Agriculture (Alternative Farming) 1200 Hours Higher Advanced Diploma

Step 1 - Complete the 6 compulsory modules listed below:

1 Advanced Permaculture

• Learn to design naturally inspired living systems. For people with prior experience in permaculture, this course is a more in depth and academically advanced study of various aspects of permaculture. It covers sustainable systems, how to determine planning strategies for a site, seasonal patterns, water management, earthworks, considering different climates, and comprehansive planning including preparing costings. This will give you a sound background in all aspects of developing and running a permaculture system. Read more....

2 Environmental Chemistry

• Globally, changes in the chemical makeup of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere, are widely believed (if not actually proved) to be contributing to global warming. This has long term ramifications for people already living in drought areas or in places prone to flooding, plus the whole world, which will experience some degree of climate change as a consequence. Read more....

3 Organic Farming

• Become a successful organic farmer! Organic farming has been growing in popularity, with farmers adopting it for economic, ethical or sustainability reasons there is no doubt that this method of farming is set to stay. This distance learning course will teach you to manage both plant and animal production in a natural and environmentally responsible way. You will develop a solid foundation knowledge in how to set up an organic farm, or convert an existing farm to organic practices. Read more....

4 Sustainable Agriculture

• Improve the sustainability of your farm. You will learn techniques and measures to move your farm towards greater sustainability. Increasing sustainability can be simple (for example changing what is farmed or how produce is marketed) or require more major changes in farm management practices. Gain useful and practical knowledge to improve sustainability in this comprehensive online course. Read more....

5 Industry Project I

• This project is based on applications in the work place and specifically aims to provide the student with the opportunity to apply and integrate skills and knowledge developed through various areas of formal study. If you work in the industry that you have been studying; you may submit a reference from your employer, in an effort to satisfy this industry (ie. workplace project) requirement; on the basis of RPL (ie. recognition for prior learning), achieved through your current and past work experience. Read more....

6 Workplace Health & Safety

• Learning to recognise potentially dangerous situations can mean the avoidance of litigation, work disruption, and significant, unnecessary costs. Make sure that an accident that could have been avoided is not the reason your business fails. This course was developed by highly qualified professionals, who have years of experience in industry. Read more....

Step 2 - Now select 3 stream modules from those listed below that cover your chosen alternative farming industry:

Animal and Dairy Production

1 Animal Husbandry I (Anatomy and Physiology)

• Working with animals? Get back to basics! Gain a thorough foundation knowledge of animal anatomy and physiology. This is essential for careers requiring good animal care and management. An excellent starting point for working with animals in any situation (farms, pets, zoos, wildlife, animal protection). Learn at your own pace through distance learning. Read more....

2 Beef Cattle

• Develop your abilities to analyse and make decisions about the management requirements of beef cattle. This comprehensive distance learning course covers cattle breeds and breeding, diseases, feeding and nutrition. You will also develop your skills in management (including feed lot and stud herd management), economics and marketing. Read more....

3 Calf Rearing

• This course develops your ability to manage the rearing of calves for different agricultural purposes. It covers all aspects of calf rearing including Calf selection; Birth; Calf Diseases; Rearing Systems; Calf Housing, Weaning and Post Weaning. Read more....

4 Dairy Cattle

• Learn to independently analyse and make decisions about the management requirements of dairy cattle:comparing dairy breeds, managing anything from one cow to a large herd, and producing dairy products (milk, cheese, cream butter etc). This is a very sound foundation course developed in collaboration with industry and by our team of experts (agricultural and animal scientists, veterinary surgeons etc). Read more....

5 Natural Healthcare for Animals

• Want to care for animal health? Prefer to work naturally? This course is perfect for those who work, or would like to work, in the animal health care field and value a more holistic treatment approach. You will learn about the features and scope of natural therapies which can be used to treat animals and maintain their wellbeing. This online course will also teach you to recognise common signs of ill health and disease. Read more....

6 Pasture Management

• Optimise your pasture. Pastures are critical to many types of farming and to both small and large yielding enterprises. Some farmers have been reported to have turned unprofitable farms into commercial successes by simply improving pasture. This online course will give you the skills to evaluate, design and make decisions about the management of pasture for different purposes. Read more....

7 Pigs

• Gain a great understanding of pig production. Pig production can be highly sophisticated or unsophisticated. This course develops a better understanding of pig biology and production. You will cover and gain skills in a comprehensive range of topics, including: breeding and selection, feeding, diseases, managing the boar, sow and litter, fattening pigs, economics and records. Read more....

