BSc (Hons) Rural Land Management

UCAS Code

N231

Location

Royal Agricultural University Campus

Duration

3 Years (full time)

Academic Year

30 September 2024 to 30 May 2025

This course offers proven routes to rewarding careers within rural business, estate management, consultancy and property in the countryside. Bidwells, Strutt and Parker, Carter Jonas, Dalcour Maclaren, Savills, Fisher German and Brown&Co are some of the nationally recognised businesses our graduates have gone on to work for – and so could you. Together with the Pilkington Farms Partnership, the RAU has introduced a generous award designed to reward academic performance and to celebrate excellence and innovation in real estate and land management, to find out more please click on the link at the bottom of the page.

Course overview

Accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), you will learn the fundamentals of rural professional practice as well as planning and development, law, valuation, building construction and management. You will develop an essential understanding of sustainability and wider business management to enable you to provide effective advice about farm, estate and other rural businesses while gaining an overall understanding of the multi-functionality of rural practice.

This degree is the ideal launch pad into the world of rural land management, or other sectors, depending on your career aspirations, and you can gain some additional real-world experience and carve your first steps into your future career through the work placement.

Typically, graduates enter employment in rural practice surveying to undertake the two-year Assessment of Professional Competence (APC) and qualify as chartered surveyors.

Many graduates also seek qualification as Fellows of the Central Association of Agricultural Valuers (CAAV) at the same time as completing the APC. During your time here, you can enjoy the benefits of a student membership of both RICS and CAAV.

 

 

If you are interested in finding out more about the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), they have produced this short video highlighting their recent work.

Work placement

You will complete a minimum of 70 hours of work experience as an assessed part of your course. Our Careers Team run a careers fair each year, providing you with an opportunity to meet with potential employers. There is also an option of a full placement year. 

Many of our students are also recognised as the future of the industry. Hear from Grace Gardiner, finalist in the South West Women in Property Student Awards 2020, talking about sustainability in land management. 

Top 10 land and property management

 

Course content

You will learn through a series of lectures, seminars, group tutorials, practical sessions and visits to local farms, commercial properties and rural estates. Modules are assessed through a range of coursework, often based on real-life case studies and sponsored by land management firms, which help you to see the practical application of the subjects you are studying. In your third year, case studies are supplied by practising surveyors from their own portfolios of work.

Modules are assessed through a range of coursework, often based on real-life case studies and sponsored by land management firms, which help you to see the practical application of the subjects you are studying. In your third year, case studies are supplied by practising surveyors from their own portfolios of work.

You will complete a research project in a subject area of specific interest. The course is also flexible and it is possible to transfer on to the Real Estate degree if certain conditions are met.

Timetables

Please note that while we make every effort to ensure that timetables are as student-friendly as possible, scheduled teaching can take place on any day of the week. Wednesday afternoons are normally reserved for sports and societies activities.

Modules

Each module is worth a specified number of credits. Each credit equates to 10 hours of total study time. Total study time includes scheduled teaching, independent study and assessment activity.

Full time students normally take modules worth 60 credits per 15 week semester but this can vary depend on your elective choice. Part time students taking proportionally fewer credits per semester. All students take a total of 120 credits per level and 360 credits for the degree as a whole. Your overall grade for your degree is based on marks obtained for modules taken at level 5 and level 6 (weighted 30:70 accordingly.)

The modules available for this degree 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.

Year one

In the first year, you will develop an understanding of agriculture and rural land use. You will be introduced to core property studies in law, valuation and building construction, and gain an understanding of economics, accounting and finance.

  • 1014 Building Technology (pre-requisite to to 2334 & 2336)
  • 1015 Law 1 (pre-requisite to 2030)
  • 1016 Valuation 1 (pre-requisite to 2037)
  • 1044 Agriculture for Land Management (pre-requisite to 2336)
  • 1320 Fundamentals of Land and Property
  • 1321 Land and Property Economics
  • 1400 Developing Academic Skills
  • 1443 Business Finance and Accounts

Year two

  • 2030 Law 2
  • 2037 Valuation 2
  • 2066 Business, Property Finance and Taxation
  • 2333 Planning Law and Practice
  • 2334 Surveying, Inspection and Measurement
  • 2335 Forestry, Land and Resources
  • 2336 Agricultural Systems and Buildings
  • 2337 Personal and Professional Development Skills and Employability

Year three

In the third year, you will complete a research dissertation on a subject of your choosing, and select two elective modules to suit your specialist areas of interest.

  • 3033 Agricultural Law and Valuation
  • 3244 Estate Business Management and Diversification
  • 3245 Infrastructure and Compulsory Purchase
  • 3300 Research Project / Dissertation
  • 3441 Contemporary Issues in Land, Property and Society

Plus a choice of TWO electives selected from a broad range, including:

  • 3007 Commercial Property Management
  • 3080 Heritage Property
  • 3090 Forestry and Woodland Management
  • 3215 Advanced Residential Agency
  • 3246 Development and Development Appraisal
  • 3316 Changing Consumer Behaviour

The availability of electives to individual students will be dependent on timetabling considerations and on sufficient students electing to take part.

