BSc Agricultural Business Management with International Foundation Year - September Entry

Compulsory modules

Principles of Business and Management

This module introduces students to themes and theories of business and management and enables them to develop their ability to think critically, organise their thoughts logically, and argue persuasively in business and management contexts.

Principles of Marketing and Organisational Behaviour

This module equips students with knowledge of marketing and organisational behaviour including business ethics and sustainability, marketing mix, leadership and organisational structure and how they impact on decision-making and business operations. Students will explore how these functionalities interact within an increasingly complex and dynamic global business environment.

Foundation Information Systems

The module introduces students to information systems and their application in a clear and supportive way. Students will gain an understanding of how data is collected, organised and used to improve efficiency, accuracy, collaboration, and decision-making in various disciplines.

Foundation Data Analysis

This module provides a supportive introduction to data analysis that connects everyday data use with discipline-specific applications. It enables students to see data not as abstract mathematics, but as a practical tool for understanding the world, solving problems, and making justified decisions in both their academic studies and future careers.

Academic Literacies and Skills

This module introduces students to key academic skills and communication skills, in both written and oral formats. These skills will contribute towards success in other modules on the Foundation programme and prepare students for undergraduate studies.

Academic Communication and Inquiry

This module builds on skills introduced in Academic Literacies and Skills (IF0ALS) by critically engaging with research connected to students’ disciplines and exploring different models of reflective writing.

These are the modules that we currently offer for 2026/27 entry. They may be subject to change as we regularly review our module offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Please note that the University cannot guarantee that all optional modules will be available to all students who may wish to take them.

You can also register your details with us to receive information about your course of interest and study and life at the University of Reading.

Compulsory modules

Agriculture in Practice 1 

Develop an understanding of a range of farming systems, types of farm management practices and agricultural businesses. You’ll be introduced to the concept of rural entrepreneurship and will be guided in the development of innovative business structures and ventures.  

Agricultural Production Systems

Discover the key biological principles in crop and livestock science along with an international perspective on crop and livestock production.  

The Economic Environment 

Explore key microeconomic and macroeconomic concepts, and their relevance to some of the important challenges facing individuals, businesses, and societies across the globe. 

The Fundamentals of Management and Marketing

Explore the traditional and contemporary approaches to marketing and management, such as strategic marketing and management, segmentation, targeting and positioning, the marketing mix. You’ll be introduced to the environment of management, the management process, and techniques available to and used by managers to plan and operate as a business. 

Global Sustainability: Challenges and Prospects

Explore key ecological and eco-social challenges of our time, their causes, proposals to address them and associated debate across several disciplines. 

Research and Professional Skills for Business and Marketing

Discover both qualitative and quantitative research methods, as well as the theoretical foundations in consumer research and applied economics. Gain practical experience through the development of a qualitative consumer research project that includes design, data collection, analysis, and report writing.  

These are the modules that we currently offer for 2026/27 entry. They may be subject to change as we regularly review our module offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Please note that the University cannot guarantee that all optional modules will be available to all students who may wish to take them.

You can also register your details with us to receive information about your course of interest and study and life at the University of Reading.

Compulsory modules

Agriculture in Practice 2

Explore professional practice in the agriculture industry and discover the range of career opportunities in the sector. Through networking opportunity and field trips, you’ll gain a range of essential career planning skills.

Farm Business Management

Learn how to analyse a business's financial requirements, assess different investment options, and explore various farming approaches, including regenerative farming, organic agriculture, sustainability, and rural business diversification.

Research Methods and Data Analysis

Learn about research processes, with a focus on conclusive research design, primary data collection techniques, and exploratory data analysis using statistical software.

Optional modules

Applied Marketing and Management

Develop a clear understanding of marketing as a managerial orientation applicable to all organisational types. Learn how and why the functional activities of marketing at strategic, tactical and operational levels are determined by each specific marketplace environment.

Crop Agronomy

Discover how to manage a UK cereal crop at a basic level, and understand the nutritional cycles and the rationale for agrochemical use behind arable production.

Digital Marketing

Explore the role and place for digital marketing within the traditional marketing framework. Learn how to analyse the online environment, and how digital marketing can be used by companies and organisations to achieve competitive advantage. 

