Undergraduate Certificate in Agriculture
Sorry, this course is not available for international students.
If you are a local student you may be eligible.
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Overview
6 months full time
February, July
July
Regretfully, we are no longer accepting enrolments into this course. The undergraduate certificate was initiated as an interim measure during the COVID-19 pandemic. It has now been discontinued by the Tertiary Education and Quality Standards Agency (TEQSA).
What are my options?
You may wish to consider enrolment in a Bachelor of Agriculture and Technology as an alternative.
The discontinued Undergraduate Certificate in Agriculture consisted of four of the Bachelor subjects, with the same subject learning outcomes and assessments.
Should you prefer not to commit to the full three years of study with the Bachelor qualification, you have the option to exit with an Associate Degree of Agriculture and Technology after two years.
Entry requirements for the Bachelor (and Associate) are the same as for Undergraduate Certificate. The Bachelor can be studied full-time or part-time.
Career Pathways
Where will the Undergraduate Certificate in Agriculture take me?
- Project Manager
- Station Manager
- Farm Manager
- Technical Agronomist
- Pasture Agronomist
- Soil Agronomist
- Technical Sales Agronomist
- Agricultural Consultant
- Territory Manager
- Commodity Trader
- Grain Quality Officer
- Master Grower
- Agricultural Researcher
- Agricultural Educator
- Agricultural Technician
- Agronomist
- Farmer
- Agribusiness Owner/Operator
- Rural Business Manager
Study Pathways
On successful completion of this certificate, you will be eligible for entry to our Bachelor of Agriculture and Technology (Agronomy).
Course Details
Delivery methods
Course delivery continues at Melbourne Polytechnic during the challenges of the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation the world is facing right now. Our top priority remains the health, safety and well-being of our community.
This program has responded to the COVID-19 restrictions by modifying its delivery to a blended model supporting remote learning. For the immediate term, we’ve changed the way our students attend class, with all lectures and tutorials offered online or face-to-face.
A collaborative learning environment is created through the requirement of students to attend synchronous online sessions at the normal class times. These sessions are run through Moodle, our online learning management system, and conferencing software called Zoom.
- Face-to-face
- Flexible
Assessment Methods
Subjects are assessed in a variety of ways including practical exercises, case studies, demonstrations, exams and assignments.
Units of Study
Credit points are a basic measure of student workload. All subjects are given a credit point value. Most subjects at Melbourne Polytechnic are 12 credit points. A normal full-time annual workload is 96 credit points. The academic year is divided into two main semesters; full-time students usually enrol in 48 credit points each semester, part-time students usually enrol in 24 credit points each semester or less.
| Code | Subject | Elective | Description | Year | Semester |
| ALM110 | Agronomy 1 | Elective | In this subject you will develop knowledge in the practice of agronomy as an activity that underpins plant production practices in sustainable agriculture. Different options for crop and pasture establishment and management will be explored as well as conventional, alternative and sustainable systems for plant management. | 1 | 1 |
| BAT101 | Agricultural Systems and Technology | Elective | This subject introduces traditional and modern farming systems, Australian agricultural enterprises, markets, and agricultural technologies. Knowledge of the key concepts of farming systems and how they elate to climate, concepts of composition and landscapes will be covered. Agricultural practical skills that are based on generic examples, as well as being enterprise specific, will be examined and the safe operation of agricultural equipment will be acquired through practical classes. | 1 | 1 |
| BVW213 | Rural Business Management | Elective | This subject develops knowledge of the Australian agricultural business environment focusing on principles of development, planning, operation and performance analysis as applied to rural business enterprises in local and global settings. Students will examine a variety of agricultural business types through a variety of experiential tasks and develop skills in the use of structured planning methods to identify business and marketing opportunities as well as skills in business plan development. | 1 | 2 |
| BAT102 | Food Production in a Changing World | Elective | This subject explores human food production, its current and future challenges from both Australian and global perspectives. Students will develop a comprehensive understanding of the evolution of human food production and the key factors driving change in food production systems. | 1 | 2 |
| ALM212 | Animal Management and Nutrition | Elective | This subject examines management systems for farm animals and the principal activities involved in their management throughout the production cycle. | 2 | |
| BAT201 | Pestilence and Plague – Integrated Pest Management | Elective | Research and development in the plant protection. Ethical, environmental and sociological aspects, control techniques such as genetic engineering and beneficial organisms. Identification and assessment of disease and pest infestations. Develop sustainable pest management will involve ecological principles, life and disease cycles, environmental conditions, integrating management techniques. | 2 | 2 |
| BAT303 | Integrated Crop Management | Elective | In this project-based subject students will draw together acquired knowledge and further research on a broad range of relevant topics, into a whole-of-system, integrated production management plan for a selected agricultural system. | 3 | 3 |
Fees & Costs
Fee-paying Places
| Per year | $10700 |
| Per semester | $5350 |
| Per year | $0 |
| Per semester | $0 |
When you are studying higher education courses you may qualify for FEE-HELP payments for part or all of your tuition fees. FEE-HELP loans do not cover materials costs.
