Major Overview

Description

Australia's agricultural industry is a key part of the world's food supply system. The challenges of a rapidly growing population, climate change, and the limitations of land and freshwater all impact the ability of agriculture to meet the demand for food, fibre and fuel. As part of the Agricultural Science major, students investigate how to address this demand by developing an understanding of the complex factors that shape agricultural systems. Agricultural Science provides the research, technology and information for the sustainable and ethical development of the agricultural industry. Your studies will include soil science, genetics, cropping systems, soil-plant interaction, livestock production, agricultural economics and grain marketing. There will be up to two field trips to farms and research sites.

Outcomes

Students are able to:

  1. demonstrate knowledge of the biology of key plants, animals and other organisms and the influence of climate, soils and farm management practices on these components
  2. demonstrate an understanding of how agricultural systems and are influenced by socioeconomic issues .
  3. critically apply their knowledge and skills to improve production, profitability and environmental performance
  4. demonstrate critical thinking to be able to respond to challenges in a scientific manner in response to issues such as climate change and an increasing world population
  5. demonstrate competency in laboratory practice, fieldwork study, report writing, oral presentation and team work skills suited to gain employment in the field of Agricultural Technology.
Broadening guidelines

All students studying towards a Bachelor's Degree at UWA are required to Broaden their studies by completing a minimum of four units (24 points) of study outside their degree specific major. Broadening is your opportunity to explore other areas of interest, investigate new disciplines and knowledge paradigms and to shape your degree to suit your own aspirations and interests. Many of you will be able to undertake more than this minimum amount of broadening study and we encourage you to do so if this suits your aspirations. Over the next few months you will find here some broadening suggestions related to your degree-specific major. While we know that many students value guidance of this sort, these are only suggestions and students should not lose sight of the opportunity to explore that is afforded by your Broadening Choices. Advice can also be sought from your Allocated Student Advising Office.

Prerequisites

Mathematics Methods ATAR or Mathematics Applications ATAR with a mathematics unit taken in the first year. Students without ATAR mathematics will take two first year mathematics units. Chemistry ATAR or an additional chemistry unit taken in the first year.

Courses

Agricultural Science can be taken as a degree-specific major in the following degree courses:

Example Study Plan

See study plans for more information.

Units

Key to availability of units:
S1
Semester 1
S2
Semester 2

Level 1

Degree-specific major units

Take all units (24 points):

Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S1 AGRI1001 Feeding the World None
S2 BIOL1131 Plant and Animal Biology None
S1, S2 SCIE1104 Science, Society and Data Analysis
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
ATAR Subject(s) Mathematics Applications or equivalent
or Mathematics Methods or equivalent
or Unit(s) MATH1720 Mathematics Fundamentals
or MATX1720 Mathematics Fundamentals
Co-requisites
MATH1721 Mathematics Foundations: Methods
or MATX1721 Mathematics Foundations
or SCIE1500 Analytical Methods for Scientists
Incompatibility
Successful completion of
Unit(s) STAT1520 Economic and Business Statistics
or STAX1520 Economic and Business Statistics
S1 SCOM1101 Communicating Science
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
ATAR Subject(s) ATAR Mathematics Applications
or ATAR Subject(s) WACE Mathematics 2C/2D or equivalent
Co-requisites
MATH1720 Mathematics Fundamentals
or MATX1720 Mathematics Fundamentals
Bridging units

Bridging units must be successfully completed within the first 48 points of study. Students who have not achieved a scaled mark of at least 50 in Mathematics Methods ATAR or equivalent or higher are required to complete SCIE1500. Students who have not achieved a scaled mark of at least 50 in Mathematics Applications ATAR or equivalent or higher are required to complete MATH1720 and SCIE1500.

Note: Students who have completed MATH1721, are not required to complete SCIE1500.

Students who have not achieved a scaled mark of at least 50 in Chemistry ATAR or equivalent or higher are required to complete CHEM1003.

Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S1, S2 CHEM1003 Introductory Chemistry
Incompatibility
ATAR Subject(s) Chemistry or equivalent
S1, S2 MATH1720 Mathematics Fundamentals
Prerequisites
Mathematics Applications ATAR [with a scaled score of less than 50] or with permission
Incompatibility
Mathematics Applications ATAR [with a scaled score of 50 or greater] or Equivalent or higher
S1, S2 SCIE1500 Analytical Methods for Scientists
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
ATAR Subject(s) ATAR Subject Mathematics Applications
or MATH1720 Mathematics Fundamentals
or MATX1720 Mathematics Fundamentals
Incompatibility
ATAR Subject(s) ATAR Mathematics Methods
and Unit(s) MATH1721 Mathematics Foundations: Methods (ID 5108)
or MATX1721 Mathematics Foundations

Level 2

Degree-specific major units

Take all units (24 points):

Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S2 AGRI2201 Pasture and Livestock Systems
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
one Unit(s) BIOL1130 Frontiers in Biology
or Unit(s) BIOL1131 Plant and Animal Biology
or Unit(s) AGRI1001 Feeding the World
and Successful completion of
one Unit(s) SCIE1104 Science, Society and Data Analysis
or Unit(s) STAT1400 Statistics for Science
or Unit(s) STAX1400 Statistics for Science
or Unit(s) STAT1520 Economic and Business Statistics
or Unit(s) STAX1520 Economic and Business Statistics
S1 ENVT2236 Soil Science
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
any one CHEM1003 Introductory Chemistry
or CHEX1003 Introductory Chemistry
or ATAR Subject(s) Chemistry
and Successful completion of
any one EART1105 Dynamic Planet
or ENVT1104 Environmental Science and Technology
or BIOL1131 Plant and Animal Biology
or BIOL1130 Frontiers in Biology
and Successful completion of
any one SCIE1104 Science, Society and Data Analysis
or STAT1400 Statistics for Science
or STAX1400 Statistics for Science
or STAT1520 Economic and Business Statistics
or STAX1520 Economic and Business Statistics
Incompatibility
Unit(s) EART2222 Geomorphology and Soils
S1 GENE2250 Principles of Inheritance
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
IMED1001 Form and Function
and IMED1002 The Facts of Life
or Successful completion of
any one BIOL1130 Frontiers in Biology
or BIOL1131 Plant and Animal Biology
or ANHB1101 Human Biology I: Becoming Human
or ANHX1101 Human Biology 1 (Becoming Human)
or ANHB1102 Human Biology II: Being Human
or ANHX1102 Human Biology 2 (Being Human)
or SCIE1106 Molecular Biology of the Cell
or SCIX1106 Molecular Biology of the Cell
Incompatibility
Unit(s) GENE2204 Principles of Genetics
S2 PLNT2201 Plants in Action
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
any one Unit(s)
or BIOL1130 Frontiers in Biology
or BIOL1131 Plant and Animal Biology
or SCIE1106 Molecular Biology of the Cell
or SCIX1106 Molecular Biology of the Cell )

Level 3

Degree-specific major units

Take all units (24 points):

Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S2 ANIM3306 Clean, Green and Ethical Animal Production
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
one Unit(s) AGRI2201 Pasture and Livestock Systems
or level 2 Unit(s) Anim2xxx
S1 ECON3300 Agricultural Economics and Marketing
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
48 points in your chosen degree
S1 ENVT3060 Soil–Plant Interactions
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
one Unit(s) EART2222 Geomorphology and Soils
or Unit(s) ENVT2250 Ecology
or Unit(s) ENVT2236 Soil Science
S2 SCIE3314 Crops and Cropping Systems
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
one Unit(s) AGRI1001 Feeding the World