Agro- and Biotechnology (Campus Geel)

Agriculture

Course content
Arable farming comprises basic cultivation techniques such as tillage, sowing techniques, fertilizing, crop protection, plant diseases, harvesting techniques. During your training, you will get acquainted with business economy, agricultural law & jurisdiction, environmental care. The optional programmes management or environmental management allow you to delve deeper in one of these subjects.

Work placement
A one-year work placement is the best way for you to get familiarized with practice. Every week, you are to work for 2 days in an external farming company or in a company of the agricultural sector.

Job opportunities
Our bachelors of agriculture and biotechnology are employed e.g. as a chief executive officer on a farming company (45% of our graduates), as an external specialist advising the arable farmer on technical & commercial issues, informer for companies, teacher, co-worker research centre, etc.

Animal Care

Course content
A mixture of scientific subjects dealing with anatomy, physiology, pathology, microbiology, zoology, chemistry, farm animals, small pets, animal nutrition, veterinary techniques, pharmacology, instrumental knowledge, and general subjects such as computer science, communicative skills, law, business economy, etc. During your job-oriented training, you will have to perform various lab and practical sessions on e.g. chemistry, microbiology, blood analysis, urine analysis, dissections, handling animals, animal behaviour, anaesthesia, general clinical research, knowledge of instruments, hygiene in veterinary practise, etc.  

Work placement
As from the second semester in the second year until the first semester in the third year, you will be working with a vet for about 600 hours.

Job opportunities
You will be entitled to jobs as  co-worker in animal shops, animal nursery, co-worker in animal rescue services, zoological garden, horse-riding centre, children animal farm, etc.

Biotechnology

Course content
Study subjects such as in vitro breeding, plant physiology, plant diseases, fertilizing, biological crop protection, animal nutrition techniques, water purification, soil science, landscape management, environmental policy, environmental care systems, genetics, microbiology and environmental planning are inherent in the programme. As the environment is becoming more and more important, our university college has substantially integrated the subjects of sustainable energy and integrated water policy in the study field of biotechnology. Moreover, we are proud to say that we are the only Flemish university college offering the course of rural development.

Work placement
During your work and/or project placement you are to perform in the second and third year you will be employed e.g. in testing labs, environmental study office, soil research institute, etc.

Job opportunities
Our bachelors of Agro- and Biotechnology are in high demand in this sector. Conse­quently, companies and institutions like testing labs, environmental education centres, industrial research labs, para-agricultural supplying companies and public services such as the Vlaamse Landmaatschappij (Flemish Land Agency), AMINAL, environmental inspection, etc show an ever growing interest in our graduates.

Horticulture

Course content
The specialisation horticulture teaches you current breeding competencies to grow apples, pears, cherries, plums and soft fruit. Furthermore, harvesting techniques and techniques to prepare the products for sale are taught. From a technical point of view, special attention is paid to preservation systems and all horticulture machinery involved. During your training, you will get acquainted with business economy, agricultural law and jurisdiction, environmental care.

Work placement
A one-year work placement is the best way for the student to get familiarized with practice. Every week, they are to work for 2 days in an external horticultural farm or in a company of the same sector. Thanks to an accompanying programme with a wide range of assignments, the students will learn to analyse all aspects of managing a horticultural company.

Job opportunities
Our bachelors in Agro- and Biotechnology - specialisation horticulture - are employed e.g. as a chief executive officer in fruit farming companies or as an external specialist advising the fruit farmer as  a technical commercial responsible, informer for companies, teacher, etc.

Food Technology

Course content
In the common first year, general introductory subjects are taught. The second year mainly deals with the application and scientific backgrounds of current production processes and foodstuffs. You will learn various physical and chemical research methods allowing you control and assess production processes. In the third year, you will expand your knowledge of foodstuff technology as you will gain insight in modern quality care systems. You will also learn how to develop new products.

Work placement
A three-months’ work placement will offer an excellent opportunity to gain experience and prove that you can indeed put the acquired knowledge into practice.

During your work placement in an industrial foodstuff company, you will gain broad experience.

Job opportunities
You could be employed in e.g. the cattle feed industry, dairy processing industry, meat packing industry, frozen products industry, industrial bakeries, confectioner, canned food industry, phytopharmacy, etc.