MSc Rural Estate Management

You will study four modules in the first (autumn) semester followed by four modules in the second (spring) semester, and complete your research project by the end of September. You will attend lectures and group tutorials. There is also a range of practical sessions and visits to local farms, commercial properties and rural estates where owners, occupiers and their professional advisors can provide additional insights into the management of rural property. 

Assessed coursework features strongly throughout the course. Examinations will take place in January and June. Prior to starting the MSc, students receive reading lists and study material so that they can develop a basic grounding in study areas with which they are not familiar. 

Here at the RAU we are always looking for ways to better support our students. We recognise that a number of our students may be working or have caring responsibilities alongside studying which can sometimes make it difficult to attend every teaching session in person. As such we have the ability for you to join lectures and seminars through an alternative digital format in prior discussion with your programme leader. Please note that for international students on a student visa you are expected to attend your classes in person. Remote delivery is not an UKVI authorised mode of attendance for the taught element of your course and therefore non-attendance would affect your student visa.

The in-person teaching sessions are timetabled on Wednesdays and Thursdays each week for the full year (both semesters) which allows you to fulfil other commitments you may have, such as work, family and interests.  For part-time students the sessions are timetabled on one day per week only.

If you are interested in studying this subject but cannot commit to the full MSc programme it is also possible to study for a Certificate or Diploma in the subject.

What is a Postgraduate Certificate?

The PgCert - or Postgraduate Certificate - is the shortest of our Masters level offerings, which is completed by studying four modules (60 credits). It allows you to study a specific area of the course in depth but takes less time to complete than the MSc or PgDip.

The PgCert is a great way of fitting postgraduate study around a busy life. Full-time students can complete the course in as little as one year. Part-time students can choose to spread the course up to two years, giving you lots of time for thinking and writing between modules. It is ideal if you want to study a specific subject but would rather not commit to a full MSc with its attendant time and financial costs.

It can be a great way into a career in a new industry but if you desire to continue your studies, PgCert credits can be used to contribute towards a PgDip or even an MSc qualification later down the line. Completing studies using this route is often likened to building blocks – one step at a time – the first step being a PgCert.

Please note that overseas applicants who require a student visa cannot be considered for this course as the weekly contact hours do not meet the UKVI threshold for a full-time Student visa.

What is a Postgraduate Diploma?

The PgDip - or Postgraduate Diploma – is a level 7 course that sits between the PgCert and the full MSc. It allows you to study a subject in depth but without undertaking the Dissertation element. Consequently, it takes substantially less time to complete than the MSc, while still covering the same taught elements. To complete this qualification, you will take eight modules (120 credits).

Full-time students can complete the course in as little as two semesters (one year). Part-time students can choose to spread the course over up to two years, giving you lots of time for thinking and writing between modules. It is ideal for students who want to study a specific subject but would rather not commit to a full MSc with its attendant time and financial costs.

The PgDip can be a great way to boost your career, or enter a new industry. We recognise that life can be unpredictable so the PgDip is built to be as flexible as possible. Should you desire to continue your studies, PgDip credits can be used to contribute towards an MSc qualification later down the line. Conversely, if you need to cut your studies short for any reason, it is also possible to convert the PgDip to a PgCert after the completion of four modules.

Please note, Visa students must be full-time (a min of 15 hours per week) and will need to attend all sessions in person due to UKVI visa requirements.

The modules available for this MSc course are shown below. They may change for your year of study as we regularly review our module offerings to ensure they’re informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Modules

• 4015 Farm Business and Enterprise Management: Critically examine the financial performance of farming businesses
• 4019 Rural Property Law: Critically evaluate the laws of land and property in the context of land management
• 4038A Integrated Agricultural Systems: Explore complex systems including agroforestry, regenerative agriculture and vertical farming
• 4413 Research Skills: Develop research competencies related to data collection and analysis
• 4414 Dissertation: Undertake an independent research project with guidance from a supervisor
• 4742 Planning and Development: Determine and evaluate property and land management institutional frameworks, mechanisms and constraints as they relate to planning theory, law and process relating to the UK
• 4747 Management of Woodlands and the Natural Environment: Create a planting or management plan for real world plantation forest or semi-natural woodland
• 4748 Rural Land and Property in Society: Evaluate the role that rural land management plays in a range of issues affecting society
• 4749 Rural Valuation Practice: Be introduced to the theory and practice of valuation as it applies to rural land and property
• 4750 Land and Estate Management Strategy and Professional Practice: Appraise the different motivations for owning and managing land and estates and the impact on management strategy

Disclaimer information

The University has established various rules and regulations that you must agree to and follow if you accept an offer to study with us. View our full disclaimer notice.

• Rural estate management
• Land and property consultancy
• Valuation
• Residential sales and lettings
• Entrepreneur / business manager
• Utilities and compulsory purchase

"Completing the MSc Rural Estate Management course at the RAU has given me a solid foundation from which I have been able to develop the beginning of my career, providing a grounding in various competencies. Since graduating, I have hit the ground running with my career as a Graduate Surveyor at Batcheller Monkhouse in West Sussex."

Luke Davis, Graduate

We welcome applications from applicants with non-standard qualifications who are able to demonstrate knowledge, experience (in farming, property or countryside management) and skills developed in the workplace or elsewhere and which are relevant to the programme of study. Applicants will need to use their personal statement to provide further details supported by a CV. All non-standard applications will be considered by the Programme Manager on a case-by-case basis and applicants can expect that an interview may be required as part of the admissions process.

If English is not your first language, you will need to reach the requirements outlined in our English language requirements for the level of study. For postgraduate taught programmes this is IELTS Academic min. overall 6.5 with no element below 5.5 (or equivalent). English language tests usually have a validity of two years from the date the test is taken.

Offers will typically be made in line with the academic requirements set out above. Offers can be conditional or unconditional. An unconditional offer will be made to applicants who have already met the conditions and provided evidence that conditions have been met. Where academic or language requirements have not yet been fulfilled, applicants will receive a conditional offer stating the requirements that must be met. 

2025-26 Applicants

For the academic year 2025-26 the tuition fees for the MSc are:  

For the academic year 2025-26 the tuition fees for the PgDip are:  

For the academic year 2025-26 the tuition fees for the PgCert are:  

Tuition fees may be subject to an inflationary increase each year as set out in our Access and Participation Plan.

For full details, please visit the fees and funding webpage.

Please note:  International students can study on a part-time basis only if they are in the UK with a different type of visa (other than Student Visa/Tier 4 General) that allows them to undertake part-time study and their visa does not expire prior to the end date of the proposed course of study.

Scholarships

The University offers a range of generous fee waivers and bursaries. To find out more about the scholarships, awards and bursaries available, please visit the scholarships webpage.