Master of Agricultural Business Management

What is this course about?

CSU's Master of Agricultural Business Management aims to provide students with a well-developed understanding of issues in agricultural business by concurrently developing advanced, comprehensive skills in business, management and finance.

Graduates will have the opportunity to deepen their understanding of specific interest areas, including agribusiness planning or agribusiness research. Graduates from the Master will be industry ready to enter senior management careers.

Graduate Certificate in Agricultural Business Management

This course is designed to provide professional development opportunities at any point in the agricultural supply chain. Graduates will have a strong overview of the responsible management of agricultural businesses. They will be upskilled professionals ready to take up management positions.

Graduate Diploma of Agricultural Business Management

The principal aim of the course is to provide students with a foundation in agricultural business management by concurrently developing skills in business, management and finance. In addition, students will have the opportunity to deepen understanding of specific interest areas and be ready to take up management positions.

Master of Agricultural Business Management

This course is designed to develop a professional in agricultural business management at any point in the agricultural supply chain. Students will have the opportunity to deepen their understanding of specific interest areas including agribusiness planning or agribusiness research.  Graduates from the Master will be ready to enter senior management careers.

Graduates of the Master of Agricultural Business Management will:

• be able to critically analyse farming systems and the agricultural sector within national and global contexts

• have a widely developed understanding of farming systems and be able to apply scientifically sound knowledge to the management of agricultural production systems

• be able to apply scientific, economic and business principles to the sustainable management of an agribusiness using a rational decision making framework

• be able to competently undertake the management and development of an agribusiness

• be able to integrate the financial, human and biophysical resources of an agricultural business, and to plan and design viable, sustainable management systems and practices

• be capable of completing tasks autonomously and as a member of a multi disciplinary team

• be able to clearly define and implement a strategic vision as an agricultural business manager as well as observe and describe that of others

• have well developed and effective communication skills. 

Articulation

The Master degree, the exit point only Graduate Diploma and the Graduate Certificate make up an articulated set of courses, and credit is awarded in the Master degree for the Graduate Certificate subjects.

Students may elect to exit from the Master degree after completion of eight specified subjects and graduate with the Graduate Diploma of Agricultural Business Management.

Study by distance education

Charles Sturt University is a leader in flexible delivery and offers an extensive range of course materials in a supported online environment. Interaction with teaching staff and other students is supported through online tools such as forums, as well as by phone and email.

Studying by distance education offers students the flexibility to complete their degree while still working or meeting family and lifestyle commitments.

Academic expectations

For each 8 point subject at CSU, students should normally expect to spend between 140-160 hours engaged in the specified learning and assessment activities (such as attending lectures or residential schools, assigned readings, tutorial assistance, individual or group research/study, forum activity, workplace learning, assignments or examinations). The student workload for some subjects may vary from these norms as a result of approved course design.

Students will be assessed on the basis of completed assignments, examinations, workplace learning, or other methods as outlined in specific subject outlines.

Where applicable, students are responsible for travel and accommodation costs involved in workplace learning experiences, or attending residential schools (distance education students).

Expectations relating to academic, workplace learning, time and cost requirements for specific subjects are provided in the subject abstracts and in course materials.

Career opportunities

Graduates of this course will have opportunities to take on senior management positions in the agriculture and agribusiness industries.

Admission requirements

Applicants to the Master of Agricultural Business Management should hold at least:

• a three-year undergraduate degree, or equivalent, related to agricultural science or agribusiness; or
• an Honours level degee in an unrelated field; and/or
• relevant work experience of three years or more in agriculture or agribusiness systems, and they are primarily focused on developing their agricultural business management skills.

The Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma provide a pathway for recent graduates of a business or non-business degree, in a field such as Agricultural Science, Equine Science, Horticulture or Viticulture. 

English language proficiency

The University has minimum requirements for English language proficiency prior to entry to our courses. Some courses also have a requirement for a higher entry or exit level of English proficiency. More information on English language requirements.

Internet access

CSU places great emphasis on services to its students. It is a leader in the provision of online services and, in particular, the use of the internet in the support of teaching, administration and communications with students.

The online environment is so integrated into all aspects of student life and the learning experience at CSU that the University now assumes that all on campus and distance education students at CSU will have ongoing access to an internet connected computer capable of communicating with CSU online systems.

Students enrolled in Information Technology subjects (i.e. with an ITC subject code) may be required to have additional hardware and/or software that is deemed essential for the completion of the learning activities in that subject.

Apply now

This course is available to commence study in

Session 1; Session 2