rural system and a technician for plant production and crop protection. Career prospects for graduates in Agricultural Sciences and Technologies are broad. While the programme does not qualify graduates to practise as Junior Agronomists, it provides valuable preparation for the Junior Agronomist qualifying exam and, therefore, for registration in the Register of Agronomists and Forestry Specialists, Section B. Graduates will therefore be able to pursue professional activities as entrepreneurs and/or administrators of small private agricultural businesses, and to provide assistance and/or technical consultancy to all companies operating in the production and marketing of plant and animal products. Furthermore, graduates will be able to work in companies associated with these supply chains (manufacturers and distributors of technical equipment, machinery, and systems), in logistics and large-scale retail trade, and in public and private entities.