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With more than 125 years’ history of educating agriculturalists, the University of Reading is a world authority in agriculture.

We are ranked 6th in the UK for Agriculture and Forestry (in the Times & The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025) and 8th in the UK for Agriculture and Forestry according to the Complete University Guide 2025. We are also the highest placed UK University for Agriculture and Forestry at 22nd in the world (QS World Rankings by Subject, Agriculture and Forestry, 2024).

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Flexibility and choice

You will have the flexibility to tailor your course to match your interests. We have a wide range of optional modules that will help you shape and specialise your professional profile. You can participate in lectures in other disciplines, such as soil, food and environmental sciences, or study a language to give you a competitive edge in our more globalised world.

Excellent facilities

With a base in the Agriculture Building on our award-winning parkland campus, plus 800 hectares of mixed farming land and woodlands spread throughout the surrounding area, you'll benefit from our substantial first-class agricultural teaching and learning resources in a modern university setting.

Learn more about our facilities

Taught by experts

Agriculture and Agricultural Business Management students are taught by experts in crop, horticultural and livestock sciences, agri-business and economics, and have the opportunity to work on live projects gathering valuable business skills and experience or developing agricultural science and field work skills.

Meet our Crop Science staff, Animal Sciences staff and Agri-Food Economics and Marketing staff.

Enhance your career

Your degree will equip you with the skills, knowledge and understanding for a wide range of careers in agricultural and land-based industries, whether in farm or rural business management, in scientific, technical and advisory services including agronomy or livestock nutrition, or in overseas development work.

Learn more about career opportunities

Studying Agriculture at Reading definitely gave me the chance to gain the essential skills and knowledge to succeed. The programme allowed me to choose options that suited me and it is well respected within the agricultural industry, both of which assisted in getting a job I enjoy. The facilities and staff  are second to none, and I met friends during my time there that I will stay in contact with for the rest of my life.
Tom Rabbetts, BSc Agriculture

Join our alumni community

In your second year, you'll have the opportunity to sign up for our Thrive career mentoring scheme, where you will be partnered with an alumnus. Our mentors are all successful professionals who create an environment where you can discuss your aspirations and test your ideas about graduate life.

Once you graduate, you have the opportunity to become part of our alumni community – a worldwide network of more than 107,000 people.

Being an alumnus of Reading gives you some great benefits, such as:

  • alumni discounts for further study
  • one-to-one careers advice for a year and ongoing networking opportunities
  • subscription to our annual Connected magazine and regular e-newsletters
  • access to an online global community
  • events and reunions
  • Library, sports and accommodation discounts.
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Our courses

The Department of Crop Science, collaboratively with the Department of Animal Sciences and Department of Agri-Food Economics and Marketing in the School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, offer two distinct agriculture courses. BSc Agriculture and BSc Agricultural Business Management are available with foundation and placement year options.

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How you'll study

Studying within a modern campus setting and at our nearby working farms, your degree will be built on a foundation of core modules that ensure you meet the industry's expectations for highly qualified Reading graduates.

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Life in the Department

Join our Agriculture Society to meet new people, socialise, network, and get experience in conference and event management.