Plant Science

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Plant Science
Course sheet
A.Y. 2024/2025
Master programme
LM-6 - Biology
Master programme
120
ECTS
Access
Limited enrolment with admission test
2
Years
Course location
Milan
Language
English
International title
Double Degree
The Plant Science Master's degree aims at training professionals with a solid and integrated cultural background in basic biology, appropriate for applications in different areas of biology, focusing mainly on plant science. The students will acquire a high level of scientific preparation and in-depth knowledge and skills, taking into consideration molecular and cellular aspects, without neglecting applicative goals such as plant breeding and the protection and preservation of natural plant species. Students will acquire high-level skills, which will enable them to use the latest technologies to study complex plant biological systems. The international character of the Master's programme, the knowledge of English and the international experience are all highly appreciated aspects that will certainly contribute to broadening the graduated student job opportunities beyond national borders.
Biologist and assimilated professions. The decision to offer a Master's degree entirely in English and the close collaboration with UGA, where students are required to take part of the courses, broadens the graduate's job prospects, enabling them to enter the labour markets at national and international level.
The Master's course in Plant Science provides in-depth, state-of-the-art knowledge on the molecular and cellular aspects of plants, whether they are model organisms or species of agricultural interest, and their interactions with the environment. The skills acquired in this Master's programme will enable the graduate to carry out functions of high responsibility in professional fields such as:
- Basic and applied research activities in university laboratories, other public or private research institutions and in industry, with particular reference to plant organisms.
- Research and development of scientific methodologies for the study of plant biology.
- Functions of responsibility in public or private sectors in charge of environmental protection and management, in biology research laboratories, in biotechnology and food industries and in all professional fields where a multidisciplinary approach to plant biology is required.
- Scientific dissemination and publishing activities.
- Teaching activities: Graduates will be able to take the national examination to obtain the qualification to practice as a biologist and consequently register in the Italian National Order of Biologists (Ordine Nazionale dei Biologi, section A). They will be able to access PhD positions, specialization schools and other Master's courses.
Job opportunities:
- Universities and public and private research institutions.
- Public and private laboratories for biological, microbiological, genetic, and quality control analyses.
- Biotechnological, pharmaceutical, chemical and biorefinery industries.
- Communication, scientific dissemination and information, scientific publishing.
- Plant genetic improvement and seed production.
- Agro-food sector.
- Production of molecules of food, industrial and pharmaceutical interest in plant systems
- Cooperation and development in international organizations.

Biotechnologist. Graduates in Plant Science will be able to take on functions of high responsibility in all professional fields in which an in-deep knowledge of plant biology is required, in particular those involving the use of plant biological systems and high competence in plant genetics and molecular biology techniques.
- Graduates will be able to take the national examination to obtain the qualification to practice as a biologist and consequently register in the Italian National Order of Biologists (Ordine Nazionale dei Biologi, section A). They will be able to access PhD positions, specialization schools and other Master's courses.
Job opportunities:
- Universities and public and private research institutions;
- Biotechnological, pharmaceutical, chemical and biorefinery industries;
- Plant breeding and seed production companies;
- Cooperation and development in international organizations.

Botanist. The graduated in Plant Science will be able to assume functions of high responsibility in all professional fields in which a comprehensive knowledge of plant organisms is required, from the molecular and cellular level to the organismic level, and the interactions between living organisms and the ecosystem.
- Graduates will be able to take the national examination to obtain the qualification to practice as a biologist and consequently register in the Italian National Order of Biologists (Ordine Nazionale dei Biologi, section A). They will be able to access PhD positions, specialization schools and other Master's courses.
Job opportunities:
- Universities and public or private research institutions;
- Biotechnological, pharmaceutical, chemical industries and bio-refineries;
- Communication, dissemination and scientific information, scientific publishing;
- Plant genetic improvement and seed production;
- Agro-food sector;
- Production of molecules of food, industrial and pharmaceutical interest in plant systems;
- Cooperation and development in international organizations.

Researchers and technicians with a degree in life sciences. The Plant Science graduate will be able to take high responsibility functions in all professional fields where it is necessary to develop and conduct research projects on plant science concepts and theories. The graduated student will be able to:
- Designing and carrying out experimental research projects aimed at expanding and innovating the scientific knowledge about plants, including applications in applied sectors;
- Ensures the proper functioning of laboratories and scientific equipment;
- Define and apply scientific protocols in laboratory experiments and research activities on both basic and applied plant science;
- Graduates will be able to take the national examination to obtain the qualification to practice as a biologist and consequently register in the Italian National Order of Biologists (Ordine Nazionale dei Biologi, section A). They will be able to access PhD positions, specialization schools and other Master's courses.
Job opportunities:
- Universities and research institutions;
- Public and private research laboratories.

