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Subject

Agriculture

Level

Foundation Degree (Level 5)

Study Mode

Full-Time

Duration

2 years full-time/3 years part-time

Start Date

September 2025

The course

This programme will provide you with specialist agricultural business understanding.

It is underpinned with the principles of crop and livestock production, along with environmental influences, providing you with an all-round appreciation and knowledge of farming businesses, and the ability to adapt in a timely way to any future policy changes.

The core underpinning of business management is complimented with integrated transferable and employability skills to apply in a range of industry sectors. You will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of organisations, the business environment, operations and management practices, gaining valuable application opportunities within our excellent agricultural commercial enterprises.

The programme will give you the skills and knowledge required to develop and run adaptable, innovative, sustainable and successful agricultural businesses.

Course Information

  • Ensure that you are capable of being at the forefront of modern farming techniques.
  • Provide you with a sound academic understanding of the broad range of areas relating to crop and livestock production and the underpinning economic and business principles.
  • Develop your ability to apply agricultural practices to their farming practices in order to meet sustainability demands, provide high standards of animal welfare, high quality products and increase farming efficiency.
  • Encourage you to become a proactive and independent graduate, able to apply and develop your own perspectives and explore alternative solutions within the dynamic agriculture sector.
  • Provide applied learning to equip you with vocational skills essential for entering a diverse range of employment opportunities within the agriculture sector.
  • Facilitate you into and through employment in the agriculture sector.
  • Develop your skills and knowledge to allow you to become an effective contributor in the agriculture industry.
  • Give you the skills to make change to business process.
  • Enable you to build a productive, resilient and sustainable agriculture business.

Year 1

  • Academic, Employment and Professional Skills
  • Fundamentals of Business
  • Livestock Production
  • Farm Business Administration
  • Industry Skills for Agriculture
  • Crop Production
  • Introduction to Sales and Marketing

Year 2

  • Agricultural Policy and Economics
  • Agriculture and the Environment
  • Financial Management and Planning
  • Human Resource Management
  • Enterprise and Entrepreneurship
  • Introductory Research Analysis

You will be required to have:

- A minimum of 72 UCAS points

OR

- A relevant BTEC Level 3 and significant industry experience

AND

- GCSE English at grade 4 or above, or an equivalent qualification

- A suitable reference

UCAS points may be from qualifications such as A Levels, T Levels, BTEC Level 3 Extended Diplomas, Access to Higher Education Diplomas, and City and Guilds Advanced Technical Diplomas amongst others. Please use the UCAS Tariff points calculator to determine the UCAS points value of your qualifications.

Life and/or experience of non-traditional students will be taken into account when considering applications. The successful completion of an entry task may be required when considering applications without the required formal entry qualifications.

If your first language is not English, or a Tier 4 student visa to study is required and GCSE grade C/4 English or equivalent is not held, English language proficiency level such as International English Language Testing System (IELTS) 6.0 overall (with a minimum 5.5 in each skill) will need evidencing.

Advanced entry may be possible due to prior experience or certificated learning; applicants are invited to complete the accreditation of prior learning approval process.

The programme is delivered with a variety of learning and teaching approaches. For all modules, there are theory lectures which aim to deliver the core content, provide the underpinning knowledge and facilitate further expansion of such concepts by the students, through independent study.

To complement the theory lectures, you will have group seminars that are used to reinforce those concepts delivered theoretically. The seminars focus on delivering using a student-centred approach to enhance your independent learning that takes place outside of the classroom.

Practical sessions at the farm are also incorporated into a range of modules, making the programme extremely applied and preparing you for the workplace.

Contact time includes approximately 12 to 14 hours a week to encompass lectures, seminars, practicals and tutorials.

You are also expected to carry out a significant amount of independent study in addition to contact time (approximately 25-30 hours a week). Independent study includes reading around the subject, preparing for tutorials and seminars, preparing for, and completing, module assessments and revision; forming an essential part of your learning journey.

Relevant extra-curricular activity and/or work experience is encouraged of all students in order to enhance learning.
Assessment methods include written assignments, case studies, practical assessments, presentations, project based assessment, time constrained assessments and invigilated exams. Opportunities for feedback on assessments are available prior to the final submission to support your development and achievement. Staff aim to return assessed work within a 20 working day timeframe (not including holidays) so that you can most benefit from the feedback.
  • A tablet, laptop or stationery to take notes in lectures and seminars.
  • Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) including high-visibility jacket/bib, overalls, steel toe capped boots, wellingtons, waterproof coat and trousers and a lab coat.
  • The college has a strict policy of not allowing work boots inside college buildings you will need to have alternative footwear (shoes or trainers) to attend lectures and tutorials.
  • A wide range of resources are available for use both on and offsite for projects but it may not be possible to purchase/service all requests therefore students need to be aware that they may need to self-fund some elements.
  • Any educational visits/trips and enrichment activities will be additional to the course fees, students will be made aware of these optional visits and associated costs as required.
  • On successful completion of the programme, you will have the opportunity to graduate at a ceremony wearing formal dress. The hire of the formal dress is an additional cost.
The programme is also designed to enable you to progress to Level 6 study, such as the BSc (Hons) Precision Agriculture (Top Up).
Upon graduation from this programme you could follow a career in farm management, as a business advisor, policy writer, sales representative or farm trader.

Validated by University of Lincoln

We are proud to collaborate with University of Lincoln on the validation of this course.

View the policies and procedures you would be agreeing to comply with by registering for this programme.

Financial Information

Find the full details of the fees associated with this programme and the financial support available.

Careers this course could lead into

Experience our campus for yourself

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Saturday, 8 February 2025 - 10:00 - 13:00

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