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Faculty: Agriculture, Food, and Environmental Sciences

Graduate Programmes

Agricoltura sostenibile e di precisione

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Applications open for 2026/2027
Duration:
2 years
Campus:
Piacenza
Language:
Italian
Degree class:
LM-69 R (Agriculture)
Credits:
120 ECTS
Admission:
Open
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/ Overview

The graduate degree programme in Agricoltura sostenibile e di precisione (Sustainable and Precision Agriculture) trains professionals capable of innovating agricultural and agro-livestock systems, improving productivity with a view to agri-environmental, economic and ethical sustainability.  
The programme integrates advanced technologies — such as IoT sensors, real-time monitoring, automation, robotics, big data and decision support systems — with a specific focus on Artificial Intelligence, deepened through:

  • Machine learning for crop forecasting, plant diagnostics and climate modelling

  • Computer vision for the recognition of stress, parasites and maturation

  • Intelligent Decision Support Systems

  • NLP Applications for Technical Support and Business Management

The aim is to develop advanced skills to operate in the agronomic, livestock and wine sectors, with a focus on sustainable intensification.

The availability of didactic-experimental facilities (agro-livestock farm, vineyard and cellar, hazelnut grove, agrivoltaic park, laboratories) allows practical training and the development of experimental theses, even in international contexts.

The three proposed profiles are:

  • SUSTAINABLE AND PRECISION AGRICULTURE
  • SUSTAINABLE AND PRECISION ANIMAL HUSBANDRY
  • Sustainable Viticulture and Enology

The course prepares to address the main challenges of the agri-food system:

  • Global population growth and increased food demand

  • Environmental impact and emission reduction

  • Climate change and extreme events

  • Protection of biodiversity and animal welfare

Attendance is recommended; Lectures are recorded and available for two weeks, while exercises are mandatory.

Crops

Why choose Agricoltura sostenibile e di precisione at Università Cattolica?

Choosing the graduate degree programme in Agricoltura sostenibile e di precisione at Università Cattolica means training in a high-quality academic context, attentive to both scientific innovation and the student's personal growth.  
The programme prepares students to interpret and face the great challenges of contemporary agri-food, in a rapidly expanding sector full of professional opportunities.

Quality of research and teaching

International recognition and continuous monitoring of the course to improve its effectiveness based on student feedback

Welcoming and well-equipped campus

Spaces and services dedicated to study, university life and student well-being

Wide availability of laboratories and facilities for teaching and research activities

Practical and concrete training, with the possibility of carrying out experimental theses

Strong connection to the world of work

Field experiences, meetings with professionals, dedicated programs and internship opportunities

International and interdisciplinary environment

Promotes cultural exchange and the development of language skills

Training geared to the global challenges of a growing industry

Sustainability, climate resilience, resource efficiency and animal welfare are topics linked to the technological innovation of the moment

97
%

Overall student satisfaction with the degree programme

100
%

Positive evaluation of the internship experience

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Source: Satisfaction among graduates who completed the programme, based on the latest Graduating Students Survey, calendar year 2025.

/ Study Plan

Find your programme

Learning pathways

The programme offers three profiles - Sustainable and Precision Agriculture (ASP), Sustainable and Precision Animal Husbandry (ZSP), Sustainable Viticulture and Enology (EVS) - to train experts in the management of agricultural and livestock systems, precision technologies and winemaking processes, with skills oriented towards production efficiency and the protection of natural resources.

Profile: Sustainable and Precision Agriculture (ASP)

The profile in Sustainable and Precision Agriculture (ASP) is dedicated to herbaceous, horticultural and arboreal crops and is distinguished by a strongly interdisciplinary approach. The programme aims to develop skills to design and manage innovative and sustainable cropping systems, in response to the challenges posed by climate change. 
The course explores the main scientific areas underlying sustainable cropping systems, including agroecology, soil health and fertility, plant physiology and genomics, to understand and improve crop performance in relation to the environment. 
Particular attention is also paid to the reduction of emissions, crop protection, bioenergy, modeling and precision farming techniques, without neglecting the economic sustainability of agricultural enterprises.

Profile: Sustainable and Precision Animal Husbandry (ZSP)

The profile in Sustainable and Precision Animal Husbandry (ZSP) offers an interdisciplinary training course oriented towards the development of sustainable, innovative and advanced farming systems, based on the application of the most modern Precision Livestock Farming technologies.  
The course deepens knowledge of animal physiology and genomics, with a focus on climate change adaptation and emission reduction. 
Skills are also developed in animal nutrition and feed technique, in the evaluation of animal welfare and sustainability of farms, as well as in the quality of food of animal origin and in the management of the agro-livestock company.

