BSc Agricultural Business Management with Foundation Year

Our BSc Agricultural Business Management with Foundation degree will enable you develop core academic skills and become a successful manager or consultant within the agricultural sector.

Study at the UK’s leading university for environmental and ethical performance (the University of Reading is ranked 1st in the People and Planet University League, 2023/24).

This four-year programme includes a foundation year that leads directly into the three-year BSc Agricultural Business Management course.

Foundation year

The foundation year will provide you with the skills and knowledge to succeed at university. You’ll develop core skills in academic study, writing and research.

Your subject-specific studies will focus on basic principles in:

mathematics
business management
economics
sustainability and environment.

Your learning will be delivered through a combination of lectures, tutorials, practical classes and workshops.

A foundation year is more than just a stepping-stone to a degree. You will also benefit from:

access to our full range of facilities and resources
full integration into university life, before your degree year begins
experience of an academic environment, and the ability to work independently
specialist support and guidance.

After successful completion of your foundation year, you’ll progress onto our three-year BSc Agricultural Business Management degree.

The University of Reading is the highest placed UK University for Agriculture and Forestry at 22nd in the world (QS World Rankings by Subject, Agriculture and Forestry, 2024). We’re ranked 6th in the UK for Agriculture and Forestry (in the Times & The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025).

This is a multi-disciplinary degree programme combining the study of management with agricultural processes, giving you an understanding of the economic and business principles that underlie management and its application to agricultural and land-based industries. You will gain skills in critical observation and analysis of financial and business management systems to go along with practical knowledge and commercial expertise.

You will develop these skills through contact with a variety of industry professionals, with talks delivered by farm consultancies such as Savills, visits to a wide range of farming businesses and rural estates including Waitrose’s Leckford Estate and the Hall Hunter Partnership. There are also opportunities to attend conferences and seminars on farming and rural development, as well as chances to network and build relationships while you learn.

In one of our most popular modules you will provide strategic advice to farm businesses based on real data and situations. The businesses do listen to your opinion, and take note of your recommendations. You will also complete a residential study tour within the UK to look at different farming enterprises as part of this degree.

In the final year, your independent research project allows you to choose a subject that inspires and interests you. This could involve a farm, including your home farm, research at the University or an enterprise that you’ve had contact with during the course.

Outside of the curriculum, the student-run Agri-club runs the UK’s largest student conference. It gives you the opportunity to debate key issues like food security and self-sufficiency and get your voice heard.

Placement

If you would like to complete a one-year work placement in between years two and three, you should consider studying BSc Agricultural Business Management with Placement Year.

In the past, students have undertaken their year in industry in the UK with John Deere, Heygates and Buitelaar Group as well as internationally, in Europe, USA and New Zealand. You will be supported by our Placements Team who will assist with finding and supporting your year out. Some students can also participate in six week summer placements linked to research undertaken at the University, which are generally completed before the final year.

For more information, visit the School of Agriculture, Policy and Development website

Overview

Our BSc Agricultural Business Management with Foundation degree will enable you develop core academic skills and become a successful manager or consultant within the agricultural sector.

Study at the UK’s leading university for environmental and ethical performance (the University of Reading is ranked 1st in the People and Planet University League, 2023/24).

This four-year programme includes a foundation year that leads directly into the three-year BSc Agricultural Business Management course.

Foundation year

mathematics
business management
economics
sustainability and environment.

access to our full range of facilities and resources
full integration into university life, before your degree year begins
experience of an academic environment, and the ability to work independently
specialist support and guidance.

Learning

After successful completion of your foundation year, you’ll progress onto our three-year BSc Agricultural Business Management degree.

Placement

If you would like to complete a one-year work placement in between years two and three, you should consider studying BSc Agricultural Business Management with Placement Year.

For more information, visit the School of Agriculture, Policy and Development website

Entry requirements A Level See entry requirements

Select Reading as your firm choice on UCAS and we'll guarantee you a place even if you don't quite meet your offer. For details, see our firm choice scheme.

Our typical offers are expressed in terms of A level, BTEC and International Baccalaureate requirements. However, we also accept many other qualifications.

Typical offer

CCD

We welcome applicants from non-traditional educational backgrounds (for example, mature students, students who study part-time or those who have studied at International Schools in the UK or elsewhere) and will consider applicants on a case-by-case basis.

International Baccalaureate

24 points overall

BTEC Extended Diploma

DMM

Extended Project Qualification

In recognition of the excellent preparation that the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) provides to students for University study, we can now include achievement in the EPQ as part of a formal offer.

