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Academic year 2017/2018
Bachelor's Degree (BSc) on AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGIES

Coordinator Prof. Pietro Columba
Class of Bachelor's Degree (BSc) on Agriculture and Forestry (L-25)
3 years
PALERMO
Number of seats in local planning: 160
Department of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Science
Course Code
2122

Course info
The Degree Course in Agricultural Science and Technologies provides core competences in the agricultural sector, with respect, in particular, to the technologies and control of plant and animal productions in their qualitative, quantitative and hygienic-sanitary aspects, to the transformation and marketing of products, to the management of agricultural farms, to the evaluation of land, equipment, technical means and products. Graduates of this course should acquire core competences in propaedeutic subjects such as Mathematics, Statistics, Physics, Chemistry, Plant and animal Biology, which are needed to understand the principles of specific professional subjects. These competences will enable students to achieve a professional grounding including the agronomic principles of cultivations and of crop defence as well as livestock breeding principles Graduates will possess knowledge of the techniques for surveying animal and plant biological parameters, enabling them to carry out field surveys and the relevant qualitative and quantitative processing. They will also acquire knowledge about the main industry regulations and the principles of forestry economics and evaluation needed for autonomous professional activities such as planning and settling of agricultural firms, evaluation of land, technical means, agricultural equipment and products; projects and valuations of herbaceous and tree systems; land exploitation and amelioration; rural development and technical-economic management of farms, protected areas and processing companies. The profile requires the dialectical skills needed to disclose and argue individual technical ideas with specialists and non-specialists, command of English language or of another European language, which is necessary for reading and interpreting technical texts, for professional exchanges and for basic dissemination. Acquired competences will enable graduates to tackle and solve the following issues: - Sustainable management and development of agricultural and environmental assets; - Agricultural economics and policy, land and environment evaluation; - Open air and protected tree, grass, vegetables and flower farming techniques; - Techniques of livestock production; - Agricultural Mechanics and mechanization of crop and livestock farms; - Agricultural Hydraulics, irrigation systems and their design; - Storage and processing of agricultural and livestock products; - Defence of the crops and the environment from biotic and abiotic damages; Educational activities consist of lectures, laboratory and field practice and mid-term testing. The course lasts three academic years. To achieve the degree, students should have acquired 180 credits (CFU), including the ones related to the knowledge of an European Union language, besides Italian, subject to the special rules for the protection of linguistic minorities. The educational programme provides for 19 mandatory examinations, 1 elective examination, a test of computing skills, a language test and a practical training period in external facilities and the final examination about specific course issues. The 12 elective credits may be acquired, in accordance with article 10, paragraph 5, letter a) of DM 270/04, choosing freely among teachings provided by other courses of the Faculty of Agriculture of Palermo and other faculties of the University and other Italian and foreign universities. At the end of the course students obtain the title Dottore in "Scienze e Tecnologie Agrarie and, national professional qualification exam, may register in Section B (Agronomist Junior) of Professional Registrar of “Dottori Agronomi e Forestali”. Making judgments: Undergraduates are able to conduct autonomously, identifying appropriate methodologies, the surveys required to characterize the physical and biotic agricultural environment and, processing the data collected, to make technical and project interventions on a small scale or to collaborate to more complex projects, and to critically evaluate the social and environmental implications and the technical and financial results of the actions. The expected learning outcomes are achieved by developing the student’s ability to compare different solutions of the problem being treated through the drafting of specific projects. The assessment of the expected learning outcomes is carried out testing, in mid-term and final examinations, the critical skills as well as the ability to predict the effects of the choices. Communication skills Undergraduates, having acquired critical analysis skills, also develop the ability to transfer and disseminate, in both written and oral form, with clear and understandable technical-scientific language to the various levels of the operators of the industry, their analyses, theses, professional solutions and proposals, as well as the effects on various socio-environmental components. The expected learning outcomes are achieved with the students’ ability to present the knowledge acquired, in oral or written form, during the examination. The assessment is carried out through a judgment on the presentation skills, with respect to the issues dealt with, using a simple language specifically related to the course themes. Learning skills: In the context of the fundamental agricultural disciplines, undergraduates achieve learning skills enabling them to undertake a subsequent path of deepening and updating of scientific and technical issues of their competence. The acquired grounding enable them to follow technical and scientific seminars to broaden the knowledge, with benefits for their professional career. The 1st cycle training also ensures a platform of adequate knowledge for the understanding of the issues proposed in the next level. The training program drives students to the knowledge of scientific research lines to-date and induces the ability to interface with scientific societies, academies and research institutes in the sector. The expected learning outcomes are achieved by respecting the logical sequence and any prerequisites, provided for by the academic regulations of the degree course, of the course syllabus, with the goal of developing a knowledge base useful for understanding of the practical aspects. The assessment, through examinations, aims to test the students’ ability to use the acquired basic or applied knowledge or application to solve new problems or to identify the need for further investigations.
