Agriculture

Extended Diploma Level 3

Study mode Full time

Location Moulton

Level Level 3

Start date Sept 2025

Duration 2 years

The Agriculture Industry is one of continuous development and innovation.

If working with the land, plant and crop cultivation, livestock care and farm management interests you then this course will set you on track to start your career in Agriculture.

Our Level 3 Extended Diploma in Agriculture students have access to an exciting range of specialist resources at the College, with over 440 hectares of farmed estate on a range of soil types our fully equipped workshops have a range of machinery including tractors, forklifts and all-terrain vehicles.

Guided by our expert staff and guest lecturers you’ll use our extensive farmed estate to develop your knowledge in farm management and diversification.

As part of your course you will undertake commercial experience, where you will learn and develop practical skills that will be vital for your future in agriculture and farm management.

Unit	Aims
Professional Working Responsibilities	This is an exam module. You will study professional responsible working practices with a focus on ensuring health and safety, wellbeing, resource management and waste management in the land-based sectors introduce learners to estate skills and knowledge and how these can be applied in practice. You will develop skills in and knowledge of good practice and professional responsibility towards self and others in the workplace, including the duty of care for the environment, relating this to resource efficiency and responsible management.
Plant & Soil Science	This is an exam module. You will develop an understanding of external and internal plant structures, including plant cells, and about the relationship between these structures and their function. You will gain an understanding of important life processes of plants and how these are affected by their environment. You will also learn about the physical and chemical characteristics of soils as well as different types of soil their characteristics and the essential nutrition in soils that plants need to ensure their success.
Work Experience in the land-based sectors	This is an assignment based module, with 2 assignments. You will examine how good communication and employability skills can improve your prospects in gaining and staying in employment. You will learn how and where to access information about employment vacancies and further courses of study as well as how to develop your curriculum vitae (CV) and adapt it for specific vacancies. You will also learn how to develop good communication, interview and customer service skills.
Estate Skills	This is an assignment based module, with 2 assignments. You will manage estates skills activities, including the planning and implementation of projects carried out by you or others, such as staff or professional contractors. You will develop the knowledge and skills needed to manage the repair, maintenance and installation of the fabric of businesses and organisations that work in the countryside. For this unit you will need to draw on your learning from across the curriculum in Year 1 of your course.
Crop Production	This is an assignment based module with 3 assignments. In this unit, you will gain the skills needed to identify a range of commercially grown crops and their products, including annual, biennial and perennial plants. You will find out how and why crops are grown in specific situations and how crop growth is maintained throughout the production cycle. This will include recognising weeds, pests, diseases and deficiency symptoms, together with recommendations of remedial action that can be undertaken. You will understand the principles of harvesting and develop harvesting skills. You will investigate how crops are monitored in store, and consider how crops are treated while there, to maintain them in an acceptable condition. In order to maintain or improve the quality of crop products, you will learn about conditioning, cleaning, sorting and grading, together with the use of associated equipment.
Livestock Husbandry	This is an assignment based module, with 2 assignments. In this unit, you will explore a range of farming systems and develop specialist knowledge and understanding of farmed livestock handling and husbandry. You will explore farm livestock nutrition and feed systems, creating balanced diets that meet the needs of the animal and the producer. You will develop the skills and experience needed to confidently and safely manage large and sometimes unpredictable animals.
Machinery operations	This is an assignment based module, with 2 assignments. In this unit, you will explore machines relevant to your particular sector of the industry, developing practical skills and understanding of the different conditions in which machinery might need to operate. You will learn how to carry out pre-start checks and maintenance on these machines as well as the safe use and operation of the machine for a variety of tasks. The skills and knowledge gained in this unit will help you to manage the potential dangers involved in operating land-based machinery, and enable you to carry out tasks in a way that prioritises safety and consideration of environmental impact.
Managing Environmental Activities	This is an assignment based module with 2 assignments. In this unit, you will study the changes in farming practices and their impact on the environment. You will undertake habitat and species surveys to measure this impact. Building on your learning from across the qualification, including soil management, plant growth science and land-based and farming practices, you will then undertake a key vocational task for agricultural and land workers. You will plan and carry out habitat management in order to reduce the impact of agricultural activities on the environment.

Unit

Aims

Professional Working Responsibilities

This is an exam module. You will study professional responsible working practices with a focus on ensuring health and safety, wellbeing, resource management and waste management in the land-based sectors introduce learners to estate skills and knowledge and how these can be applied in practice.