Employment statistics (Almalaurea)
The Master's degree in Plant Science is the result of an agreement between the University of Milan (UNIMI) and the University of Grenoble-Alpes (UGA), France, establishing a joint Master's degree at the two Universities (https://www.unimi.it/en/international/study-abroad/double-degree).
Students admitted to the Plant Science Master's degree will receive a contribution to support higher costs arising from their stay at UGA. The level of each contribution will relate to the ISEE declared by the relevant student.

For assistance, please contact:
International Mobility Office
Via Santa Sofia 9 (second floor)
Tel. 02 503 13501-12589-13495-13502
Contacts: InformaStudenti; [email protected]
Student Desk booking through InformaStudenti
Attendance is compulsory for all internships. Attendance at courses held at UGA is compulsory. For courses held at UNIMI, although not compulsory, attendance is highly recommended.
Enrolment
It is a fundamental prerequisite for admission to the Master of Science degree in Plant Science to have an adequate and sound knowledge of the basics of biological disciplines. Graduates of class L-13 Biological Sciences, who are recognized as fully meeting the curricular requirements, may apply to Plant Science MSc, provided they have completed an educational pathway in line with the indications of the National CBUI College guidelines and they are in possession of the appropriate certificate. Requirements include:
- 66 ECTS in biological areas (SSD bio), of which at least 6 in BIO/01 Botanica generale (General Botany), BIO/02 Botanica sistematica (Systematic Botany), BIO/04 Fisiologia Vegetale (Plant Physiology), BIO/05 Zoologia (Zoology), BIO/06 Anatomia comparata e citologia (Comparative Anatomy and Cytology) (at least 12), BIO/07 Ecologia (Ecology), BIO/09 Fisiologia (Physiology), BIO/10 Biochimica (Biochemistry), BIO/11 Biologia Molecolare (Molecular Biology), BIO/18 Genetica (Genetics), BIO/19 Microbiologia Generale (General Microbiology).
- 12 ECTS in FIS/01 - FIS/08 Fisica (Physics), INF/01 - Informatica (Informatics), ING-INF/05 - Sistemi di elaborazionedelle informazioni (Information processing systems), MAT/01-MAT/09 Mathematics.
- 12 CFU in CHIM/01 - Chimica analitica (Analytical Chemistry), CHIM/02 - Chimica fisica (Physical Chemistry), CHIM/03 - Chimica generale e inorganica (General and Inorganic Chemistry), CHIM/06 - Chimica organica (Organic chemistry).

Other students graduating in the same class L-13, who have not followed a course of study in line with the CBUI indications or in class 12 Biological Sciences (ex DM 509/99), or in other classes, may be admitted provided they have an adequate number of ECTS, not less than 90 ECTS, in the disciplinary sectors (SSD) indicated above.

For students graduating in class L-25, i.e. agricultural and forestry science and technology (Scienze e Tecnologie Agrarie e Forestali) and related classes, ECTS acquired in the following disciplinary sectors will also be considered for admission purposes: AGR/02 Agronomia e Coltivazioni erbacee (Agronomy and field crops), AGR/03 Arboricoltura generale e coltivazioni arboree (Arboriculture and Fruitculture), AGR/07 - Genetica agraria (Agricultural genetics), AGR/12 Patologia vegetale (Plant pathology), AGR/13 - Chimica agraria (Agricultural chemistry), AGR/16 microbiologia agraria (Agricultural Microbiology), AGR/17 Zootecnica Generale e Miglioramento Genetico (Livestock systems, animal breeding and genetics), VET/01 Anatomia degli Animali Domestici (Veterinary anatomy), VET/02 Fisiologia Veterinaria (Veterinary physiology).

