Bachelor of Tropical Agricultural Science

Overview

Duration:
 3 years fulltime
 
Mode:
 On campus, full or part time *
 
Workload:
 Normal workload expectations are a minimum of 10 hours per week for every subject, including class contact hours, preparation and time spent on assessment tasks.
 
Type:
 Undergraduate
 
Credit points:
 72 credit points o
 
Mid-year entry:
 Yes
 
Prerequisite/s:
 English, Chemistry, Maths B
 
Campus:
 Townsville, Cairns
 
Faculty:
 Science and Engineering
 
QTAC code:
 316241 Townsville; 326241 Cairns
 

* Duration: Part-time study is available to domestic students only.

o Credit points: Represent the combined value of individual subjects in a degree. One subject usually constitutes three credit points.
 

Structure

Disclaimer - The list of subjects below is correct for 2008, but may change for 2009. Prospective students should contact the University to confirm admission requirements and the availability of courses.

Level 1 – TOWNSVILLE AND CAIRNS

AG1001:03 Agriculture and Agroecosystems

AG1002:03 Biological Principles for Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences

AG1003:03 Plant Biology for Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences

AG1004:03 Animal Biology for Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences

CH1001:03 Chemistry: A Central Science

Or

CH1011:03 Chemistry for the Natural Sciences

Plus

9 credit points (three subjects) selected from the following:

BU1003:03 Economics for Business

BU1008:03 Marketing Fundamentals

CH1002:03 Chemistry: Principles and Applications

CP1010:03 Introduction to Multimedia

EA1002:03 Environmental Earth Science

EV1001:03 Introduction to Environmental Science

MA1401:03 Statistics and Data Analysis 1

TV1102:03 Cell Biology and Biochemistry for Veterinary Science and Agriculture

TV1202:03 Physiology and Pharmacology for Agricultural Science

Level 2 – TOWNSVILLE AND CAIRNS

AG2001:03 Quantitative Methods in Agricultural Science

AG2002:03 Agricultural Plant Ecological Physiology

EA2007:03 Applied Soil Science

AG2005:03 Genetics for Agriculture

AG2006:03 Ecological Principles in Agriculture

AG2007:03 Diversity of Flowering Plants for Agricultural Science

Plus

6 credit points (two subjects) selected from the following:

AQ2001:03 Introduction to Aquaculture

AQ2002:03 Aquaculture of Tropical Species

BC2013:03 Principles of Biochemistry

BC2023:03 Molecular genetics

EA2006:03 Hydrology

EV2501:03 Introduction to Environmental Remote Sensing

EV2502:03 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems

IA2013:03 Ecology and Australian Indigenous Cultures

LA2902:03 Environmental Law and Policy

MI2011:03 Microbial Diversity

MI2021:03 Introductory Infectious Diseases and Immunobiology

ZL2005:03 Invertebrate Zoology

ZL2008:03 Animal Adaptation to Environmental Change

Level 3 - TOWNSVILLE AND CAIRNS

AG3000:03 Project in Agricultural Science

AG3002:03 Ecological Economics of Agricultural Systems

AG3004:03 Crops and Products

AG3005:03 Agroecology

Plus

12 credit points (four subjects) selected from the following:

AG3003:03 Topics in Genetics

AQ3002:03 Aquaculture: Feeds and Nutrition

AQ3003:03 Aquaculture: Propagation

AQ3004:03 Aquaculture: Genetics and Stock Improvement

AQ3005:03 Aquaculture: Management of Culture Systems

AQ3007:03 Aquatic Animal Ecophysiology

AQ3008:03 Aquaculture: Systems Design

BZ3212:03 Tropical Wetlands Ecology and Management

BZ3215:03 Conservation Biology

EA3006:03 Land Degradation Field Studies

EV3200:03 Terrestrial Resource Management Systems

EV3407:03 Fire Science and Management for Northern Australia

EV3254:03 Tropical Agroforestry

EV3501:03 Advanced Remote Sensing

EV3502:03 Advanced Geographic Information Systems

GG3101:03 Advanced Genetics and Genomics

GG3102:03 Molecular Cell Biology

ZL3501:03 Tropical Entomology

Level 4 HONOURS TOWNSVILLE AND CAIRNS

AG4001:12* Tropical Agricultural Sciences Honours (Part 1 of 2)

AG4002:12* Tropical Agricultural Sciences Honours (Part 2 of 2)

* Not offered in 2008.

Special Facilities

Students have access to state-of-the-art teaching and research facilities, including a newly opened Agricultural Science precinct on the Cairns campus, also home to the Centre for Tropical Agri-tech Research and its constituent research units (e.g. the Agroforestry and Novel Crops Unit). Teaching staff have wide tropical experience in Australia and beyond and enjoy close linkages with government agencies focused on primary production and conservation, including CSIRO, Departments of Primary Industries and Fisheries and the Environmental Protection Agency. Many students are able to carry out projects with these partners and other potential future employers, gaining valuable experience in applying agricultural science to real-world problems.

Career Opportunities

Australia is facing a shortage of trained agricultural scientists, resulting in excellent career opportunities. Agricultural scientists are employed by federal, state and local governments, research organisations, educational establishments and consulting companies, among others. Careers tend to be based close to major populations centres rather than necessarily in remote locations. The range of applications of agricultural science is broad, and this is reflected in the diversity of job opportunities, which include areas such as the following:

Natural resource management

Biotechnology

New crops and cultivars

Certification agencies (organic, fair-trade, sustainable, etc.)

Agricultural, horticultural and agroforestry research in general

Overseas rural development

Journalism and media

Biosecurity (pests, diseases, control of invasives)

Protected area and conservation buffer- zone management

Back to James Cook University

To enrol and find out course fees, intake dates, entry requirements and more details about courses and the Institute please click on the Enquiry button and complete our form and one of our staff member will get back to you very soon.