Professional Master's Degree

1. Cairo University, upon the request of the Faculty of Agriculture’s Council, grants a Professional Master’s Degree as a higher degree after a Bachelor’s Degree, in the programs of Organic Agriculture, Food Safety and Quality Assurance, Rural Development and other new programs that the Faculty deems to be developed.

2. Professional Master’s programs are interdisciplinary programs taught jointly by the various departments of the Faculty. They are of a two-year applied nature (24 months or four semesters) aiming to increase knowledge and scientific background and develop the graduates’ professional capabilities in a specific field that falls within the scope of the graduate’s interests, activity or work. .

3. A Professional Master's is a qualification that qualifies for higher positions in the productive labor market. It does not qualify for a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Agricultural Sciences, but it is equivalent to a Research Master's in terms of material and moral value.

4. A student who holds a Professional Master’s Degree can apply for registration for a research master’s degree in agricultural sciences in the specializations of the scientific department to which the Professional Master's is affiliated, under the following conditions:

a. That his first University degree is a Bachelor's Degree in Agricultural Sciences or its equivalent from one of the recognized University Faculties or Agricultural Higher Institutes.

b. The Professional Master’s specialization and the Research Master’s degree specialization should be related.

The Professional Master’s courses are considered as completion courses and give the opportunity for a graduate of a particular division who does not meet the condition of the GPA of the subjects of specialization (very good) to improve his chance to register for a Research Master’s in a new specialization other than his major in the Bachelor’s stage.

Registration requirements

The number of students for each Professional Master's program is determined according to what is approved by the Faculty Council.

1. To register in a Professional Master’s Degree in Agricultural Sciences, the following is required:

a. The student must have a Bachelor's degree in Agricultural Sciences from a recognized University or Higher Agricultural Institute, or its equivalent from different University Faculties.

           B. After accepting his enrollment in a Professional Master’s Degree, the student should pay the set tuition fees, as well as educational services support fees decided by the Supreme Council of Universities, and the research support fee decided by the University Council.

Applications are submitted from the beginning of January until the end of February for the second semester & from the beginning of June until the end of September for the first semester.

 

Application and Registration Procedures

1. Registration for Professional Master's is open from January to February for the first semester and from June to September for the second semester.

2. The student submits an application form for enrollment in the Professional Master’s Degree, after filling it out, to the Department of Graduate Studies and Research at the Faculty, accompanied by the following:

a. Bachelor's degree.

b. Birth certificate .

c. Army recruitment status for male students.

d. 6 personal photos.

e. The approval of the employer (if the student is working)

3. The Department of Postgraduate Studies and Research refers the papers submitted by the student to the Committee of Professional Program Coordinators to express an opinion and recommendation to the Faculty Council for enrollment. The date of approval of the Faculty Council is the date of the student's enrollment.

4. The registration of non-Egyptian students shall be taken into account in accordance with the procedures for accepting international students, which are determined by the Supreme Council of Universities.

 

Program Coordinator Committee

The Professional Program Coordinators Committee is composed of:

1 . Dean of the Faculty .

2. Vice Dean for Graduate Studies and Research Affairs.

3. Coordinator for each program.

4. Six experienced members of the Faculty staff members.

The mission of the Professional Program Coordinators Committee is limited to:

1. Preparing the plans of the research projects to be implemented by the students of the Professional Master's Degree; proposed by the concerned Scientific Departments and approving them after discussion.

2. Selection of supervisors for research projects.

3. Recommending the selection of external training bodies in the labor market.

 

Study System, Exams and Training

1. The Faculty Council, upon the proposal of the Professional Program Coordinators Committee, appoints for each student a supervisor in his field of study from the professors and assistant professors of the relevant Departments of the Faculty. A member from inside or outside the Faculty may assist in supervising at the request of the supervisor, the recommendation of the Professional Program Coordinators Committee and the approval of the Faculty Council.

2. A student enrolled in a Professional Master's Degree studies 45 credit hours, including 30 credit hours of compulsory courses and 15 credit hours of elective courses. The tables attached to this bylaw show the academic courses in the Professional Master's specializations and the number of credit hours for each course.

3. The weight of one Course is three credit hours.

4. The student studies the courses during the first three semesters at a rate of 15 credit hours per semester.

5. The time for the written exam for each Course is two hours. The maximum score for each course is 100 points, distributed as 40 marks for the final written exam, and 60 marks for the semester work, practical and oral exams.

6. A student who fails a Course must repeat the same course.

7. The student's success in the Professional Master's exams is estimated by one of the following:

- Excellent with 90% or more of the high end grade.

- Very good, from 80% to less than 90% of the maximum score.

- Good from 70% to less than 80% of the maximum score.

- Pass from 60% to less than 70% of the maximum score.

- Failing less than 60% of the maximum score.

8. For the student to pass the Course, he must obtain at least 40% of the marks of the final written examination.

9. If the exam in one of the courses includes a written exam, and an oral or practical exam, then the student who is absent in the written exam is considered to be absent in the Course exam, and is given no grades in this regard.

10. When the exam is retaken in a course, in case of absence without an excuse, or denial of sitting for the exam, the student shall be given the upper limit of a pass grade (69%) upon passing the Course if he obtains a total score of more than this limit.

11. After the approval of the Supervisor, the Committee of Professional Program Coordinators and the approval of the Faculty Council, the student is allowed to calculate the result of a number of courses he has previously studied at another University or at another Faculty, provided that they are among the courses required for obtaining a Professional Master’s and that he has succeeded in them with a grade of no less a good grade or its equivalent, provided that the total credit hours for these courses does not exceed 30% of the total hours of the courses required to obtain a Professional Master’s and provided that these courses were not counted for in obtaining another certificate or academic degree.

12. The student performs a summer training for 8 weeks after the first academic year in the Faculty's laboratories and farms or in one of the labor market centers, determined by the Committee of Professional Program Coordinators at a rate of six credit hours.

13. The student conducts the research project in his field of specialization (in one of the labor market centers or the Faculty) for nine hours, thus the total sum of the units is 60 credit hours.

14. A Research Project Evaluation Committee is formed after its preparation based on the proposal of the Scientific Department and the recommendation of the Professional Program Coordinators Committee and the approval of the Faculty Council. The assessment includes the student's ability to present the results of the project to the committee.

Degree Awarding Requirements

To obtain a professional master's degree in agricultural sciences, the following is required:

1. The student must continue study and research for a period of 24 months from the date of registration.

2. Completion of study courses (45 credit hours) with a general grade of “good” at least.

3. The completion of the summer training.

4. Completing the preparation of the research project.

5. The student is granted a certificate indicating the Professional Master's program and the specialization of the research project, as well as an evaluation of success in the student's Certificate.