Young woman in a barn, feeding a cow hay

BSc (Hons) Agriculture

Learn about the entire food chain from plough to plate, along with the skills you need for senior management positions within the agriculture industry.

Locations: Aberdeen, Edinburgh
Study mode: Part Time (8 years), Full Time - International Applicants (4 years), Full Time (4 years)
Subject area: Agriculture
Start date: September 2027
Agency code: DN42

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Programme overview

This course will teach you about every element of the food production chain, from plough to plate, while at the same time developing skills you can use in senior management positions in national and international agricultural, agri-business, or agri-food industries.

You'll learn how to collect, analyse and evaluate the information you need to tackle problems and make sound decisions. You'll gain an appreciation of the environmental, moral, ethical and legal issues relevant to the agricultural industry today, along with insight into how agriculture interrelates with society.

Additional Information

You can apply for this course using the apply now button located at the top and bottom of this page. Detailed information on how to apply can be found on our applications instructions page.

International students can also speak with a local authorised agent in their country who can assist you in applying for this course. Find your local agent by visiting our SRUC in your country page.

Four Highers (BBCC) to include a science or geography.
National 5 (A–C) or equivalent pass in English and Maths.
Alternative entry qualifications, such as a related National Certificate, are also accepted.

Comparable Qualifications:

3 A-Levels BCC, including a science subject or Geography, with GCSE passes in Maths and English.

JCPA plus 4 Irish Leaving Certificate subjects at Higher Level at H3, H3, H3, H3, including a science subject or Geography.

Take a look around the SRUC Virtual Experience for lots of great student videos and examples of what it’s like to study our courses, along with campus and facility tours.

SRUC holds open days regularly. Visit our listings page for details of our up-coming events.

Scotland has so much to offer, it’s no wonder that each year thousands of students from across the globe make it their number one choice for their study destination.

Learn more about studying at SRUC in Scotland

SRUC offers a choice of campus locations and accommodation options. Learn more about each campus, including its facilities and accommodation options, by visiting our campus pages.

Phone:

From inside the UK: 0800 269 453
British Sign Language (BSL) users can contact us through an interpreter via Contact Scotland BSL

From outside the UK: +44 (0) 131 535 4000

Email:

Scottish, Irish, and UK students: [email protected]

International students: [email protected]

Online:

All prospective students are welcome to contact us by filling in our online enquiry form

HNC Agriculture

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HNC Poultry Production Systems

Programme guide

Are you interested in working in the exciting and changing landscape of farming?

Do you wish to develop your knowledge and connection with agriculture?

Do you have a creative flair for problem solving, or enjoy managing multi-skilled projects?

Maybe you wish to develop relevant and real-world skills, or you simply enjoy working in the countryside?

Perhaps you want to run your own business, or work on making the industry more sustainable?

Then Agriculture is the course for you!

Click here to read the full Agriculture course guide.

What you'll learn

Tutorials and seminars with researchers and consultants are a key feature of this degree course. You'll study topical issues and the latest technological advances in agricultural science in modules like New Perspectives in Plant Protection and Animal Feed Technology.

As you progress, your interaction with specialist research and consultancy staff will increase. To provide an international perspective, you'll also undertake an overseas study tour based on a relevant theme.

In your fourth year you'll produce a research project in a subject of your choice, drawing together everything you've learned.

Course content

Principles of Crop Production
Principles of Livestock Production
Principles of Mechanisation
Professional Practice and Skills
Specialised Farming Systems
Diversified Farming Systems

Crop Production Management
Livestock Management Systems
Principles of Agribusiness Management
Integration of Trees
Professional Development

Enterprise Appraisal and Development
Integrated Farming Systems
Economic and Rural Policy
Research Skills
Professional Agricultural Investigation
Wild Card Elective

Pathway options:

Honours project or work placement project. Plus all of the below:

Communication in Agriculture
Topical issues in Agriculture
Climate change in Agriculture
Linked course elective
Wildcard elective

Student experience

Thakor Hemaxiben Manharbhai

Growing up in Gujarat, India, my family had a farm, but it wasn't until I came to SRUC that I discovered a real passion for agriculture. The practical, hands-on learning brought the subject to life and inspired me to explore everything from crops and livestock to animal health and research.

I chose SRUC because of its strong reputation for agricultural education. Moving to Scotland was a big step, but the welcoming community, supportive lecturers and beautiful surroundings quickly made me feel at home. One of the highlights of my course has been my work placement, which has helped me develop new skills and sparked an interest in laboratory work.

Studying abroad has given me confidence both academically and personally. My advice to future students is to embrace every opportunity, ask questions and don't be afraid of new experiences. Looking back, choosing SRUC is one of the best decisions I've ever made.

Young woman and a teacher in a sheep pen, looking at data on screen.

"I chose SRUC because of its strong reputation for agricultural education. Moving to Scotland was a big step, but the welcoming community, supportive lecturers and beautiful surroundings quickly made me feel at home."

Thakor Hemaxiben Manharbhai, BSc (Hons) Agriculture

Meet the lecturer

Craig Davidson

Masters of Science in Agriculture Education

Craig is a former student of Agriculture at our Aberdeen campus. He absolutely loved living on the estate and having the farms, woodland, and all the amenities at his fingertips.

Now based in the Edinburgh Kings Buildings, Craig lectures across our agriculture courses. He’s passionate about interactive, hands-on teaching and loves showing people with little agriculture background where food comes from as well as busting the many myths surrounding agriculture and food production.

View Craig's Pure profile

John Holland

A lecturer for 26 years, John's PhD was on plant herbivore interactions within a complex mosaic of grassland, mire and montane communities

John has always had an interest in and passion for ecology and natural history, particularly in mountain environments. His main research interests are in upland ecosystem services, hill grasslands, agri-environmental management, and farm woodlands and agroforestry.

A guest lecturer for various undergraduate and postgraduate courses, John lectures at the Riverside and Edinburgh campuses and to visiting students at the SRUC farm.

View John's Pure profile

Professor Davy McCracken

PhD in Agricultural Ecology, University of Glasgow, 1990

Davy is Head of our Integrated Land Management Department and Hill & Mountain Research Centre. Based out of SRUC Auchincruive, he regularly visits teams across multiple campuses.

For more than 30 years Davy has worked on farming and wildlife interactions at a European, UK and Scottish level. He is passionate about the essential role hill farmers and crofters have to play in helping to address the ongoing climate emergency and biodiversity crisis.

View Davy's Pure profile

Fees and funding

Tuition fees for this programme:

Detailed information about these fees can be found on our higher education fees page.

Eligible full-time students studying BSc (Hons) Agriculture should apply to SAAS for fees and funding. A student loan is also available to help students with living costs.

If you do not apply, you will have to pay your fees yourself and if you have studied at HNC/D/degree level before SAAS may not pay your fees.

Funding available:

Scottish students: you may be eligible to apply for a tuition fee loan through SAAS. Learn more
RUK students: you may be eligible to have your tuition fees paid as part of a bursary through your local government department. Learn more
International students: you may be eligible for international student scholarships through SRUC. Learn more

BSc (Hons) Agriculture

Apply now

About SRUC

Building on our traditions in tertiary education, research excellence and industry expertise to deliver sustained impact and innovation in the natural economy.

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