Case study: Soil Scientist Apprenticeship with MSc in Soil Science
Photo acknowledgement: Cranfield University
- Vocational
- Indoor & Outdoor
- Experiment, Workshop / training
- United Kingdom
Soil Scientist Apprenticeship with MSc in Soil Science
Cranfield University’s combined Soil Scientist Apprenticeship and MSc is the first of its kind in the United Kingdom. It has been co-designed with stakeholder partners around the aim of providing learners with the knowledge and technological and practical skills required to apply cutting-edge soil science and soil management techniques in a vocational setting, with a core focus on soil health and environmental sustainability outcomes.
Objective
he main objective of the apprenticeship programme is to equip and upskill organisations with the knowledge, understanding, tools, practices and resources required to achieve optimal soil management. The collaborative and applied nature of the programme is designed to ensure that education for soil health is as applicable as possible to the ‘real world’ needs of and challenges faced by relevant industries and those working within them. For example, this includes a central focus on developing understanding of how soils interact with the wider environment to deliver critical ecosystem goods and services.
Approach
The Soil Scientist Apprenticeship with MSc in Soil Science is designed to maximise its practical relevance to a wide range of vocational/industry contexts. It is primarily delivered online through an interactive ‘virtual classroom’ so that learners can participate from any location within the UK, therefore ensuring that it is accessible to any individual/organisation based in the UK for whom the course is relevant. This virtual learning is complemented by 4x one-week residentials at Cranfield University for demonstrating and developing field-based and laboratory-based skills.
Learning is based around a suitable wide-ranging curriculum, comprising 12 taught modules in: Project Management and Portfolio; Introduction to Soils; Soil Policy; Soil Surveying; Desk-based Soil Assessments and Basic Statistics; Field-based Methods for Rural Soils; Fundamental Laboratory Methods in Soil Science; Soils – a Nexus; Soil Mapping, Modelling and GIS; Advanced Data Analysis and Statistics; Field-based Methods for Urban Soils; Advanced Laboratory Methods in Soil Science; Sustainable and Resilient Land Management.