Livestock Production, Nutrition and Welfare

Learn about the factors that will influence the management of food producing animals. Through a series of lectures and farm visits, you’ll explore a range of livestock production systems and investigate how nutrition and management interact with welfare and other factors to determine the long-term sustainability of animal production.  

Principles of Horticulture and Crop Production

Develop an understanding of the principles of horticultural production used by specific sections of the horticulture industry.

Farmland and Woodland: Ecology and Management of Semi-Natural Habitats 

Explore the ecology and management of land used for agriculture and forestry, while considering how historically humans developed land. You’ll discover the underlying ecological mechanisms impacting on productivity and biodiversity and get an introduction on the concepts of management planning for particular sites.

Optional Language or University Wide Module

Study a module from outside your department to enhance your understanding of history and culture. Alternatively, you can learn one of ten languages offered by the University at a level appropriate for you. 

These are the modules that we currently offer for 2026/27 entry. They may be subject to change as we regularly review our module offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Please note that the University cannot guarantee that all optional modules will be available to all students who may wish to take them.

You can also register your details with us to receive information about your course of interest and study and life at the University of Reading.

Compulsory modules

Business Management and Entrepreneurship

Learn how to work with real client businesses and entrepreneurs to develop successful management proposals and solve challenges. You’ll develop skills required to prepare and assess business proposal and plans by working with clients. 

Business Planning and Control

Understand how financial tools help with decision making. You’ll learn how to use the production function to efficiently allocate resources in order to maximise revenue, by examining the relationship between factor-factor, factor-product, and product-product relationship. 

Independent Research Project

Identify a suitable research topic, develop a hypothesis, and then plan and conduct a research project. Your research will be presented to your peers and the wider School of Agriculture, Policy and Development via a scientific poster presentation, and you will produce a written dissertation. 

Optional modules

Advanced Livestock Production and Product Quality

Develop a more advanced understanding of the factors and processes which affect the composition and eating quality of meat, and the quality and profitability of milk production.  

Advances in Bioveterinary Sciences

Study the major contemporary issues impacting the animal sector today, including why they matter and how science and technology research can help address them. You will focus on the latest methodologies in animal welfare research, emerging issues affecting global animal health, and how keeping animals for food production and leisure is impacting our environment.

Agricultural Systems in the Tropics

Discover tropical agriculture and farming systems, focusing on the physical, climatic, edaphic and biological factors affecting crop and animal production.  

Agricultural Technology: Application, Adoption and Ethics

Explore different agricultural technologies and their contribution to sustainability, and consider how we can encourage their adoption on farms. You’ll discover the ethics of new agricultural technologies, exploring different visions of future innovation, and the various issues associated with the proposed ‘fourth agricultural revolution’. 

Cereal Management and Marketing

Become familiar with the principles and practices of growing, assessing and selling cereal crops for different markets. You’ll evaluate the effects of genotype, agronomy, and environment on the yield and quality of small-grained cereals, and determine their impact on end-use, marketing and financial margins.   

Climate Smart Agriculture

Develop your knowledge of climate change and agriculture and your ability to use and critique research methods. You’ll gain a detailed understanding of the complexity of tackling world-wide issues, all within the framework of Climate Smart Agriculture.  

Food Policy and Supply Chain Management

Analyse the management and complexities of modern food supply chains, and evaluate the effectiveness of food policies in addressing challenges and contemporary issues of the agri-food sector. 

Horticultural Crop Technology

Develop your knowledge and understanding of horticultural crop technology, covering advanced scientific aspects and fostering innovative thinking for enhancing production efficiency through technology research and critical evaluation. 

International Human Resource Management

Learn the key concepts for understanding international human resource management. You'll explore the practice of managing human resources in international businesses and consider variations in the practice of managing human resources in different countries and cultures.

Principles of Integrated Pest Management

Explore the principles of integrated pest management, which is employed worldwide to enhance plant health and sustainable agriculture, including learning about pest types, management techniques, and real-world applications. 

These are the modules that we currently offer for 2026/27 entry. They may be subject to change as we regularly review our module offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Please note that the University cannot guarantee that all optional modules will be available to all students who may wish to take them.

You can also register your details with us to receive information about your course of interest and study and life at the University of Reading.