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The agricultural industry is becoming increasingly complex. Changes in support mechanisms and pressure to diversify and manage the environment have made success in the farming sector increasingly reliant on high quality, vigorous business management skills. This degree meets the strong demand for graduates who want to develop a firm understanding of both agriculture and business management.
Here is why we think Aberystwyth is the place for you:
Students on this course will develop and benefit from the modern teaching facilities that equip you with the practical skills and scientific knowledge base to underpin your future career;
During the course, you will be invited on visits to farms and businesses that are innovating leaders and possess the technical know-how.
Student Satisfaction and Employability Results
95% of students agreed that staff are good at explaining things (NSS 2020).
98% of our graduates were in work or further study within 6 months, 3% more than Biological Science graduates nationally, (HESA 2018*)
Overview
Why study Agriculture at Aberystwyth University?
This degree is delivered by our award-winning Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS), which is also the home of the Farm Business Survey. Aberystwyth University has a long-established and enviable reputation throughout the world for its teaching and research in agriculture and rural science, and the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences is the largest and best-resourced university department of its kind in the UK;
You will be taught by leading experts who you may have already seen on TV documentaries or heard on the radio;
The University offers students over 1000HA of farmland, including lowland and upland sheep farms; a 500 cow dairy herd; intensive and extensive beef production systems; an equine centre and a flow of layer poultry;
At Aberystwyth University, we place a great emphasis on providing you with a student experience that is memorable and enables you to succeed in your degree.
Our Staff
The majority of teaching staff at the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences are qualified to PhD level and are research active. Vocational courses also have staff whose background lies within industry. The Institute has a large number of research only staff with whom students may have contact.
Modules
Please note: The modules listed below are those currently intended for delivery during the next academic year and may be subject to change. They are included here to give an indication of how the course is structured.
* Also available partially or entirely through the medium of Welsh
Employability
What opportunities exist after studying?
Our graduates have progressed and are successful in the following;
Agricultural consultant
Consultancy
Farm Management
Rural practice surveyor
Financial services
Animal nutritionist
Students wishing to obtain the relevant work experience that employers are seeking in graduates, then you should take a look at the sister course BSc Agriculture and Business Management (with integrated year in industry) 4D12. The sister course is identical to this course, but you have an additional year to undertake work experience in an environment relative to this degree.
Transferable Skills
Studying for a degree in Agriculture with Business management will equip you with a range of transferable skills which are highly valued by employers. These include:
the ability to express ideas and communicate information in a clear and structured manner, in both written and oral form
effective problem-solving and creative thinking skills
the ability to work independently
time-management and organisational skills, including the ability to meet deadlines
self-motivation and self-reliance
team-working, with the ability to discuss concepts in groups, accommodating different ideas and reaching agreement
research skills.
Learning & Teaching
What will I learn?
In the first year you will discover;
Technologies that are increasingly being developed for and adopted by the agricultural industry
Factors that influence land use
And identify management requirements of agricultural grassland and cereal crops
Marketing
Management
Accounting and Finance
In the second year you will explore;
The impact of agriculture and food supply systems on the environment
Crop production systems and strategies
Animal production systems
How to analyse, budge, and appraise a farm business
In your third year you will study;
Business planning techniques, and how to construct fully detailed farm business plans
Systems of crop production
Modern plant breeding strategies
The use of crops for bioenergy production
The environmental impacts of different agricultural systems
A week long course involving visits to farms, rural businesses and organizations involved in the regulation and management of the countryside will enable you to see the practical business applications of your theoretical and academic learning.
How will I be taught?
You will be taught through a balanced programme of lectures, seminars and tutorials, workshops, practicals, study tours and demonstrations.
Our assessment methods take various forms including essays, practical reports and exercises, oral presentations, exams, plans, worksheets, field notebooks and case studies.
Further information:
You will be assigned a personal tutor throughout your degree course, who will help you with any problems or queries, whether these are academic-related or personal issues. You should feel free to contact them at any time for help and advice.
Student Views
The Agriculture course has a great mix of modules which has opened my eyes to many other aspects of agriculture. The information given in lectures on important subjects is usually simple but thorough which makes work easy to both understand and remember. Farm visits are also enjoyable as it gives you a chance to observe and understand different systems. It's also interesting to hear the views of the farmers and the different ways they implement systems to suit their business. Aled Rhys Lewis
Business & Management provides academic insight to firm behaviour within internal and external business environments enabling individuals to fully comprehend the wider context of operations within a global context in an informative yet interesting manner. It’s diverse as it examines a variety of business topics. Students get to experience economics, accounting, and marketing providing a sound grounding in wide variety of business areas that may be extended in the second and final years. The modules set individuals in good stead for understanding a variety of business functions. Andrea Jane Phillips
The course has been a great deal of help for me and has given me confidence within marketing and business, particularly when we worked as business consultants for Aber Town Trader within Marketing Case Studies. It gives us an insight for future work and is great work experience for students. Marketing Communications last semester was also a very interesting topic as we learnt and analysed different communications that companies use within marketing in order to reach their target audience and potential customers. These opportunities have been great and good to put on CV as experiences! Dwynwen Medi Evans
Studying Business and Management at Aberystwyth University has enabled me to develop my understanding, and better appreciate the world in which we all live and work. With a limited understanding of Business and Management prior to studying, I have benefited greatly from this course, and the ability to select and choose which route I best want to follow. Through a range of in-class and interactive learning sessions my passion for the subject has flourished. The degree has fuelled my desire to pursue education to the next level in order to ascertain a more thorough understanding of the business environment. Peter Hamilton-Gray
What do I love about Agriculture at Aberystwyth University? The people - students from a wide range of backgrounds, all getting together, sharing experiences and learning together; lecturers with a passion for their subject, who are down to earth and approachable. The place - the green hills, quiet woods, impressive views, and the sea. The course - learning about a topic which is foundational to society; stretching my mind with new knowledge, and shivering out in freezing farmyards (yes, even that has a kind of pleasure to it!). That's what I love about agriculture here. Benjamin David Latham
