Aberystwyth University - Agriculture with Business Management D4N2 BSc

Course Overview

BSc Agriculture with Business Management will provide you with a thorough grounding in practical skills and theoretical knowledge in both farming and commerce. This degree is appropriate for applicants with little or no farming background as well as those who already have knowledge of agriculture, since it provides a firm grasp of agricultural systems alongside the principles and practices of business.

You will benefit from teaching by expert staff from Aberystwyth Business School, as well as the Farm Business Survey for Wales, the most authoritative source of financial information on farming businesses. The Farm Business Survey is a tool which will be invaluable in your future employment situation, allowing you to compare your farm’s performance and profitability to other farms in the UK and EU.

Aberystwyth is surrounded by a great diversity of farmland and agricultural terrain. The 800 hectare commercially managed university farms provide the setting for your practical learning. This is supplemented by field visits to farms and agricultural and food businesses that are industry leaders in innovation and technical expertise, which will reinforce your academic learning. 

Our Staff

The majority of teaching staff in the Department of Life Sciences are qualified to PhD level and are research active. Vocational courses also have staff whose background lies within industry. The Department has a large number of research only staff with whom students may have contact.

Modules September start - 2023

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.

Core

Module Name	Module Code	Credit Value
Applied Animal Biology	BR13320	20
Business, Economics and Land Use	BR10420	20
Crop and Grassland Management	BR10720	20
Introduction to Livestock Production Systems	BR11410	10
Precision Agricultural Technology	BR10210	10
Study and Communication Skills	BR12410	10
The Agricultural Industry - Scheme Specific Skills	BR11110	10

Options

Module Name	Module Code	Credit Value
Biochemistry and the Cellular Basis of Life	BR15320	20
Marketing Principles and Contemporary Practice	AB17120	20
Soils and their Management	BR14910	10
The Development and Management of British Habitats	BR10810	10

Core

Module Name	Module Code	Credit Value
Agronomy and Crop Improvement	BR27620	20
Farm Business Management and Appraisal	BR21020	20
Livestock Production Systems	BR20420	20
Research Methods	BR27520	20

Options

Module Name	Module Code	Credit Value
Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation	AB25220	20
Food, Farming and the Environment	BR21920	20
Human Resource Management	AB25420	20
Marketing Management	AB27120	20

Core

Module Name	Module Code	Credit Value
Advances in Agriculture	BR34820	20
Farm Planning and Advanced Farm Management	BR31620	20
Critical Review	BR36320	20
Research Project	BR36440	40

Options

Module Name	Module Code	Credit Value
Crop and Grassland Production Science	BR37220	20
Digital Business: Leadership and Management	AB35220	20
Livestock Production Science	BR30820	20
Marketing and Digital Marketing Communication	AB37120	20
Organizational Psychology	AB35420	20
Strategic Leadership	AB35120	20
The Agri-Environment	BR30420	20

* Also available partially or entirely through the medium of Welsh

Careers

The combination of knowledge and skills that this degree offers is much sought after by agri-business employers and a number of other professions, including advisory and consultancy services and farm and estate management, as well as agricultural financing. This is also an excellent qualification for a career in other businesses such as in the rapidly growing agri-food sector. 

What work experience opportunities are available to me while I study?  

Find out about the various opportunities that our Careers Service offers.

Enhance your employability prospects with GO Wales and our Year in Employment Scheme. 

Teaching & Learning

What will I learn?

In the first year you will be introduced to the technologies that are increasingly being developed for and adopted by the agricultural industry. You will investigate the factors that influence land use and explore the primary resources required to operate a rural business. You will gain useful business management skills, including the preparation of farm budgets and the analysis of commodity markets.

In the second year you will examine British livestock industries, crop production systems and strategies, and will learn how to analyse, budget and appraise a farm business.

In your final year you will explore the way in which research is used to develop more efficient animal production systems. You will consider agriculture and agricultural issues from a range of specific, multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary perspectives and gain an understanding of the relationship between policy, socio-economic factors, agricultural practices and the rural economy. A compulsory research project in your final year will allow you to perform in-depth research under the guidance of a supervisor. Your project may be based on laboratory experiments or fieldwork exercises, comprise a computer modelling exercise or involve data analysis.

Optional modules in marketing principles, marketing management, entrepreneurship, human resource management, strategic leadership, digital marketing and digital business allow you to choose the business elements that are of most interest to you and tailor your course accordingly.

Visits to farms, research stations, rural businesses and organisations involved in the regulation and management of the countryside are an integral part of the course and will highlight the key issues at stake and 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.

Assessment

You will be assessed through a range of methods including essays, practical reports and exercises, oral presentations, exams, plans, worksheets, field notebooks and case studies.

Personal Tutor 

You will be assigned a personal tutor who will be your main contact throughout the duration of your studies. Your personal tutor can help you to settle in when you first arrive and will be available to help you with academic or personal matters.

Student Testimonials

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

Typical Entry Requirements

UCAS Tariff 120 - 96

A Levels BBB-CCC

GCSE requirements (minimum grade C/4):
English or Welsh and Mathematics

BTEC National Diploma:
DDD-DDM

International Baccalaureate:
30-26

European Baccalaureate:
75%-65%

English Language Requirements:
See our Undergraduate English Language Requirements for this course. Pre-sessional English Programmes are also available for students who do not meet our English Language Requirements.

Country Specific Entry Requirements:
International students whose qualification is not listed on this page, can check our Country Specific Entry Requirements for further information.

The University welcomes undergraduate applications from students studying the Access to Higher Education Diploma or T-level qualifications, provided that relevant subject content and learning outcomes are met. We are not able to accept Access to Higher Education Diplomas or T-levels as a general qualification for every undergraduate degree course.
Our inclusive admissions policy values breadth as well as depth of study. Applicants are selected on their own individual merits and offers can vary. If you would like to check the eligibility of your qualifications before submitting an application, please contact the Undergraduate Admissions Office for advice and guidance.

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