About this programme
Master in Plant Sciences is a Master's Degree programme at Norwegian University of Life Sciences in Ås, taught in English. It runs for 2 years and carries 120 ECTS credits. The register gives Ås as the campus town. It lists the degree as Master. Norwegian University of Life Sciences is a state university in Akershus.
What you will study
What you study
This is a two year, full time Master of Science worth 120 ECTS, taught in English at NMBU in Ås. You pick one of two specialisations: Plant Production and Plant Protection, or Plant Biotechnology. The programme covers flowers, fruits, berries, vegetables and cereal, how plants function, and how the environment and climate affect them. You also look at genetics and molecular methods, plant health and plant protection.
Each specialisation has its own set of 300 level courses. In Plant Production and Plant Protection you choose at least 30 credits from PJH341 Postharvest - Storage of fruit and vegetables, BIO324 Plant adaptation to climate and pollution, PJH360 Term paper in plant production, PLV321 Plant Pathology and Resistance Breeding, PLV330 Biological control - interactions between insects, plants and natural enemies, PLV340 Weed biology and weed-crop relationships, and JORD330 Soil Health and Sustainable Soil Management. In Plant Biotechnology you choose at least 30 credits from BIO300 Microscopy Techniques, BIO321 Population Genetics and Molecular Evolution, BIO324 Plant adaptation to climate and pollution, BIO325 CRISPR genome editing, BOT345 Plant Photobiology and BIO327 From gene to function.
How the programme is organised
The degree must include at least 30 credits at the 300 level and a compulsory thesis of 30 or 60 credits. You set up an education plan with your study advisor or thesis supervisor. You may include one or two 100 level courses totalling 10 credits, for example BOT130 Plant Physiology, GEO100 Geology, JORD101 Soil Science or STAT100 Statistics.
Teaching combines lectures, laboratory and field work, excursions, seminars, group work and independent work. The thesis is independent study or research under guidance. Assessment uses continuous evaluation and final exams. Courses with a lot of field and laboratory work are often assessed continuously through field reports and laboratory journals, in groups and individually. Many 300 level courses have a final oral or written exam, and the thesis is graded after an oral discussion with the examiner.
Up to 60 credits can be taken abroad through NMBU exchange agreements in Europe, USA, Canada and Oceania. Internships with external partners are possible, and you meet external partners through master's theses, guest lectures, visits and excursions.
Who it suits
You need a bachelor's degree in Plant Sciences, Biology, Biotechnology or equivalent, with basic knowledge in mathematics, chemistry, plant physiology, soil and natural sciences. You must write a motivation letter aimed at the programme, and NMBU requires a weighted average grade of at least C from your bachelor's degree. English language ability must meet NMBU regulations.
The programme suits people who want to connect the biology of plants to practical agriculture and urban greening. It is for students who are comfortable with laboratory and field work, and who want to work on food production, plant health or plant biotechnology in a changing climate.
Admission, language and next steps
The programme takes about 20 students each year and starts in autumn. Applicants outside the EU/EEA have a deadline of 1 December. Norwegian, Nordic, EU/EEA and Swiss citizens have a deadline of 15 April. Check the programme page for the exact application steps and document requirements.
Students from the EU/EEA and Switzerland are normally exempt from tuition fees at state institutions. Other degree students normally pay a fee set by the institution. The language of instruction is English. NMBU's Student Welfare Association (SiÅs) offers accommodation close to campus, and international students are prioritised for on-campus housing, though it is not guaranteed. Apply for accommodation right after you accept your admission offer.
Job opportunities after graduating
- Manager or adviser in agriculture, horticulture and the environmental sector
- Consultant in governmental, communal or private companies
- PhD studies and research
- Lecturer (with pedagogic training)
- International organisations such as FAO and NORAD
- Researcher at a research institute such as NIBIO
- Industrial PhD or plant science specialist in industry
Before you apply
Master’s applications go straight to Norwegian University of Life Sciences, not through the national admission service (NUCAS). Study in Norway states that you need a bachelor’s degree comparable to a Norwegian bachelor’s degree (180 ECTS), including courses equal to at least one and a half years of full-time study relevant to the programme. The institution lists its deadline as: Nordic applicants: April 15 EU applicants: April 15 Non EU-applicants: December 1. The register shows 1 December 2026 as a deadline date for this programme. Deadlines are set by each institution for each programme, so confirm yours. Entry requirements and language tests are also set by the institution, so start from the official programme page. Our guides cover tuition fees, study permits and housing.
Facts on this page come from the Study in Norway register, the official English-programme list run by HK-dir, the Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills. Fees are in NOK as the institution lists them. "Not listed" means the register has no figure, not that the programme is free. Always confirm requirements, fees and deadlines with the institution.
Quick answers
Is Master in Plant Sciences taught in English?
Yes. The Study in Norway register, run by HK-dir, lists it as an English-taught programme at Norwegian University of Life Sciences. Only English-taught degree programmes are included here.
How long does it take?
The register records 2 years of study and 120 ECTS credits. Sixty ECTS credits are one academic year of full-time study.
Where is it taught?
The register lists Ås as the campus town for this programme at Norwegian University of Life Sciences.
How do I apply?
Master’s applications go straight to the institution, not through the national admission service (NUCAS). Study in Norway states that you need a bachelor’s degree comparable to a Norwegian bachelor’s degree (180 ECTS), including courses equal to at least one and a half years of full-time study relevant to the programme, and some programmes require a minimum grade average. Norwegian University of Life Sciences publishes its requirements on the programme page.
When is the application deadline?
Each institution sets and publishes its own deadline for each programme, and the dates can differ between applicants from outside the EU/EEA, EU/EEA applicants and Nordic applicants. As Norwegian University of Life Sciences lists it: Nordic applicants: April 15 EU applicants: April 15 Non EU-applicants: December 1. The register shows 1 December 2026 as a deadline date for this programme. Confirm the date for your own situation on the programme page at Norwegian University of Life Sciences.
What does it cost?
No annual fee is listed for this programme. Degree students from outside the EU, the EEA and Switzerland normally pay tuition at Norwegian institutions, and the fees vary by institution and programme, so ask Norwegian University of Life Sciences what applies to you. For students from the EU, the EEA and Switzerland the record shows no tuition fee. Fees are in NOK as the institution lists them. Every student also pays a semester fee of about NOK 1,000 to the student welfare organisation linked to the institution.
Do I need a permit to study there?
Students from outside the EU, the EEA and Switzerland need a study permit from the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI). UDI asks for proof of admission, housing and funds of NOK 15,488 a month or NOK 170,368 a year (2026/27), on top of any tuition fee. A study permit allows work of up to 20 hours a week during term and full time in the holidays. Students from the EU, the EEA and Switzerland register with the police within three months of arrival instead.
Is this programme officially listed?
It comes from the Study in Norway register at studyinnorway.no, the English-programme list run by HK-dir, the Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills. The programme page at Norwegian University of Life Sciences is linked from this page so you can compare.
More at Norwegian University of Life Sciences
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