Agriculture BSc (Hons)

This BSc in Agriculture offers you detailed coverage of all aspects of the agricultural industry, looking at a range of highly important subjects such as sustainability, environmental management and technology. This course will prepare you for work in this modern industry, an industry which demands detailed knowledge across a broad range of areas.You will study a fascinating blend of science, technology and management with a firm grounding in animal and crop physiology and husbandry as well as business, economics and land use. You will move on to cover current and projected production systems from a production, financial and environmental perspective, be exposed to best practice and become familiar with the most current research.Our agricultural students will be taught by enthusiastic teaching experts, who you may have already seen on TV documentaries or your favourite radio show. The department has over 1000ha of farmland which includes lowland and upland sheep farms, a 500 cow dairy herd, intensive and extensive beef production systems. Out of all the oats grown in the UK, 65% have come from varieties bred and developed at IBERS Aberystwyth University. 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 study the impact of agriculture and food supply systems on the environment. You will examine British livestock industries, crop production systems and strategies, and will learn how to analyse, budget and appraise a farm business.In the third year, you will examine business planning techniques and will learn how to construct fully detailed farm business plans. You will also look at recent developments in systems of crop production, modern plant breeding strategies and the use of crops for bioenergy production, alongside animal production systems and the environmental impacts of different agricultural systems. A week-long field 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. Your BSc in Agriculture opens up a range of exciting opportunities for employment and further training. You will be a strong candidate for work as an agricultural consultant, farm manager, agronomist and animal nutritionist, and a wide range of roles in the ancillary industries and with government and local authorities. Throughout your training, you will develop a wealth of skills that can be easily transferred into almost any graduate or professional employment situation.