Bachelor of Agriculture and Bachelor of Commerce

Course 265-AA (2008)

Note: This is an archived Handbook entry from 2008.Search for this in the current handbookSearch for this in the current handbook

Year and Campus: 2008
Fees Information: Subject EFTSL, Level, Discipline & Census Date
Level: Undergraduate

Contact

Ms Ros Gall, Course co-ordinator, Faculty of Land and Food Resources, The University of Melbourne, Dookie Campus. Phone: +61 3 5833 9226, Email: rosgall@unimelb.edu.auMs Louisa King, Undergraduate Student Administrative Officer, Faculty of Land and Food Resources, The University of Melbourne, Parkville. Phone: +61 3 8344 6390, Email: kingl@unimelb.edu.au
Course Overview:

This course is being phased out. There have been no new enrolments into this course since 2004. The information for this course is for continuing students who are completing this course.

This combined course is taught at the Parkville campus of the University. The course takes five years of full-time study.

This course has been developed in response to the demand for agriculture to be combined with a more specialist training in economics and commerce than is possible in the BAg degree. Students can choose a combination of economics, business information systems, econometrics, accounting, finance and management subjects in order to design a course which fits an intended career path.

Objectives:

Students who complete this course will have acquired:

  • an understanding of the components of the agricultural sector of the Australian economy and the importance of that sector to the economy;

  • an understanding of Australian economic institutions and policy, including industry and trade policy;

  • an appreciation of the recent changes in the Australian economy, especially in relation to developments in the Asia-Pacific region;

  • mastery of the necessary theoretical concepts and tools, from economics, agricultural sciences, business management and marketing, for analysing and solving problems in agribusiness activities, natural resource use or agricultural policy, and skill in communicating the results;

  • an appreciation of the implications for agricultural business operations of the biological nature of agricultural production processes;

  • awareness of the institutional and regulatory environment within which agricultural businesses function;

  • an understanding of the behaviour of international markets for the products of the agricultural sector;

  • practical experience in some part of the agricultural sector.
Subject Options:

BACHELOR OF AGRICULTURE AND BACHELOR OF COMMERCE

To be eligible to graduate students must obtain 500 credit points. Of these, 225 must be from the Bachelor of Agriculture, 200 from the Bachelor of Commerce and 75 from electives that students can choose from any faculty. Students may be awarded honours in Agriculture at the end of the fifth year. Honours in Commerce requires an additional sixth year of study.

Agriculture points must include:

  • 112.5 points from Bachelor of Agriculture core subjects including 202-401 Industry Research Project and 207-101 Land, Food and Resource Economics. 202-202 Experimental Design/Statistical Methods and 202-201 Industry Project are not available for credit to students in this program.

  • six additional agricultural degree subjects

  • at least 100 points from 300 and/or 400 level subjects

  • 202-001 Industry Placement.

Commerce points must include:

  • at least 50 points from 100-level subjects

  • at least 50 points from 300-level subjects

  • compulsory subjects: 316-101 Introductory Macroeconomics, 316-102 Introductory Microeconomics, 316-130 Quantitative Methods 1 and 316-205 Introductory Econometrics or 316-206 Quantitative Methods 2.

Subject
Study Period Commencement:
Credit Points:
Semester 1
12.50
Semester 1, Semester 2
12.50
Semester 1, Semester 2
12.50
Semester 1, Semester 2
12.50
Semester 1, Semester 2
12.50
Semester 1, Semester 2, Summer
12.50

FOURTH YEAR

202-302 Human Resource Management or 207-201 Resource Management Economics

Four Commerce electives

Two electives

Subject
Study Period Commencement:
Credit Points:
Semester 1, Semester 2
12.50

FIFTH YEAR

202-401 Honours Research Project (50 points, year-long) may be replaced by 202-402 Honours Research Project (50 points, Semester 1 or Semester 2) or 202-403 Research Project (50 points, mid-year entry).

Three electives (37.5 points)

Subject
Study Period Commencement:
Credit Points:
Entry Requirements:

This course is being phased out. There have been no new enrolments into this course since 2004. The information for this course is for continuing students who are completing this course.

Entry into undergraduate degrees is usually via applications through the Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC). Full details regarding the VTAC application process may be found on the VTAC website or by purchasing the VTAC Guide from newsagencies.

Core Participation Requirements: It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. This course requires all students to enrol in subjects where they must actively and safely contribute to field excursions and laboratory activities. Students who feel their disability will impact on meeting this requirement are encouraged to discuss this matter with the Subject Coordinator and Disability Liaison Unit (8344 7068 or DLU-enquiries@unimelb.edu.au). Students enrolling in the Faculty of Land and Food Resources are advised that some courses of study may put them at an increased risk of contracting Q Fever. Q Fever is a relatively common, preventable condition which while rarely fatal, can cause a severe acute illness and can result in damage to heart valves and chronic fatigue. It is recommended that students consider undertaking screening and vaccination for Q Fever prior to commencement of study. Students may be required to provide proof of vaccination prior to undertaking some coursework. Your course coordinator will advise you of this requirement prior to commencement of the study semester. Vaccine costs for students are not covered by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), Medicare, or by the University. Some students with full private health coverage (which has hospital and ancillary cover) may receive partial re-imbursement for vaccine costs.
Further Study:

The Faculty offers excellent opportunites for students to pursue postgraduate studies in the fields of agricultural science, forestry, natural resource management, urban horticulture, food science, animal welfare, wood science, agribusiness, wine technolgy and viticulture, forest ecosystem science. Programs available include Graduate Certificates, Graduate Diplomas, Postgraduate Certificates, Postgraduate Diplomas, Masters (by coursework), Masters (by research) and Doctoral degrees

Graduate Attributes: Graduates will be expected to:have a strong sense of intellectual integrity and the ethics of scholarshipexamine critically, synthesise and evaluate knowledge across a broad range of disciplineshave the capacity to participate fully in collaborative learning and to confront unfamiliar problemsbe advocates for improving the sustainability of the environment
Generic Skills:

Generic skills acquired:

  • a profound respect for truth, intellectual and professional integrity, and the ethics of scholarship
  • an ability to derive, interpret and analyse ecological, biological, social, technical or economic information from primary sources
  • an ability to integrate information across a broad range of disciplines to solve problems in applied situations
  • highly developed written communication skills to allow informed dialogue with individuals and groups from industry, government and the community
  • highly developed oral communication skills to allow informed dialogue and liaison with individuals and groups from industry, government and the community
  • an ability to participate effectively as part of a team.

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