Bachelor of Science in Agriculture

Programme Description

The Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Agriculture is a four-year undergraduate degree programme with its first cohort enrolled in 2016. The programme has two streams, namely BSc Agriculture (Agrisciences) and BSc Agriculture (Agribusiness stream). The programme fits under the hard-applied and life system category. Scientific knowledge in Agricultural production is a critical skill identified in the National Development Plan (NDP). Graduates of the BSc (Agriculture) programme will contribute to enhancing the quality and effectiveness of agricultural production, research, technology innovation, entrepreneurial and development. They will contribute to meeting the demand for professional scientists who can lead South African agriculture through the complex world of agricultural and rural transformation whilst expanding commercial agricultural activity and productivity.

In South Africa most BSc Agriculture programmes use the format of a common first year in general sciences (Chemistry, Physics and Biology), Mathematics/Statistics and Academic Literacies. Agriculture only features as a distinct discipline from second year. The traditional BSc Agric. degrees tend to become specialized towards specific discipline e.g. BSc Agric. - Agronomy, Crop, Horticulture, Soil, Economics, Pasture, and Animal Sciences. There are curricular variations across institutions where learning appears to lean more on science than practice (production). The idea of Specialisation, albeit valuable in the market economy, tends to narrow the scope of student career pathways particularly for the modern day diverse student body which by its nature requires diverse learning opportunities including career pathways. The UMP opts to offer agricultural curriculum that diverges from the South African traditional patterns to one that is responsive to student learning needs in the context of diversity whilst ensuring that the acquired knowledge and skills will advance society and the market economy.

The UMP BSc Agriculture programme thus offers both fundamental sciences and some agriculturally focused science modules in the first year of study (YOS) namely the South African Agriculture (SAG 101) and Science for Sustainable Agriculture (SAG 102) modules. The remaining three years are dedicated to a conscious mix of modules in agricultural science and agricultural practice. The qualification has elective modules normally offered by practitioners in the School of Biology and Environmental Sciences (SBES). This interdisciplinary learning approach enables the programme to provide multiple learning pathways for progression that are applicable to agriculture. The basic framework for UMP’s BSc (Agriculture) is modelled on the sister university (UKZN) agricultural curriculum which is ranked among the top 200 agricultural universities in the world according to the QS World University Rankings. Comparatively, the degree most closely resembles the Indian and Australian degrees at the international stage.