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Agricultural Sciences

Agricultural Sciences on EAP

Summary

Through EAP, you can study most subfields of agricultural sciences within a different academic, environmental, and cultural context. By exploring variations in agricultural methods and systems, and by investigating the impact of international agricultural issues on local policies and practices, you will gain a comparative and global perspective on your major. As the agricultural scientists and professionals of tomorrow, you will greatly benefit from the kind of international understanding and cross-cultural competency that are fostered by study abroad.

Imagine the possibilities when the world is your campus...

  • Analyze policy issues in organic and sustainable crop production in Chile or Germany
  • Discuss global problems in nutrition with Canadian students and professors
  • Enhance your knowledge of plant genetics and biotechnology in Hong Kong
  • Explore natural resource economics or agribusiness management in South Africa
  • Investigate resource management strategies to combat severe drought and desertification in Australia
  • Learn about fish stock assessment and fisheries management in Ghana
  • Observe viticultural production techniques in New Zealand
  • Study food microbiology and preservation in Ireland

These are only a few of the opportunities available to you on EAP!

“The food we eat, the water we drink, the land we live on, and the quality of the air we breathe are threatened by depletion of non-renewable resources, global warming, pollution, and loss of plant and animal species. These challenges affect the whole earth and require international intervention and global scholarship as offered by programs such as EAP.”

—Professor Jan Hopmans
Department of Land, Air, and Water Resources
UC Davis

 

Program Options

Agricultural science courses are available at many of EAP’s partner universities worldwide. You can choose from a wide variety of short-term and year programs taught in English or in a foreign language.

Use the following resources to find the right programs for you:

  • Review information provided by Your Department about study abroad.
  • View a chart of which EAP programs offer agricultural science courses.
  • Browse the EAP Course Catalog for agricultural science courses previously taken by EAP students. Additional courses may be available and not all courses may still be offered.
  • For additional course information, check the Academic Focus section found on all the program summary pages for each country.

Related Pages: Biological Sciences, Environmental Studies/Sciences

Your Department

Many departments provide information specifically for their students interested in study abroad. Where available, these resources are linked below.

Berkeley

Davis

 

Internships & Research

While on EAP, you can extend your education beyond the classroom through an internship or research project focused on your specific interests. Below are some examples. Check the main Internships, Research, & Independent Study page for EAP's policies governing academic credit for such activities.

Sample Internships

Internship opportunities vary term to term and placements CANNOT be guaranteed or arranged prior to arrival at your program site. The following are past examples only and do not indicate future availability.
  • A French organic farm. Duties included learning farming techniques to maintain various vegetables without pesticides or chemical treatments, as well as helping with planting, weeding, picking, watering, and preparing crops for the market. (France)
  • An organic farm in Italy devoted to agritourism. Duties included helping with the crops, animals, and farm maintenance. The academic focus was on methods of organic farming, the organic certification process, Italian and EU legislation compared with the U.S., and the impact of organic farming on the environment. (Italy)

Sample Research or Independent Study Projects

  • The state of Chile’s wild fish population. Research focused on the health and stability of Chilean fisheries in relation to the increasing use of “salmoneras” (salmon farms) and related aquaculture methods. (Chile)
  • Agricultural developments in Europe and France. Research focused on the tension between developing rural space for agricultural use versus conserving and preserving that space. Topics included shifts in agriculture since the Green Revolution and a critical analysis of the community agricultural policy of the European Union. (France)
  • Agroforesty experimentation in Ghana. This project involved comparing monoculture paw-paw, monoculture pineapple, and an agroforestry combination of the two crops. Research focused on the differences in rooting zone temperatures and the impact of this on nutrient cycling. (Ghana)
  • Evolution of cowpea farming in Ghana’s Northern Region, focusing on the acceptance and effectiveness of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) training in the farmer-field schools. This project involved: researching traditional cowpea farming and pest management methods; obtaining records of methods, relative yields, willingness of farmers to plant cowpeas, and adoption of IPM methods from the Savannah Agricultural Research Institute (SARI); and interviewing farmers in the Tolon-Kumbungu district. (Ghana)
  • The effect of foreign direct investment (FDI) and economic liberalization on the Mexican economy. Research topics included the degree to which the current FDI regime is helping to integrate domestic Mexican companies, particularly suppliers, into the export processes of transnational firms, focusing on the auto parts industry of Querétaro. (Mexico)
  • The use of fire in traditional Mayan agroecosystems. Research focused changes in the use of fire and its impact on sustainability. (Mexico)

 

Student Comments

"I took a course on agricultural economic policy in the Americas focused on Chile. Most of my research at home had been on existing Fair Trade models and Community Supported Agriculture. In Chile, I became interested in what a country bound by a neo-liberal economic model (especially in trade) can do to further agrarian livelihoods. This gave me a new direction for work: trying to find concrete solutions to the dilemma of exporting sustainably cultivated food."
—Natasha Noriega-Goodwin, Chile

"In my course on Tropical Crops we went on three-day field trips to different agricultural
establishments around the country. We tasted exotic fruits and even got to graft trees and take plants and fruit home."
—Brenda Campos, Costa Rica

"I was able to do a year-long project examining the structure and effects of integrated pest management (IPM) in Ghana. I had the privilege of talking to administrators, researchers, NGO directors, extension agents, and farmers to form a clear picture of how it was promoted, how it was being funded, whether it was actually being done, and what the effects had been. This was a chance to develop my research skills and interests—I felt like I was getting a jump on my master’s degree."
—Patricia Lazicki, Ghana

"I took a class called "the equine athlete" that was taught by veterinarians and had a great hands on lab component. I gained an international perspective on the fields of animal science and veterinary medicine, which enhanced my application to vet school. EAP is a once in a lifetime opportunity. It's possible to do it and still graduate on time and you will have the time of your life!"
—Jacqueline Hill, New Zealand

 

 

 
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