Introduction to MSc International Agribusiness
Agribusiness is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world. The evidence of this can be seen in the fact that 60% of the world population relies on agriculture, making it a focal point in the world economy. With the exponential growth of agribusiness, new technologies and agricultural techniques are emerging to cope with the growing demand. This has further augmented the need for skilled agribusiness professionals who have the technical know-how and necessary skills to cater to demands of the agribusiness sector. The master’s programme in International Agribusiness is FIBAA accredited (awaiting final state approval) and is offered by GISMA Business School at its Hannover campus. The course focuses on helping students understand the constantly changing trends in agribusiness and equipping them with skills that are relevant to the present-day global agribusiness sphere.

  • This programme is offered as a full-time as well as a part-time course. Students who opt for the full-time mode will be able to complete the programme in 18 months. On the other, students who choose the part-time mode will acquire this degree in 36 months’ time. In the full-time schedule, students will have to attend eight weeks’ of classes divided into two weeks’ blocks. These blocks are evenly distributed throughout the year. If students choose the part-time schedule, they will have to attend four weeks of classes in a year, which is divided into two blocks of two weeks. After the completion of classes, students will have to complete a master thesis, which is of six months’ duration for full-time students and 12 months’ duration for part-time students.

  • To enrol for this course, applicants must fulfil some basic requirements, such as:

    • The applicants must have an undergraduate or bachelor’s degree in the relevant field (agronomy, economics, agricultural sciences or geography);

    • The applicants must have two years of relevant work experience (after the completion of their undergraduate degree);

    • The applicants must have successfully completed the English proficiency test of IELTS with a minimum score of 6.5 or equivalent;

    • The applicants must submit a 500-word motivational statement along with their CV.

  • This programme comprises 11 core modules, including the master thesis. No elective modules are offered in this course.

    • Doing Business in Global Markets: In this module, students will be introduced to the concepts of the global agribusiness value chain. Furthermore, students will understand the objective of pursuing a degree in international agribusiness.

    • Managing for Change and Innovation: Since the agribusiness industry has been influenced on a large scale by emerging technologies and new business techniques, it is important for professionals in the industry to be well-versed with change management and working with new innovations. In this module, students will be familiarised with concepts such as leadership management, value creation management, business transformation and implementation of social skills in management.

    • Strategy and Technology Management: Effective strategies lie at the core of a successful business and with the rise of technologies in the agribusiness sector, technology management is an asset to have. This module focuses on helping students develop skills pertaining to strategy building, innovation management and debates and technology management.

    • Data, Finance and Forecasting: All business require a sturdy financial management system as a part of its core functions. This module will help students understand the significance of financial management in the agribusiness sector. In addition, students will learn at length about accounting, agricultural investment, auditing, predictive analysis, data analytics, influence of Big Data over the food value chain and decision support systems.

    • Food Production and Alternative Uses of Commodities: The agribusiness industry’s foundation are laid on the production of food and this module is all about that. In this module, students will garner a better understanding of the dynamics of agribusiness production across various food categories, what the green technologies are and their uses, intricate details of sustainable agriculture and organic farming and how to produce to promote sustainable diets.

    • Production Environment and Adaptability: For an agribusiness endeavour to be successful, it is essential that the business has an appropriate production environment and the business model is adaptable to constantly changing trends. This module of the MSc programme focuses on helping students gain extensive knowledge in regional resilience, public policy and integrated assessments, food safety and labelling, water and resources in agribusiness, value chain and regulatory response.

    • Production and Processing Technology: Emerging technologies have changed the face of the agribusiness industry, making it one of the most profitable sectors in the world. However, for professionals to use the technologies to their advantage, they must have the grip and know-how of production and processing technologies. With this module, students will acquire expertise in areas like agrotechnology, processing techniques, management techniques, Big Data and logistics involved in production and processing.

    • Innovation in Production and Processing: Innovation is the key to the success of every industry. This module will help students become familiar with ways to eliminate waste, recycling methods in food processing, how to assess life cycle and supply chains and the new innovations in the food processing sphere.

    • Retailing and Consumers: Endeavours become successful businesses through effective retailing techniques and an understanding of consumer behaviour. Keeping this in mind, this module will equip students with skills pertaining to consumer behaviour and its influence on production systems, risk management and the up-and-coming trends in food retail supply chain management.

    • Marketing in Agribusiness: Marketing is at the heart of every successful endeavour and this module will help students explore this aspect of agribusiness. Students will develop a profound understanding of marketing concepts relevant to agribusiness, how to conduct business in emerging markets and digital marketing.

  • The tuition fees for the masters in International Agribusiness programme (part-time and full-time) is €18,600. GISMA Business School offers a flexible payment plan for students, of which one option allows you to evenly distribute the cost of the programme across three instalments. Another option requires you to opt for monthly instalments, wherein, you need to make a one-time deposit of €2,000 and pay 12 instalments of €1,383.33 each.

Why opt for an MSc International Agribusiness?

The agribusiness industry is a widespread business with a high stake in the world economy. Acquiring an agribusiness management degree can help students become part of a constantly evolving industry, with various exciting avenues to explore. Furthermore, through this programme, students will be equipped with the skills relevant to the global agribusiness industry.

Who should apply for an MSc International Agribusiness?

Students who want to take up cross-functional roles and are interested to enter the International Agribusiness sector can pursue this programme. This programme will allow them to combine the expertise of different fields in one job, making them indispensable resources to the industry.

Scope and future of MSc International Agribusiness

The impending and rapid progress of the agribusiness industry and its expansion in the global sphere is proof of its significance in the present-day world economy. Agribusiness as an industry is growing by leaps and bounds and has a high employment generation rate. This has created innumerable opportunities for International Agribusiness graduates, widening the scope of their career.

Career prospects after pursuing an MSc International Agribusiness

  • Agribusiness Marketing Coordinator: As an agribusiness marketing coordinator, you will have to design effective agribusiness marketing strategies, build a business plan, ensure the viability of projects, develop business proposals, assess competitors’ performance and use digital channels to market the business and products. To excel as an agribusiness marketing coordinator, you must have excellent creative and communication skills, a good understanding of the market trends, extensive knowledge about the product and critical thinking skills.

  • Quality Controller: The job responsibilities of an agribusiness quality controller include monitoring business operations to ensure that they meet the set production standards, testing the produced samples to ensure that the quality is uncompromised and ensuring that the production processes are in line with regulatory policies. Quality controllers must have a keen eye for detail, be well-versed with the standards and regulations of agribusiness and have good analytical skills.

  • Agribusiness Analyst: As an agribusiness analyst, you will be required to take on responsibilities such as analysing financial information to predict economic and industry conditions relevant to the business, interpreting data pertaining to price, crop yields, stability, economic influences and potential risks and monitoring economic and model changes as per specific agribusiness sectors. To be successful as an agribusiness analyst, you must have the technical know-how of econometric modelling software, problem-solving approach, strong written communication skills, excellent analysis and research skills and an interest in agriculture. Agribusiness analysts are also required to prepare statistical charts and technical reports, use knowledge of economic behaviour to asses pricing and understand the financial components that influence the various agribusiness sectors.

If you want to become a part of this global industry, you can opt to study in Germany and pursue the MSc in International Agribusiness programme. It can be the ideal choice if you have a keen interest in agribusiness and the related sectors.