Module Information

Module Identifier
BDM8320
Module Title
Farm Business Management
Academic Year
2017/2018
Co-ordinator
Semester
Distance Learning
Pre-Requisite
Requires knowledge of Excel. Following set tasks, some may be required to complete a pre-module in using Excel which will not count towards the MSc.
Other Staff

Course Delivery

 

Assessment

Assessment Type Assessment length / details Proportion
Semester Assessment 4 x Forum posts (200 words per post):  students to select their 4 best forum posts and submit these to be marked.  25%
Semester Assessment Presentation:  Review and analyse a Farm Business Plan. Presentation recorded by student using free online software and submitted through Aber-dropbox.  20%
Semester Assessment Develop a business plan for the farm (2,000 words).  55%
Supplementary Assessment Students must take elements of assessment equivalent to those that led to the failure of the module.  100%

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this module students should be able to:

1. Evaluate the impacts of policy, economics and markets on farm businesses

2. Analyse a farm business plan

3. Critically assess risk and sensitivity as factors of a farm business management

4. Develop and revise a farm business plan

Brief description

This module forms a part of the Advanced Training Partnership MSc in 'Sustainable and Efficient Food Production'. This module gives students the skills to analyse, carry out and revise farm business plans. The module will look at all aspects of farm planning from the accounts to the physical aspects that anyone dealing with farms should be aware of. The students will be taught how to develop a robust and logical plan, and be given the task of creating a plan of their own through our unique interactive farm business. The module will be run over approximately 14 weeks.

Content

Topics (units) covered in this module are:
1. Objectives and decision making
2. Integration - policy, economics, markets and the business
3. Business structures
4. Business analysis
5. Risk and Uncertainty
6. Investment
7. Robustness, resilience and sensitivity analysis
8. Dealing with private and personal aspects of a business
9. Drawing up and presenting business plans - methods and practicalities
10. Revising business plans

Formative assessments:
  • Case report- external factors impacting on farm businesses (500)
  • Forum posts: students will be encouraged to post at least once in each forum and to reply at least once to another student's post (200 words per post)

Module Skills

Skills Type Skills details
Application of Number The students need to be able to complete a series of tasks in Excel e.g. create an online accounts workbook and budget workbook. The students need to complete these formative workbooks to a satisfactory level to release the course content.
Communication Students will be expected to be able to express themselves appropriately in their assignments.
Improving own Learning and Performance Detailed feedback will be given for assignment work. This will be assessed through the feedback providing general guidance towards the student's next assignment. Feedback will be given on all formative assignments to help students with their future summative assignments.
Information Technology Students will be required to source information from a variety of scientific publication data bases and to use Blackboard for all aspects of the module.
Personal Development and Career planning This module will provide the students with the latest research into farm business management to help them provide the most up-to-date information/advice to their colleagues/clients in the agri-food industry.
Problem solving Online forum posts will be used to help develop and improve students' problem solving skills, through use of questions that present theoretical problems for the students to solve.
Research skills Students will be required to undergo directed self-study and so will develop their literature research skills.
Subject Specific Skills Farm business planning and management.
Team work Forums will require students to debate among themselves to develop a consensus of opinion.

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 7