MSc (AgInnovation: Agricultural Innovation & Entrepreneurship)

at National University of Ireland Galway

This course teaches people how to:  

• Identify areas for innovation specifically within the agri-domain;  
• Create innovation-driven enterprises or new business units within an existing company. 

Particular consideration is given to helping participants address:  

• Challenges around commercialising innovations (ideas and technologies);  
• Business constraints and guidelines (margins, CAGR, lifetime value, COCA, etc.);  
• Other difficulties related to getting new agri-products to sizeable markets;  
• Communication skills and self-awareness vital to creating successful innovation-driven enterprises.  
• Building on the TechInnovate programme at NUI Galway, this MSc in AgInnovation has three core pillars:  

Agri-Needs Finding: Students learn the fundamentals of ethnographic research [i.e., observation, interviews, and surveys] which allows them to conduct Primary Market Research, market validation and problem definition specific to the agricultural environment.  

Design Thinking for the Agri-Sector: The Design Thinking methodology is particularly relevant to those interested in innovation in the agricultural domain since it allows students to investigate specific, real-world needs of the agricultural sector and use those insights to develop sustainable solutions.  

MIT's Disciplined Entrepreneurship: The successful and real-world oriented "Disciplined Entrepreneurship", 24-step process from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) forms the basis for developing minimal viable business products (MVBP) for the agri-domain.

Applicants should hold an undergraduate degree, first or second class honours in any discipline, along with three years of relevant industrial experience; or an Ordinary or 3rd class honours undergraduate degree, along with five years of relevant industrial experience; or a recognised professional qualification and five years of relevant industrial experience. Candidates who do not meet the minimum entry criteria may be interviewed to ascertain their suitability for the programme.

Fees: EU
€8,200 p.a. 2020/21

Fees: Tuition
€7,976 p.a. 2020/21

Fees: Student levy
€224 p.a. 2020/21

Fees: Non EU
€17,750 p.a. 2019/20

Knowledge and innovation are essential helping the agricultural sector to meet challenges that the world is currently facing including food insecurity, climate change, sustainability, and health. Every challenge is an opportunity and with this course we will help you breakdown complex problems to find where innovation can help bring about change. This course will provide you with the essential skills in understanding modern innovation systems and processes and these skills can be applied to many aspects of life from business, social enterprise and communities. 

This course can help any individual, farmers or those engaged within the agri-domain who often have great ideas but need a better understanding of the dynamics of innovation.  We focus on turning insights / challenges /problems into a customer’s needs and then taking a step-by-step approach to designing products or services along with an enterprise to achieve successful commercialisation.

This course is also suitable for people that want to drive change within an organisation. Within existing businesses, skilled and engaged employees can pursue new ideas that support the mission and vision of the business, thereby supporting it to launch new products and services or pursue new markets.  Delivering these skills to future innovators also addresses the fact that many businesses are now in an increasingly challenging, noisy and competitive marketplace, with millennial job hopping becoming more common. Enterprises that can support employees’ aspiration to try out are ideas through structured, supportive process may experience a higher retention rate of valuable, committed and enthusiastic staff.

We believe in instilling growth mindsets in all students to help achieve their potential, fostering a culture of respect and fairness among the staff and students involved and facilitating courage and bravery as foundations of innovation.