You will develop skills in and knowledge of good practice and professional responsibility towards self and others in the workplace, including the duty of care for the environment, relating this to resource efficiency and responsible management.

Plant & Soil Science

This is an exam module. You will develop an understanding of external and internal plant structures, including plant cells, and about the relationship between these structures and their function.

You will gain an understanding of important life processes of plants and how these are affected by their environment. You will also learn about the physical and chemical characteristics of soils as well as different types of soil their characteristics and the essential nutrition in soils that plants need to ensure their success.

Work Experience in the land-based sectors

This is an assignment based module, with 2 assignments. You will examine how good communication and employability skills can improve your prospects in gaining and staying in employment.

You will learn how and where to access information about employment vacancies and further courses of study as well as how to develop your curriculum vitae (CV) and adapt it for specific vacancies. You will also learn how to develop good communication, interview and customer service skills.

Estate Skills

This is an assignment based module, with 2 assignments. You will manage estates skills activities, including the planning and implementation of projects carried out by you or others, such as staff or professional contractors.

You will develop the knowledge and skills needed to manage the repair, maintenance and installation of the fabric of businesses and organisations that work in the countryside.

For this unit you will need to draw on your learning from across the curriculum in Year 1 of your course.

Crop Production

This is an assignment based module with 3 assignments. In this unit, you will gain the skills needed to identify a range of commercially grown crops and their products, including annual, biennial and perennial plants.

You will find out how and why crops are grown in specific situations and how crop growth is maintained throughout the production cycle. This will include recognising weeds, pests, diseases and deficiency symptoms, together with recommendations of remedial action that can be undertaken.

You will understand the principles of harvesting and develop harvesting skills. You will investigate how crops are monitored in store, and consider how crops are treated while there, to maintain them in an acceptable condition.

In order to maintain or improve the quality of crop products, you will learn about conditioning, cleaning, sorting and grading, together with the use of associated equipment.

Livestock Husbandry

This is an assignment based module, with 2 assignments. In this unit, you will explore a range of farming systems and develop specialist knowledge and understanding of farmed livestock handling and husbandry.

You will explore farm livestock nutrition and feed systems, creating balanced diets that meet the needs of the animal and the producer.

You will develop the skills and experience needed to confidently and safely manage large and sometimes unpredictable animals.

Machinery operations

This is an assignment based module, with 2 assignments. In this unit, you will explore machines relevant to your particular sector of the industry, developing practical skills and understanding of the different conditions in which machinery might need to operate.

You will learn how to carry out pre-start checks and maintenance on these machines as well as the safe use and operation of the machine for a variety of tasks.

The skills and knowledge gained in this unit will help you to manage the potential dangers involved in operating land-based machinery, and enable you to carry out tasks in a way that prioritises safety and consideration of environmental impact.

Managing Environmental Activities

This is an assignment based module with 2 assignments. In this unit, you will study the changes in farming practices and their impact on the environment.

You will undertake habitat and species surveys to measure this impact. Building on your learning from across the qualification, including soil management, plant growth science and land-based and farming practices, you will then undertake a key vocational task for agricultural and land workers.

You will plan and carry out habitat management in order to reduce the impact of agricultural activities on the environment.

