Agricultural Biology

From the 4th semester onwards, you have the opportunity to design your studies individually. You can specialize and choose a profile that matches your interests and fits perfectly with your career aspirations. You don't want to commit yourself yet? Then study without a profile and choose the modules freely according to your preferences. This way you can study what you enjoy the most. A semester abroad can also be easily integrated into your studies at this point. 

You can choose from the following profiles:

The course also includes participation in group work in an agricultural biology project that is linked to a research project. Here you can put your teamwork skills to the test and apply your knowledge in practice. A question that you work on together with your teammates could be, for example, “What are the consequences of glyphosate for the environment?” An eight-week professional internship during the lecture-free period must also be completed. It offers you the ideal opportunity to gain practical experience and get a first insight into a possible future career. You can also go abroad for this. 

Finally, you will complete your Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Biology with a written Bachelor’s thesis and an oral presentation. Here you can work more intensively on a scientific topic and apply the skills you have acquired.

You should also ask yourself whether the Agricultural Biology degree program suits your areas of interest and you as a person. Perhaps you have already volunteered for organizations that are committed to environmental protection, species conservation, and climate protection? Even then, this program may be the right one for you to convince people in discussions with scientifically sound specialist knowledge and to counter fake news. In this way, you can also make a significant contribution to raising awareness of food security and sustainable agricultural production in our society.

To get a better understanding of the program, the graphic shows you which school subjects are included in this degree program. Here is a brief overview of the most important interests and skills you should bring with you:

• Interest in agricultural topics, nature, and the environment as well as curiosity and the ability to think outside the box
• Good foundation in natural sciences such as biology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics
• Good English skills so that you can read and understand English-language literature
• Independence: At the university you are your own boss and no one checks if you have registered for all exams. From now on it's up to you!
• Self-discipline: Did you understand the material in the last lecture? At the university, no one makes sure you’ve understood everything. This is a great freedom and at the same time you should know that you are responsible for motivating yourself from now on. Here’s a little tip: Find friendly fellow students and motivate each other! 

And there's something else you should know: If you're worried that you might not have the level of knowledge you need in one subject or another, don't worry! We offer you various support options in which you can bring your knowledge of the subject matter up to the required level. For example in our pre-courses. 

Always in balance: Theory and practice 

Theoretical knowledge is good and important—but you also need to be able to apply your knowledge in your career. The focus of a university degree course is on teaching theoretical content and scientific methodological skills. However, the Agricultural Biology degree program cannot do without a strong practical focus. That’s why we aim to optimally combine theory and practice. 

Gaining practical experience

Internships offer a good opportunity to gain insight into companies and fields of activity. They are a good investment of time in your future. This is because they not only give you an orientation as to which professional field you see yourself in later. They also help you to make contacts and can be door openers for your future job. An 8-week mandatory internship during the lecture-free period is integrated into this degree program.

You can also include a research stay in Germany or abroad or up to two practical semesters in your studies. Of course we will support you with the administrative aspects, internship search, and application process. 

Acquiring new skills

To be successful in a profession, more is needed than just theoretical knowledge. We offer you the opportunity to acquire practice-oriented additional qualifications, for example a training aptitude test as part of “Education and Employee Management,” a laboratory management certificate, a plant protection certificate, or an animal transport certificate. You will also benefit from the university-wide continuing education program to expand your personal, social, and methodological skills. 

• Practical elements for students
• F.I.T. further education program

Learning from practice

We maintain close contacts with industry, agricultural businesses, and research institutes. We regularly host events on exciting and practical topics to which we invite lecturers and guest speakers from all over the world. You will also get to know our agricultural sciences educational garden, go on field tours of the Agricultural Experiment Station sites, and gain insights into field work. We also offer themed tours of cowsheds and excursions to farms. 

Learning languages, understanding cultures

Would you like to study and research abroad? Then take advantage of the opportunity to spend a semester in another country. It is guaranteed to be once in a lifetime experience. During this time, you will not only broaden your horizons, but also develop and educate yourself. This is an opportunity to consolidate your language skills and gain intercultural competence. We have over 80 partner universities in Europe and all over the world. A semester abroad also offers you advantages when looking for a job. This is because many international companies prefer applicants who have already studied and lived abroad. 

Stays abroad

Gaining experience with start-ups

The “Innovation Greenhouse” is all about sustainable business creation, from idea development and evaluation to the founding and subsequent growth of the company. Here you have the opportunity to staff an exciting start-up or receive support for your own ideas or the company you have founded yourself. 

Innovation Greenhouse

Researching during your studies

If you are particularly interested in combining science and practice, research projects are perfect for applying the methods and skills you have learned in practice, testing your own ideas, and finding solutions to problems. The conditions here are ideal: With 700 hectares of land, we have the largest experimental property among Germany’s universities. There are also several farms at the University of Hohenheim with outdoor crops and livestock where you can gain practical knowledge and carry out your own experiments and exercises. 

Agricultural Experiment Stations

In the project “Humboldt reloaded,” you will go through all stages of a real research project, from the preparation of the current state of research and the selection of methods for your own research to data analysis and presentation. 

Humboldt reloaded project: What does the oilseed rape beetle like? (in German)