Choosing what and where to study isn’t always easy — especially when you care about making a difference. When it comes to food, plants, animals, and the environment, no other university in Canada can offer you an education like the Ontario Agricultural College (OAC) at the University of Guelph (U of G).
Established in 1874, OAC is Canada’s top-ranked school for agricultural science and food science and 14th in the world. Here, you’ll find the largest and most diverse graduate studies programme options within the U of G.
Real skills. Real experience. Real impact.
OAC’s course-based master’s programmes are designed to help you launch your career or upskill in food, agriculture, rural communities, and the environment. Along with graduate-level coursework, you’ll build professional skills through field courses, internships, and employer events and visits.
For Naifah Putri from Indonesia, flexibility was one of the biggest reasons she chose the Master of Environmental Sciences (MES). Interested in the science behind sustainability and environmental policy, she liked that the one-year programme gave her the chance to build technical skills and join a global research project — all within a short timeframe.
“The programme helped me build the technical foundation I needed,” she shares. “I wouldn’t be in my role as a sustainability auditor right after my graduation without it.”
OAC brings together 3,700 students, 35,000 alumni, and 140 faculty committed to finding innovative solutions for food, agriculture, communities, and the environment. Source: University of Guelph
If you’re interested in the future of agriculture and sustainability, there’s the interdisciplinary Master of Sustainable Agriculture (MSAg). While learning about sustainable crop and livestock practices, you’ll also build skills in data analysis, agricultural economics, leadership, and communication through hands-on coursework at the U of G’s Ridgetown and Guelph campuses.
Pranshu Bhatia from India was part of the programme’s first cohort. Over the summer, he and his peers visited food producers, farms, research centres, and agribusinesses across Ontario to connect with employers and explore sustainability challenges and emerging solutions firsthand.
“Visiting agri-food producers early in the programme is essential because it helps us understand the sustainability challenges from the ground up, and see how farmers and industry are responding,” he says.
Bhatia appreciated the early focus on technology and innovation for sustainability efforts in Ontario agriculture too. “Drones definitely have the potential to become an integral part of farming machinery. It gives the farmer an added advantage to spray and do aerial mapping for analysis of crops,” he shares. “The programme is equipping us well for the future. We have the theoretical knowledge as well as the practical knowledge. It really makes you feel good to be part of the University of Guelph.”
Meanwhile, the Master of Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics (MFARE) combines advanced training in economics, policy development, business analysis, and communication with hands-on learning tailored to the agri-food sector. You can either complete a major research project or work as a consultant for a real organisation.
For David Quecan from Colombia, that experience made a big difference. “As an international student, this consultancy project was a unique learning experience as it deepened my understanding of Canada’s agricultural systems,” says Quecan. “I enhanced my problem-solving, adaptability, and communication skills while gaining insights into the complexities of policy design and the collaborative dynamics of the agricultural sector.”
This emphasis on professional development, practical learning, and career-focused education is what continues to set OAC apart. It’s an approach that has helped more than 35,000 alumni build meaningful careers as sustainable leaders.
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