Agriculture with Placement Year
Agriculture is the foundation of human civilisation, the science and practice of cultivating plants and rearing animals to produce the food, fibre, and other materials that sustain human life. Modern agriculture faces challenges of extraordinary complexity and consequence: feeding a global population of eight billion and growing, in the face of climate change, soil degradation, water scarcity, biodiversity loss, and the economic pressures on farm businesses, while meeting rising expectations for environmental performance and animal welfare. A degree in agriculture gives you the scientific knowledge and practical skills to engage with these challenges, combining agronomy, soil science, animal husbandry, farm management, and environmental science with an understanding of the policy and market contexts that shape what farmers do.
At the University of Reading, the four-year agriculture degree with placement year includes a structured placement that gives you extended professional experience on a farm or in an agricultural business before you complete your degree. Reading has one of the strongest reputations for agricultural education and research in the UK, with access to its own farm and strong links with the industry and with the agricultural policy community. The curriculum covers crop production and agronomy, soil science, animal nutrition and production, farm management and business economics, agricultural policy and environmental regulation, and the technologies that are reshaping farming, from precision agriculture and digital tools to biotechnology and sustainable intensification approaches.
The placement year is an integral part of the programme, giving you practical experience that complements the academic education.
Agricultural graduates from Reading enter careers across the farming and food industries, government, and the broader rural economy. Farm management, estate management, and agricultural consultancy are direct career paths. The food industry employs agricultural graduates in supply chain management, quality assurance, and technical roles.
Government agricultural agencies, including the Farming Advice Service and the Animal and Plant Health Agency, research institutions, and organisations working on sustainable agriculture and food policy draw on graduates with this breadth of knowledge. Many graduates pursue professional membership of the Royal Agricultural Society and other professional bodies. Postgraduate study in agriculture, crop science, animal science, or environmental management is available for those who want to develop deeper expertise.