Bachelor of Agricultural Science
Introduction
The sustainable management of our natural resources, and the related management of our agricultural systems are some of the most important and contentious issues of our time, and will be more so given the major challenges created by global warming. These challenges require broadly trained graduates, prepared in both science and business disciplines, to provide answers that are both scientifically and economically sustainable.
Course description
Agricultural Science covers a wide area of scientific and economic disciplines. This course is designed to encourage a basic understanding of the relationships between soils, plants, animals, agribusiness and the environment.
Students should note that the course makes no attempt to train people in the practical day to day business of farming. The course concentrates on the sciences concerned with soil productivity, plant, and animal production and on agribusiness and marketing. Agriculture is not only an important component of our environment; it reacts with and affects the non-agricultural components. The emphasis in the course is, therefore, on the sciences relevant to an understanding of primary production and resource management and on agribusiness, within a global context.
Subjects include soil science, plant and animal nutrition, physiology and biochemistry, plant and animal health, pest ecology and management, agribusiness, statistics and experimental design, case studies in agricultural production and its impact on the environment.
In the final year, the aim is to integrate this disciplinary knowledge in real-life, problem-solving case study teaching. This involves extensive exposure to current issues in the food and fibre industries. Students have the opportunity to acquire a wide range of personal development skills and to follow their special interests by carrying out a full-time research project on or off campus in the final semester of their degree.
This can be combined into a double degree with: Bachelor of Agricultural Science / Bachelor of Business, or as Bachelor of Agricultural Science / Bachelor of International Development.
For more information about the course, including course structure, visit the University Handbook
Key features
Overseas travel
Within the final year of the Bachelor of Agricultural Science, La Trobe University offers students the ability to take part in case studies overseas. In the past, students have travelled to places such as China, Thailand and Papua New Guinea. These case studies allow students to apply the knowledge that they have gained throughout their courses in new settings, with sensitivity to not only different environments, but also different cultures. This part of the degree is a very enriching experience for all those students who take part, allowing them to integrate their learning into a multi-cultural experience and apply skills in a new environment.
Dual qualification
Agricultural Science students at La Trobe will be able to graduate with the 4-year Bachelor of Agricultural Science degree, plus a Professional Diploma in Agribusiness, accredited by the Australian Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology.
The subjects will be taught in intensive week-long vacation sessions, with some follow-up assignments during the university semester.
Environmental focus
The Agricultural Science degree incorporates an environmental focus, providing an integrated understanding of the drivers of production, profit, and environmental protection. The changes include new subjects that will enable the students to explore the positive and negative impacts of agricultural practice on the landscape. Studies in the use of GS mapping and remote sensing, providing an understanding on how these tools can be used to manage our natural resources, are included.
Employment prospects
There has been a shortage of Agricultural Scientists and Agribusiness qualified graduates for many years, and our graduates have been experiencing employment rates of 95% + for some time. This list is derived from the destinations of some of our graduates over the last couple of years, and gives you an idea of the range of outcomes that are possible.
- Agribusiness specialist for major bank (NAB)
- Agribusiness specialist (Dept. of Primary Industries)
- Pasture Agronomist (Elders)
- Horticulture Agronomist (Agribusiness company)
- Dairy Extension Officer
- Cropping Research Agronomist
- Weed Management Consultant (Pipeline company)
- Soils Specialist for Consulting company
- Animal Nutritionist specialist
- Ppostgraduate Research - PhD
- Farm Manager
- Continuing study in Veterinary Science
- Research scientist working on the protection of native flora in China.
Pre-requisites
Units 3 & 4 English (any).
Recommended VCE subjects: Agriculture and Horticulture, Biology, Chemistry, Mathematical Methods, Specialist Mathematics.
Guaranteed Entry Scheme VCE Score: 65
For international students, please visit La Trobe International.
Industry experience
An essential requirement of the degree is twelve (12) weeks of approved industry experience, taken during the vacation periods. Each work experience period of 3 weeks must be carried out on a different enterprise and is written up in a work experience report.
Honours
Honours are awarded at the end of the four-year course to those students who merit honours. The fourth year resembles the honours year in other science degrees in that formal course work is decreased. Eligibility for honours depends on achieving grades of above 65% in at least 40 points worth of third year subjects.
