Agriculture

Modern agriculture is faced with the task of feeding an increasing global population with fewer resources by using techniques that protect the environment and mitigate against climate change. Our Agriculture courses will equip you to tackle these challenges, covering all aspects of agriculture and agricultural production systems, and giving you a detailed understanding of the changing farming landscape.

The agricultural industry is becoming more diverse and technologically orientated and there are considerable opportunities for the highly skilled and motivated agricultural graduate to make a difference and secure highly successful careers. These opportunities are available to you whether you already have long-standing associations with the industry or if you are a new and enthusiastic entrant with a passion for agriculture. We believe that every individual with an interest in Agriculture can feel at home in Aberystwyth.

Top 10 in the UK for Student Satisfaction in Agriculture (National Student Satisfaction Survey 2022)
Top 3 in the UK for the subject of Agriculture (Good University Guide 2024, The Times & Sunday Times)
Top 5 in the UK for Teaching Quality for the subject of Agriculture (Good University Guide 2024, The Times and Sunday Times)

Why study Agriculture at Aberystwyth University?

Aberystwyth University has been associated with land-based studies for over 140 years!
You will be taught by leading experts and researchers in their field with expertise across livestock and crop production systems along with farm business management, agricultural precision technology and the agriculture-environment interface. These include staff from the Farm Business Survey in Wales, Aberystwyth grass and crop breeding programmes, the National Phenomics Centre and the Aberystwyth Centre for Excellence in Bovine Tuberculosis.
You will visit farms and businesses that lead the industry in innovation and be exposed to the latest developments and thinking in the agricultural industry.
You will have the opportunity to complete a tutor-supported work experience year to develop skills and enhance career prospects.
You will be assessed through a range of mechanisms including applied industry-orientated tasks that develop your knowledge, personal life and technical skills relevant to a future career in the agricultural industry. You will be a sought-after individual.

“The Agriculture course has a great mix of modules which has opened my eyes to many other aspects of agriculture. The information given in lectures on important subjects is usually simple but thorough which makes work easy to both understand and remember. Farm visits are also enjoyable as it gives you a chance to observe and understand different systems. It's also interesting to hear the views of the farmers and the different ways they implement systems to suit their business. ”

Aled Rhys Lewis Agriculture

“What makes Aber special is the people - students from a wide range of backgrounds, all getting together, sharing experiences and learning together; lecturers with a passion for their subject, who are down to earth and approachable. The course - learning about a topic which is foundational to society; stretching my mind with new knowledge, and shivering out in freezing farmyards (yes, even that has a kind of pleasure to it!). That's what I love about agriculture here.”

Benjamin David Latham Agriculture

Employability

Throughout your training, you will develop a wealth of skills that can be easily transferred into almost any graduate or professional employment situation.

At Aberystwyth, you can study Agriculture with an integrated year in industry which are identical to our traditional single honours Agriculture courses, however, you will undertake a work experience placement in between your second and final year of study. In previous years, students have completed placements at agricultural consultancies, animal nutrition and farm management.

Our graduates typically work as agricultural consultants, farm managers, agronomists and animal nutritionists, with options to pursue careers in a wide range of roles in the ancillary industries and with government and local authorities.

Facilities

The University farms based at Gogerddan (sheep and beef farm), Morfa Mawr (arable production), Trawsgoed (dairy farm) and Pwllpeiran (upland) extend to over 800 ha in total, and range from 0-600 meters above sea level. Between them, these four sites exploit the geography of West Wales to provide a spectrum of environmental challenges that are broadly representative of the growing conditions of approximately 80% of UK grasslands. Our enterprises include commercial and pedigree sheep flocks, a robotically milked dairy herd, dairy heifer replacement unit, beef fattening unit, and arable production focused on homegrown feeds including barley, wheat, oats and lupins.

Within the Centre for Innovation Excellence in Livestock, we focus on the efficient production of sheep meat while minimising environmental impact. The National Plant Phenomics Centre is a unique facility for delivering breeding solutions and advances for key crop species. In addition, the Pwllpeiran Upland Research Platform provides a research resource to investigate upland farmed ecosystems, while the Aberystwyth Innovation and Enterprise Campus brings academia and businesses from the bioscience, agri-tech, and food and drinks sectors together on a brand new £40.5m campus.

Our crop and grass breeding programmes are internationally recognised and play a major role in shaping UK and international agricultural production through the development of high sugar forage grasses, white and red clover forage protein crops and 65% of all oats in the UK are from varieties developed at Aberystwyth. First-year agriculture students manage arable crop plots grown side by side with the development of new commercial varieties.

Research

Research at Aberystwyth University encompasses a wide range of disciplines within the agricultural sciences and farm business management. Our current research encompasses:

Reducing Greenhouse Gas production in Livestock Agriculture through improvements in feeding particularly through the use of forage grasses with increased water-soluble carbohydrate (sugar) content.

Breeding forage and arable crops particularly perennial ryegrass and clovers which underpin pastoral agriculture and oats that provide health benefits as well as a plethora of novel food and feed products.

Livestock Parasitology and disease control includes a focus on developing new methods for controlling internal parasites such as Liver Fluke and Roundworms whilst Aberystwyth University is also home to the Centre for Excellence in Bovine Tuberculosis.

Breeding Miscanthus and other energy crops to provide lignocellulosic biomass feedstocks for industrial purposes.

Farm Business benchmarking through the Annual Farm Business Survey in Wales.

Study or Work Abroad

Aberystwyth University offers every student the opportunity to study, volunteer or work in another country either for an academic year, a single semester, or a few weeks during your holidays.

Find more information on our Global Opportunities webpages.

Studying through the medium of Welsh

Aberystwyth University prides itself on being a bilingual University. As a leading Welsh university, we are proud to offer dedicated support services and Halls of Residence for Welsh-speaking students, encouraging the sense of community and the feeling of a home away from home. Qualifying students will automatically receive the University's Welsh-medium scholarships and can also apply for Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol scholarships. Find out more about our Welsh Medium Scholarships here.