FdSc Agriculture (Precision Crop Technology)

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 delivered, aimed 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, students have group seminars that are used to reinforce those concepts delivered theoretically. The seminars focus on delivering using a student-centred approach to enhance the independent learning that takes place outside of the classroom.

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

You will learn from experienced, supportive and motivated staff with both academic and industrial experience. Your learning will be enhanced by guest lectures and demonstrations, as well as access to our online learning environment.

Contact time includes approximately 16 hours a week to include lectures, seminars, practicals and tutorials.

Students 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 a students learning journey.

Relevant extra-curricular activity and/or work experience is encouraged of all students in order to enhance your learning.

Assessment methods include written assignments, case studies, practical assessments, presentations, project based assessment, time constrained assessments and invigilated exams. Opportunities for feedback on assessments are available prior to the final submission to support student 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.

The programme is also designed to enable students to progress to Level 6 study, such as the BSc Precision Agriculture (Top Up). You can find further details on all of our programmes on our website.

Students graduating from this programme could follow careers in machinery dealerships, machinery operators, as technology programmers and trainee agronomists.