8 Poultry

• A Certificate course where you'll learn to successfully manage your poultry either for commercial or domestic purposes. This home study course will teach you to manage poultry on a small or large scale, and for production of eggs, meat or young birds. Read more....

9 Sheep

• Equip yourself with a comprehensive knowledge of sheep farming. In this course you will learn a broad range of topics, including: Breeds, Selection and Breeding, Nutrition, Diseases, General Management of a Commercial Flock, Care of the Lamb, Wool and the Marketing of Sheep and Sheep Products. A thorough and practical online course. Read more....

Aquaculture and Aquaponics

1 Aquaculture

• Develop a capacity to develop and manage freshwater aquaculture enterprises. Aquaculture is the farming of water animals (eg. Fish, crustaceans) for human consumption. This course covers: water (e.g.source, purity, flow, temperature, dissolved oxygen), stocking rates, spawning, checking stock, stripping, fertilization, hatching, growth stages, feeding, harvesting, stocking and more. Read more....

2 Marine Aquaculture

• Gain a better understanding about the general selection and management for farming salt water species of plants and animals. Course deals with the farming of salt water species of fish, shellfish, seaweed and other marine products. Learn to plan and manage the farming of a wide variety of marine life. Self paced home study, expert tutors, start anytime, 100 hours of learning to give you a sound foundation in marine aquaculture. Read more....

3 Aquaponics Production

• Aquaponics is the integration of hydroponics with aquaculture technologies. Hydroponics is the horticultural process of growing plants in mediums other than soil. Aquaculture is the culture of aquatic organisms (such as fish and crustaceans) for commercial purposes under controlled or partly controlled conditions. Read more....

Crop Production

1 Agronomy I

Agronomy offers many job opportunities. Demand for agronomists is strong; whether as a farmer, farm employer or providing technical support or marketing services in the agriculture sector. Learn the principles and practices that underpin commercial broad acre crop production (agronomy) and develop an ability to interpret and apply information practically, on a farm. Complement your farming studies or experience and seek employment in the highly sought after field of agronomy! Read more...

2 Agronomy II (Grains)

• By completing this course, you will acquire a sound understanding of Agronomy as it relates to cereals, pulses and pseudo grains. As well as learning about different grains, you will gain skills regarding which species and cultivators you should choose. Making the right choices will enable you to employ efficient techniques to get the best harvest. Read more....

3 Agronomy III (Root Crop Production)

• Profitable and successful farming today, depends on agronomists bringing a number of key stages of the plant/harvest cycle together. An Agronomist therefore needs to have skills in soil management, plus knowledge of the best time to plant specific crops and their nutritional requirements. He or she will also need to know how to manage pest and weed problems, when to harvest and how to ensure longevity post-harvest, so that as much produce gets to market as possible. Read more....

4 Berry Production

• Berry fruits are popular the world over. Some berries are grown widely, in different climates and countries (eg. strawberries), whilst others might be popular in some regions but not others. This course provides a sound broad based training for commercial growers and/or staff of berry farms. It is equally relevant to the enthusiast hobby grower who wants to get more serious about growing berry fruits. Read more....

5 Commercial Organic Vegetable Growing

• Successfully farm organic vegetables! The demand for organically grown vegetables is currently a major growth area in commercial horticulture. This course is a good starting point in learning all aspects of organic vegetable production. Read more....

6 Fruit Production - Temperate

• This course is ideal for anyone serious about fruit growing; from the small hobby farmer to orchard worker, or enthusiastic amateur who aspires to win first prize for their fruit at the local garden show. Read more....

7 Fruit Production - Warm Climate

• Expand you understanding of tropical and sub tropical fruit growing. Similar to the temperate fruit course, but adapted to cover tropical and sub-tropical conditions. The course includes sections on Avocados, Pineapples, Macadamias, Paw Paws and Cashews. Read more....

8 Herb Culture

• Develop a solid grounding in herb growing and the herb industry. Half of the course deals with general herb culture, including identification, soils, mulching, feeding, watering, propagation, pest & disease control, harvest, storage, processing, companion planting, nursery management and herb farming. The remainder of the course involves detailed studies of major groups of herbs such as: mints, thymes, lavenders, scented geraniums, garlic, roses, artemisias and parsley. Read more....

9 Irrigation - Crops

• An online course that covers the design, installation, maintenance, operation and evaluation of simple irrigation systems. This online course focuses on irrigation systems for row crops (eg. vegetables & cut flowers) and orchards. If your interest is in growing row crops, then this course will help you understand the methods needed for irrigating them. Read more....

10 Nut Production

• Learn How to identify and Grow a Wide Range of Edible Nuts. You'll learn from professional university trained horticulturists with decades of industry experience and build networks within industry and discover opportunities for commercial production or self sufficiency. Read more....

