Course Code : GA 172 for Level 7 and GA 187 for Level 8.
Duration: 3 years or 4 years. Students can progress from level 7 to level 8.
Location: Mountbellew Agricultural College and GMIT
4 days per week in Mountbellew for year 1 and 1 day in GMIT
3 days per week in Mountbellew for Year 2 and 2 days in GMIT
Years 3 and 4 are delivered at GMIT
Application: CAO
Course aim:
The course, resulting in the award of Degree in Business in Rural Enterprise and Agribusiness is aimed at students interested in acquiring training and qualifications for careers in the rural and agribusiness sectors. Some graduates take up careers in the agribusiness and agri-service sectors or in the general business areas of finance, marketing, sales, retailing and management. A number of graduates manage farms or take up careers as development officers in government departments. Most graduates of the programme now progress to an Honours Bachelor Degree in Business Studies and then to Post Graduate courses after which they enter the job market.
Entry requirements:
The minimum entry requirements for the course are a Grade D3 or higher in at least five (ordinary level) subjects in the leaving certificate including Maths and English or Irish. Mature students and holders of specific FETAC awards may be admitted without meeting these minimum requirements.
Course Content:
The course is both semesterised and modularised. There are two semesters in each year and students take six modules per semester. There is a common first year for the Bachelor of Business in Rural Enterprise and Agri-Business programme and the Bachelor in Science in Agriculture and Environmental Management programme Students then have a choice to continue in the business stream or change to the science stream or vice versa. There is a work placement period for the three months in the second semester of Year 2. The placement is normally done with key companies involved in the agribusiness and rural enterprise sectors.
Modules for year 1:
Semester 1:
Mandatory modules: Financial and Farm Accounting, Macroeconomics, Animal and Crop Production Science 1, Soil Science and Chemistry, LIS and Plant and Animal Science.
Semester 2:
Mandatory Modules: Management Accounting 1, Statistics for Business, Animal and Crop Production Science 2, Soil Science and Chemistry, Plant and Animal Science and Computer Applications.
Modules for Year 2:
Semester 3:
Mandatory Modules: Business Information systems, Applied Principles of Marketing, Farm Management, Safety and Law, Agricultural Economics.
Two Electives from: Advanced Dairy Production or Advanced Drystock Production and Animal and Plant Science: Field and Laboratory or Farm Buildings and Maintenance.
Semester 4:
Agriculture or Agribusiness Industry / Farm Placement for 12 weeks.
Modules for year 3:
Semester 5:
Mandatory Modules: Market Research, New Venture Creation, Food Science, Technology and Quality assurance, Rural Development, Financial Management and Taxation and Digital Business.
Semester 6:
Mandatory Modules: Sustainable Agriculture, New Venture Planning, Agri-Marketing Management, Operations Management, International Economic Policy and Business Communications and Negotiations.
Modules for Year 4:
Semester 7:
Mandatory Modules: Irish Economic Policy, Soil and Nutrient Management, Agricultural and Rural Resource Management, Planning and Research, Dissertation, Strategic Management and Agribusiness Food Company Management.
Semester 8:
Mandatory Modules: Integrated Enterprise Systems, Agricultural and Rural Resource Management, Planning and Research, Animal Nutrition and Breeding, Supply Chain Management, Strategic Management and Dissertation.