Unit	Aims
Contemporary issues in the land-based sector	This is an exam based module. This unit explores the challenges that the land-based sector finds themselves in with the backdrop of social, economic, and environmental impacts, helping to develop research, critical thinking and understanding of the impacts on the sector from various topics.
Agricultural Business Improvement	In this unit, you will learn about the features of agricultural businesses, their scope and importance, and the markets in which they operate. You will investigate the external and internal influences that have an impact on the performance of a business, including customer trends and legislation. You will carry out a review of a business’s performance to identify and recommend changes or alternatives to its operations in order to improve performance.
Managing Activities in Agricultural Enterprises	In this unit, you will explore the operation of an agricultural enterprise, its purpose and objectives. Building on learning from across the qualification, including land-based and farming practices, environment management, estates skills and contractor management, you will develop the skills required to be able to step up to the role of managing the operation. You will carry out an evaluation of the management processes and your management activities. You will use your evaluation to prepare recommendations for possible improvements to the management processes and to produce a personal development plan.
Health and Disease	In this unit, you will study the causes, signs and treatments of illness and disease in livestock, along with how pathogens and parasites grow, reproduce and cause infection. This will help you to understand infection identification and control, and the different treatment options available. You will explore practical ways to assess and manage livestock health, including assessment techniques, how to apply basic treatments and implementation of preventative measures. You will learn about the importance of, and skills involved in, planning strategies for managing livestock health along with monitoring and recording health and health care interventions. This will help you to promote and maintain the health status and productivity of livestock species.
Grass & Forage Crop	In this unit, you will investigate in detail crops of local importance as well as the wide range of grass and forage crops produced across the UK. You will investigate the husbandry requirements of a range of forage crops, their botanical and agronomic characteristics, harvesting and storage, together with their nutritional value. You will consider wider agronomic and environmental issues, such as the use of grazing animals for habitat management. You will also consider the husbandry of forage crops, and study their establishment, use and management. This unit will give you the opportunity to undertake practical grazing management tasks and to make relevant recommendations for a forage crop. You will research the harvesting, storage and utilisation of forage crops by a range of livestock species, developing a sound understanding of yield and nutritive content as methods of evaluating the potential feed value of forage crops for feeding livestock.
Sheep Production	In this unit, you will investigate different sheep production systems for hill, upland and lowland sheep, the regulations governing the transportation of livestock, and the need to record medicine usage and all tasks and treatments carried out. You will carry out routine feeding and husbandry tasks throughout the production cycle as part of the management of breeding lambs and newborn lambs, including making up a flock and preparations for tupping, and managing a flock through to lambing. You will find out how production affects animal welfare and develop skills in meeting the nutritional requirements of sheep at different stages in the production cycle, including feed ingredients and ration formulation. You will develop a clear understanding of the legal, economic and environmental factors that contribute to decision making in sheep production. This will allow you to make informed decision in relation to future sheep production.

Unit

Aims

Contemporary issues in the land-based sector

This is an exam based module. This unit explores the challenges that the land-based sector finds themselves in with the backdrop of social, economic, and environmental impacts, helping to develop research, critical thinking and understanding of the impacts on the sector from various topics.

Agricultural Business Improvement

In this unit, you will learn about the features of agricultural businesses, their scope and importance, and the markets in which they operate.

You will investigate the external and internal influences that have an impact on the performance of a business, including customer trends and legislation.

You will carry out a review of a business’s performance to identify and recommend changes or alternatives to its operations in order to improve performance.

Managing Activities in Agricultural Enterprises

In this unit, you will explore the operation of an agricultural enterprise, its purpose and objectives.

Building on learning from across the qualification, including land-based and farming practices, environment management, estates skills and contractor management, you will develop the skills required to be able to step up to the role of managing the operation.

You will carry out an evaluation of the management processes and your management activities. You will use your evaluation to prepare recommendations for possible improvements to the management processes and to produce a personal development plan.

Health and Disease

In this unit, you will study the causes, signs and treatments of illness and disease in livestock, along with how pathogens and parasites grow, reproduce and cause infection.

This will help you to understand infection identification and control, and the different treatment options available. You will explore practical ways to assess and manage livestock health, including assessment techniques, how to apply basic treatments and implementation of preventative measures.

You will learn about the importance of, and skills involved in, planning strategies for managing livestock health along with monitoring and recording health and health care interventions. This will help you to promote and maintain the health status and productivity of livestock species.

Grass & Forage Crop

In this unit, you will investigate in detail crops of local importance as well as the wide range of grass and forage crops produced across the UK.

You will investigate the husbandry requirements of a range of forage crops, their botanical and agronomic characteristics, harvesting and storage, together with their nutritional value.

You will consider wider agronomic and environmental issues, such as the use of grazing animals for habitat management. You will also consider the husbandry of forage crops, and study their establishment, use and management.

This unit will give you the opportunity to undertake practical grazing management tasks and to make relevant recommendations for a forage crop.

You will research the harvesting, storage and utilisation of forage crops by a range of livestock species, developing a sound understanding of yield and nutritive content as methods of evaluating the potential feed value of forage crops for feeding livestock.

Sheep Production

In this unit, you will investigate different sheep production systems for hill, upland and lowland sheep, the regulations governing the transportation of livestock, and the need to record medicine usage and all tasks and treatments carried out.

You will carry out routine feeding and husbandry tasks throughout the production cycle as part of the management of breeding lambs and newborn lambs, including making up a flock and preparations for tupping, and managing a flock through to lambing.

You will find out how production affects animal welfare and develop skills in meeting the nutritional requirements of sheep at different stages in the production cycle, including feed ingredients and ration formulation.

You will develop a clear understanding of the legal, economic and environmental factors that contribute to decision making in sheep production. This will allow you to make informed decision in relation to future sheep production.