PROFILE: Profile: CROP TECHNICIAN functions: The crops technician is an expert in the design and management of horticultural-floricultural and fruit crops systems. He/she may register in section B of the “albo Professionale dei Dottori Agronomi e Forestali” Skills: Agronomic Planning and management of agrarian production systems. Ability to design targeted interventions within the supply chains. Sustainable management and development of agricultural and environmental heritage. Conduction of productive technological systems Professional opportunities: Free-lance professional activity, public and private institutions, farms, technical assistance. Profile: TECHNICIAN FOR LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION functions: These technicians are experts in conducting livestock systems. They may register in section B of the “albo Professionale dei Dottori Agronomi e Forestali” Skills: Ability to manage livestock systems from the production of animal feed, to husbandry, to the production of milk, meat and byproducts. Ability to design targeted interventions within the production chain. Professional opportunities: Free-lance professional activity, public and private institutions, farms, pesticide industry, technical assistance. Profile: PLANT DEFENSE TECHNICIAN Functions: These experts are able to plan interventions of defense in agricultural systems They may register in section B of the “albo Professionale dei Dottori Agronomi e Forestali” Skills: Planning defense strategies based on the biology and behavior of pests and beneficial organisms. Analysis of the biological, biotechnical and alternative methods which are, suitable and adaptable to the defense against pest. Evaluation of the use of plant protection products and their secondary influences. Professional opportunities: Free-lance professional activity, public and private institutions, farms, technical assistance. Profile: FARM MANAGEMENT TECHNICIANS Functions: Farm management technicians are experts capable of dealing with the technical and economic management of farms. They may register in section B of the “albo Professionale dei Dottori Agronomi e Forestali” Skills: Economic management of agricultural and livestock resources. Ability of enforcing the key industry regulations and the principles of agricultural economics and rural valuation. Planning and settling of farms, estimates of land property, technical means, plants and agriculture products. Preparation of rural development projects. Professional opportunities: Free-lance professional activity, public and private institutions, farms, technical assistance.
To obtain the degree, students must have acquired 180 credits including those relating to the final examination (3 credits). The final test has the objective of assessing the level of maturity and critical skills of the undergraduate, with respect to learning and to the acquired knowledge, on completion of the activities provided by the course syllabus. The final examination consists of a written or oral test, in accordance with the rules fixed every year by the Degree Course Regulations for the final examination, respecting and consistent to the calendar, the ministerial requirements and to the relevant Guidelines of the University.

