Agricultural Technology

Course Content (including module information)

Applied animal and crop science and production, and farm management form the basis of this degree, thereby enabling students to gain a good grounding in these subject areas.

The degree has been developed in consultation with employers, industry and academics, to offer students a combined curriculum of formal education and practical experience, which is designed to enhance employability and graduate skills.

The BSc in Agricultural Technology, is provided jointly by the School of Biological Sciences and the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (Greenmount Campus, Antrim). Stages 1 and 2 are delivered at Greenmount Campus, where students are involved in the work and management of specific agricultural enterprises. Stage 3 is delivered at Queen's University Belfast.

COURSE CONTENT

Students take the equivalent of at least six modules in each stage, including any compulsory modules.

Stage 1

• Applied Animal Science
• Applied Crop Science
• Enterprise Technology
• Introduction to Business and Research Methods
• Mechanisation and Farm Buildings

Stage 2

• Agri-food Business Marketing and Management
• Crop Production Systems
• Livestock Production and Management
• Sustainable Agriculture
• Work Placement (16 Weeks)

Stage 3

• Advances in Crop and Animal Science, and Technology
• Business Innovation and Entrepreneurship
• Farm Animal Health and Welfare
• Global Issues in Agriculture
• Policies for Environmental Sustainability
• Project Work (Ag Tech)

Assessment: The way in which you are assessed will vary according to the Learning objectives of each module. Some modules are assessed solely through project work or written assignments. Others are assessed through a combination of coursework and end of semester examinations. Details of how each module is assessed are shown in the Student Handbook which is provided to all students during their first year induction.

Feedback: As students progress through their course at Queen’s they will receive general and specific feedback about their work from a variety of sources including lecturers, module co-ordinators, placement supervisors, personal tutors, advisers of study and peers. University students are expected to engage with reflective practice and to use this approach to improve the quality of their work. Feedback may be provided in a variety of forms including:

• Feedback provided via formal written comments and marks relating to work that you, as an individual or as part of a group, have submitted.
• Face to face comment. This may include occasions when you make use of the lecturers’ advertised “office hours” to help you to address a specific query.
• Placement employer comments or references.
• Online or emailed comments.
• General comments or question and answer opportunities at the end of a lecture, seminar or tutorial.
• Pre-submission advice regarding the standards you should aim for and common pitfalls to avoid. In some instances, this may be provided in the form of model answers or exemplars which you can review in your own time.
• Feedback and outcomes from practical classes.
• Comment and guidance provided by staff from specialist support services such as, Careers, Employability and Skills or the Learning Development Service.

Once you have reviewed your feedback, you will be encouraged to identify and implement further improvements to the quality of your work.

At Queen’s, we aim to deliver a high quality learning environment that embeds intellectual curiosity, innovation and best practice in learning, teaching and student support to enable student to achieve their full academic potential.

On the BSc in Agricultural Technology we do this by providing a range of learning experiences which enable our students to engage with subject experts, develop attributes and perspectives that will equip them for life and work in a global society and make use of innovative technologies and a world class library that enhances their development as independent, lifelong learners. This programme is provided jointly with the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (Cafre). The partnership arrangement between Cafre and QUB capitalises on the strengths of both institutions to provide a course that is academically challenging but also focused on the application of science, business and economic principles. Stages 1 and 2 are delivered at the Cafre Greenmount Campus and Stage 3 is delivered at Queen’s in Belfast. The Greenmount Estate Farm is a major resource used to deliver this programme. The campus “farm” comprises the Farm Development Centre (200 hectares) and the Livestock Development Centre (1,100 hectares).

Examples of the opportunities provided for learning on this course are:

• Lectures: introduce basic information about new topics as a starting point for further self-directed private study/reading. As there are limits on numbers of students entering this course, much of the teaching is carried out in small groups (typically 20-30 students). This provides significant opportunity for students to engage with academic staff who have specialist knowledge of the topic, to ask questions of them and gain feedback and advice on assessments.

• Practical experience: A unique feature is the opportunity for students to take responsibility for the operation and management of a farm enterprise at Cafre, allowing immediate practical application of knowledge. This element of the course occurs within the Enterprise Management and Enterprise Technology moduleswhich require students to work as part of a team, guided by a management board, to manage a range of agricultural enterprises. For example, in the CREAM project students manage a small herd of high genetic merit Holstein cows and benchmark performance against elite farmers. The campus farm hosts three student learning projects: CREAM, UPLANDS and CROPS.

• E-Learning technologies: Information associated with lectures and assignments is often communicated via a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) called Queen’s Online and through an equivalent system at Cafre. A range of e-learning experiences are also embedded in the degree through, for example, an IT and statistics module and interactive web-based learning activities.

• Self-directed study: This is an important part of life as a Queen’s student when important private reading, engagement with e-learning resources, reflection on feedback to date and assignment research and preparation work is carried out.

• Work placements: Students taking the BSc Agricultural Technology degree undertake a 16 week work-placement at Level 2. This is a significant learning and employability enhancement opportunity. Work placements take place in a wide range of organisations, including major agricultural enterprises, both in the UK and abroad. Work placement overseas is encouraged and students have worked in America, New Zealand, Australia, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland and England.

• Industry Visits: Throughout the programme, industry visits plays a key part in delivery of learning for many modules. Examples include visits to farms, processing companies, feed mills and government institutions. These visits are not only very informative, but also help to ‘signpost’ potential career pathway options.

• Supervised projects: In final year, you will be expected to carry out a significant piece of research on a topic or practical methodology that you have chosen. You will receive support from a supervisor who will guide you in terms of how to carry out your research and will provide feedback to you on at least 2 occasions during the write up stage.

• Event organisation: In final year, students will also be required to organise a large, industry symposium on a relevant topic. This will involve organising speakers and a chair, inviting an audience, liaising with the press and organising catering, parking etc. Students will be assessed on the basis of the success of the event and on their contribution to its organisation.

• Added value qualifications to enhance employability: At Stages 1 and 2 students have the opportunity to take a range of complimentary qualifications that enhance employability e.g. PA series of spraying courses, Health and Safety, ECDL, Artificial Insemination, First Aid, Telehandler driving.