Profile: Sustainable Viticulture and Enology (EVS)

The profile in Sustainable Viticulture and Enology (EVS) stands out not only for its focus on the wine supply chain, but also for the delivery entirely in English, which reinforces its international dimension.
The educational context is in fact characterized by the presence of students from different countries, fostering a dynamic and intercultural environment. 
The course is designed to respond to the main needs of the contemporary wine sector, integrating scientific knowledge and technical skills with a sustainable vision.  
The goal is to train professionals capable of combining tradition and innovation throughout the supply chain, from vineyard management to winemaking processes.

Discover the study plans

Teaching approach

The teaching of the programme in Agricoltura sostenibile e di precisione combines theoretical teachings with advanced practical experiences, offering students the opportunity to work directly in experimental farms, specialized laboratories and international contexts.  
The course, divided into three specialised training profiles, integrates practical experiences such as internships, educational visits and recognized extracurricular activities, together with the possibility of carrying out experimental theses, to offer in-depth, concrete training that can be directly spent in the professional world.

For the profiles Sustainable and Precision Agriculture and Sustainable and Precision Animal Husbandry, supplementary teaching offers numerous practical and application opportunities. The students work at the CERZOO experimental farm, with plots for long-term trials and agronomic and environmental monitoring systems, stables equipped with Precision Animal Husbandry devices, calf farms, piggeries and dairies.  
The course also includes laboratories for analytical exercises on soils, fodder, feed, foods such as milk and meat, biological fluids, and computer laboratories.  
Students can carry out experimental theses both at the experimental company or commercial structures in Italy, and abroad in research institutes and prestigious universities. The course also includes educational visits to Italy and Europe and the possibility of acquiring additional skills through open badges, carrying out extracurricular activities at companies and businesses, including paid ones, recognized in the training course.

The Sustainable Viticulture and Enology profile, entirely in English, offers supplementary teaching supported by a vineyard and experimental cellar, as well as a sensory room for the analysis and evaluation of wines.  
The programme includes an optional short internship in prestigious wineries, which can replace one of the two elective exams, and offers opportunities for international training through Double Degree or semester exchange programmes in Germany, France and Australia.  
Students can also carry out experimental theses on current and high-impact vitiological topics, combining theoretical knowledge, practical skills and experiences in real and international contexts.

Double Degree with ESA Angers

The Double Degree with ESA Angers (France) allows students of the profile in Sustainable Viticulture and Enology to obtain two titles: the master's degree in Sustainable Viticulture issued by the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart and the Master of Science in Viticulture, Wine and Terroir Management conferred by the partner university.

Students with lives

/ Admission

The admission process

You can find here the information on admission, which varies according to your qualification (Italian or foreign) *

To apply for the graduate degree programme in Agricoltura sostenibile e di precisione, applicants must meet the curricular requirements and follow the procedures and deadlines set out in the programme's admission procedure.

01

View admission dates and procedures

Academic year 2026/27

For the 2026/27 academic year, applications for this degree programme are still open.

See admission procedures (ITA)

Academic year 2027/28

For the 2027/28 academic year, the new admission procedures are now available, including admission requirements and deadlines.

02

Prepare the required documentation

Make sure you have all the documents required to submit your application.

  • Passport photo - format: jpg, jpeg; Maximum size: 10MB

  • ID - ID card, passport, driver's license are accepted. Format: png, jpg, jpeg, tiff, pdf; Maximum size: 10MB

  • Tax code - format: png, jpg, jpeg, tiff, pdf; Maximum size: 10MB 

  • Permit of stay - if required. Format: png, jpg, jpeg, tiff, pdf; Maximum size: 10MB 

  • Baptismal Certificate or, if you do not have it, the replacement documentation on which you will have information later

03

Register or log in to the Enrolment Portal

Register on the Enrolment Portal if you do not yet have an account, or log in to the Enrolment Portal using your Università Cattolica credentials.

04

Complete the curricular requirements check

To complete the curricular requirements check, enter the Undergraduate Degree you are currently completing or have already obtained in the Enrolment Portal, together with the courses in your study plan, including the relevant academic discipline, ECTS credits and, for exams you have passed, the grades and dates.

The outcome of the curricular requirements check will indicate whether you have been admitted to the programme and provide information on the next steps in the procedure.

05

Reserve your place

If the outcome is positive, reserve your place by paying the first instalment of your tuition fees via the Enrolment Portal. You can do this even before obtaining your degree.