Fees displayed are effective for new applications received on or after 1st of November. Tuition fees do not include textbooks, course materials or overseas student health insurance and visa fees.
After initial deposit, international students are able to pay tuition fees in installments, four times per year.
For more detailed information please read the International Student Fees.
Agriculture and Technology at Melbourne Polytechnic
Jennifer Bessell flips her career to agriculture
Meet Jennifer Bessell, former student at Melbourne Polytechnic. Jennifer transitioned from nursing into a new life in agriculture.
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Getting your career started in Agriculture
The future of agriculture depends on tried and tested traditions combined with innovative and futuristic thinking. Start your career in Agriculture and work your way up.
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Sitalakshmi Venkatraman
Dr. Sita Venkatraman is an IT Lecturer teaching specialized topics in Business Analytics within the Bachelor of Information Technology program at Melbourne Polytechnic.
Learn MoreRequirements
Academic:- Australian Year 12 or equivalent, to include mathematics, and one of either chemistry or biology, OR
- Satisfactory completion of a Diploma course in Agriculture (or equivalent), OR
- Mature age applicants (21 years of age or over) with relevant industry experience defined as professional industry engagement for a minimum of two years and demonstrated capacity to undertake work at degree level. Supporting document to include a CV with at least 2 supporting written references
Higher Education Admissions Criteria
As well as the specific entry requirements above, Melbourne Polytechnic admits students on the basis of the following categories:
If you have already studied higher education: Y ou may meet the admissions criteria for higher education at Melbourne Polytechnic if your highest level of study since leaving secondary education is a higher education course, such as a university degree.
If you have studied a VET course: You may meet the admissions criteria for higher education at Melbourne Polytechnic if your highest level of study since leaving secondary education is a vocational education and training (VET) course.
If you have recent secondary education: You may meet the admissions criteria for higher education at Melbourne Polytechnic if you are a recent secondary education student whose admission is primarily based on the completion of Year 12 within the past two years.
If you have work and life experience: You may meet the admissions criteria for higher education at Melbourne Polytechnic if you have work and life experience and left secondary education more than two years ago and have not undertaken vocational education training (VET) or higher education study since then.
Academic:- Australian Year 12 or equivalent, to include mathematics, and one of either chemistry or biology, OR
- Satisfactory completion of a Diploma course in Agriculture (or equivalent), OR
- Mature age applicants (21 years of age or over) with relevant industry experience defined as professional industry engagement for a minimum of two years and demonstrated capacity to undertake work at degree level. Supporting document to include a CV with at least 2 supporting written references
Academic IELTS 6.0 overall, with no individual band below 5.5, or Pearson PTE Academic 50 overall with no individual communicative skill below 42, or Melbourne Polytechnic recognised equivalency.
Applicants are required to provide a 300-500 word written statement outlining any experience in the Agriculture industry (voluntarily, informally, or as employment) and how this course will align with personal career goals.
Next Steps
Melbourne Polytechnic is committed to providing transparency to the admissions process. In line with this commitment, we provide you with information that will help in making informed choices about your future studies.
Find out more about Melbourne Polytechnic’s commitment to admissions transparency.
Applicants for this course will need to have met the academic requirements. Meeting the minimum admission criteria does not guarantee entry into this course. Past academic performance may be considered.
You may also be required to attend an interview to discuss your career plans, aptitude and understanding of your chosen course of study and the requirements of tertiary study. (This may be conducted face-to-face or by through a video conference call using Skype or other application).
During your interview, you may be asked to provide:
- Your CV outlining your relevant work and life skills and experience
- Any letters of reference from employers
- Documents relating to prior study including course transcripts and subject outlines from other Higher Education Providers if you wish to apply for credit
When we receive your application, the International Office will be in contact with you shortly to discuss your application and provide you additional instructions.
If you'd like to speak to one of our International Office staff directly, call 1300 635 276
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Local student means; you are an Australian citizen or permanent resident, a New Zealand citizen or a permanent humanitarian visa holder.