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Do you have a passion for plants and do you have a inquisitive mind?

This program will deepen your plant knowledge and give you the skills to use this knowledge in applied research.

About the program

The Netherlands is one of the leading countries in plant production and many head offices of global seed companies are based here. You will have a real life research project in a small team of students commissioned by a plant breeding company or a company active in plant production or plant health. Classes in statistics and trial design will support you in your experiments.

You will follow classes in a.o. Plant Physiology & Photosynthesis,  Plant Breeding, Plant & Soil Health,  Statistics and Experimental design. The curriculum includes several visits to plant breeding companies and other classes to help you develop your soft skills such as communication and presentation.

Learning goals

At the end of the module Applied Plant Research, the student should be able to:

1. design and execute experiments, collect and analyze data, critically evaluate the data, as it relates to plant and crop biology, physiology and genetics;

2. coherently discuss and present research data, both orally and in writing, relating to the research itself and its commercial application;

3. have an up-to-date level of competence and understanding of plant and crop biology, physiology and genetics and be able to discuss the application of plant sciences with peers in a knowledgeable, articulate and confident manner.

Application

Want to sign up for the program Applied Plant Research?

Here you can find out more information about the application procedure.

 

Admission Requirements

The aspiring students have finished their first year of a Dutch HBO and have additionally obtained at least 90 ECTS from year 2 and 3 in a study programme related to biology. Besides basic knowledge on biology and research we expect the following knowledge and skills:

  • The student knows the fundamentals of Mendel genetics, plant taxonomy, photosynthesis, plant hormones, plant water transport and gas exchange. The student has basic knowledge on plant health and life cycles of plant pathogens.
  • In the field of statistics and data analysis, the student is familiar with the following concepts:  standard deviation, elementary probability distribution, normal distribution including confidence intervals, sample size and testing on the mean, binomial confidence intervals and sample size, chi-square test and analysis of variance.
  • The student can prove affinity with the field of plant biology through work experience  and/or internships at an undergraduate level.  The student can independently plan and organise their work and is able to work in a team.
  • The  student has at least reached the following English language skills: level B2 in reading and listening and  level B1 in writing and speaking.

You will be invited for an interview to explain your motivation and past experiences.