Agricultural Science/Business
This course information is for local students only
Year
2012
Award
Bachelor of Agricultural Science/Bachelor of Business
Length
5.5 years full-time (5 years for accelerated program), or up to 10 years part-time.
Campuses
Melbourne
Course description
Sustainability and the management of the world’s natural resources are a major challenge today, especially when the effects of climate change are considered. Agribusiness is currently an area of skills shortage, actively seeking qualified graduates. This course aims to combine practical career-orientated science with business and management skills. Students will acquire a powerful set of skills for a multi-billion-dollar food and fibre industry.
La Trobe is developing some of the best agricultural science teaching and research facilities in the world, through the development of AgriBio, the Centre for AgriBioscience , a A$288 million public private partnership between the Victorian government and La Trobe University, currently under construction.
Please note students enrolling at the Albury-Wodonga campus must transfer to the Melbourne campus for the last two years of the course.
Course structure
First-year studies include agricultural systems, cells and organisms, chemistry, plant science, and economics. Second- and-third year studies cover land and soil management, plant and animal science, accounting, management, business law, finance, marketing, sustainability in global business, and statistics.
Fourth and fifth years focus on subjects from the business major, further studies in plant and animal science, science communication, problem-solving case studies, and a major research project. Business subjects include business economics, financial management, management, and marketing.
Contact hours
21 contact hours a week (average) in first year.
Subject details
Major areas of study
Agriculture, agribusiness management, biology, business economics, soil science, animal nutrition, animal protection, plant pests and diseases, management, marketing, chemistry, science, human resource management, and financial management.
Overseas study opportunities
Overseas study opportunities are available.
Please see
www.latrobe.edu.au/international/exchange
for more information
Application
VTAC
Fee type
Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP)
Scholarships
Applicants who are Australian citizens or who hold permanent humanitarian visas are eligible for a range of University-wide scholarships, including Commonwealth Scholarships. For details please see http://www.latrobe.edu.au/scholarships/future-undergraduatesAdditional costs (AUD)
Depending on the subjects chosen, extra costs can include a laboratory coat - about A$30 - and a dissecting kit - about A$40. Students can purchase these items from any supplier; they remain students' personal property. Additional costs for field trips - food, accommodation, travel - may also apply.
Middle Band
Successful completion of Agriculture and Horticulture, Biology, Chemistry, Mathematical Methods, Physics, or Specialist Mathematics facilitates an additional 1.5 aggregate points per study, to a maximum of 3 points.
Selection
ATAR 76.50 (2011)
Guaranteed Entry (Year 12 applicants only): applicants with an ATAR of 80 or more receive first-round offer; those with lower ATARs are considered through normal selection processes.
Non-Year 12 selection may be based on ATAR, Pi form, GPA, STAT Multiple Choice.
Extra requirements
Non-Year 12 applicants must complete and submit a VTAC Pi form if they wish other information to be considered during the selection process. This may include information such as work experience or reason for applying. Applicants may wish to provide other documentation in support of their application.They may also be asked to complete a maths test.
Prerequisites
VCE Units 3 & 4: study score of at least 30 in English (ESL) or 25 in any other English.
Units 1 & 2: General Mathematics or Mathematical Methods.
Semester starts
Semester 1 and 2 (March and July)
Industry experience
The following types of industry experience are available in this course.
- Workplace experience for academic credit
Additional information
Students must complete at least 12 weeks' approved workplace experience during vacations before being deemed to have completed the course.
Career opportunities
There is an unmet demand in Australia for agricultural science, and growing awareness of potential food production shortfalls in the future will increase the need for skilled agricultural scientists to improve sustainable food production in a changing climate.
Consequently, graduates have wide-ranging career prospects, including technological investigation and consultancy in agriculture and various roles in: conservation, environmental protection and resource management; applied research; agribusiness; agronomy; and the development and application of biotechnology in agriculture and related industries.
Graduates may also progress to further studies in agriculture or related areas, such as biotechnology or veterinary science. The business degree provides extended opportunities, particularly in the agribusiness area.
Professional recognition
Graduates are eligible for membership of the Australian Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology.
Bachelor of Business graduates with a human resource management major are eligible for admission to the Australian Human Resource Institute (subject to relevant work experience). Those with a marketing major are eligible for associate membership of the Australian Marketing Institute or the Marketing Research Society of Australia.