FdSc Agriculture
Course Details
-
Department
Agriculture -
Qualification
Level 5 -
Course Type
Full Time -
Length
2 Years -
Location(s)
York
Course at a glance
The FdSc Agriculture provide students with an appropriate academic grounding, together with the broader technical and management skills that are required to work and build a career in the increasingly technical and continually changing agricultural sector.
UCAS Code
D4U8
Awarding Body: Askham Bryan College
Centre Code
A70
What you will learn
The programme will develop your technical and management skills, in livestock, crop production, and the integration of the wide range agricultural production systems, rotations, equipment, housing and store facilities that are used in the commercial farming industry.
The full time modular programme is delivered over two years using a hybrid approach to delivery to provide you with the flexibility to gain industry experience in agriculture or one its associated supply chains while continuing with your education and training. At the end of your studies, you will have the skills and understanding to work at a supervisory or management level in the agricultural sector.
University Centre Askham Bryan has access to the 238-hectare Home Farm, which houses a milking herd of 200 cows, which are milked through a rapid exit parlour and a DeLaval Robot, a state-of-the-art high welfare precision beef facility in which students will actively participate in the use of the latest precision-livestock equipment, research, and industry engagement and a commercial flock of 200 breeding ewes.
Crops grown on the grade 2 arable land, include wheat, sugar beet and maize, using the latest precision field technology and variable rate application techniques and software to maximise arable returns and the production of high-quality forage to improve the performance and returns of the dairy and livestock enterprises. The Farm also features a new £2.4 million Agri-Tech Innovation Centre dedicated to advanced agricultural and engineering training, the DeLaval Digital Farm and robotic milker which provides live data for analysis and interpretation of dairy cow performance.
On-farm data from the different enterprises is also drawn together using the latest Map of Agriculture software to provide live updates on what is occurring on the farm, the level of inputs and physical performance of the different enterprises’ adding to the learning experience and knowledge of the students on the FdSc Agriculture Course.
Year 1 Modules
- Introduction to Agri-Business
- Environmental Management in Agriculture
- Agricultural Mechanisation
- Livestock Health
- Crop Production
- Academic Writing and Research
Year 2 Modules
- Research Skills – Agriculture
- Applied Agri-Business
- Livestock Production
- Crop Production Management
- Continuous Professional Development
Level 5 Options (Choose one):
- Livestock Feeding
- Agronomy
Programme Specification
Key Information
Applicants should have achieved 48 UCAS points plus 5 GCSE’s including English, Maths and Science at Grade C/4 or above. Equivalent qualifications may be accepted in lieu of GCSE’s. Applicants must have successfully completed a full Level 3 study and/or have significant industry experience
An initial assessment process may be used to inform the College of your current status. Some students may be asked to attend an interview.
Applicants who believe they may be eligible for Accreditation of Prior Certificated and/or Experiential Learning (APCL/APEL) will be considered on an individual basis. If you have any queries in relation to entry qualifications, then please contact the University Centre team directly.
On successful completion of the FdSc Agriculture, students may wish to consider progressing on to the University Centres BSc (Hons) Agricultural Management Top Up. Allowing students to graduate with a BSc (Hons) Degree.
Alternatively, students may wish to consider careers in a variety of industries focused on livestock health and management as well as crop health and management.
UK, Isle of Man and Channel Isles Students on BSc Honours Degree/ BSc Ordinary Degree/ BSc Top up/ Foundation Degree/ Extended Foundation Degree – £9,000
Please note that the fee status of each applicant will be assessed prior to any offer being made (Home Fee or Overseas/International Fee). Where required further information may be requested ensure the correct fee status is allocated. For further information about on studying in the UK and fee status, please visit UKCISA
Non-Home (Overseas Students) on Honours Degree/ Ordinary Degree/ Foundation Degree/ Extended Foundation Degree – £14,000
This programme requires students to undertake 300 hours of work placement, with 150 completed each academic year.
Work placement is completed with an external employer which is arranged by the student. Such placements include farm hand, NFU, trainee agronomist, auction mart, feed mill etc. All work placements are subject to a health and safety check by the college to ensure that placements are suitable and safe. Support can be made available via the module tutor to help locate a suitable placement.
If you are already working in the sector, it may be possible to APEL (Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning) this element of the course. Evidence of such employment will be needed, outlining duties etc for consideration at the APL panel, where applications will be considered on an individual basis. If you have any queries in relation to this, then please contact the University Centre team directly.
Assessment
Assessments will be designed to give students the opportunity of performing tasks that they would be asked to do in employment.
Assessments may include; Course work, time constrained assessments, online assessment, presentations, Viva-voce and practical assessments.
In addition to tuition fees and accommodation if applicable. Students will need to budget for some extra costs as part of this course, which you will need to pay for yourself.
Below is a link to a list with approximate additional course cost to help with your budgeting.