11 Nut Production - Warm Climate

• Learn to grow nuts in tropical and sub-tropical areas. The content of this course is very similar to the "Growing Nuts" course, except this deals exclusively with nuts grown in the tropics and sub-tropics. Read more....

12 Soil Management (Agriculture)

• Treat your soil and grow great plants! Good soil conditions are critical to the healthy growth of most plants. Develop an understanding of physical & chemical properties of soils, carry out simple tests to determine soil characteristics, learn ways of treating soil to grow plants. Specifically designed for ornamental gardens, landscaping, container growing, and turf situations. Read more...

13 Viticulture

• Learn the techniques and become a successful Vitculturalist. This course will help you develop an ability to select and cultivate appropriate varieties of grapes in different situations, and provide the knowledge to make informed decisions about the management of a vineyard. There are ten lessons covering the history of viticulture, the current state of the industry, wine and table grapes, dried grapes, cultural practices (trellising, soils, planting, pruning, irrigation, pests & diseases); vineyard design, improving quality, harvest & post harvest procedures, wine-making, plus marketing. Read more....

Hydroponics

1 Hydroponics I

• This course is the next step for those who want to start making a living from Hydroponics. It takes you into production systems and commercial growing, which is perfect for the person who wants to start earning income from this method of horticulture, which also applies to alternative agriculture. Read more....

2 Hydroponics II (Hydroponic Management)

• Even more in - depth than Hydroponics I, Hydroponics II takes a closer look at a few plant species in particular. Hydroponic grower trials attempt to simulate conditions under which a crop might be grown commercially, but on a much smaller, and less costly scale. Read more....

3 Hydroponics III

• Learn to manage hydroponic systems and equipment. This course has been developed to complement Hydroponics I and II; and is intended for people who already have some experience and understanding of hydroponics. Read more....

Step 3 - Finally choose 3 modules from the following to compliment your step 2 choices and own individual needs:

1 Agricultural Marketing

• This course develops your ability to analyse and manage marketing problems in an agricultural enterprise. Topics covered include: market research, management of your marketing, promotions, handling produce, packaging, distribution, customer relations and more. Read more....

2 Animal Husbandry II (Animal Health)

• Treating and preventing ill health in animals is important for all people who work with them. Learn how diseases are classified, to recognise signs and symptoms of common diseases and how to treat these diseases and wounds. This Online course will also introduce methods used to prevent ill health developing. Ideally, students will have completed Animal Husbandry I before beginning this course. Read more....

3 Animal Husbandry III (Animal Feed and Nutrition)

• What balance of nutrients do your animals need? How can you provide this? This Online - Distance Learning course will teach you about the components needed in animal diets and the composition of a range of feeds (including pasture, fodder crops, grasses, cereals, seed and other edible plants). You will learn to evaluate feeding, select appropriate feeds (for nutritional content and digestability), and apply this to farming situations. feeding and select appropriate feeds - for digestibility and nutritional content - applicable to real life farming situations. Read more....

4 Biochemistry I (Animals)

• Learn about the biological and chemical basis of animal life". Biochemistry - Animals" is the knowledge basis for all human and animals health studies. Learn with highly qualified and experienced tutors the basis of life. This course is similar to "Biochemistry - Plants" ; except for the fact that it deals with animals.Read more....

5 Biochemistry I (Plants)

• Learn about the composition and function of plantsBiochemistry is the chemistry of living beings. This course concentrates on the biochemistry of plants.Learn Plant Biochemistry with outstanding experienced tutors. Our Problem-Based Approach for learning makes the learning experience practical and applied, helping you to understand, absorb and retain your new knowledge. Read more....

6 Engineering I (Plant and Machinery)

• Keep your tools and machinery in perfect working order always! This course gives you the knowledge and develops your ability to independently manage the selection, operation and maintenance of tools and machinery used in professional gardening, agriculture and horticulture. Read more....

7 Operations Management

• Business Operations gives you the absolute essential knowledge on how businesses operate and understand how their services are interrelated to their other competitors and the overall economic environment. Expand both your learning and confidence while leading the operations of the business you work in!
  
  Should you wish to know more, please see Academy for Distance Learning - - Take control of your future!

  Business Operations gives you the absolute essential knowledge on how businesses operate and understand how their services are interrelated to their other competitors and the overall economic environment . Expand both your learning and confidence while leading the operations of the business you work in!
  
  Should you wish to know more, please see Academy for Distance Learning - - Take control of your future!

  Business Operations gives you the absolute...