Doubling project and the NJ Faculty’s degree programmes

The working titles for the NJ Faculty's new degree programme proposals are: Bachelor's programme in Sustainable Biotechnology, "Politices kandidatprogram i hållbar utveckling", Master's programme in Aquatic Environmental Assessment and Master's programme in Sustainable Use of Natural Resources.

Additionally, new Bachelor's and Master's programmes are being designed; they will replace the five-year agricultural programmes but still result in a Degree of Master of Science in Agriculture, should a student request it. With this so-called 3+2 structure, SLU can attract more students to our courses and programmes in addition to those who already know that they want to become agronomists. The agriculture group regularly holds discussions with external parties regarding the agronomist role, the expertise agronomists need in their professional lives as well as external collaboration between businesses and SLU.

In the long term, we are also planning an engineering programme, specialising in digitalisation. The Board of Education has tasked the NJ and S Faculty to write a joint application to the Swedish Higher Education Authority (UKÄ) regarding the right to issue a Degree of Master of Science in Engineering. To help the development of both agricultural programmes and a possible engineering programme, we are using the CDIO (Conceive, Design, Integrate, Operate) model. It is a well-established model traditionally used when planning engineering programmes to ensure professional expertise.

In parallel with this programme development, the Division of Communication is currently conducting market analyses and discussing what to name the new programmes.

All the programmes will be launched in autumn 2021. At the end of January 2020, we will present reports and preliminary education plans to the Board of Education, and in April and May, the Board of Education and the SLU Board respectively will decide on the programme proposals.