Postgraduate Course: Intelligent Agriculture (PGBI11066)
Course Outline
| School | School of Biological Sciences |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 10 |
ECTS Credits | 5 |
| Summary | Agriculture is a fundamentally important part of modern biotechnology, and will increase in importance during the next 50-100 years. The planet's population is predicted to peak at over 9 billion in the second half of this century. To provide food and dignified living conditions, agricultural productivity will have to increase 50% by 2030 and 70% by 2050. This task is extremely urgent and challenging, as it will have to coincide with a transition to more sustainable and less energy-intensive agricultural practices and be achieved with less agricultural land due to climate change and urbanisation.
This course will focus on plants and explore the fundamental constraints and opportunities for sustainable food and bioenergy production, as well as the use of plants to supply high-value products for human welfare.
Teaching objectives
- In lectures, to provide a framework for understanding contemporary constraints and opportunities for modern use of plants for food and non-food products;
- In paper analysis, develop skills in critical analysis and provide confidence in working with complex concepts in biology and society;
- In oral presentations, promote skills in succinct oral communication of science.
Course objectives
- To provide a knowledge base of the fundamental biotic and abiotic factors contributing to increasing or diminishing plant productivity;
- To provide a knowledge base of the fundamental societal factors that impact the development opportunities for intelligent agriculture;
- To provide a knowledge base of the fundamental environmental constraints that will condition increases in plant productivity;
- To provide a knowledge base for rational decisions in the relative balance of plant use for food and non-food purposes;
- To provide a knowledge base for the analysis of the balance of energy and resource inputs and outputs in the use of plants for non-food purposes.
|
| Course description |
Not entered
|
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | Students MUST NOT also be taking
Plant Biotechnology (PLSC10023)
|
Other requirements | Students must not have taken Plant Biotechnology (PLSC10023) during their fourth year honours at the University of Edinburgh. |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
|
| Academic year 2022/23, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
|
Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
100
(
Lecture Hours 22,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
76 )
|
| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
|
| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Paper Analysis Class Test. A formative practice session will be provided in the form of a tutorial.
Three class tests throughout the course. |
| Feedback |
Not entered |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Demonstrate advanced knowledge of constraints on, and opportunities for improved agricultural practice and food production,conventional and GM plant breeding
- Produce and critique rational strategies for achieving sustainable, high-yield agriculture
- Demonstrate advanced knowledge of agro-biotech fuel, synthetic feed-stock production, natural production of high value and pharmaceutical plant products
- Demonstrate that they have the ability to research relevant scientific literature to create written and oral presentations that are concise, coherent and cogent
- Show in-depth knowledge of the plant biotechnology field and produce a logical, considered and integrated strategy for a solution to specific plant biotechnological problems
|
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Keywords | BIOTECH Intel Agri |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Alistair McCormick
Tel:
Email: |
Course secretary | Ms Andrea Nichol
Tel: (0131 6)50 8643
Email: |
|
|
University Homepage