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.

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Careers and graduate destinations

Our graduates have gone on to work for the likes of the National Trust and other national, international and regional landowners, county councils and utility companies. Others have secured work with private estates and chartered surveyors. You can expect to find work in any number of the areas connected to rural property management, including: 
  • Land and property consultancy
  • Valuation
  • Estate management
  • Residential sales and lettings
  • Entrepreneurs/business managers
  • Auctioneers
  • Utility and compulsory purchase

In the last two years, the main property employers of Rural Land Management graduates have been:

Bagshaws, Balfours, Batcheller Monkhouse, Bell Ingram, Bidwells, Brown & Co, Bruton Knowles, Buccleuch Estates, Carter Jonas, Cheffins, CKD Galbraith, CLA, Colliers International, Cooper & Tanner, Dalcour Maclaren, Duchy of Cornwall, Fenn Wright, Fisher German, Fisher German Preistner, George F White, Godfrey Payton, Halls, Hinson Parry & Co, Hobbs, Parker Kivells, Knight Frank, Lambert & Foster, Maxey Grounds & Co, Moore Allen & Innocent, National Trust, PJSA Chartered Surveyors, RH & RW Clutton, Rendells, Savills, Stags, Strutt and Parker, Staffordshire County Council, Symonds & Sampson, Taylor & Fletcher, United Utilities Water, Valuation Office Agency, Webb Paton, Whirledge & Nott, Wright Manley.

"From the work placement I was offered a job with Fisher German which I am so grateful for."

Alice Foster, Graduate

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Entry requirements

Typical offers

Required: GCSE minimum five GCSEs at Grade C/4 including English Language and Mathematics (or Maths Numeracy for Welsh applicants) plus satisfactory level 3 qualifications:

  • A-Level: (Example grades BCC) – minimum of 104 UCAS tariff points across three A-Levels or equivalent qualifications 
  • C&G Advanced Technical/BTEC  - Level 3 Extended Diploma (1080) at Distinction-Merit-Merit
  • C&G NPTC/C&G Advanced Technical/BTEC - Level 3 Diploma (720), Extended Certificate (360) and 90-Credit Diploma (540) acceptable when accompanied by other Level 3 qualifications
  • International Baccalaureate: 26 points
  • Access to Higher Education: 45 credits at level 3, of which 21 must be awarded at Distinction and 15 at Merit or higher. (Pass at Functional Skills level 2 are accepted in lieu of GCSE English & Mathematics)
  • A period of relevant practical experience is also highly recommended

Other level 3 qualifications will be considered.

Visit the UCAS website to calculate your UCAS Tariff points from the qualifications and grades achieved.

You may also be eligible for a contextual offer if you’re from one of our link colleges, have been in care, from a non-white ethnic background, live in an area with low progression rates to university or you are a veteran/child of an armed forces family.

Flexible entry

The University welcomes interest from applicants who may not have the standard entry requirements. A wide range of qualifications and experience are accepted in order to join University degree programmes. The University always considers evidence of personal, professional (APL) and educational experience, (APEL), which show an ability to meet the demands of their intended programme of study.

Further information

Alternative entry routes are available for a range of other qualifications. Prior experience is also considered, subject to approval by the programme manager and admissions staff.

Read more general information about our entry requirements.

If you don't meet the entry requirements of this course, you may be eligible for one of our Foundation degree courses or another related degree course.

International students will also need to achieve IELTS Academic or equivalent at the appropriate level for your programme of study. English language requirements for international students.

For any further help, please contact our admissions team:  

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Fees

Tuition fees cover the cost of a student’s academic studies. This usually includes teaching costs, registration and examination fees (not repeat or trailing modules, re-sit fees or coursework resubmission). Any costs associated with work placements will be the student's responsibility.

2024-25 Applicants

For the academic year 2024-25 the tuition fees for this course are: 

  UK International
Full-time £9,250 per year £15,300 per year

For part-time study, please contact admissions@rau.ac.uk for further information.

Please also refer to the funding your time at university page.

Tuition fees may be subject to an inflationary increase each year as set out in our Access and Participation Plan 2019/20.

If you are an Irish national you can check if you meet the requirements for Home Fees. Please visit the UKCISA website and consult the pdf guide “England HE – who pays Home Fees”. First check category ‘3 years in Republic of Ireland/UK/Islands, settled in UK’ or ‘Brexit temporary offer for courses starting before 2028: Irish citizens with residence in Europe or overseas territories’. You will possibly need to be fee assessed when you submit an application for study to the RAU.

Scholarships

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

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Ready to take the plunge? Apply now

Applications to study at the Royal Agricultural University must be made through the UCAS system. This applies to all undergraduate courses.

Applications should be made by the UCAS deadline to ensure we are able to offer you a place on your first choice course. However, if you have missed the deadline please contact Admissions@rau.ac.uk as there are usually places available.

If you would like to apply during UCAS Extra or Clearing, please check that we have places available.

Applicants wishing to study on a course on a part-time basis will need to apply directly to the RAU.

Please contact admissions@rau.ac.uk to discuss your requirements and obtain an application form.