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MSc Sustainable Agriculture & Rural Development

Leading sustainable change in agriculture and rural communities

The MSc Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development responds to contemporary and future transformations in agriculture and rural development. The programme takes a place-based approach to rural change and rural futures, and addresses how agriculture can contribute to sustainable development. It examines how farming and rural areas are changing, and how communities and government can address future challenges and opportunities. These issues are relevant in Ireland and internationally, in the Global South and Global North.

You will learn about stakeholder engagement, policy design, integrated planning, and evaluation methods, then apply these skills directly through hands-on projects and your thesis to deliver meaningful, real-world impact in communities and regions.

This programme, which is offered on both a full-time and part-time basis, prepares graduates for roles of leadership, advocacy and influence in local, national and international development settings. This is achieved by strengthening capabilities in the relevant analytical and entrepreneurship skills, underpinned by the provision of an enhanced understanding of the theory, policy and practice of rural development.

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I recommend the programme to anyone passionate about building a more sustainable and resilient future for agriculture and rural communities. The programme is current, topical, and relevant, and it has provided me with invaluable experiences.
Caroline Dardis, 2023 Graduate
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A highlight was the range of international student classmates. This enhanced my overall learning on the course as different experiences and perspectives from around the world were shared regularly and weaved into collaborative student work.
Philip Kennedy, 2023 Graduate & Part-time Student

Gateway to a variety of careers

Graduates from the UCD School of Agriculture and Food Science respond to many of the major global challenges such as population growth, the climate crises, biodiversity loss, food security and food and health issues. Consequently, the opportunities for graduates globally in this discipline are excellent. 

This programme prepares graduates for roles of leadership, advocacy and influence in local, national and international rural development settings. Students will develop competencies in the analysis of agricultural and rural change; policy analysis; and co-design and participative approaches to rural development strategies.

This programme offers

  • Strong employability focus that develops transferable skills for advisory, policy, research, and community leadership roles.
  • Applied, experiential learning through group projects, case studies, field trips, presentations, and an individual research thesis.
  • Flexible study routes with full-time and part-time options to fit your career stage.
  • Interdisciplinary perspective that connects sustainable agriculture, rural enterprises, community-led development, and behaviour change.

Graduate Roles

Graduates typically find employment in government, agricultural and rural development agencies, local development agencies, NGOs involved in rural development, as well as donor agencies and international development organisations, with some pursuing careers in research and academia through further studies.

Graduate roles include:

  • Development Managers
  • Advisors
  • Consultants
  • Public servants
  • Researchers 
Lauren at a scenic location in Ireland

Lauren Drabenstott

When I found the MSARD program at UCD, it seemed like the right fit for my two goals at the time: furthering my knowledge and education in food systems and studying outside the U.S.

Now that I’ve nearly completed the program, I know I made the right choice. Throughout the past year, I’ve learned so much from my professors, who not only have shared their wealth of knowledge and experiences, but have shown such kindness and support. I’ve loved going on field trips and meeting people from all over the country. Far and away, my favorite thing about the course has been the past three months of writing my thesis. I’m grateful for the flexibility and freedom to do my own research into a topic that genuinely interests me: home gardening in Ireland!

Living in Ireland has been – & continues to be – an absolute dream. I have met such incredible people, both inside and outside the School of Ag.

I would encourage anyone interested in the MSARD program to go for it – I’d do it all over again if I could.

Build Skills for Success

Sustainable Systems Analysis & Policy Expertise

Develop technical and conceptual knowledge required to address global environmental challenges. You will gain capabilities in the analysis of agricultural and rural change and policy analysis. You will also develop a knowledge base for addressing the climate crisis and promoting sustainable development.

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Participative & Community-Led Development

Developing a place-based approach and social skills needed to effect change at a community level. Students develop competencies in co-design and participative approaches to rural development strategies. This involves fostering collaborative learning and working with diverse stakeholders to implement strategies

Rural Ireland
Critical Thinking & Research Methodology

Develop advanced intellectual and analytical skills, necessary for problem-solving in complex systems. The learning environment is designed to foster skills of inquiry and critical thinking. Students gain capabilities in core analytical skills and complete a minor thesis, which develops sophisticated research skills.

Critical Thinking & Research Methodology
Leadership, Advocacy, & Professional Communication

Develop transferable professional skills required to translate knowledge into influence and practical application in various professional settings. The programme is explicitly designed to prepare graduates for roles of leadership, advocacy and influence. Graduates build core conceptual and communications skills necessary for careers as consultants, advisors, development managers, and public servants.

