Plant Science, BSc - 2016/17

Where better to study plant sciences than in the ‘Garden of England’? This degree pathway is an exciting innovation, having been put together by a very experienced team in discussion with key stakeholders in the horticultural and agricultural industry. The resulting qualification will not only make students highly employable within this industry, and allied support industries, but will also equip them with a range of transferable skills highly valued by all sectors from farming to finance. Plants are fundamental to all life on Earth, not only providing atmospheric oxygen, food and materials such as cotton, wood, paper and rope, but also perfumes, beverages and cures for disease. They can be used as filtration plants for industry, pollution indicators and just pure aesthetics. The Royal Society recently issued a statement warning of an impending worldwide skills shortage in the agricultural sciences that would endanger our ability to deal with rising populations, citing plant breeding, plant pathology, agronomy, crop physiology, agricultural entomology, weed science and post-harvest biology as key areas in which shortages are likely. This degree programme includes strong elements of all of these disciplines.