Bachelor of Ecological Agriculture at Charles Sturt University ::

Bachelor of Ecological Agriculture BEcolAgric

The Bachelor of Ecological Agriculture explores the connection between social, ecological and business skills and knowledge to produce graduates well suited to a wide range of roles.

About the course

CSU’s Bachelor of Ecological Agriculture is built on four foundational principles:

Ecological 'thinking'
Ecological 'ethics'
Ecological 'literacy'
Ecological 'practice'

The Bachelor of Ecological Agriculture explores the connection between social, ecological and business skills and knowledge to produce graduates well suited to a wide range of roles, principally in:

the management of agricultural enterprises, e.g. biological farming
mainstream enterprises that are moving towards an agro-ecological focus
the overlap between agriculture and land resource management, e.g. Landcare
government agencies involved with agriculture and natural resource management

The particular emphasis of the course is threefold:

the application of ecological knowledge and skills (i.e. ecological thinking) to the management of farming, grazing and related agricultural systems
the development of a high level of managerial capability incorporating communication, interpersonal skills and integrated project management, as well as holistic approaches to situation improvement
the acquisition of an ecological ethic based on the principles of environmental stewardship.

There is also a strong focus on developing a student’s ecological literacy through:

placing emphasis on ecological philosophy
emphasising holistic thinking as an overarching process that embraces reductionist thinking
enhancement of their imagination and empathy skills
exploring their sense of place in evolutionary and geographical terms

In addition, the student will be supported to develop:

an understanding of the principles of ecology including social ecology
an ethic of land stewardship with consideration of the environmental impact of production activities
knowledge and skills in agricultural management consistent with the ecological foundation of agriculture
environmentally responsible practices to minimise the impact of agriculture
effective facilitation, project management and inquiry skills to assist in managing change.

Where it will take you

The growth in demand for organic foods and fibres has resulted in a range of employment opportunities including advisory services, research, marketing and catchment management services. Other possible career paths include positions as specialist consultants, roles within government advisory bodies and departments, and community organisations such as Landcare.

Agricultural and environmental experts have already indicated their excitement about the prospects for graduates from this program.

Credit

Students may be granted credit for previous study at certificate level or higher. More information about specific details of credit may be obtained by contacting the relevant Course Coordinator. Phone info.csu on 1800 334 733 for the appropriate contact details.

Graduation requirements

To graduate with the award Bachelor of Ecological Agriculture (BEcolAgric), students must satisfactorily complete the equivalent of 24 standard subjects including:

a core equivalent to 14 standard subjects (112 points)
10 elective subjects selected to satisfy a major (eight points) or a minor (six to seven subjects).

Personal view

Kerry Cochrane - Course Coordinator, Ecological Agriculture

"The single most important issue for understanding modern agriculture is how to marry the objective world of technology, biology and ecology with the subjective world of the person and their perceptions. We must aim to understand the relationship between ‘it’ and ‘me’ rather than studying and applying ‘it’.

"Australian agriculture is largely missing the holistic perspectives that would help the industry make decisions that are environmentally, socially and economically sustainable. While ever our view of the industry is framed entirely by scientific study we will lack the creative, lateral perspectives that will allow us to see the inter-relationships between the components and ultimately understand how agriculture is a tool for meeting societal objectives.

"Many issues are really about social conscience, human morality or even market trends. Our attitude to the study of agriculture needs to be broad enough to embrace these ’soft' elements of our understanding.

"It is because of this we have developed the degree in Ecological Agriculture. We saw that a new approach to education was needed which helped develop a new generation of lateral thinkers who were interested in the triple bottom line of a socially, environmentally and economically sustainable industry."

Course structure

Core subjects
AGB260 Rural Change (Inquiry Tools)
AGB363 Rural Change (Industry Project)
AGR141 Introduction to Ecological Agriculture
AGR156 Plants in Agriculture
AGR175 Introduction to Rural Management
AGR237 Property Planning and Development
AGR277 Managing People in Agriculture
AGR304 Agricultural Ecology
AGR353 Human Ecology
AHT231 Agricultural Finance
BIO140 The Biological Environment
BIO271 Applied Ecology
GEO240 Soil Resource Management
PSC255 Plant Protection

Majors

Agronomy
AGF201 Agroforestry
AGR306 Biodynamic Agriculture
AGR347 Rural Project
AHT254 Organic Agriculture and Horticulture
IRR200 Principles of Irrigation
PSC236 Pasture Production and Management
PSC270 Annual Crop Management
PSC403 Advanced Soil Management

