The Master of Science Programme provides a two-year curriculum whose main objective is to prepare a new generation of motivated students towards professional and academic careers that will promote integrated strategies for sustainable pest management of fruit and vegetable crops in the Mediterranean agroecosystems.

The Master course introduces the management of phytosanitary problems from an agroecological and food system perspective. Students will study the ecology and epidemiology of pests, their integrated management and preventive control measures, tools/products/interventions for diagnosis and monitoring. Academics and practitioners will bring students through the analysis and understanding of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies for key pests of Mediterranean crops and on related policies, institutions, and services. A significant focus will be upon the management of emergent transboundary pests, and on measures for predicting, preventing and controlling their spread.

At the end of the course students will know:
- strategies to reduce the use of chemicals for crop protection, ensuring economic gaining while protecting the environment and human health;
- agroecological factors that influence the epidemiology of major phytosanitary problems and the range of preventative measures for their control;
- how to make early diagnosis and monitor outbreaks of pests through territorial surveillance, field inspections, use of field devices, lab tools and technologies;
- how to correctly plan treatments for pest control, and how to chose and manage products and control strategies;
- how to support, plan and implement solutions for reducing losses after harvest of crops;
- how to organize and manage key services to avoid the introduction and spread of pests and diseases.

Courses are addressed to new graduate students and young professionals with undergraduate studies in the fields of Agricultural Sciences, Biology or Biotechnology (with basic background in plant protection) background related to agronomic, horticultural and plant protection issues.