Agriculture (with placement)

Course overview

Agriculture has a vital role to play in global food production and security, climate change mitigation, environmental protection, water management and renewable energy creation. 

Our Agriculture students are taught by lecturers with extensive industry and research experience to develop and manage sustainable production systems integrating appropriate technologies to maximise economic, social and environmental security. You will be studying in a diverse range of learning spaces located at the heart of our Future Farm alongside students from a wide range of rural and urban backgrounds, whilst establishing a life-long network of friends and professional contacts. 

You will soon be putting your learning into practice engaging with real-world scenarios and projects from day one. Supported by an integrated placement year in industry, you will be ready for your future career having developed a range of personal, technical and professional skills that today’s employers value. You will be well prepared for careers in farm management, on-farm advisory and consultancy roles, the agri-food industry and both agriculture and environmental policy roles. Additionally, your degree will equip you with the skills to continue in research or education.

FACTS Certificate of Competence 

FACTS is an independent non-statutory certification scheme for advisors in plant nutrient management. The scheme and initiative are fully supported by DEFRA and the Environment agency. In order to obtain FACTS certification individuals are required to undertake and pass the FACTS examination which assess the following competencies: 

• Soil management in relation to plant nutrition 
• Organic nutrient sources 
• Nature and properties of fertilisers 
• Crop nutrients in plants and the factors influencing the amount of fertiliser required 
• Use of fertilisers in the main crop groups in the UK 
• Transport, storage and handling of fertiliser 
• Application of fertilisers 
• Code of Good Agricultural Practice and legal and other requirements to protect the environment. 

A number of modules within the BSc/BSc (Hons) Agriculture programme cover appropriate areas relating to fertiliser and organic manure use, and protection of the rural environment. As such, the courses fit well with this subject area and the areas assessed in the FACTS exam. 

Students passing the BSc/BSc (Hons) Agriculture programme will be eligible to be entered for the Harper Adams University FACTS training course free of charge and BASIS FACTS exam (chargeable) for up to 18 months immediately following the end of their course, subject to academic and placement performance.

Work Placement

BSc (Hons) students undertake placement in their third year. You will have a dedicated Placement Manager, support officer, and tutor to visit you whilst on placement.  You will usually undertake paid employment for at least 12 months on modern progressive farms or in the agricultural support industries. Agriculture students wishing to undertake a farm placement are required to work at least 50 miles away from home and are not normally permitted to return to previous employers. Recent placement jobs have included Assistant Herds Person, Harvest Team Manager and General Machinery Operator on a range of arable and mixed farms. Examples of employers include Velcourt, Dyson Farming and Avara. Students also have the opportunity to access a range of overseas placements, with the support of supporting agents, where possible. Students may undertake placement in the USA,  Australia or New Zealand, for example. Several commercial scholarship opportunities, linked to placement, are available to apply for, with sponsoring companies paying a significant amount towards the tuition fees of successful applicants.

Careers

Employability of agriculture graduates is excellent, and there are many diverse career opportunities in all sectors of the food chain. The applied nature of our courses, teaching methods and close links with industry give you the academic, technical and employment skills which are highly sought after by employers.

As an agriculture graduate you may go on to manage farms either at home or elsewhere, for example with Velcourt, Sentry Farming, Dyson Farming, or G’s Fresh.

Alternatively, you may opt for a career in the support industries: example employers include Frontier Agriculture, NFU, Savills; or advisory services such as DEFRA and ADAS.

Studying agriculture also develops the skills needed for other graduate careers such as accountancy, teaching, journalism or the civil service.