Agricultural Science

Build a career in the thriving agriculture industry with a course centred on emerging technologies and sustainable development.

Explore our courses

Taught by the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture (TIA), a specialist research and teaching institute at the University of Tasmania, your education is at the cutting-edge of agriculture, applying food systems concepts and ideas from around the world.

Bachelor of Agricultural Science with Honours

Over $250,000 worth of scholarships

Exclusively offered each year to Agricultural Science students.

Learn beyond the classroom

Engage with Tasmania's thriving agriculture industry through projects, placements, field-trips, and more.

Gain career-ready experience

From our work placement units that see you learning firsthand from world-class Tasmanian businesses.

Become part of a thriving industry that is critical globally and always adapting

Some of the world’s biggest challenges and opportunities have agriculture at their core. These include sustainably feeding a growing population, protecting our natural resources, and adapting to a changing climate.

The Bachelor of Agricultural Science provides a solid foundation in the physical and biological sciences across a broad range of agricultural science disciplines, giving you comprehensive multi-disciplinary knowledge suitable for industries all over the world. You will specialise your learning journey with a choice of major from two exciting topics that are tied to our extensive research strengths and industry connections, Crop Science and Plant Health, and Sustainable Agriculture.

Study options in this degree

During your studies, you’ll choose an area that interests you, and then study a group of units related to that area. That group of units is called a major, and is an area of focus in your degree. Find out more at What is a Major?

Current global trends are for increased high value plant-based foods, and this major will help you learn how to make both animals and plants more productive and sustainable. Your learning will centre on crop production and crop protection, and includes the study of chemistry, botany, microbiology and farm business economics.

Specialist units of study include plant physiology, agronomy, horticultural science, entomology and plant pathology. In third year, you will have the opportunity for work placements, to build networks, and give you confidence in your skills and knowledge upon graduation.

Ecologically sustainable practices are essential to primary production. This major includes the study of chemistry, spatial sciences, ecology, microbiology and farm business economics. It focuses on agricultural sustainability and biophysical processes, with pasture, soil, and animal sciences examined at local, landscape, national and global levels.

Other specialist units of study include farming systems and agricultural technology.

This degree contains an embedded honours year where you will complete a series of core units, plus either a Research or Professional stream of study.

Honours in research enables you to develop independent research skills, project planning and management skills, high level verbal and written communication skills, and subject specific knowledge in your chosen area of specialisation.

The professional stream contains a series of case studies selected from different areas of agriculture to help contextualise your learning and fully prepare you for your future career. Industries include horticulture, animal production, post-harvest processing, vegetable cropping, dairy, and water policy.

Further study options

For honours course information, please visit Bachelor of Agriculture with Honours

For postgraduate course information, please visit the Master of Agriculture and Food Sciences (Specialisation)

Find out more about what you'll study, entry requirements, fees and scholarships - and to apply.

Visit the course page

Career opportunities

There is a growing demand for skilled Agricultural Science graduates. The knowledge you will gain can see you working all over the globe, in both government and private sectors, indoors, outdoors, in the lab and the field.

You can choose specialist studies that can focus on your career path, including:

Agronomist

Sustainable farming relies on primary producers receiving the most up-to-date information. As an agronomist, you would be working with industry to ensure farming systems remain economically and environmentally sustainable for future generations.

Agricultural Scientist

Feeding more people with fewer resources is a global challenge. A career in any area of the agricultural research sector – including soils, pest and disease management, plant and animal genetics, and much more – will place you on the front line.

Food Safety Consultant

It has been estimated that we waste approximately one third of the food we create. Much of this waste is from bacteria or inappropriate storage. A career in the food safety sector will give you the skills to reduce food waste and the impact of pathogens.

Government roles in climate or biosecurity

Government has a critical role in making decisions on issues such as climate adaptation and emergency biosecurity response and frequently seek agricultural science graduates.

Natural Resource Management

With experience in soils, water and climate, agricultural graduates are well placed for careers in natural resource management of productive landscapes.

10.3%

Agricultural Technicians

National Skills Commission - Predicted job growth 2020 to 2025

Strong

Agricultural Scientist:
Future Demand

National Skills Commission - Skills Priority List (June 2021)

Strong

Agricultural Consultant:
Future Demand

National Skills Commission - Skills Priority List (June 2021)

Career outcome

In agriculture there is no such thing as a “typical day” in the office

"I have learnt a lot on the job, especially about vegetable seed production, but my degree gave me a good grasp on key concepts and a great head-start.”

Sally Stone-Schack, Agricultural Science graduate

Sally's story