Leadership, Advocacy, & Professional Communication
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My experience at UCD has been incredibly enriching, both academically and personally. I would wholeheartedly endorse this programme for anyone. It was a journey of maturation, learning, and discovery that I will forever treasure.
Peter Omolo, Class of 2025

Learning Beyond the Classroom

As Ireland’s largest and most globally engaged University, UCD is committed to providing world-class facilities and infrastructure that support the needs of our community and our strategic goals as set out in the UCD Strategy

The learning environment fosters individual and group-based activities, which develop students’ skills of inquiry, critical thinking, self-directed and collaborative learning. A variety of teaching and learning approaches are used including group project work, student presentations, individual assignments, field trips and case study work.

What Will I Learn?

Students will develop competencies in the analysis of agricultural and rural change; policy analysis; and co-design and participative approaches to rural development strategies. These competencies are underpinned by the role that agriculture and rural places need to play in addressing the climate crisis and contributing to sustainable development.

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How Will I Learn?

The learning environment fosters individual and group-based activities, which develop students’ skills of inquiry, critical thinking, self-directed and collaborative learning. A variety of teaching and learning approaches are used including group project work, student presentations, individual assignments, field trips and case study work. 

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Our Staff

Our academic staff is renowned for their dedication to their subjects and their commitment to providing students with an exceptional learning experience. They are experts in their respective fields and are passionate about nurturing the next generation of graduates in the field.

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Karen Keaveney

Associate Professor

Karen is the Director of the Masters in Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development. She leads the 'Citizen Rural Research Lab' in the School. Karen is a member of the European Commission Rural Pact Coordination Group, overseeing the promotion of the EU Long-Term Vision for Rural Ares 2040 throughout Europe. She is a qualified Urban and Regional Planner (UCD) with an undergraduate degree in Human and Physical Geography and PhD in Geography entitled 'Contested Ruralities: Housing in the Irish Countryside'.

Karen is a Rural Geographer and Planner, with research interests in rural planning and housing, rural development, and agricultural education. She has expertise in co-design in local decision-making and governance, rural power relations and socio-economic change in the countryside. Her publications and research include the areas of policy responses to rural change, cross-border and inter-jurisdictional planning, local government reform, and planning on the island of Ireland.

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Jim Kinsella

Professor

began his career as a volunteer worker with an international NGO where he worked as a humanitarian worker in Ethiopia and Somalia and as an agricultural development worker in Tanzania and Kenya. On returning to Ireland in the early 1990s he joined University College Dublin where he completed his PhD on farm household decision making processes.

Jim's research work encompasses: rural livelihoods analysis, rural development policy impact, agricultural extension effectiveness, agricultural innovation, piloting of social farming and measuring social capital. He currently supervises PhD and MSc studies related to knowledge transfer in agriculture and on-farm innovation. He lives with his family on a drystock farm in south Kilkenny and remains actively involved in his local community through sports coaching and voluntary organisations.

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Brian Leonard

Assistant Professor

Brian is Assistant Professor in Agricultural and Food Economics in School of Agriculture & Food Science. His research interests include farm succession and inheritance, farm diversification, and rural development.

Brian completed his PhD under the Teagasc Walsh Scholarship program at the Teagasc Rural Economy Research Centre Athenry and the University of Galway. Brian has also worked as Atlantic Economic Corridor Officer at Galway County Council. He also worked as a post-doctoral researcher and on the Options for Farm Families program with Teagasc.

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Anne Markey

Assistant Professor

Anne leads on the research methods modules fostering student competencies in the development of research proposals, data collection and analysis in a rural context. She has many years' experience in researching rural and agricultural issues in international and local contexts with rural, business and farming communities.

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Your Journey Starts Here

Ready to take the next step?

Passionate about rural communities, climate action, and sustainability?

UCD’s MSc in Sustainable Agriculture & Rural Development responds to contemporary and future transformations in agriculture and rural development. Learn to master sustainable agriculture practices, rural development strategies, and community engagement methods to drive positive change in farming and rural communities. With strong job prospects and real-world experience, it’s your path to making a lasting impact.

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UCD School of Agriculture and Food Science

Agriculture and Food Science Centre, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
T: +353 1 716 7082/7194 | Location Map(opens in a new window)