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Sustainable Agriculture with Crop Management at University Centre Reaseheath - UCAS

University Centre Reaseheath

Degree level: Undergraduate
Awarded by: University of Chester

Sustainable Agriculture with Crop Management

Course options

Course summary

You will gain a well-grounded understanding of the science and management of sustainable crop production systems, and be able to apply this to real-life situations. In your first year, you will focus on gaining a sound theoretical and practical understanding of sustainable agricultural production through develop your knowledge and skills in the foundations of agricultural science and production, before specialising in Crop Management in your second year. The Crop Management pathway combines the science and principles of a range of crop production methods. Integrated Crop Management will focus on field-based crop production and its holistic approach to the sustainable agronomic management of crops; in particular crop protection, soil health, nutrition, genetics and waste management, whilst making key connections to environmental land management, regenerative agriculture, and associated eco-systems services. You will also explore the principles and applied practices of protected growing in our state-of-the-art hydroponic vertical farm and glasshouse systems as complementary or alternative soil-less cropping method, which are growing in popularity due to their potential in plant-based alternative and “Urban Agriculture” markets. Rural business management is integrated throughout your foundation degree, covering areas such as diversification, marketing, and accounting. These skills are hugely important in the assessment, monitoring and management of successful agricultural businesses and are often looked for by employers in the food industry. You will also explore the field-to-fork concept and methods of adding value to produce and the overall supply chain. Upon graduation you will be armed with the toolkit required to progress the crop industry forward in a role in crop management, as well as be able to progress to the BSc (Hons) in Sustainable Agriculture Top-up degree. Course features

  • Training on our commercial farm — a regional centre for agricultural education
  • Centre for Horticulture, the Environment and Sustainable Technology – including vertical farm and glasshouse
  • Projects run by the Institute of Sustainability & Food Innovation (IoSFI) and the Reaseheath Sustainability Committee
  • Industry work placement and visits from guest speakers
  • Field trips and study for additional industry-recognised qualifications
Careers
  • Farm/Unit Management
  • Farm and Environmental Consultancy
  • Farm Business Analyst
  • Agronomist
  • Vertical Farm or Glasshouse Manager
  • Research and Development

Modules

Level 4 At level 4 all Sustainable Agriculture students will study a suite of core modules which will provide the foundations in agricultural science and production to aid specialisation at level 5. Modules will include:

  • Animal, Plant and Soil Science
  • Sustainable Livestock Production Systems
  • Farm Animal Welfare and Nutrition
  • Farm Business Diversification and Marketing
  • Sustainable Crop and Forage Production Systems
  • Agricultural Machinery & Technology
Level 5 At level 5 students studying the Sustainable Agriculture with Crop Management pathways will study:
  • Environmental Land Management
  • Business Management and Finance
  • Work Based Learning for Land-Based Industries
  • Protected Growing
  • Integrated Crop Management
- Applied Crop Investigation

Assessment method

Module assessments are designed to encourage both academic and workplace skill development. They include a wide range of coursework-based assessments in both independent and collaborative formats including reports, data processing, presentations, academic posters, lab-reports, seminar discussions, literature reviews and portfolios. Assessments will range in size and will be spread throughout the year to give you the greatest level of support and feedback whilst maintaining an even, manageable workload. Examples include a short lab-report as part of the Integrated Crop Management module in which you will develop the skills to undertake soil analysis and report key results, whilst your digital communication skills will be challenged in a series of blog posts on the market opportunities for alternative crops as part of the Protected Cropping module. To investigate the crop industry further, you will conduct an Applied Crop Investigation, in which you will examine the latest research in an area of crop management, develop a research methodology, conduct statistical analysis and later produce a scientific poster to share the results of your group investigation.


How to apply

Application codes

Course code:
SAC1
Institution code:
R14
Campus name:
University Centre Reaseheath
Campus code:
-

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1

Entry requirements

Qualification requirements

Mature students (aged 21+) will be considered on an individual basis on their prior knowledge and experience. This may be assessed by interview, completion of coursework/essay or other methods. There may be a requirement for a formal qualification to be completed first e.g. Access to HE course.


Student Outcomes

Operated by the Office for Students
75%
Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)
80%
Go onto work and study

The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

EU £13000 Year 1
England £9250 Year 1
Northern Ireland £9250 Year 1
Scotland £9250 Year 1
Wales £9250 Year 1
Channel Islands £9250 Year 1
International £13000 Year 1

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .

Additional fee information

All resources will be available through the college library or VLE as E-Books, therefore there is no formal requirement to purchase textbooks. Although a list of recommended texts can be provided. We promote the use of online journals, webinars and podcasts. Some shows and field trips may have small admission fees (usually £10-20). There may also be opportunity to attend industry events and conferences, the costs of which vary depending on event, but of course are optional. Students may also get the opportunity to join a UK or international study tour, which usually cost £150-£1,500 depending on location and duration. Additional industry qualifications may be made available to students at an additional cost. We actively work with our industry training partners to deliver additional qualifications at competitive prices. Equipment Costs Students are responsible for everyday stationary, access to a laptop and PPE (steel-toe wellies, overalls and warm clothes) for external visits. For biosecurity purposes, all PPE for the campus farm will be provided. Steel-toe capped Wellingtons or boots – £30+ Waterproof trousers – £15+ Waterproof coat – £20+ Warm clothing and waterproofs are important for an external visit. Prices of equipment are subject to change dependent on retailer.
Sustainable Agriculture with Crop Management at University Centre Reaseheath - UCAS