Course summary

Agriculture is a vocation and way of life. Whether you are interested in animals or crops, upland or lowland, intensive or extensive farming systems, the breadth and depth of teaching in the highly popular Agriculture foundation degree at Aberystwyth University will cater for your needs. On this course you will be challenged with real-life scenarios so that you can study a blend of science, technology, and farm management to explore and understand the way in which modern agricultural methods produce food in a sustainable manner and provide a profit for the farm business. You will cover all aspects of agricultural production systems, while also developing a detailed understanding of the changing farming landscape, and the skills and theoretical knowledge needed to manage a sustainable business. This three-year foundation degree with integrated year in industry is taught by leading experts and researchers in their field in a department renowned for agricultural innovation. With opportunities to gain work experience in the UK and overseas, the course is an excellent option for those who wish to train as managers of agricultural enterprises, or to retrain and pursue a career in agriculture. Students who successfully complete this course to the required standard can progress onto our BSc Agriculture degree. The taught component of the Agriculture Foundation degree with integrated year in industry (D403) is identical to its two-year sister course FdSc Agriculture course (D402). The year in industry is taken in your second year, is supervised and assessed, and will count towards your degree grade. During your year in industry, you will pay a discounted tuition fee.   Aberystwyth is surrounded by a great diversity of farmland and agricultural terrain. The 800 hectare commercially managed university farms provide the setting for your practical learning. This is supplemented by field visits to farms and agricultural and food businesses that are industry leaders in innovation and technical expertise, which will reinforce your academic learning.  Students graduating with a Foundation Degree in Agriculture enter a variety of technical and managerial roles at enterprise and farm level. You will be able to adopt best practices that incorporate the very best of current research, and husbandry practices that allow you to tackle the challenges of livestock and crop management in a changing and challenging physical and financial environment.