BSc (Hons) Rural Land Management (Foundation Year)
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
This degree course with a foundation year incorporates an extra year of study at the start of your course, so that you can progress with confidence. It will develop the skills you need for your later studies. It is particularly suitable if:
- You don’t have the grades for immediate entry onto a three-year course
- You have non-traditional qualifications or experience
- You’re starting university after some time away from education
- You’re looking for more support during the transition into university study
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
In your third year 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.
The Integrated Foundation Year is suitable for applicants who have taken level 3 qualifications (A levels, BTEC etc.) in the UK. Overseas students who have not studied in the UK and completed their secondary education in their country, should look at taking an Integrated Foundation Programme in order to meet the entry criteria for the degree programmes offered by the RAU.
Please note that a foundation year is not the same as a foundation degree (FdSc). A foundation year will usually lead onto a three-year degree course, whereas a foundation degree is a standalone qualification generally studied for two years.
For UK students (as of March 2020) a visa may not be required but this may change. For non UK/EU nationals (current Tier 4 visa students), the student will have to arrange their own visa.
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.
Course content
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 final 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.
Foundation year
The Foundation year will provide a common core of academic and study skills sufficient to prepare you for subsequent study and academic success at undergraduate level. It will give core underpinning knowledge, skills and understanding in key areas of contemporary issues, provide underpinning subject-related skills and knowledge in key areas required for undergraduate study, including Mathematics, Numeracy and IT. It will also provide generic skills and academic knowledge to support your confidence and discipline as appropriate for higher education study and give subject-specific grounding, in terms of research topics and study focus, to support progression into degree level study in your chosen degree.
- 0IFY1 Managing Landscape
- 0IFY2 Digital Skills
- 0IFY3 Rural Business Skills
- 0IFY4 Land Related Studies
- 0IFY5 Change in the Countryside
- 0IFY6 Enterprise and Marketing
- 0IFY7 Environment and Conservation Data Handling
- 0IFY8 Agriculture and Farming
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.
Careers and graduate destinations
- 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
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 EEE) – minimum of 48 UCAS tariff points across either three A-levels or two A-levels and two AS level subjects or equivalent qualifications
- C&G Advanced Technical/BTEC - Level 3 Extended Diploma (1080) at Pass-Pass-Pass
- International Baccalaureate: 24 points
- Access to Higher Education: Pass course with 45 credits at level 3 (Pass in Functional Skills level 2 are accepted in lieu of GCSE English & Mathematics)
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.
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:
- Email: admissions@rau.ac.uk
- Telephone: +44 (0)1285 889912
Fees
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.
Ready to take the plunge? Apply now
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.