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Subject

Agriculture

Level

Foundation Degree (Level 5)

Study Mode

Full-Time

Duration

2 years full-time/3 years part-time

Start Date

September 2025

The course

This course has been designed to help you become a successful farmer. You will learn the skills and knowledge required to develop and run adaptable, innovative, sustainable and successful business ventures within the agriculture sector.

By studying a broad spectrum of modules, you can ensure that you have the key attributes needed to go into higher level graduate roles or on to level 6 study.

The farm facilities are established at both campuses, and Riseholme facilities have seen recent investment by the University of Lincoln, accompanied with a breadth of current equipment for field and laboratory-based research projects and teaching

that has been recently updated. These resources have collectively seen staff and student research be published and presented with peer reviewed journals and national and international industry conferences.

Working alongside our Higher Education Academic Lead for Agriculture, you will have the opportunity to collaborate on industry research projects as part of their work from our Centre for Agricultural Innovation.

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Lincolnshire Institute of Technology

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As an IoT programme, the course will provide you with access to the latest technologies, ensuring that you are work-ready and have a clear career progression pathway into employment.

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Course Information

  • Ensure that you are capable of being at the forefront of modern agriculture and associated industries.
  • Develop your understanding of the broad range of areas relating to crop and livestock production and the underpinning scientific, environmental, economic and business principles.
  • Give you the capability to apply agricultural science to your practice to meet sustainability and environmental demands, provide high standards of animal welfare, high quality products and increase agricultural efficiency.
  • Ensure that you are a proactive and independent graduate, able to develop your own perspectives and explore alternative solutions within the dynamic agriculture sector.
  • Equip you with the vocational skills essential for entering a diverse range of employment opportunities within the agriculture sector.
  • Develop your skills and knowledge as required in agriculture so that you can effectively contribute to the industry.
  • Ensure that you are capable of applying business management and accounting skills within the field of agriculture, allowing you to run efficient, adaptable and profitable businesses.

Year 1

  • Academic, Employment and Professional Skills
  • Fundamentals of Business
  • Industry Skills for Agriculture
  • Livestock Production
  • Mechanisation
  • Plant and Soil Science
  • Crop Production

Year 2

  • Livestock Science
  • Agronomy
  • Agriculture and the Environment
  • Financial Management and Planning
  • Precision Technology in the Wider Sector
  • Enterprise and Entrepreneurship
  • Introductory Research Analysis

You will be required to have:

- A minimum of 72 UCAS points

OR

- A relevant BTEC Level 3 and significant industry experience

AND

- GCSE English at grade 4 or above, or an equivalent qualification

- A suitable reference

UCAS points may be from qualifications such as A Levels, T Levels, BTEC Level 3 Extended Diplomas, Access to Higher Education Diplomas, and City and Guilds Advanced Technical Diplomas amongst others. Please use the UCAS Tariff points calculator to determine the UCAS points value of your qualifications.

Life and/or experience of non-traditional students will be taken into account when considering applications. The successful completion of an entry task may be required when considering applications without the required formal entry qualifications.

If your first language is not English, or a Tier 4 student visa to study is required and GCSE grade C/4 English or equivalent is not held, English language proficiency level such as International English Language Testing System (IELTS) 6.0 overall (with a minimum 5.5 in each skill) will need evidencing.

Advanced entry may be possible due to prior experience or certificated learning; applicants are invited to complete the accreditation of prior learning approval process.

The programme is delivered with a variety of learning and teaching approaches. For all modules, there are theory lectures which aim to deliver the core content, provide the underpinning knowledge and facilitate further expansion of such concepts by the students, through independent study.

To complement the theory lectures, you will have group seminars that are used to reinforce those concepts delivered theoretically. The seminars focus on delivering using a student-centred approach to enhance your independent learning that takes place outside of the classroom.

Practical sessions at the farm are also incorporated into a range of modules, making the programme extremely applied and preparing you for the workplace.

You will have approximately 16 hours a week of contact time to include lectures, seminars, practicals and tutorials.

You are also expected to carry out a significant amount of independent study in addition to contact time (approximately 25-30 hours a week). Independent study includes reading around the subject, preparing for tutorials and seminars, preparing for, and completing, module assessments and revision for examinations; forming an essential part of your learning journey.

100 hours of external work experience are required in year one.
Assessment methods include written assignments, case studies, practical assessments, presentations, project based assessment, time constrained assessments, invigilated exams. Opportunities for feedback on assessments are available prior to the final submission to support your development and achievement. Staff aim to return assessed work within a 20 working day timeframe (not including holidays) so that you can most benefit from the feedback.
  • A tablet, laptop or stationery to take notes in lectures and seminars.
  • Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) including high-visibility jacket/bib, overalls, steel toe capped boots, wellingtons, waterproof coat and trousers and a lab coat.
  • We have a strict policy of not allowing work boots inside college buildings you will need to have alternative footwear (shoes or trainers) to attend lectures and tutorials.
  • A wide range of resources are available for use both on and offsite for projects but it may not be possible to purchase/service all requests therefore students need to be aware that they may need to self-fund some elements.
  • Any educational visits/trips and enrichment activities will be additional to the course fees, you will be made aware of these optional visits and associated costs as required.
  • On successful completion of the programme, you will have the opportunity to graduate at a ceremony wearing formal dress. The hire of the formal dress is an additional cost.
The programme is designed to enable you to progress to Level 6 study, such as our BSc Precision Agriculture (Top Up).
You could follow a career in farm management, genetic technologists, as a trainee agronomist, with machinery dealerships, in livestock nutrition or farm advisory roles.

Validated by University of Lincoln

We are proud to collaborate with University of Lincoln on the validation of this course.

View the policies and procedures you would be agreeing to comply with by registering for this programme.

Financial Information

Find the full details of the fees associated with this programme and the financial support available.

Careers this course could lead into

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