The BSc Agriculture with Placement Year degree covers everything that impacts production in the supply chain. It prepares you for senior roles in a wide range of farming enterprises. The University of Reading is the highest-ranking UK university for this subject area and ranked 9th globally in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2018 (Agriculture & Forestry). The difference between this course and BSc Agriculture is that it includes a year in industry between the second and final year. In the past, students have undertaken their year in industry in the UK with DairyCo and Case New Holland, as well as internationally, in Europe and New Zealand. As part of the degree you can study globally recognised farming practices on the University's own farms. These include livestock production (Centre for Dairy Research), agronomy (Crops Research Unit) and environmental enhancement (Centre for Agri-Environmental Research). You can focus on animal science and production, crop science and production, agri-environment or agri-business, or tailor your course to your own interests by combining these areas. You'll have the opportunity to visit a wide range of local farming businesses, rural estates and business in the related sectors including Waitrose’s Leckford Estate, Sygenta and NIAB TAG Visiting speakers include those at the forefront of the industry from agronomists to those involved in the livestock and dairy sectors, giving you the chance to network and build relationships while you learn. In one of our most popular modules you will grow a winter cereal, test it in the lab for quality and then sell it to merchants. You will also complete a week-long study tour to a different part of the country to look at different farming enterprises as part of this degree. In the final year, your dissertation allows you to choose a subject that inspires and interests you. This could involve your home farm, including your home farm, research at the University or an enterprise that you’ve had contact with during the course. Outside of the curriculum, the student-run Agri-club runs the UK’s largest student conference. It gives you the opportunity to debate key issues like food security and self-sufficiency and get your voice heard. **Careers** The University of Reading has an outstanding reputation with employers and we are known for giving our students an excellent starting point for the development of a vast range of careers in agricultural and land-based industries in the UK and overseas. Graduates from this course have gone into a wide variety of jobs in areas such as agronomy, livestock nutrition, and farm management. Companies that have worked with and employed graduates include HGCA, NIAB TAG, AHDB Dairy and McDonald's. The Royal Farms have also taken a graduate from the University of Reading directly into a farm management role.