James Cook University Subject Handbook - 2000

TROPICAL AGRICULTURE

Coordinated by the School of Tropical Biology, postgraduate courses lead to the qualifications of Graduate Diploma of Science (by coursework), Master of Applied Science (by coursework with a research option), Master of Science (by research), or Doctor of Philosophy (by research). Specific coursework programs are built around elective subjects offered by the Schools of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences; Tropical Biology; Tropical Environment Studies and Geography; and Earth Sciences.

There is a unique opportunity for postgraduate study in three Cooperative Research Centres which are funded by industry and the Australian Government to foster collaboration between universities, research agencies and industry. These particular Cooperative Research Centres focus on sustainable sugar production and on the ecology and management of tropical savannas and tropical rainforests.

Close linkages have also been developed with various State and Federal research agencies focused on improving primary production and enhancing the conservation values of lands in tropical northern Australia including the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), various Queensland State Departments (Primary Industries, Natural Resources, Environment), the Queensland Bureau of Sugar Experiment Stations (BSES), and the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS). Some students carry out research within the agencies, are jointly supervised by external scientists and gain special insights into the day-to-day operations of the best scientific research institutes in northern Australia. In this context, a new CSIRO-JCU Joint Venture in Tropical Crop Science provides opportunities to work on crops such as sugar cane, tropical grain legumes, tropical cereal grains and tropical horticultural crops.