English language requirements

IELTS 6.5, with no component below 5.5

For information on other English language qualifications, please visit our international student pages.

Alternative entry requirements for International and EU students

For country specific entry requirements look at entry requirements by country.

Pre-sessional English language programme

If you need to improve your English language score you can take a pre-sessional English course prior to entry onto your degree.

Find out the English language requirements for our courses and our pre-sessional English programme

Compulsory modules

Mathematics Foundation

Gain a fundamental understanding of the role of basic mathematics in biological and chemical sciences.

Foundation Economics - Microeconomics

Discover how individuals and companies allocate and utilise resources. You’ll learn the neoclassical model of demand and supply, markets failures and the behaviour of firms.

Foundation Economics - Macroeconomics

Learn models and theories used by economists to understand the performance of the economy. You’ll develop basic mathematical and statistical skills and apply these to economic decision making.

Foundation Statistics and Data Science

Develop skills in statistics and data science to help you succeed at undergraduate level and learn how to apply hypothesis test methodology to a wide range of scenarios.

You'll also take one of the following:

Foundation in Academic Skills (UK students)

Develop academic skills essential for success both on the Foundation Year and as an undergraduate.

Academic Skills (international students)

You’ll work through group activities and individual study tasks to develop the confidence, academic writing, and communication skills required to succeed on your degree course.

These are the modules that we currently offer for 2024/25 entry. They may be subject to change as we regularly review our module offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Please note that the University cannot guarantee that all optional modules will be available to all students who may wish to take them.

You can also register your details with us to receive information about your course of interest and study and life at the University of Reading.

Compulsory modules:

Agriculture in Practice 1

Develop an understanding of a range of farming systems, types of farm management practices and agricultural businesses. You’ll be introduced to the concept of rural entrepreneurship and will be guided in the development of innovative business structures and ventures.

Agricultural Production Systems

Discover the key biological principles in crop and livestock science along with an international perspective on crop and livestock production.

The Economic Environment

Explore key microeconomic and macroeconomic concepts, and their relevance to some of the important challenges facing individuals, businesses, and societies across the globe.

The Fundamentals of Management and Marketing

Explore the traditional and contemporary approaches to marketing and management, such as strategic marketing and management, segmentation, targeting and positioning, the marketing mix. You’ll be introduced to the environment of management, the management process, and techniques available to and used by managers to plan and operate as a business.

Global Sustainability: Challenges and Prospects

Explore key ecological and eco-social challenges of our time, their causes, proposals to address them and associated debate across several disciplines.

Research and Professional Skills for Business and Marketing

Discover both qualitative and quantitative research methods, as well as the theoretical foundations in consumer research and applied economics. Gain practical experience through the development of a qualitative consumer research project that includes design, data collection, analysis, and report writing.

Please note that the University cannot guarantee that all optional modules will be available to all students who may wish to take them.

You can also register your details with us to receive information about your course of interest and study and life at the University of Reading.

Compulsory modules

Agriculture in Practice 2

Explore professional practice in the agriculture industry and discover the range of career opportunities in the sector. Through networking opportunity and field trips, you’ll gain a range of essential career planning skills.

Farm Business Management

Learn how to analyse a business's financial requirements, assess different investment options, and explore various farming approaches, including regenerative farming, organic agriculture, sustainability, and rural business diversification.

Research Methods and Data Analysis

Learn about research processes, with a focus on conclusive research design, primary data collection techniques, and exploratory data analysis using statistical software.

Optional modules

Applied Marketing and Management

Develop a clear understanding of marketing as a managerial orientation applicable to all organisational types. Learn how and why the functional activities of marketing at strategic, tactical and operational levels are determined by each specific marketplace environment.

Crop Agronomy

Discover how to manage a UK cereal crop at a basic level, and understand the nutritional cycles and the rationale for agrochemical use behind arable production.

Digital Marketing

Explore the role and place for digital marketing within the traditional marketing framework. Learn how to analyse the online environment, and how digital marketing can be used by companies and organisations to achieve competitive advantage.

Farmland and Woodland: Ecology and Management of Semi-Natural Habitats

Explore the ecology and management of land used for agriculture and forestry, while considering how historically humans developed land. You’ll discover the underlying ecological mechanisms impacting on productivity and biodiversity and get an introduction on the concepts of management planning for particular sites.

Livestock Production, Nutrition and Welfare

Learn about the factors that will influence the management of food producing animals. Through a series of lectures and farm visits, you’ll explore a range of livestock production systems and investigate how nutrition and management interact with welfare and other factors to determine the long-term sustainability of animal production.

