Agriculture

Today, modern agricultural and environmental scientists are tackling a new breed of issues: population growth, climate change, carbon trading, nutrition, human health and food security. With a PhD in Agriculture, you have an incredible opportunity to become a pioneer in essential, innovative and vital research to address these challenges.

As a PhD candidate in the Faculty of Agriculture and Environment, you will be joining a highly interdisciplinary faculty where you will collaborate with world experts in their professional fields. Our emphasis on innovation and applied research places us at the forefront of the industry.

Our diverse range of research opportunities includes the themes of Sustainability (carbon sequestration; pollution targets and control; the affect of climate change on agriculture and natural resources) and Production Systems (crop protection; biological nitrogen fixation; food chemistry and biochemistry).

Your research will be conducted in some of the world’s best-equipped and newest specialist research facilities, including the Centre for Carbon, Water and Food; the IA Watson Grains Research Institute (the biggest centre of its kind in Australia, spanning 2268 hectares); and our world-leading Plant Breeding Institute. 

And, the Faculty’s strong links with national industry bodies (such as the Grains Research and Development Corporation, CSIRO, NSW Department of Industries) and international research programs (in Vietnam, India, Mexico, China, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Thailand and parts of Europe and the USA) will connect you to leading agronomists and agricultural scientists. 

A PhD in Agriculture is about more than knowledge. Our postgraduate students are a valued part of our research community we are committed to your professional development and support. As well the opportunity to work alongside world experts, we offer you professional networking, seminars, skills workshops, social events and career evenings to help you develop your talents beyond your PhD.

AREAS OF RESEARCH

The faculty offers a diverse range of research opportunities encouraging you to further your research in a specific field. Our main research areas include, but are not limited to:

Sustainability

• carbon sequestration
• pollution targets and control
• the affect of climate change on agriculture and natural resources
• environmental soil ecology
• natural resource management
• crop water management
• soil conservation
• grazing productivity

Production Systems

• crop protection
• biological nitrogen fixation
• post harvest biology and technology
• plant breeding
• plant pathology
• limnology and water ecology
• food chemistry and biochemistry
• plant cryogenics

Eligible candidates are encouraged to apply in plenty of time, and even before completion of their current qualifying degree. In these circumstances, referee reports are essential as part of the application for admission.

To apply for a PhD, you need to demonstrate sufficient prior research experience and capability.

In most cases, to be eligible to apply for a PhD you will have:

• a Bachelors degree with first or upper second class Honours or
• a Masters degree performed at a high academic standard, and which includes a substantial component of original research, or
• an equivalent qualification that demonstrates research experience, excellence and capability.
• your academic/educational background and research experience with examples such as an academic transcript
• your CV/resume
• the area of interest for your PhD
• why you believe your research topics align with this supervisor
• IELTS: A minimum result of 6.5 overall and a minimum result of 6.0 in each band
• TOEFL paper-based: A minimum result of 565 overall including a minimum result of 4.5 in Writing TOEFL IBT: A minimum result of 85 overall including a minimum result of 17 in Reading, Listening and Speaking and 19 in Writing

These criteria constitute the minimum requirements for eligibility and do not guarantee admission. That remains at the discretion of the Associate Dean (HDR) for a given Faculty.

The academic requirements that are displayed are applicable to currently available courses only, and are updated annually in October and may be changed without notice. The Faculty Handbook and the University of Sydney Calendar are the official legal source of information relating to study at the University of Sydney, and you are referred to those documents.

Scholarships

• Australia Awards Scholarships (AAS)
• Research Training Program Fee Offset and Stipend Scholarship (International - formerly IPRS)
• University of Sydney International Scholarship (USydIS)
• Vice-Chancellor International Scholarships Scheme