Studies & Degrees in Agro-Chemicals & Pest Management
Agrochemicals and pest management is the study of how crops are protected from insects, weeds and diseases, and of the chemical products used to do it. Agrochemicals include pesticides (insecticides, herbicides and fungicides) and fertilisers. The World Health Organization (WHO) notes that pesticides are used to protect crops against insects, weeds, fungi and other pests, and that more than 1,000 different pesticides are in use around the world. US law defines a pesticide broadly, as any substance intended for preventing, destroying, repelling or mitigating any pest.
The second half of the name matters as much as the first. Pesticides are potentially toxic to humans, so modern courses teach chemical control as one tool among several. The reference concept is integrated pest management (IPM), which the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) defines as the careful consideration of all available pest control techniques, combining biological, chemical, physical and crop-specific strategies to grow healthy crops and minimise the use of pesticides.
What students learn
- the chemistry of pesticides and fertilisers: active ingredients, formulation and behaviour in soil and water
- the biology of pests: insects, weeds and the fungi, bacteria and viruses that cause plant disease
- toxicology, residues in food and environmental impact
- application technology, safe handling and storage
- IPM in practice: the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) describes a four-tiered approach that sets action thresholds, monitors and identifies pests, gives priority to prevention (crop rotation, resistant varieties) and uses control methods only when needed
- legislation and product registration
Qualifications and levels
University degrees. There is no single international degree with this name. The subject is usually a specialisation or a group of modules within a bachelor's or master's degree in agronomy, agricultural science, plant protection or chemistry. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), agricultural and food scientists typically need at least a bachelor's degree in plant biology or a related field, and employers may prefer or require a master's or doctoral degree. Research and product development in the agrochemical industry normally means postgraduate study.
Adviser status in Spain. Spanish law (Real Decreto 1311/2012) sets out who can act as an adviser in integrated pest management: holders of university degrees or higher vocational diplomas that together include at least 40 ECTS credits in subjects directly related to plant production. The same decree gives priority to non-chemical methods where possible.
Certificates for people who apply or sell pesticides. In the European Union, Directive 2009/128/EC requires training for professional users, advisers and distributors of pesticides, and IPM must be implemented by all professional users. In Spain this takes the form of a professional card with four levels: basic, qualified, fumigator and aerial applicator. In the United States, federal law requires anyone who applies or supervises the use of restricted use pesticides to be certified, and the states certify applicators.
Vocational training. Short vocational courses cover handling and application. In Spain, the 2,000-hour higher vocational diploma Técnico Superior en Paisajismo y Medio Rural is associated with the professional pesticide handler card, according to TodoFP.
Where to study it
SpainExchange lists two schools for this subject. The University of Delhi, in India, teaches the related sciences in the departments of chemistry, botany and zoology of its Faculty of Science. Fundación CIEP, in Villa María in the Argentine province of Córdoba, is a training foundation that offers short vocational courses (capacitación y formación profesional) in person and at a distance, in Spanish.
Because the list is short, it is worth also looking at schools that teach agronomy, plant science or chemistry. When comparing courses, check four things: whether the course is a university degree or a vocational certificate; how much laboratory and field work it includes; whether it leads to the applicator or adviser certificate required in the country where you want to work; and what recognition the qualification has, which you should ask the school directly.
Careers
Graduates work as crop protection advisers, field trial and research technicians, formulation or residue analysts in laboratories, regulatory specialists, and technical sales staff for agricultural suppliers. Others work in public plant health services or in urban and structural pest control.
In the United States, agricultural and food scientists held about 37,400 jobs in 2025, of which 19,900 were soil and plant scientists. The BLS projects employment to grow 6 percent from 2025 to 2035, with about 2,700 openings a year. Pest control workers, a separate occupation that does not require a degree, held about 108,700 jobs in 2025 and must be licensed under state laws.
Frequently asked questions
Is this subject only about chemical pesticides?
No. Current programmes are built around integrated pest management, which combines biological, physical, cultural and chemical methods and aims to minimise pesticide use.
Do I need a university degree to apply pesticides professionally?
Usually not, but you do need a certificate. In the European Union professional users must be trained, and Spain issues a card with basic, qualified, fumigator and aerial applicator levels. In the United States, applicators of restricted use pesticides must be certified.
Which degree should I choose if I want to work in agrochemical research?
A bachelor's degree in agronomy, plant science or chemistry, normally followed by a master's or doctorate. The BLS notes that employers of agricultural scientists may prefer or require a postgraduate degree.
Who can advise farmers on pest management in Spain?
People whose degree or higher vocational diploma includes at least 40 ECTS credits in subjects related to plant production, as set out in Real Decreto 1311/2012.