Principles of Horticulture and Crop Production

Develop an understanding of the principles of horticultural production used by specific sections of the horticulture industry.

Optional Language or University Wide Module

Study a module from outside your department to enhance your understanding of history and culture. Alternatively, you can learn one of ten languages offered by the University at a level appropriate for you.

Please note that the University cannot guarantee that all optional modules will be available to all students who may wish to take them.

You can also register your details with us to receive information about your course of interest and study and life at the University of Reading.

Compulsory modules

Business Management and Entrepreneurship

Learn how to work with real client businesses and entrepreneurs to develop successful management proposals and solve challenges. You’ll develop skills required to prepare and assess business proposal and plans by working with clients.

Business Planning and Control

Understand how financial tools help with decision making. You’ll learn how to use the production function to efficiently allocate resources in order to maximise revenue, by examining the relationship between factor-factor, factor-product, and product-product relationship.

Independent Research Project

Identify a suitable research topic, develop a hypothesis, and then plan and conduct a research project. Your research will be presented to your peers and the wider School of Agriculture, Policy and Development via a scientific poster presentation, and you will produce a written dissertation.

Optional modules

Advanced Livestock Production and Product Quality

Develop a more advanced understanding of the factors and processes which affect the composition and eating quality of meat, and the quality and profitability of milk production.

Agricultural Systems in the Tropics

Discover tropical agriculture and farming systems, focusing on the physical, climatic, edaphic and biological factors affecting crop and animal production.

Agricultural Technology: Application, Adoption and Ethics

Explore different agricultural technologies and their contribution to sustainability, and consider how we can encourage their adoption on farms. You’ll discover the ethics of new agricultural technologies, exploring different visions of future innovation, and the various issues associated with the proposed ‘fourth agricultural revolution’.

Cereal Management and Marketing

Become familiar with the principles and practices of growing, assessing and selling cereal crops for different markets. You’ll evaluate the effects of genotype, agronomy, and environment on the yield and quality of small-grained cereals, and determine their impact on end-use, marketing and financial margins.

Climate Smart Agriculture

Develop your knowledge of climate change and agriculture and your ability to use and critique research methods. You’ll gain a detailed understanding of the complexity of tackling world-wide issues, all within the framework of Climate Smart Agriculture.

Food Policy and Supply Chain Management

Analyse the management and complexities of modern food supply chains, and evaluate the effectiveness of food policies in addressing challenges and contemporary issues of the agri-food sector.

Horticultural Crop Technology

Develop your knowledge and understanding of horticultural crop technology, covering advanced scientific aspects and fostering innovative thinking for enhancing production efficiency through technology research and critical evaluation.

Principles of Integrated Pest Management

Explore the principles of integrated pest management, which is employed worldwide to enhance plant health and sustainable agriculture, including learning about pest types, management techniques, and real-world applications.

International Human Resources

Examine how companies approach human resource management in an international business context. You’ll consider how the practice varies across different countries and cultures.

Please note that the University cannot guarantee that all optional modules will be available to all students who may wish to take them.

You can also register your details with us to receive information about your course of interest and study and life at the University of Reading.

Fees

New UK/Republic of Ireland students: £9,535 per year for 2025/26 then fixed per year at this fee for the standard duration of your course.

New international students: £29,950 per year for 2025/26 then fixed per year at this fee for the standard duration of your course.

Tuition fees

To find out more about how the University of Reading sets its tuition fees, see our fees and funding pages.

Additional Costs

Some courses will require additional payments for field trips and extra resources. You will also need to budget for your accommodation and living costs. See our information on living costs for more details.

Financial support for your studies

You may be eligible for a scholarship or bursary to help pay for your study. Students from the UK may also be eligible for a student loan to help cover these costs. See our fees and funding information for more information on what's available.

Careers

The University of Reading has an outstanding reputation with employers, and graduates are headhunted for key management roles. We are recognised for giving our students an excellent starting point for the development of a vast range of careers in agricultural and land-based industries in the UK and overseas.

Graduates from this course become managers, trainee managers and employees in a range of farming enterprises. Graduates also work in agricultural contracting, land agency and farm consultancy, financial, accountancy and agricultural banking services, in the UK and overseas.

Graduates work with companies including AB Agri, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Deloitte, Savills, Strutt and Parker, MDS Ltd, The Farm Consultancy Group, Farmcare and Velcourt Farm Management. The Royal Farms have also taken a graduate from the University of Reading directly into a farm management role.

BSc Agricultural Business Management with Foundation Year

Foundation year

Tuition fees

Additional Costs

Financial support for your studies

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