Course summary

Course Information This unique programme is designed for students who have ambitions of starting their own business and want to do so in a supported environment with guidance from specialist lecturers, practicing entrepreneurs and industry mentors. We are now offering this degree course with a foundation year that will give you the opportunity to gain the experience and skills you will need before progressing on to the traditional parts of the programme. In the first year of your four year programme you will be developing your academic and team-working skills and gaining confidence in written work; handling numerical and statistical data and ICT. You will be introduced to a range of rural land use topics including learning about the agricultural year; mapping; laboratory skills, and you will have the opportunity to gain competence in a range of practical skills. The year will help you to make the transition to being an independent learner and perhaps an entrepreneur. Successful completion of the foundation year will allow you to proceed onto the first year of the course. Taught elements of the degree will give you a solid grounding in the fundamentals of operating a business with a focus on the entrepreneurial and the strategic skills needed to realise ideas in dynamic, international markets while practical components will focus on teaching you how to design, develop and finance your venture. This means that you’ll graduate with the ability to start your own company in a wide range of markets or bring entrepreneurial thinking to an established organisation. This programme is ideal for those looking to:

• Diversify a rural business such as a farm or small-holding

• Develop a food business

• Create an agri-food venture

• Start a retail or service business

• Build a rural fashion brand

• Grow a social networking business

• Learn about idea generation, venture growth and business strategies

• Develop fundamental business skills such as financial and management accounting

• Benefit from hands-on experience of preparing business plans and presenting pitches to investors

• Choose optional modules that will help you to develop your business management skills in areas such as marketing, organisation management, finance and supply chain management.