Proficiency in English at a B2 level or higher, under the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), is required for admission. The B2 level requirement will be assessed as follows:
- Language certificate at or above B2, obtained no more than three years earlier. For the list of language certificates recognized by the University of Milan review: https://www.unimi.it/en/study/language-proficiency/placement-tests-and-english-courses/accepted-language-certificates). The certificate must be uploaded when submitting the online application;
- English level achieved during a Bachelor's degree programme through the University Language Centre (SLAM) courses and tests. The test must have been passed within the last four years.
All those who fail to submit a valid certificate will be allowed to take the admission interview, but will only be admitted to the MSc Plant Science if their level of English proficiency is unequivocally good.
The adequate personal preparation of the candidates and their ability to communicate in English are decisive elements for the admission and will be verified during the admission interview.

Admission procedure:
The adequate knowledge of the fundamentals of biological disciplines will be verified through the evaluation of the bachelor study program and the direct assessment of the candidates scientific knowledge. The candidate's background knowledge in Biology will be verified through an interview with the Admission Committee, consisting of teaching members appointed by the Teaching Board. The interview will assess the candidate competence on topics related to Plant Science and will ascertain the candidate's knowledge of English.
The committee evaluates the candidate on a 100-point scale:
- up to 25 points will be given for the graduation grade; for undergraduates the average grade of the sustained teaching activities will be evaluated;
- up to 10 points for the curriculum (type of degree, extra-curriculum free courses, Erasmus experience, etc.);
- up to 65 points for the interview.
A minimum total score of 60 out of 100 points is required for admission.
For the Academic Year 2024-2025, interviews will take place on June 20th, 2024 at the Department of Biosciences, via Celoria 26, room B8. The call for applications for the academic year 2024-2025 will be published in March/April 2024 and will contain detailed instructions (https://www.unimi.it/en/education/plant-science). Students must present a valid ID document for identification purposes. Foreign applicants not resident in Italy who have achieved their bachelor's degree abroad will be evaluated on the basis of their CV and may be invited for an online interview.
It is advisable to check for any updates regarding exam dates and times on the website https://plantscience.cdl.unimi.it/en or by writing to the Master's programme email [email protected].
After admission, enrollment at both universities (UNIMI and UGA) is required, but tuition fees are due only at the University of Milan. Specific campus fees for the running of programme may be asked at UGA.

Places available: 10 + 3 reserved for non-EU citizens

Call for applications

Please refer to the call for admission test dates and contents, and how to register.

Application for admission: from 14/03/2024 to 12/06/2024

Admission test date and venue: 20/06/2024 - DIP. DI BIOSCIENZE, VIA CELORIA 26, room b8

