The University launches new full-time organic agriculture top-up degree

Tuesday 17 April 2007
The University launches new full-time organic agriculture top-up degree
A new top-up BSc degree in organic agriculture will be available at Aberystwyth from September 2007. The degree is targeted at students who have completed an HND or Foundation degree in general or organic agriculture or closely related subject. It may also be of interest to students who have completed the first two years of a normal BSc degree.

The new top-up scheme represents a restructuring of organic agriculture provision within the Institute of Rural Sciences at UWA, which was the first institution in the UK to launch a degree in organic agriculture in 1998.

The new structure means that all the courses (covering livestock, crops, business, marketing, environment and a research or management project) are concentrated in the final year of BSc degree scheme.

The scheme co-ordinator, Dr. Nic Lampkin, said: ‘The new scheme recognises that many students develop an interest in organic farming only during or after their initial studies and that school leavers may initially be reluctant to commit to a specialist qualification in organic agriculture. The new structure will enable students to take advantage of the significant organic research and extension at IRS in a more focused way.'

The Institute of Rural Sciences has an active organic farming research programme which supports the teaching. It is also the location of Organic Centre Wales (www.organic.aber.ac.uk), which is funded by the Welsh Assembly Government to provide information on organic food and farming to producers, consumers and others in Wales.
The scheme is led by Dr Nic Lampkin, main author/editor of the standard text Organic Farming and the Organic Farm Management Handbook.

For students already holding a BSc degree, a similar postgraduate programme is also available.

For further information, contact the course manager Dr Phillipa Nicholas, e-mail pkn@aber.ac.uk.

Notes for the Editor:

http://www.irs.aber.ac.uk/subjects/ag/index.shtml

·         The Institute of Rural Sciences at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth has over 600 students.
·         ‘Land-based studies' have been taught at Aberystwyth for over 120 years during which time the University has built up a reputation as one of the leading institutions for degree and diploma courses in agriculture.
·         The University farms, which extend over 560 hectares, provide an excellent range of resources for learning. They are farmed commercially as well as being used for teaching and research.
·         The Institute offers a range of industry-funded student bursaries each worth £800 to £1000.
·         Organic Centre Wales is located at the Institute of Rural Sciences. It provides advice, training and education and undertakes research in organic farming.
·         The Farm Business Survey is a unit within the Institute involved in surveying over 600 farms in Wales and is a significant resource for student learning. The Survey incorporates financial and physical data and the Institute publishes results annually.
·         The following Organic Agriculture courses offered at the Institute of Rural Sciences:
o        BSc (Hons) Organic Agriculture Top-Up
o        Postgraduate Certificate in Organic Business Management, Livestock Production and Environment
o        Postgraduate Diploma in Organic Agriculture

Modules
o        Organic Farming (undergraduate, level 2)
o        Organic Crop Production (undergraduate, level 3)
o        Agri-Food Systems and Marketing (undergraduate, level 3)
o        Agri-Environment (undergraduate, level 3)
o        Management and Health of Organic Livestock (undergraduate (level 3) and postgraduate level)
o        Organic Business Management (undergraduate (level 3) and postgraduate level)