06

Complete pre-enrolment or enrolment

If you still need to complete curricular requirements, you must proceed with pre-enrolment. Once you have obtained your degree and/or passed the exams required to fulfil these requirements, you can complete the enrolment procedure. At this stage, you will be asked to provide a self-declaration of your degree and the exams you have taken, as well as your baptism certificate. If you do not have a baptism certificate, you can provide alternative documentation as indicated in the Enrolment Portal.

It is necessary to enter one's income data by the end of November through the "Compila redditi" application, accessible from the personal iCatt page.

* The information provided is subject to the approval of the competent bodies and may be subject to change

Useful information

Practical information to help you enrol and get started at Università Cattolica.

Applicants with disabilities or Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Applicants with disabilities and/or SLD may request compensatory tools and/or dispensatory measures at least seven days before the test. 

Applicants with a certified disability of 66% or higher, or who are recognised under Law 104/1992, are exempt from university tuition fees but must pay the €100 fee to reserve their place.

Learn more about Services for Inclusion

Transfers, programme changes and second degrees

Applicants who wish to transfer from another university, apply for a second degree programme or resume their studies must meet the admission requirements. 

Find out more

English Test

More information: English Test

/ Fees and funding

Tuition fees and financial support

Tuition fees and scholarships

Starting university often involves questions about fees, deadlines and the support available. Clear information about financial support and accommodation options helps students plan their studies with confidence, allowing them to focus on their academic progress and personal development.

Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, through EDUCatt, offers income- and merit-based scholarships and graduation awards, providing financial support to help students continue their studies.

Visit the dedicated section for information on tuition fees and other costs, use the online fee simulator, and find out about available financial support.

Find out more
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Support for study and merit | Invernizzi Foundation

Students enrolling in the first year of a degree programme at the Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences (Piacenza and Cremona campuses) can access exemptions from student tuition fees, assigned on the basis of merit.

Find out more

Student accommodation

Università Cattolica offers a range of housing options to support students throughout their studies.

On campus residences

Nine residences are located on or near Università Cattolica campuses. They offer an educational experience that goes beyond accommodation, with cultural activities, meetings and workshops that complement university study. Residence life also provides opportunities to be part of an active community, exchange ideas and share experiences.

Explore on-campus residences

Residences in the city

Residences located across the city are well connected to Università Cattolica campuses. They offer students greater independence in their day-to-day life, while providing comfortable accommodation and the flexibility to balance study, social life and personal time.

Explore city residences

/ Experiences abroad

Study, internship and volunteering abroad

During your studies at Università Cattolica, you can gain international experience as part of your academic journey. Studying, doing an internship or volunteering abroad gives you the chance to experience new academic, professional and cultural environments, improve your language skills and develop an international perspective that can enrich your studies and support your future career.

Discover the opportunities to study, undertake an internship or volunteer abroad:

Students outside the Piacenza Campus

Semester abroad

Students studying inside

Double degrees

Three female students_inside

Language courses and certifications

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Summer programmes

Students inside the library

Internships abroad

Female student with animals

International volunteering

Students with laptop

Thesis abroad

Female student smiling

Short programmes

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Virtual Programs

You can include an experience abroad as part of your studies. For programmes involving exams abroad, you can check in advance whether they can be recognised, following the guidance provided by your Faculty and discussing this with the relevant academic staff.

Find out more

/ Internships and careers

Internships and career opportunities

The Faculty offers various internship and apprenticeship opportunities, allowing students to apply the skills acquired in concrete work contexts.

Internships and professional training

The internship is a training experience carried out in institutions, companies or other organizational structures, which allows you to get in touch with the world of work and guide future professional choices. The University recognises their activities as an integral part of the learning path, as a complement to lessons and individual study.

The Career Service accompanies students and graduates in entering the world of work, offering orientation tools for business and organizational contexts. The service supports the development of transversal skills, encourages meetings with companies and supports the construction of a conscious and coherent professional path.

Every year over 20,000 students participate in the events organized with more than 100 partner companies and over 9,500 carry out an internship thanks to the support of the Career Service and internship tutors. 

Find out more

MyMentor!

The path of professional orientation and approach to the world of work offered by Università Cattolica (Piacenza - Cremona Campus).

The MyMentor! project, which allows each student to interact individually during a semester with a mentor (manager, consultant or entrepreneur), willing to guide him in understanding the dynamics of the world of work and in designing the first steps of the professional path.

