Agriculture
What’s on offer for postgraduates?
Postgraduate programs in the agriculture field fall into three broad groups:
- postgraduate research programs which require an honours degree or equivalent in agriculture (sometimes a degee from an unrelated field will satisfy entry requirements)
- postgraduate coursework programs which upgrade the knowledge of those working in agriculture, perhaps in fields like regional development or conservation and land management
- other programs which add an agriculture slant to activities such as marketing, management or education.
There are only a few providers in agriculture, but distance education programs have widened the options for postgraduates. Agriculture has had a long history, beginning with a number of specialist colleges, most of which have now integrated with universities.
Some say that many programs in the field are dominated by science to the exclusion of things which, according to one report, employers of graduates say are just as important — ‘communication skills, interpersonal skills, flexibility, adaptability and problem-solving ability, leadership skills, not to mention practical experience’. But with student numbers growing and the business end of the rural industries taking off, positive developments are ahead with respect to these ‘soft skills’.
Agriculture is a vast field with many distinct areas of study. Some agriculture courses, universities and colleges are better than others if your interests are at either the scientific or the practical end of the spectrum. Depending on your interests, you should probably also look into the facilities available.
Agriculture draws only a small proportion of its postgraduates into research. The choice of a faculty or department should depend on your own interests and the track record of any departments or supervisors you are looking at.
The experience and rewards
Visit the University Ratings section for agriculture course ratings or to see how agriculture rates in the Fields of Study Compared table.
According to the national Course Experience Questionnaire survey, postgraduate coursework students in this field are very satisfied with their experience, giving their teachers, skills and overall experience five-star ratings. Graduate job prospects are now above average. Salaries for students who have completed postgraduate studies in this field are also above average ($70,662).
For more information
If you are interested in agriculture you should also check out the options in environmental studies and some of the sciences . If your interest is in adding expertise in business and management , education or accounting to your agriculture skill-base, see those profiles also.
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