We are in the process of finalising our postgraduate taught courses for 2027/28 entry. In the meantime, you can view our 2026/27 courses.
Our BSc Agriculture with Foundation course covers everything that impacts production in the agricultural supply chain while considering global goals relating to sustainability.
This four-year programme includes a year of foundational study and leads directly into the three-year BSc Agriculture course.
We are:
The University is ideally placed for student life, with easy access to Reading’s vibrant town centre. Agriculture students can also use University-owned farmland to enhance the learning experience – we own approximately 800 hectares of farmland.
Study at one of the UK’s leading universities for environmental and ethical performance (the University of Reading is ranked 4th in the People and Planet University League, 2025/26).
The foundation year (called Year 0), is designed to equip you with the subject-specific and general study skills needed to cope with the demands of undergraduate study. Our high-quality teaching is geared towards the needs of students from a wide range of educational backgrounds.
When you join Year 1 of the Agriculture course, you will primarily focus on the applied science underpinning agricultural production. You’ll learn how to use biology and technology to meet crop and animal production targets, and achieve environmental and business objectives.
Our agriculture programme offers you distinct opportunities to specialise.
If you select a mix of optional modules in your second and final years, you will graduate with our highly esteemed broad-based BSc Agriculture with Placement Year degree.
If you choose particular optional modules and complete your final-year independent research project in your specialist area, you’ll be eligible to graduate with a specialist degree:
You don’t need to choose whether to take a specialist pathway until the end of Year 1 (which follows your foundation year), giving you the time and flexibility to decide what suits you best.
As part of the degree all students can study globally recognised farming practices and see research in action – such as livestock production, agronomy, horticulture, and environmental management – on the University's own farms:
Our facilities include:
You'll have the opportunity to visit a wide range of local farms, rural estates and businesses in the related sectors. Field visits focus on exposing you to real-world farming challenges, practices, and innovations, and a wider range of livestock production systems, farm diversification opportunities and regenerative agriculture practices.
Previous visits have included:
You’ll hear from speakers at the forefront of the industry, from agronomists to those involved in the livestock consultancy, giving you the chance to network and build relationships while you learn.
You will also complete a residential study tour within the UK to learn about and analyse a broader range of enterprises than those within close access of Reading. Recent tours have been to Kent and Brecon in Wales to see hill farming systems, agricultural technology in action and specialist crops such as hops.
In one of our most popular modules, you will grow a winter cereal, test it in the lab for quality and then sell it to merchants. In another module, you will critically analyse dairy and meat production systems and their effects on product quality, culminating in the production of an industry ‘blueprint’.
In the final year, your independent research project allows you to choose a subject that inspires and interests you. This could involve a farm, including your home farm, research at the University or an enterprise that you’ve had contact with during the course.
Outside of the curriculum, the student-led Agricultural Society runs the UK’s largest student agriculture conference. It gives you the opportunity to debate key issues like food security and policy issues affecting the industry, and get your voice heard.
For more information, visit the School of Agriculture, Policy and Development website.
