Bachelor of Agricultural Management

Purpose

The purpose of this qualification is to produce agricultural managers who will be able to critically review literature, write scientific papers and formally present and defend their work across the broad field of Agricultural Management, and to integrate the general theory and application of Agricultural Management with the knowledge gained. These leaners should be able to engage critically in current debates concerning development initiatives, and formulate Agricultural Management strategies in order to promote the long-term sustainability of farm businesses.

Rationale

Agricultural development, marketing and finance are becoming increasingly important and require leaners with broad-based training in agriculture, commerce and social sciences. The qualification emphasises job mobility. The following careers are open to leaners: commercial banks, National Department of Agriculture, farming, agribusiness sector and consulting.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

The institution accepts the principle underlying outcomes-based, source-based and life-long learning, in which considerations of articulation and mobility play a significant role, and subscribes to the view that Recognition of Prior Learning, whether acquired by formal education curricula at this or another institution or informally (by experience) is an indispensable element in deciding on admission to and awarding credits in an explicitly selected teaching-learning qualification of the institution.

An applicant who falls outside of the formal qualifications system, but who can demonstrate (through the production of substantial and satisfactory evidence) experiential or work-based learning or a non-formal qualification (or a combination), may be considered for admission and/or for the Recognition of Prior Learning for the achievement of the qualification in part or in full. An applicant who after such assessment, is deemed to have sufficient potential, but is in need of further academic development, must be directed to other suitable learning qualifications prior to admission or to parallel qualifications after admission.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• National Senior Certificate National Qualifications Framework(NQF) Level 4.

This qualification consists of the following compulsory and elective modules at National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Level 7 totalling 384 Credits:

Compulsory Modules, 240 Credits

• The Smaller side of Life, 16 Credits.
• Quantitative Methods 1, 16 Credits.
• Introduction to Statistics, 16 Credits.
• Principles of Macroeconomics, 16 Credits.
• Financial Reporting 1 A, 16 Credits.
• Principles of Microeconomics, 16 Credits.
• Management 120, 16 Credits.
• Accounting 103, 16 Credits.
• Introduction to Human Resource, 8 Credits.
• Introduction to Soils and the Environment, 16 Credits.
• Introduction to Marketing, 8 Credits.
• Agricultural Mechanisation, 8 Credits.
• Introduction to Operations Management, 8 Credits.
• Introduction to Entrepreneurship, 8 Credits.
• Current Issues in Agricultural Management, 16 Credits.
• Irrigation Design and Management, 16 Credits.
• Production Economics and Price Analysis, 16 Credits.
• Field Crop Management, 16 Credits.

Elective Modules, Level, 144 Credits (Choose Nine)

• Basic IsiZulu Language, 16 Credits.
• Studies A, 16 Credits.
• Environmental Instruments: Life/Earth Sciences, 16 Credits.
• Agribusiness Finance & Marketing, 16 Credits.
• Pig and Poultry Production, 16 Credits.
• Beef and Diary Production, 16 Credits.
• Farm Management, 16 Credits.
• Intro to Ethics & Bus Ethics for Acct and Management, 16 Credits.
• Finance 202, 16 Credits.
• Pedology, 16 Credits.
• Finance 201, 16 Credits.
• Introduction to Ruminant Nutrition, 16 Credits.
• Orchard Management, 16 Credits.
• Applied Reproductive Physiology, 16 Credits.
• Operations and Supply Chain Management, 16 Credits.
• Individual and Organisational Development, 16 Credits.
• Animal Health, 16 Credits.
• Animal Growth and Meat Quality, 16 Credits.
• Collective Employment Relations and Law, 16 Credits.
• Capital Market Theory, 16 Credits.
• International Business, 16 Credits.
• Agricultural Development, 16 Credits.
• Employment Resourcing, 16 Credits.
• Logistics & Physical Distribution 16 Credits.
• Protected Cultivation of Plants 16 Credits.
• Corporate Financial Management, 16 Credits.
• Corporate Strategy, 16 Credits.
• Financial Risk Management, 16 Credits.
• Business Ethics, 16 Credits.
• Special Topics in Supply Chain Management, 16 Credits.

1. Demonstrate extensive and systematic knowledge of the broad field of Agricultural Management.
2. Demonstrate skills to undertake literature searches in obtaining relevant information in order to identify complex, practice orientated solutions tailored towards general Agricultural Management challenges; analyse and interpret these and reach conclusions through practical recommendations; and be able to communicate these in writing by means of Information Technology and verbally to both laymen and professional audiences.
3. Demonstrate knowledge and critical understanding of the principles & theories relevant to broad Agricultural Management issues, and to evaluate and document suggested relevant interventions from a responsible and ethical framework.

The following Associated Assessment Criteria will be used in an integrated manner across the Exit Level Outcomes

• Write an evaluation report showing critical and creative thinking.
• Demonstrate and communicate integrated knowledge and understanding of practical, and/or real life scenarios.

Integrated Assessment

The qualification and all modules are based on a problem solving and learning-centred approach and are, in fact, designed to foster supervised learning, critical and focussed enquiry/thinking and experiential learning in a project orientated environment. Students will be exposed to real case studies and will acquire the necessary knowledge and skills to develop in depth solutions to earth Science-related challenges. This will be achieved in lectures (through the accomplishment of the knowledge outcomes) and through assignments' project components that the students will have to conduct under supervision from the instructor. Module information and lecture notes are uploaded onto Moodle which facilitates access to students. All modules have continuous assessment-based components through assignments. Final year modules are capped by a summative assessment in the form of an examination, which are also externally moderated as per the institution's policy. A minimum of 50% of the assessments for final year modules will be moderated by an external examiner approved by the relevant institutional committee/individual (in line with the institution's Decision Flow Diagram). Group & class assignments Integrated written and/or oral presentation of assignments tests and examinations are utilised as assessment methods.