Agriculture, Forestry, Ecology, Nutritional Sciences & Veterinary Medicine
For a Sustainable Future Helping to make the World a Better Place
What do vets, foresters and nutritional scientists have in common? A solid understanding of the natural sciences. Agriculture and related sciences bring together a wide range of disciplines including, for example, animal and land management, food science, economics, horticulture, technology, and environmental conservation.
Scientific subjects, like botany, zoology, chemics, and physics play an important role – depending on the branch of study with a different focus. Economics and business administration are part of the study as well as principles of social sciences in the area of agriculture and agronomics.
In the area of engineering sciences, surveying is of importance for forestry, timber industry, and landscape conservation. The wood engineering program focuses on technical teaching professions such as in machine technology (e.g. with an introduction to the NC-, CNC- and CAM-technique) and engineering construction, e.g. statics and strength theory as well as introductions to CAD-techniques. Design theory is part of landscape conservation and – depending on the education institute – of wood technique.
Ecological Aspects and the sustainable management or rural places gain importance in education.
Very different studies are counted to this study field, from agronomics, forestry, viniculture, and horticulture to timber industry, wood technology, landscape architecture, and landscape conservation. It offers study opportunities both at universities and at colleges.
Animal science
Agriculture
Forestry and arboriculture
Food and beverage studies
Agricultural Sciences
A number of courses are accredited by their respective awarding bodies to show they provide the knowledge and skills required by employers in that field, e.g. ecology, nutrition, and arboriculture. There are also a number of veterinary nursing courses on offer that leads to professional accreditation in this career.
Farming, Agriculture, Viniculture
Farming and agriculture address the economic and commercial use and cultivation of farmland for crop and livestock production. This includes wine-growing (viniculture) and the processing of agricultural produce, such as dairy farming.
Studies in agriculture and the more technology orientated field of farming at universities of applied sciences generally lead to careers in teaching, consultancy, and administration, and more rarely to practical “hands-on” work as a farmer. Agriculture is based on science, engineering, economics and business management, and social sciences, including the use of electronic control equipment to produce optimum yields.
Forestry, Forest Management
The field of forest science and forestry deals with the ecosystem of forests and its scheduled use to meet society’s demands.
Forest science and forestry include the economic use of forests as well as their relevance to our environment, in particular for the sustainable efficiency of the ecosystem, the climate, the water balance, clean air, soil fertility, the countryside, farming, agriculture and the infrastructure, as well as rest and recreation for the population.
Horticultural Sciences
Horticulture builds on the scientific, economic, sociological and technical principles and knowledge needed to facilitate the best possible environment-conserving crop production and breeding for human nutrition and for the enhancement and visual improvement of the living environment.
Landscape Management
Landscape architecture prepares students for positions as landscape architects. It delivers the knowledge and skills required for planning, designing and drawing up projects, for building, preserving, developing and re-cultivating parks and open and recreational areas and spaces.
Wood and Timber Management, -Engineering, – Construction, -Interior Fitting and Refinishing
Wood is extremely versatile and continues, as ever, to be one of the most widely used materials, often in combination with metals, plastics, glass or other materials (furniture, construction).
The processing of wood (sawn timber, veneer, boards), its manufacture into finished products (structural components, wooden units, furniture, wooden products) and use, above all, in the chemical industry (cellulose, paper, fiberboard), have resulted in the development of wood-specialised training for industrial and materials engineers.
Requirements for a study in the field of agriculture and forestry are average or good skills in mathematics and other sciences, as well as the ability to plan and organize, mechanical and technical appreciation, commercial thinking and the ability to establish contact and communication. An important professional requirement is also physical capacity.
To get on to a agriculture and forestry-related degree, you will usually require at least GPA 3.5 HSC or two A levels, including biology and preferably chemistry. You are also required to take a specific number of Soft Skills and Communicative Foreign Language programs as a part of your degree.
Key areas of Employment
This Subject area has a strong Vocational link, with the key areas of Employment being Management, Consultancy, Development, and Research in the Following Sectors:
agriculture, forestry, and horticulture
education
engineering and manufacturing
environment and conservation
local and central government services
pharmaceutics
sales and marketing
technical media and journalism
voluntary and charitable organizations
Related Careers
animal nutritionist
arboricultural officer
agricultural consultant
countryside officer
environmental consultant
field trials officer
farm manager
fish farm manager
food scientist
forest manager
horticultural consultant
plant breeder/geneticist
research scientist
veterinary nurse