The MyMentor project involves the matching for 6 months between mentors, established professionals often graduates of Università Cattolica, with mentees, students in the last years of the course interested in receiving advice for their professional orientation, based on specific areas of interest.

The Orientamentee path accompanies the participants in the project in the acquisition of a greater awareness of their professional attitudes and inclinations, up to the realization of an autonomous assessment of their skills.

Find out more

Learning outcomes

The graduate degree course in Agricoltura sostenibile e di precisione prepares professionals able to operate in complex agricultural and agro-livestock contexts, combining sustainability, technological innovation and efficient resource management, to respond to the environmental, production and ethical challenges of the sector.

Main skills acquired

Managing technological innovation in agricultural and agro-livestock systems, promoting agri-environmental, economic, nutritional and ethical sustainability

Supporting livestock farms with innovative breeding and feeding techniques, respectful of animal health and welfare

Optimizing the use of renewable and non-renewable resources, reducing the environmental and carbon footprint of production, thus proposing operational solutions for climate change adaptation and mitigation

To facilitate the transition to precision agriculture, applying modeling techniques to vegetable crops and livestock

Use advanced IT tools, artificial intelligence, reporting and big data analysis for economic management and business planning, also in international contexts

Apply innovations in modeling, automation and robotics to solve problems in the different sectors of agro-livestock production

Career prospects

The sector of sustainable agriculture, precision animal husbandry and digital technologies applied to agri-food is rapidly expanding internationally, with a growing demand for highly specialized professionals and competitive salary prospects.  
The degree programme makes use of the Talent for Future Steering Committee, which promotes the direct link between teaching and the professional world and contributes to the constant updating of the educational offer.  
Thanks to this approach, the course has an extremely high percentage of graduate employment, close to 100% within a year of graduation, and many graduate students start working in the sector already during their studies.

The most frequent employment opportunities include a wide range of professional contexts in the agri-food and livestock sectors:

Companies producing, processing and marketing agricultural and livestock products

Agricultural and animal husbandry service companies, such as seed companies, agrochemical and biotechnology companies

Agro-livestock processing and marketing companies, including mills, pasta factories, preserves, dairy industries and wineries

Consulting firms and technical assistance companies for the management of agricultural systems

Structures dedicated to wine marketing and promotion and food and wine tourism activities

Insurance and banking companies operating in the agricultural sector

Public and private laboratories for research, analysis and quality control

Public administrations and national and international bodies in the agri-food sector

Secondary teaching in technical-scientific and agri-food disciplines

Graduate employment rates

1 year later
3 years later
5 years later

Graduate employment rates refer to graduates from 2024 for data collected one year after graduation, 2022 for data collected three years after graduation, and 2020 for data collected five years after graduation.5.

Our Alumni

After graduating, graduates in Agricoltura sostenibile e di precisione access professional opportunities in national and multinational companies operating in various areas of the agri-food and livestock sector such as Terrepadane, Cortiliadisattiva, SATA - Integrated Services for the Agri-food Chain, Rurall.

View our Alumni on LinkedIn

Continuing your studies

After obtaining a graduate degree in Agricoltura sostenibile e di precisione, students have the opportunity to continue their education through I and II level university Master's degrees and advanced specialization courses, both in Italy and abroad.  
These programmes cover areas such as sustainable agriculture, innovation management, environmental communication, nutrition, agri-food governance, valorisation of typical products, climate risk management and biotechnology applied to plants.

For graduates of the wine profile, specific courses in viticulture and international oenology are available, with technical, economic and sensory insights in European and non-European contexts.  
Students interested in the management of agri-food systems can orient themselves towards paths dedicated to environmental sustainability, circular economy and innovation in production chains.

Those wishing to pursue a career in scientific research find in the course a solid preparation for access to PhDs in agronomy, animal husbandry, plant and animal biotechnology, sustainability of agri-food systems and applied ecology.  
The skills acquired also allow access to international postgraduate programs focused on precision agriculture, climate-smart agriculture, animal welfare science, sustainable viticulture and digital technologies applied to agriculture.

/ Advising and support

Choosing your programme

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Advising events

Take part in events to explore specific degree programmes and learn more about what different Faculties have to offer.

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Open Days

Find out about Università Cattolica Open Days for prospective students who want to learn more about the University and its programmes.

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UnicattX

Explore the Milan, Rome, Brescia, Cremona and Piacenza campuses in 3D and access virtual events on the UnicattX platform.

Go to Unicattx
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Get the information you need about Università Cattolica's degree programmes and receive support in choosing the right programme and understanding the application, admission and enrolment process.

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