course outline
Teachings first year
credits Term Val. Area Scientific sector
01900 - GENERAL AND INORGANIC CHEMISTRY Details GIANNICI (PA) 6.0 1 V A CHIM/03
04735 - EU FOREIGN LANGUAGE (*) in english 3.0 1 G E
04872 - MATHEMATICS Details SCIACCA (PA) 9.0 1 V A MAT/07
18714 - ZOOLOGICAL TAXONOMY AND DEMOGRAPHY LABORATORY Details LO PINTO (RU) 3.0 1 G F
18803 - PLANT MORPHOLOGY AND PHYSIOLOGY Details GRISAFI (PQ) 6.0 1 V A BIO/03
01155 - GENERAL AGRONOMY Details GRISTINA (PO) 6.0 2 V B AGR/02
01933 - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY Details PACE (PO) 9.0 2 V A CHIM/06
11812 - AGRICULTURAL GENETICS Details MARTINELLI (RU) 6.0 2 V A AGR/07
18713 - SYSTEMATICS AND IDENTIFICATION OF THE MEDITERRANEAN AND EXOTIC PLANT SPECIES - LABORATORY Details SCHICCHI (PO) 3.0 2 G F
Teachings second year
credits Term Val. Area Scientific sector
04949 - AGRICULTURAL MECHANICS AND MECHANISATION Details CATANIA (PO) 6.0 1 V B AGR/09
12501 - ELEMENTS OF AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS AND POLICY Details COLUMBA (PO) 9.0 1 V B AGR/01
15480 - AGRICULTURAL BIOCHEMISTRY AND SOIL CHEMISTRY Details PALAZZOLO (PA) 9.0 1 V B AGR/13
18712 - BUDGET PREPARATION AND ANALYSIS FOR THE AGRICULTURAL FIRM - LABORATORY Details MIGLIORE (PA) 3.0 1 G F
02078 - TREE FARMING Details BARONE (PO) 9.0 2 V B AGR/03
03774 - AGRICULTURAL HYDRAULICS Details GIORDANO (PO) 6.0 2 V B AGR/08
12498 - CROP SCIENCE Details GIAMBALVO (PO) 6.0 2 V B AGR/02
18711 - SOIL CLASSIFICATION AND RECOGNITION LABORATORY Details RAIMONDI (II) 3.0 2 G F
Free subjects (suggested) 15.0 D
Teachings third year
credits Term Val. Area Scientific sector
03901 - AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY Details CORONA (PO) 6.0 1 V C AGR/15
07553 - PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE 12.0 1 G F
16094 - LAND APPRAISAL Details SCHIMMENTI (PO) 6.0 1 V B AGR/01
17650 - ZOOTECHNICS - INTEGRATED COURSE Details PORTOLANO (PO) 9.0 1 V
PETS MORPHO-PHYSIOLOGY AND NUTRITION TODARO (PA) 3.0 C AGR/18
GENERAL ZOOTECHNICS PORTOLANO (PO) 6.0 B AGR/17
18710 - AGRI-FOOD MICROBIOLOGY Details SETTANNI (PO) 6.0 1 V C AGR/16
05457 - HORTICULTURE AND FLORICULTURE Details VETRANO (PA) 6.0 2 V C AGR/04
05917 - FINAL EXAMINATION 3.0 2 V E
11722 - PLANT PATHOLOGY Details TORTA (RU) 6.0 2 V B AGR/12
16093 - AGRICULTURAL ENTOMOLOGY Details TSOLAKIS (PA) 6.0 2 V B AGR/11
18709 - TECHNICAL ENGLISH LANGUAGE FOR AGRICULTURE Details LO BIANCO (PO) 3.0 2 G F
Elective activities
Free subjects (suggested) credits Term Val. Area Scientific sector
18177 - ELEMENTS OF PEDO-LANDSCAPE CARTOGRAPHY Details RAIMONDI (II) 3.0 2 V D AGR/14
18705 - INTRODUCTION TO CAD FOR AGRICULTURAL AND FOREST SYSTEMS - LABORATORY Details MORELLO (RU) 3.0 2 V D AGR/09
18706 - APIDOLOGY Details RAGUSA (RU) 3.0 2 V D AGR/11
18707 - CHEMICAL-PHYSICAL SOIL ANALYSIS Details LAUDICINA (PO) 3.0 2 V D AGR/13
19240 - MECHANISATION FOR PRECISION AGRICULTURE Details COMPARETTI (PA) 3.0 2 V D AGR/09
Explaination
Term Term/Semester
Val. Valutation: V = mark in 30/30, G = note
(*) Teaching attended in english
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