Application for matriculation: from 27/06/2024 to 09/07/2024

Read the Call

Programme description and courses list
First semester
Courses or activities ECTS Total hours Language SSD
Compulsory
Evolutionary Biology of Plants 6 48 English BIO/02
Introduction to Plant Development and Signal Transduction 6 48 English BIO/01
Strategies in Experimental Biology 12 120 English BIO/04 BIO/10 BIO/11 BIO/18
Optional
Chemistry and Cellular Biochemistry 6 48 English BIO/10
Communication Tools and Scientific English 6 48 English L-LIN/12 SPS/08
Entrepreneurship and Science and Scientific English 6 48 English L-LIN/12 SECS-P/07 SECS-P/09
Molecular Genetics and Epigenetics of the Cell 6 48 English BIO/18
Second semester
Courses or activities ECTS Total hours Language SSD
Compulsory
Plant Development 6 48 English BIO/01
Plant Signal Transduction 6 48 English BIO/04
First semester
Courses or activities ECTS Total hours Language SSD
Optional
Epigenetics and Cell Differentiation 6 48 English BIO/18
Evodevo in the Green Lineage 6 48 English BIO/02
Functional Genomics 6 48 English BIO/18
High-Throughput Biology 6 48 English BIO/13
Molecular and Cellular Imaging 6 48 English FIS/03 FIS/07
Molecular Bioinformatics 6 48 English BIO/11
Patenting and Technology Transfer 6 48 English IUS/10 IUS/14
Photobiology and Bioenergy 6 48 English BIO/04 BIO/18
Second semester
Courses or activities ECTS Total hours Language SSD
Optional
Environmental Plant Biochemistry and Physiology 6 56 English AGR/13
Plant-Environment Interactions 6 48 English BIO/01
Conclusive activities
Courses or activities ECTS Total hours Language SSD
Compulsory
Final Dissertation 24 0 English
First semester
Courses or activities ECTS Total hours Language SSD
Optional
Basic Statistics and Experimental Design 6 64 English AGR/02 SECS-S/02
Biostatistic, Bioinformatics and Modeling 6 48 English BIO/13
Development of Crop Ideotypes 6 56 English AGR/07
Second semester
Courses or activities ECTS Total hours Language SSD
Optional
Advanced Plant Cell Biotechnology 6 48 English BIO/04 BIO/18
Molecular Plant Breeding and Genetics 6 48 English BIO/18
Plant Ecology 6 48 English BIO/02
Conclusive activities
Courses or activities ECTS Total hours Language SSD
Compulsory
Internship 1 12 0 English
Laboratory Stage 6 0 English
Optional activities and study plan rules
1 - The student must choose one of the following courses:
Courses or activities ECTS Total hours Language Lesson period SSD
Evodevo in the Green Lineage 6 48 English First semester BIO/02
Plant Ecology 6 48 English Second semester BIO/02
Plant-Environment Interactions 6 48 English Second semester BIO/01
2 - The student must choose one of the following courses:
Courses or activities ECTS Total hours Language Lesson period SSD
Advanced Plant Cell Biotechnology 6 48 English Second semester BIO/04 BIO/18
Chemistry and Cellular Biochemistry 6 48 English First semester BIO/10
Epigenetics and Cell Differentiation 6 48 English First semester BIO/18
Functional Genomics 6 48 English First semester BIO/18
Molecular Bioinformatics 6 48 English First semester BIO/11
Molecular Genetics and Epigenetics of the Cell 6 48 English First semester BIO/18
Molecular Plant Breeding and Genetics 6 48 English Second semester BIO/18
Photobiology and Bioenergy 6 48 English First semester BIO/04 BIO/18
3 - The student must choose one of the following courses:
Courses or activities ECTS Total hours Language Lesson period SSD
Biostatistic, Bioinformatics and Modeling 6 48 English First semester BIO/13
High-Throughput Biology 6 48 English First semester BIO/13
Patenting and Technology Transfer 6 48 English First semester IUS/10 IUS/14
4 - The student must choose one of the following courses:
Courses or activities ECTS Total hours Language Lesson period SSD
Basic Statistics and Experimental Design 6 64 English First semester AGR/02 SECS-S/02
Development of Crop Ideotypes 6 56 English First semester AGR/07
Environmental Plant Biochemistry and Physiology 6 56 English Second semester AGR/13
Molecular and Cellular Imaging 6 48 English First semester FIS/03 FIS/07
5 - The student must choose one of the following courses:
Courses or activities ECTS Total hours Language Lesson period SSD
Communication Tools and Scientific English 6 48 English First semester L-LIN/12 SPS/08
Entrepreneurship and Science and Scientific English 6 48 English First semester L-LIN/12 SECS-P/07 SECS-P/09
6 - Open choice courses: the student must acquire 12 CFU
There are no propaedeutic courses in Plant Science that can limit progression from the first to the second year. First- year students must acquire 60 ECTS within September 30th in order to be admitted to the second year.
Learn more
Location
Milan
Course locations
At the University of Milan, classrooms are located in the University buildings, via Celoria, 26 (Edifici Biologici); via Celoria, 20 (Settore Didattico); via Golgi, 19 (Edificio Golgi), via Colombo 62 (Settore Didattico via Colombo), via Celoria 2 (Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences); most laboratories are located in the Department of Biosciences, via Giovanni Celoria 26, Milan and in the Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences - Production, Landscape, Agroenergy, via Giovanni Celoria 2, Milan.

At UGA, information is available at the following website: https://master-biologie.univ-grenoble-alpes.fr/majors/planta-international-plant-int-/planta-international-plant-int--298457.kjsp
Head of study programme
Academic guidance tutor
Erasmus and international mobility tutor 
Internship tutor
Dissertation tutor
University and programme transfer tutor
Master's degree admission tutor
Credit recognition tutor
Quality Assurance Delegate
Contacts

The tuition fees for students enrolled in Bachelor's, Master's and single-cycle degree programmes are divided into two instalments with different calculation methods and payment schedules:

  • The amount of the first instalment is the same for all students
  • The amount of the second instalment varies according to the ISEE University value, the degree programme and the student status (on track / off track for one year or off track for more than a year) 
  • An additional fee is due for online programmes

The University also offers:

  • Concessions for students meeting high merit requirements
  • Diversified tuition fees according to the student's home country for international students with assets/income abroad
  • Concessions for international students with refugee status

Scholarships and benefits

The University provides a range of financial benefits to students meeting special requirements (merit, financial or personal conditions, international students).

Learn more