The professional degree in Agronomy comprises a single track: "Agriculture and Sustainable Development in Tropical Island Environments." Accessible in the third year of a Bachelor's degree, this one-year program is primarily offered as a work-study program to students (with a Higher Agricultural Technician's Certificate – BTSA – or a second-year Bachelor's degree in Life Sciences) or to adults undergoing career retraining. Its objective is to train them in the current challenges of sustainable agricultural practices, integrating the specific constraints of a tropical environment. Thanks to the involvement of research professors from the University of Reunion Island and local research organizations (French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development – ​​CIRAD and French Research Institute for Development – ​​IRD), it leverages the results of local research to train students capable of meeting local needs in terms of assessing agricultural practices, sustainable development, and providing advice on greening agricultural practices. The program is affiliated with the Local Public Agricultural Education and Vocational Training Establishment. (EPELFPA) Forma'terra connects agricultural technical education to this training program, providing expertise in the technical and operational aspects of agriculture. Furthermore, the program has a strong professional focus thanks to a network of professionals involved in the training, tutored projects with external partners, and internships. These teaching methods immerse students in concrete research problems and ensure that the skills taught are constantly updated to meet the needs of the job market. As the program is also open to initial training, the diversity of student profiles within each cohort (initial, continuing, and work-study students) fosters the development of their critical thinking on current agricultural issues each year.

Educational goals :

Upon completion of the training, students will have acquired:

• New knowledge and skills needed in the implementation of the framework of a
sustainable agriculture in tropical island environments.
• Project management and facilitation skills to promote sustainable agriculture in
the territorial scale for better management of natural and cultivated areas.
• Skills adapted to the specific context of tropical and island areas where
unique environments are subject to strong anthropogenic pressures.

Training opportunity:

The professional degree in Agronomy was launched in 2008 to address the need for training on current challenges related to the sustainability of agricultural practices and their specificities in a tropical island context such as Réunion and other French overseas departments and regions (DROM). This degree is offered through initial, continuing, or work-study programs. It is open to students holding a two-year post-secondary diploma (equivalent to an Associate's degree) in biology or agriculture, as well as adults undergoing career transitions, thus promoting a diverse student body. By bringing together research professors from the University of Réunion, local research organizations (CIRAD and IRD), and the EPELFPA Forma'terra, the program benefits from both a strong research focus and a robust professional and practical dimension. Through a network of professionals involved in the curriculum, tutored projects, and internships, students are immersed in concrete research problems and benefit from the continuous updating of their skills, in line with the needs of the job market. In this respect, this training is part of action 4 of the University of Reunion's strategic plan for the New Training Offer (NOF) 2026-2029.

The training offered is one of the only programs in Agronomy delivered in a tropical and island agricultural context. It therefore provides unique training addressing the agricultural challenges in these territories, namely how to maintain profitable agricultural production in a context of high pest pressure, isolation due to island location, and the withdrawal of previously widely used chemical compounds.

• The program is open to initial, continuing, and work-study students, which promotes a diverse student body. This diversity within each cohort creates a dynamic learning environment every year, where everyone's experience contributes to collective thinking.
• More than half of the teaching hours are provided by professionals in the sector, allowing students to develop skills directly aligned with the market needs. Through teaching, internships, and supervised projects, these interactions working with professionals also allows them to build a network of contacts to anticipate their professional integration.

Total teaching hours: 711 Equivalent Tutorial Hours (ETH)

The "Agriculture and Sustainable Development in Tropical Island Environments" program aims to train agricultural technicians who will be able to meet the current challenges of tropical agriculture. Through the courses offered, they will develop a mastery of sustainable agricultural practices and techniques (Teaching Unit – Agronomy, Animal Science and Agricultural Business Economics Refresher Course, Agricultural Practices and Quality Approach Course) and acquire a broader vision of agricultural systems, ranging from the scale of the farm (Training Course Adapting to the Realities of the Farm Business, Agro-environmental Diagnosis of the Farm Business Course) to that of the rural territory (Territorial Diagnosis Course). Through instruction in survey techniques (Communication Techniques and Tools module), diagnostics (Agro-environmental Diagnostics of Agricultural Enterprises module; Territorial Diagnostics module) and data analysis (Analysis Tools in Agronomy module), they will also be able to respond to field problems and thus advise farmers on improving the sustainability of their practices (Agricultural Practices and Quality Approach module), while placing the problem encountered in a given socio-environmental context (Environmental Issues module, Territorial Diagnostics module) and respecting the regulations in force in the field of sustainable development (Legislative Framework module).

