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2025/26
2026/27

BSc Agricultural Business Management

  • UCAS code
    D4N2
  • A level offer
    BBB
  • Year of entry
    2026/27 See 2025/26 entry
  • Course duration
    Full Time:  3 Years

Our BSc Agricultural Business Management degree will enable you to become a successful manager or consultant within the agricultural sector.

Study at one of the UK’s leading universities for environmental and ethical performance (the University of Reading is ranked 4th in the People and Planet University League, 2024/25).

The University of Reading is the highest placed UK university for Agriculture and Forestry at 20th in the world (QS World Rankings by Subject, Agriculture and Forestry, 2025). We’re ranked 6th in the UK for Agriculture and Forestry (in the Times & The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025).

This is a multi-disciplinary degree programme combining the study of management with agricultural processes, giving you an understanding of the economic and business principles that underlie management and its application to agricultural and land-based industries. You will gain skills in critical observation and analysis of financial and business management systems to go along with practical knowledge and commercial expertise.

You will develop these skills through contact with a variety of industry professionals, with talks delivered by farm consultancies such as Savills, visits to a wide range of farming businesses and rural estates including Waitrose’s Leckford Estate and the Hall Hunter Partnership. There are also opportunities to attend conferences and seminars on farming and rural development, as well as chances to network and build relationships while you learn. 

In one of our most popular modules you will provide strategic advice to farm businesses based on real data and situations. The businesses do listen to your opinion, and take note of your recommendations. You will also complete a residential study tour within the UK to look at different farming enterprises as part of this degree. 

In the final year, your independent research project allows you to choose a subject that inspires and interests you. This could involve a 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. 

Placement 

If you would like to complete a one-year work placement in between years two and three, you should consider studying BSc Agricultural Business Management with Placement Year. 

In the past, students have undertaken their year in industry in the UK with John Deere, Heygates and Buitelaar Group as well as internationally, in Europe, USA and New Zealand. You will be supported by our Placements Team who will assist with finding and supporting your year out. Some students can also participate in six week summer placements linked to research undertaken at the University, which are generally completed before the final year.

For more information, visit the School of Agriculture, Policy and Development website

New UK/Republic of Ireland students: the University of Reading will charge undergraduate home tuition fees at the upper limit as set by the UK government for the relevant academic year. The fee cap for 2026/27 hasn't been confirmed yet. Please check the fees and funding webpage for the latest information. The annual fee for 2025/26 is £9,535.

New international students: £30,650 for 2026/27. The International tuition fee is subject to annual increases changes in subsequent years of study as set out in your student contract. For more details, please visit our Fees for International Students page.

Tuition fees

To find out more about how the University of Reading sets its tuition fees, see our fees and funding pages.

Additional costs

Some courses will require additional payments for field trips and extra resources. You will also need to budget for your accommodation and living costs. See our information on living costs for more details.

Financial support for your studies

You may be eligible for a scholarship or bursary to help pay for your study. Students from the UK may also be eligible for a student loan to help cover these costs. See our fees and funding information for more information on what's available.

The University of Reading has an outstanding reputation with employers, and graduates are headhunted for key management roles. We are recognised 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 become rural managers, trainee rural managers and employees in a range of farming enterprises. Graduates also work in agricultural contracting, land agency and farm consultancy, financial, accountancy and agricultural banking services, in the UK and overseas.

Graduates work with companies including AB Agri, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Deloitte, Savills, Strutt and Parker, MDS Ltd, The Farm Consultancy Group, Farmcare and Velcourt Farm Management. 

The University of Reading ranks 1st for graduate salary for Agriculture, food and related studies after five years; the average salary calculated at £36,500 is over £8,500 more than the average graduate salary after five years for this subject across all universities (Telegraph analysis of DfE data on the earnings of first degree graduates after five years from English Higher Education Institutions, published in June 2025).