Curriculum – Information
The Department of Agricultural Development provides high-level agricultural education and focuses on developing innovation and know-how in agricultural engineering. Its vision is to transfer innovation and Educational and Research excellence to the society and achieve premium positioning in the international academic environment.
BSc studies at the Department of Agricultural Development last for five academic years (ten semesters) and include:
- Five semesters of core courses (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th semester), which offer and in-depth background in various branches of agricultural engineering.
- Four semesters of specialization courses (6th, 7th, 8th and 9th semester), in which students acquire academic skills according to the Orientation they selected in order to employ and develop innovative agricultural production and sustainable management practices for the production of safe and high-quality agro-food products.
- The last semester (10th semester), in which students have to accomplish extensive research work to fulfill their dissertation requirements.
At the beginning of the 6th semester, students choose the Orientation they prefer to attend for the remaining five semesters. The Department of Agricultural Development operates three (3) Orientations, as follows:
- Management of Plant Production, Plant Protection & Environment
- Agricultural Economics & Agribusiness Management
- Food Science & Technology
- Each academic year consists of two semesters. Each semester has duration of at least thirteen weeks for teaching plus the examination period.
- There are two types of courses: a) Mandatory courses and b) Elective courses, which students are free to choose at the beginning of each semester among a wide range of courses offered by the Department of Agricultural Development.
- In the first four semesters, students are also offered mandatory language courses (English).
- Attendance at laboratories and tutorial sessions is mandatory.
Student assessment – Examination periods
The purpose of student assessment is to evaluate students’ academic skills and their learning process. Assessment enables students to demonstrate that they have fulfilled the required course standard.
The examination periods are three: In February, June and September. At the end of each semester, written examinations are held for the semester’s taught courses. In September examination period, students can be examined to all courses of both semesters. In the February Examination period students are examined only for the courses taught in the Winter Semester. In the June Examination period students are examined only for the courses taught in the Spring Semester.
Practical training aims to familiarize students with the agricultural issues in various parts of the country. The Practical Training is an important part of the studies offered by the Department of Agricultural Development and aims to bring students in contact with the labor market, increase their managerial skills, and enhance their confidence and responsibility. Students may accomplish their practical training at University Laboratories, National Institutions, private agencies and institutes, cooperatives, etc., which can offer them relevant experience and knowledge.
Students have to accomplish their practical training after the 8th semester of their studies. The places of training and student distribution are decided and supervised by the Department of Agricultural Development.
Each student has to support a graduate dissertation and submit it in three copies. The project may be:
- A research project, i.e. a series of experiments conducted in the laboratory or on the field, which may relate to the research activities of the Laboratories of the Department of Agricultural Development or other Institutions.
- A technical or agro-economical study focusing on various agro-food issues.
- An in-depth literature review on issues of both academic and practical interest.