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Organic Agriculture

D460 - BSc Honours Degree 1 year top up
Prerequisite HND or Foundation Degree in Organic or general Agriculture; successful completion of years 1 and 2 of an appropriate degree.

Introduction

Organic agriculture, with its potential to contribute to environmental protection and rural development, is growing fast in Europe and the UK, both in terms of the production base and the market. The prospects are for continued growth to more than 10% of European agriculture by 2010, creating plenty of job opportunities in this sector. This potential is recognised by the UK government's encouragement to farmers to convert through the Organic Farming Scheme, and the establishment of the Organic Centre Wales, funded by the National Assembly for Wales and based in the Institute.

This modular, one-year scheme leads to the award of a BSc (Hons) degree. It has been designed specifically for those who have successfully completed a HND or Foundation Degree in organic or general agriculture. To gain entry to the scheme you will need to have achieved merit level, or above, in at least 75% of the credits in your HND, or passed an approved Foundation Degree.

Key Features

• 1 year specialist top-up scheme
• 75% specialist organic farming modules
• Strong links to current research
• Industry relevant
• International perspectives

Content and Structure

You will study a range of modules including organic livestock health and management, organic business management, organic crop production, agri-environment and agri-food systems and marketing. You will also prepare a dissertation or literature review on a topic of your choice which contributes to your final assessment, and allows you to pursue a topic of particular interest in depth.

Detailed Course Structure

Teaching and Learning

Teaching methods include a combination of lectures, tutorials, seminars, projects and case studies as well as visits.

The Institute has its own organic beef, sheep and crop enterprises. Visits to this farm and other organic farms in England and Wales, including a study tour, form an integral part of the course.

Career Opportunities

This organic top-up scheme is management focussed and highly industry relevant, aimed at careers in managing farms and agricultural businesses and in advisory, inspection and certification services. Opportunities also exist at the interface between agriculture and processing, marketing and retailing companies where a good understanding of organic farming systems is required.

Even if you don't end up working in the organic sector the scheme provides you with a range of transferable skills that equip you for careers in the wider agricultural sector and with environmental agencies concerned with improving the standards of environmental management in agriculture.