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Bachelor of Tropical Agricultural Science

Coffee Plantation
Seedling Trays
Student in the field (wind powered turbine)

Overview

The 21st Century is one of unprecedented opportunities for agriculture: world demand for traditional and novel food, fibre and other products continues to grow, as does our knowledge of the basis of sustainable production. At the same time, agriculture, particularly tropical agriculture, is central to the great global challenges of our time, e.g. climate change, global food shortages and extreme poverty.

The application of sound Agricultural Science will permit agriculture to respond to these opportunities and challenges. Agricultural scientists support agriculture by applying their integrated knowledge of plant and animal biology, genetics, ecology and other component disciplines to fields such as genetic improvement, conservation, erosion control, land rehabilitation and pest management. They play a vital role in the design and implementation of sustainable agriculture, fulfilling production needs without degrading the natural environment.

JCU's Bachelor of Tropical Agricultural Science degree is one of the few worldwide that is taught principally from within an internationally known tropical biology School. As a result, students interact with a broad range of faculty and fellow students. JCU's Tropical Agricultural Science students are trained to view agricultural production systems as agroecosystems to be managed for multiple benefits and are equipped with the skills to make this possible.

Tropical Agricultural Science can only be taught effectively in the tropics. JCU offers the only tropical-based Agricultural Science degree programme in Australia, close to diverse tropical agroecosystems, from intensively managed sugarcane in the wet lowlands to the arid rangelands of the inland hills and plains.

Related Courses

Bachelor of Applied Science (Aquaculture)

Bachelor of Science (Botany)

Bachelor of Tropical Agricultural Science

Description:

The Tropical Agricultural Science programme lays a solid foundation through subjects that introduce the discipline and its scientific essentials. For example students may undertake studies in Ecological Principles in Agriculture, Soils for Plant and Animal Production, Agroecology, Ecological Economics of Agricultural Systems, Novel Crops and Products, Tropical Agroforestry and Tropical Crops and Pastures. Third-year elective subjects provide flexibility for students to pursue their individual interests in areas such as Aquaculture, Geographic Information Systems, Land Rehabilitation as well as the possibility of a Project in Agricultural Science, in which each student carries out an advanced study project, often via industry placement.

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

Intake:

February and August

Campus:

Townsville and Cairns

Faculty:

Science Engineering and Information Technology

Prerequisite/s:

English, Chemistry and Maths B

QTAC code:

316241 Townsville; 326241 Cairns

Course code:

50810

* 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

For subject descriptors please consult the relevant university handbook at http://www.jcu.edu.au/student/courses/index.htm

Townsville, Cairns

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.

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

Other Majors available in the Bachelor of Science

Application and Contact Information

Australian and New Zealand students

International Students