18. Bachelor of Agriculture
18.1. Career opportunities
18.2. Information for students commencing from 2004
18.2.1. Course objectives
18.2.2. Course outline
18.2.3. Elective subjects
18.3. Information for students commencing prior to 2004
18.3.1. Course objectives
18.3.2. Course outline
18.3.3. Elective subjects
This course is offered at the Parkville and Dookie campuses of the University. From 2004 onwards intake will only occur at Dookie campus.
Agriculture is essentially the study of the management of resources for the sustainable production of food and fibre. When you study agriculture you are taught the principles and applications of science, economics and management, animal production, agribusiness, catchment management and various multidisciplinary packages such as systems analysis and management.
Agriculture graduates have the skills to take up a career in a wide variety of areas including research and development organisations, catchment management authorities, financial institutions and banks, marketing and journalism, environmental or business consulting firms, international trade, food processing companies and farm management and extension positions.
Students who have completed this course should have acquired:
basic practical skills required to manage a farm enterprise and supervise workers;
a 'systems-thinking' approach to agricultural production and land management, including an understanding of the structures of agriculture-related industries; the principal factors that determine their location, environmental impact, sustainability, profitability and international trade competitiveness; and the biophysical, economic and social factors that affect production systems;
an understanding how agriculture and other land uses influence the landscape;
appropriate knowledge and the ability to critically evaluate knowledge gained from a range of scientific, economic and social sources;
the ability to disseminate scientific and industry information;
skills to effectively analyse, and scientifically evaluate agricultural and environmental problems and reach appropriate solutions;
effective communication skills in a variety of media;
the capacity for initiating cooperative relationships with colleagues, employers and clients;
appropriate group facilitation skills;
the ability to collect and interpret agricultural and environmental data for interpretation;
an understanding of the research methodologies necessary to design and interpret small experiments;
a commitment to the highest standards of academic and intellectual integrity and an acceptance of the community responsibilities of citizenship befitting their professional standing.
| First year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | Points | |
| 202-109 Biology for Land and Food Resources | 12.5 | |
| 202-108 Information Technology and Communication | 12.5 | |
| or | ||
| 202-250 Quantitative Skills for Land and Food | 12.5 | |
| Students entering without Year 11 Mathematical Methods or equivalent must enrol in 202-250 Quantitative Skills for Land and Food | ||
| 202-110 Land Resources | 12.5 | |
| 208-113 Production Systems I | 12.5 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| 202-102 Chemistry for Land and Food Resources | 12.5 | |
| 208-115 Production Systems II | 12.5 | |
| 208-116 Environmental Engineering | 12.5 | |
| One Elective | 12.5 | |
| Total Points | 100 | |
| Second year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | Points | |
| 202-205 Experimental Design/Statistical Methods | 12.5 | |
| 208-120 Accounting for Rural Enterprises | 12.5 | |
| 208-211 Plant Communities in Action | 12.5 | |
| One Elective | 12.5 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| 207-114 Land, Food and Resource Economics | 12.5 | |
| 208-230 Soils, Water and Catchment Dynamics | 12.5 | |
| 208-231 Management of Rural Enterprises | 12.5 | |
| One Elective | 12.5 | |
| Total Points | 100 | |
| Third year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | Points | |
| 202-308 Human Resource Management | 12.5 | |
| 208-328 Biodiversity and Genetics | 12.5 | |
| One Elective | 12.5 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| 202-304 Agricultural Systems Analysis | 12.5 | |
| Two Electives | 25 | |
| Year-long subjects | ||
| 202-005 Industry Placement# | 0 | |
| 202-307 Industry Project | 25 | |
| 202-307 Industry Project (25 points, Year-Long) may be replaced by 202-309 Industry Project (25 points, Semester 1 or Semester 2) | ||
| Total Points | 100 | |
| Fourth year (honours) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | Points | |
| 208-415 Research Philosophies and Statistics | 12.5 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| 202-417 Emerging Issues in Land Resources | 12.5 | |