Ecological Production and Marketing Systems
AGB125 Financial Planning For Agriculture
AGR306 Biodynamic Agriculture
AGR375 Agribusiness Planning (16 points)
AHT254 Organic Agriculture and Horticulture
HRT221 Permaculture
MKT110 Marketing Principles
MKT220 Buyer Behaviour

Minors

Community Development
GEO360 Catchment Management Through Community Development
HRT221 Permaculture
MGT367 Leadership Issues
SOC101 Introduction to Sociology
SOC226 Rurality in a Globalised World
SOC308 Community Analysis

Horticulture
ACC125 Rural Financial Management
AGR306 Biodynamic Agriculture
AHT254 Organic Agriculture and Horticulture
HRT110 Horticultural Science
HRT220 Horticultural Studies
HRT221 Permaculture
HRT222 Fruit and Nut Crop Management
HRT232 Vegetable and Flower Crop Management
HRT301 Plant Propagation

Electives

Optional subjects may be selected from subjects in the majors not already taken, other School of Rural Management subjects, other Charles Sturt University courses or subjects from other universities, provided this occurs in consultation with the Course Coordinator.

Admission Requirements

To be admitted into the course, prospective students need to indicate their likelihood of success through:

previous studies
and
other attainments and experience.

Previous studies

Previous studies include:

the NSW Higher School Certificate or interstate /overseas equivalent;
the International Baccalaureate Diploma;
a completed or part completed course of a university, college of advanced education or other accredited tertiary institution;
a completed or part completed course of a TAFE college or other accredited post-secondary institution (including TAFE Tertiary Preparation Certificate);
an approved Foundation Studies program certificate;
completion of undergraduate subjects as an Associate Student with the University or through another University, or Open Universities Australia.

NSW and interstate school leavers are normally selected on the basis of their Universities Admissions Index (UAI) or interstate equivalent. You may also be admitted on the basis of a strong performance in subjects relevant to your course preferences.

Currently no secondary school subjects are prerequisites for admission to particular CSU courses however some courses assume a certain level of knowledge. This will be specified in the course information if applicable.

English language proficiency

Applicants will be deemed to have sufficient English proficiency if they:

have completed all their formal studies in one or more of the following countries; or
were born in one of the following countries and have completed at least one qualification in one of those countries; or
have completed senior secondary study or at least one year of full-time University study in one of the following countries: American Samoa, Australia, Canada, Fiji, Ireland, Kenya, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, United Kingdom, USA, Zambia
or
have successfully completed one year of full-time (or part-time equivalent) post-secondary study at an affiliate institution of the University, with English as the medium of instruction and assessment.

All other applicants must explicitly demonstrate proficiency.

Acceptable tests for English proficiency

Any of the following results, attained within the last two years, can be used to demonstrate English proficiency:

a TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) paper-based score of 550 and TWE of 5.0;
a TOEFL Internet-based score of 80 for undergraduate and postgraduate coursework programs, and 90 for postgraduate research candidates with a minimum score of 25 in the writing section.
a TOEFL computer-based score of 213 and Essay Rating of 5;
an Academic IELTS (International English Language Testing System) overall score of at least 6.0, and with no score below 5.5;
a Combined Universities Admission Test (CULT) overall score of at least 65;
a C pass in English at the GCE ‘A’ level examinations in either Singapore or the United Kingdom;
completion of the International Baccalaureate diploma with English A2 at higher or sub. Level;
a C pass in ‘Use of English’ in the Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination (HKALE);
completion of the UNSW Foundation Studies Certificate with a C pass in ‘Use of English’;
completion of an AQF Certificate IV (including English for Academic Purposes);
successful completion of at least one year of study in a course at Associate Diploma or Diploma level on the Register of Australian Tertiary Education;
a score of 155 in the verbal component of the STAT test;
a Pass grade in the Uniworld English College English for Tertiary Entrance course; or
IRI Diploma of English.

An applicant who does not otherwise meet the University’s requirements may be admitted on the recommendation of the Dean of the appropriate faculty.

Attainment and experience

You may also be admitted to a course based on other attainments and experience. These may include:

voluntary or paid work experience;
performance in tests and examinations conducted by professional recognised bodies;
participation in continuing education programs and/or staff development programs conducted by adult education agencies, consultancies, professional bodies or employers;
completion of the Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT).

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.