What you'll study
This course covers a broad range of fundamental agricultural topics through core modules. From the introductions to livestock science, sustainability, agricultural technologies, economics and soil management, to livestock health and disease, nutrition, developments in livestock science and the management of the supply chain with business management and sustainability embedded throughout.
Module credits
On successful completion of your modules, you’ll gain academic credit that accumulates towards your award. The marks you gain in your second and third years may contribute towards your final degree classification.
Your first year will focus on introducing and developing your underpinning scientific knowledge of livestock production, soil and grassland management, sustainable production systems and economics. You’ll also develop your academic, professional and transferable skills that will equip you to study at higher levels. Although the programme focuses on livestock, you’ll gain an insight of how crop production impacts on livestock production. This will allow you to understand the link between the two key sectors in the industry. You’ll also complete 280 hours of placement within industry to support your development.
Compulsory Modules
Introduction to Sustainable Agriculture
This module aims to address key principles that impact sustainable agriculture systems and will include a short study trip.
Introduction to Agricultural Economics
This module provides an introduction to key economic principles that are at work within the agricultural industry and their interaction with farm businesses and farm business performance.
Introduction to Agricultural Technologies
The module offers an introduction to the varied technologies involved in current agricultural production and how these can contribute to environmental sustainability, increased animal welfare and efficient business performance.
Soil and Grassland Management
The aim of the module is for students to become familiar with the principles and practices of soil and grassland management focussing on sustainable agricultural production objectives, but also considering ecological purposes.
Introduction to Livestock Science
This module provides an introduction to livestock health and husbandry, in particular discussing the interaction between anatomy and physiology, ethics and welfare, disease, reproduction and legislation. The module will cover both ruminant and non-ruminant livestock. Practical skills will be taught and developed (in handling and carrying out routine husbandry tasks) using the livestock enterprises on the university’s farm.
Skills for Agriculture
The Skills for Agriculture module supports students in developing key professional, personal and academic and skills required for a career in the industry. This is to ensure students maximise the benefits of their degree programme and improve their employability prospects on graduation. The following areas are covered: academic skills; the research process and relevant potential projects; reflective thinking and the importance of health and safety (application and dissemination).
Agricultural Placement
The Agricultural Placement module supports students in developing key professional, personal, and employment skills and competencies. This is to ensure students maximise the benefits of their degree programme and improve their employability prospects on graduation. The following areas are covered: work placements (preparation for and undertaking of) and employability; technical agricultural competencies; reflective thinking in the workplace.
Core modules include farm business management and agricultural policy, livestock nutrition, livestock health and disease, forage crops, industry engagement and a research process module.
Compulsory Modules
Farm Business Management and Agricultural Policy
This module provides an introduction to the principles of business management and how they are applied to the modern agricultural business. This will enable you to plan and manage staffing, capital and resource use on the farm, and prepare effective budgets and business plans for future development of the business. In addition, it will allow you to consider the legislative and policy boundaries that the modern farmer has to work within, enabling them to understand, manage and plan within guidelines and offer consultation to others.
Research Methods for Agricultural and Animal Scientists
This module introduces you to the process of academic research, methods of research and analysis, helping to prepare you for reading research literature and conducting research projects in the future.
Livestock Nutrition
The module develops student knowledge, understanding and application of the complexities and the scientific principles that underpins nutrition of ruminant and non-ruminant farm livestock preparing them for feed analysis, diet formulation and feed management.
Livestock Health and Disease
The module will provide students with an overview of current issues surrounding livestock health and disease and support them to develop scientific strategies that will enable industry relevant solutions.
Forage Crops
The module will allow students to understand the annual production cycle of sustainable forage crops and their interaction with the environment, soil, and animal health.
Industry Engagement in Agriculture
The focus of this module is to develop students’ autonomy in an industry context through practice of personal, applied, and professional skills gained through a period of engagement aligned to their future career direction.
The optional integrated placement year between your second and final years gives you the opportunity to put your knowledge and skills into practice and gain valuable industry experience.
Your final year core modules allow you to focus on a research project aligned to your own area of interest, developments in livestock science, agricultural social licence and one health, the supply chain and strategic management.
Compulsory Modules
Animal and Agriculture Dissertation
This module involves independent research and analysis in an animal or agriculture‐related field with one-to‐one support from an academic.
Agricultural Social Licence and One Health
The module investigates the concepts of social licence and one health within the agricultural industry and their impact on all stakeholders and decision making related to sustainability.
Developments in Livestock Science
The module will investigate a broad range of topics that will allow the student to gain further knowledge and understanding of the key scientific developments in sustainable livestock production and management and be able to critically analyse and evaluate development impact on all stake holders in the industry (producers, consumers and animals).
Supply Chain Management
In this module students will discover the mechanisms by which the agrifood supply chain takes our food supply from farm to fork. They will discuss current research and contemporary issues affecting, the agrifood supply chain which will enable them to grasp current practices and trends and consider the impact these may have on the producer. They will learn about the relationships between actors in the agrifood supply chain and how these influence the business practices currently employed. They will analyse and evaluate supply chain management practices with a focus on the drive towards sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) and the mechanisms by which this can be delivered. The module will also involve a non-assessed project that enables students to gain hands on experience within the sector. Previous projects have included the making of their own cider with a local cidermaker to be marketed by the students.
Strategic Management
This module allows students to explore the strategic practices and principles utilised by global companies. Through an appreciation key external and internal impact factors students will put theory into practice and create a new strategic direction for an allocated organisation.