| Year-long | ||
| 202-410 Honours Research Project | 50 | |
| 202-410 Honours Research Project (50 points year-long) may be replaced by 202-413 Honours Research Project ( 50 points, Semester 1 or Semester 2) or 202-416 Honours Research Project (50 points, mid-year entry) | ||
| Elective Subjects | ||
| Two electives | 25 | |
| Total Points | 100 | |
| First year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Semester 2 | Points | |
| 208-107 Vineyard and Winery Operations I | 12.5 | |
| 208-121 Farm Animal Biology | 12.5 | |
| Second year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summer Semester | Points | |
| 208-244 Australia in the Wine World | 12.5 | |
| Semester 1 | ||
| 208-206 Vineyard and Winery Operations II | 12.5 | |
| 208-243 Ecology & Management of Grazing Systems | 12.5 | |
| 208-246 Crop Production | 12.5 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| 208-245 Animal Management and Production | 12.5 | |
| Third year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summer Semester | Points | |
| 208-338 Special Studies | 12.5 | |
| Semester 1 | ||
| 207-328 Working with Community Groups | 12.5 | |
| 207-415 Soil Management and Conservation | 12.5 | |
| 208-308 Irrigation and Water Management | 12.5 | |
| 208-329 Viticulture | 12.5 | |
| 208-336 Production Horticulture | 12.5 | |
| 208-340 Plant Pathology | 12.5 | |
| 208-342 Animal Production Systems | 12.5 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| 208-212 Agribusiness Marketing | 12.5 | |
| 208-316 Oenology | 12.5 | |
| 208-341 Fertiliser Management | 12.5 | |
| Fourth year (honours) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | Points | |
| 207-415 Soil Management and Conservation | 12.5 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| 207-413 Community Natural Resource Management | 12.5 | |
| 207-414 Social Research Methods | 12.5 | |
| 208-413 Biological Systems Analysis | 12.5 | |
| 208-414 Directed Reading in Land Resources | 12.5 | |
Students who have completed this course should have acquired:
an ability to demonstrate a broad knowledge of fundamental scientific precepts across a range of disciplines, with a high level of achievement in one or more of the disciplines of agricultural and environmental science relating to soils, plant and animal management and production;
an understanding of the structures of agriculture, catchment management and related industries and the principal factors that determine location, environmental impact, sustainability, profitability and international trade competitiveness and the maintenance of biodiversity;
the capacity to apply scientific knowledge to the definition, analysis, and solution of agricultural and environmental problems;
the ability to design and conduct scientific enquiries;
an understanding of principles of best management practice in relation to health, safety, animal welfare and the environment in agriculture and related industries;
a capacity for the exchange, acquisition and dissemination of scientific and industry information and for technology transfer;
the ability to work as part of a multidisciplinary team and serve as a team leader.
| Third Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | Points | |
| 202-308 Human Resource Management | 12.5 | |
| Year long subjects | ||
| 202-005 Industry Placement# | 0 | |
| 202-307 Industry Project | 25 | |
| 202-307 Industry Project (25 points, year-long) may be replaced by 202-309 Industry Project (25 points, Semester 1 or Semester 2) | ||
| Elective subjects | ||
| Five electives * | 62.5 | |
| Total Points | 100 | |
| Fourth year (honours) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | Points | |
| 208-415 Research Philosophies and Statistics | 12.5 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| 202-417 Emerging Issues in Land Resources | 12.5 | |
| Year-long subjects | ||
| 202-410 Honours Research Project | 50 | |
| 202-410 Honours Research Project (50 points, year-long) may be replaced by 202-413 Honours Research Project (50 points, Semester 1 or Semester 2) or 202-416 Honours Research Project (50 points mid-year entry) | ||
| Elective subjects | ||
| Two electives | 25 | |
| Total Points | 100 | |
* Electives can be selected from the following lists or from approved subjects from other courses.
Electives may be selected from the following list and a limited number may be selected from approved subjects from other courses. Insufficient enrolments may lead to an elective subject being suspended. Not all electives are available at all campuses.
Status: Official 2005 Last Modified: Saturday May 28 22:13 SGML to HTML Conversion: Information Division - CWIS (SDI) Authorised by: Academic Registrar Enquiries: http://unimelb.custhelp.com/