Diploma in Rural Business

Telford Diploma in Rural Business (Level 5)

Why study with Telford?

Farming is an increasingly sophisticated business that demands a wide range of skills. Successful farmers need to know about the latest farming practices and be astute business managers as well.

Telford’s Diploma has been developed by industry professionals contributing from a range of farm practices. It is designed to equip you for supervisory roles within the primary sector. Diploma graduates are highly sought after for their skills and expertise. Many of our graduates are now working in key industry positions with significant levels of responsibility.

Programme Content

The Telford Diploma in Rural Business (Level 5) is designed to provide a smooth transition from the hands-on Level 2 and 3 certificates to the Level 5 diploma programme, which is predominately theory-based. You will work on a farm (sheep, dairy, beef and deer) where your production and performance knowledge forms the basis for the business plans and farm reports you will be required to produce.

Students who exit after successfully completing the first semester will be eligible for the award of the Telford Certificate in Applied Rural Production (Level 4).

Semester 1
Topics covered include:

Resources 1 - Physical Property Resources
Practicum 1 - Fencing, livestock handling, tractors, pastures
Production 1 - Livestock health, breeding, feeding, production performance
Professional Skills 1 - Business planning, current sector issues, financial skills, research and report writing, oral presentation, computer skills

Semester 2

At the end of semester one you may choose to exit with the Telford Certificate in Applied Rural Production (Level 4) or you may continue on to complete the Telford Diploma in Rural Business (Level 5). This course provides you with a higher level of learning that will enable you to progress more rapidly to management roles. 

Topics covered include

Resource Management - Risk, sustainability, livestock trading, health and safety
Professional Skills 2- Current sector issues, human resources, financial skills, benchmarking, presentation skills
Practicum 4 - Soil analysis, water analysis, effluent issues, harvesting, feed budgets, monitoring objectives and action plans, market analysis
Financial Management - Budgeting and planning, investment and development strategies, agribusiness economics

Work Experience

You will have work experience (tutor supervised) throughout semesters 1 and 2, to reinforce and further develop skills learnt during certificate studies. During your work experience, you will be required to gather data related to various aspects of production, and process this data into meaningful information. From this information you will extract recommendations and formulate decisions about production strategies.

Career Opportunities

The Telford Diploma in Rural Business gives you the knowledge and practical skills needed for managing an agribusiness.

Graduates of the course are often employed in junior farm management roles.

Qualifications

Telford Diploma in Rural Business (Level 5)

Unit Standards Towards

• National Certificate in Agribusiness Management (Agribusiness Resource Management)
• National Certificate in Agribusiness Management (Business Planning and Financial Management)
• National Diploma in Agribusiness Management  

Location

On the Telford campus.

Duration

One academic year (34 weeks)
Start Date: Mid February  End Date: November

Entry requirements

Applicants must:

• Be aged 16 years or older
• Have a Level 3 qualification in rural studies
• Have a basic knowledge of livestock, pastures and soils
• Have practical skills gained in an appropriate context (e.g. with livestock)
• Be confident of success at Level 5
• Have good study habits and sound literacy and numeracy skills.

Note: International students require TOEFL of 500, plus TWE 4.5, or IELTS of 5.5.

The diploma is divided into two semesters of full-time study.

Accommodation

Five and seven day boarding is available in our on-campus hall of residence.
Students are encouraged to apply early

Course Fees

Correspondence Courses

Telford has a wide variety of part-time correspondence courses

Visit us at an expo, or come for a campus tour or enrol in Telford’s Taster Week

For more information please fill out our Enquiry Form or call us on 0800 835 367 (0800 TELFORD)