Given the diverse profiles of students entering the Bachelor's program (initial training, work-study programs, and continuing education), an initial "à la carte" module is designed to harmonize knowledge within the cohort and prevent students from dropping out (UE0A: Refresher Course in Agronomy, Animal Science, and Agricultural Business Economics; UE0B: Agricultural Practices and Quality Approach). These theoretical foundations are taught in the first semester through traditional academic approaches and are combined with a practical internship in a professional setting (UE1A: Internship Adapting to the Realities of Agricultural Businesses, or UE1B: Internship Adapting to the Realities of Environmental Protection) to quickly apply the knowledge and skills acquired through these courses. The teaching methods are then progressively diversified throughout the year, combining interactive classroom instruction, visits to farms, professional simulations (Tutored Project module, 60 hours), and mandatory internships (490 hours) to immerse students in the realities of the professional world and ensure they are fully operational upon completion of the program. In accordance with the University of Reunion's language policy, English language courses will include an English placement test in the first semester and blended learning (in-person, asynchronous online) totaling 36 hours of tutorials spread throughout the year.

The skills acquired during this training are in line with those of the National Directory of Professional Certifications (RNCP) entry

RNCP40322BC01 – Use the reference digital tools
RNCP40322BC02 – Using data for analytical purposes
RNCP40322BC03 – Expressing oneself and communicating orally, in writing, and in at least one foreign language
RNCP40322BC04 – Positioning oneself in relation to a professional field
RNCP40322BC05 – Acting responsibly within a professional organization
RNCP40322BC06 – Informing decision-making to improve agroecological performance
RNCP40322BC07 – Experimenting with techniques and tools to better understand and implement agroecological practices
RNCP40322BC08 – Advising and supporting the agroecological transition at the farm or territorial level
RNCP40322BC09 – Managing and coordinating agroecological development projects

• Adaptation period: 70 hours (December / January)
• Professional internship: 420 hours (June / July / August)
• Tutored project: 60 hours of model building (March to July)

Initial training:

• Registration fees are set annually by the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Space and are available on our institution's website: Register at the University of Reunion Island (link: https://www.univ-reunion.fr/choisir-sa-formation/inscriptions/)

Continuing education:

• Individual paying: 6200 euros
• Employer agreement: 10540 euros
• CPF: 10540 euros

Prerequisites of knowledge and know-how in agronomy and/or biology at the baccalaureate +2 level in the following subjects are required to be admitted to this training: general biology, ecology, mathematics, French, computer science, project management, English.

• Transcripts: proof of a baccalaureate +2 level (minimum) in agronomy/biology and evaluation of grades in the aforementioned subjects
• Cover letter: justify a career plan related to the job opportunities offered by the training program.
• Curriculum Vitae: Provide evidence of any activities related to the skill areas targeted by the training.
• Letter of recommendation (optional)

• Second year of a Bachelor's degree in Life Sciences or in Ecological and Societal Transition Sciences
• University Diploma in Technology (DUT) (or Bachelor of Technology – BUT 2) in Biological Engineering, specializing in Environmental Sciences and Ecotechnologies (SEE) or Agronomy
• Advanced Vocational Diploma in Agriculture BTSA option DARC (Development of Agriculture in Warm Regions), GEMEAU MEA (Water Management and Control in Agriculture), ACS'AGRI (analysis, management and strategy of
  agricultural enterprise), GPN (Nature Management and Protection), PA (Animal Production), PV (Plant Production) and MVAOE (Plant Professions: food, ornament and environment)

Admission to the Professional Bachelor's degree program takes place on the platform admission.univ-reunion.frFor more information, you can consult the page of the university tuition

Baccalaureate + 2 or equivalent

The training is aimed at students of:

• Bachelor's degree (2nd year) in Life Sciences or with a specialization in Ecological and Societal Transition Sciences
• DUT (or BUT2) Biological Engineering, specializing in SEE (Environmental Sciences and Ecotechnologies) or Agronomy
• BTSA option DARC (Development of Agriculture in Warm Regions), GEMEAU MEA (Water Management and Control in Agriculture), ACS'AGRI (Analysis, Management and Strategy of Agricultural Enterprises), GPN (Management and Protection of Nature), PA (Animal Production), PV (Plant Production) and MVAOE (Plant Professions: food, ornament and
  environment)

The program is also open to job seekers and professionals returning to their studies, who must provide proof of an equivalent qualification. Internationally, this program is open to French-speaking students with university degrees in Life and Earth Sciences or agricultural training at the equivalent of two years of post-secondary education (Baccalauréat +2).

Another route: access based on application, with Validation of Professional Experience (VAP) or by Validation of Acquired Experience (VAE)

15 seats

For admission to the Professional Bachelor's degree program, the schedule is determined by the institution. It is available on the website of the university website student services

The success rates in the third year of the Bachelor's degree were:

• 2020-2021 – 100%
• 2021-2022 – 88%
• 2022-2023 – 82%.

The primary career path for graduates of this professional degree remains entry into the workforce. It should be noted, however, that some students choose to pursue further studies, particularly in 2021-2022, when 33% of graduates continued their education.

The sectors of activity and types of employment targeted by this training correspond to those listed in the RNCP record

• Agricultural Business Consultant
• Agricultural technical advisor
• Local Development Advisor
• Specialist Advisor
• Organic Farming Consultant
• Agricultural Technician
• Agro-environmental technician
• Agro-environmental facilitator
• Agro-environmental project manager