University of Sydney Handbooks - 2012 Archive

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Postgraduate coursework

Postgraduate studies are available towards a Master of Agriculture, Graduate Diploma in Agriculture and Graduate Certificate in Agriculture.

Admission requirements for the Master of Agriculture, Graduate Diploma in Agriculture and Graduate Certificate in Agriculture are normally a bachelor's degree or an equivalent qualification. In some instances the admission requirements may be met by evidence of general or professional qualifications and appropriate work experience to indicate that the student has the academic preparation and capacity to complete the course in question. With the approval of the Dean, students may be granted admission with advanced standing if they have completed relevant prior learning at an equivalent level elsewhere.

Many units are based on compulsory fieldwork carried out before the semester starts. All coursework students should be available to participate in fieldwork excursions two weeks prior to the starting date of semester.

Students may transfer between courses and receive credit for any completed units, provided they have not taken out the award from which they are transferring.

The Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma and the Master of Agriculture testamur will specify the area of specialisation:

  • Agribusiness
  • Agricultural Economics
  • Agricultural Technologies
  • Forest Systems
  • Natural Resource Management
  • Resource Economics
  • Sustainable Agriculture
  • Sustainable Horticulture.
 

Graduate Certificate in Agriculture

Graduate Diploma in Agriculture

Master of Agriculture


These resolutions must be read in conjunction with applicable University By-laws, Rules and policies including (but not limited to) the University of Sydney (Coursework) Rule 2000 (the 'Coursework Rule'), the Resolutions of the Faculty, the University of Sydney (Student Appeals against Academic Decisions) Rule 2006 (as amended) and the Academic Board policies on Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism.

Course resolutions

1 Course codes

Code

Course title

BG000

Graduate Certificate in Agriculture

BF018

Graduate Diploma in Agriculture

BC030

Master of Agriculture

2 Master's type

The master's degree in these resolutions is an advanced learning master's course, as defined by the Coursework Rule.

3 Embedded courses in this sequence

(1)
The embedded courses in this sequence are:
(a)
the Graduate Certificate in Agriculture
(b)
the Graduate Diploma in Agriculture
(c)
the Master of Agriculture
(2)
Providing candidates satisfy the admission requirements for each stage, a candidate may progress to the award of any of the courses in this sequence. Only the longest award completed will be conferred. The graduate diploma is a terminating qualification that cannot progress to the Master of Agriculture.

4 Admission

(1)
Available places will be offered to qualified applicants in the order in which complete applications are received, according to the following admissions criteria. In exceptional circumstances the Dean may admit applicants without these qualifications who, in the opinion of the faculty, have qualifications and evidence of experience and achievement sufficient to successfully undertake the award.
(2)
Admission to the Graduate Certificate in Agriculture requires a bachelor's degree or an equivalent qualification.
(3)
Admission to the Graduate Diploma in Agriculture requires:
(a)
a bachelor's degree or an equivalent qualification; or
(b)
completion of the requirements of an embedded graduate certificate in this discipline from the University of Sydney, or equivalent qualification.
(4)
Admission to the Master of Agriculture requires:
(a)
a bachelor's degree with a credit average or an equivalent qualification; or
(b)
completion of the requirements of an embedded graduate certificate in this discipline from the University of Sydney, or equivalent qualification.

5 Requirements for award

(1)
The units of study that may be taken for the courses are set out in Table A.
(2)
To qualify for the award of the Graduate Certificate in Agriculture a candidate must complete 24 credit points including one specialisation.
(3)
To qualify for the award of the Graduate Diploma in Agriculture a candidate must complete 36 credit points including one specialisation.
(4)
To qualify for the award of the Master of Agriculture a candidate must complete 48 credit points, including:
(a)
24 credit points of core units of study; and
(b)
24 credit points of elective units of study.
(c)
With permission, up to 12 credit points of the elective requirements may be taken from other graduate courses outside the Faculty.

6 Specialisations

(1)
Completion of a specialisation is a requirement of the graduate certificate and graduate diploma, and requires the accumulation of 12 credit points chosen from units of study listed in the table for that specialisation. The specialisations available are:
(a)
Agribusiness
(b)
Agricultural Economics
(c)
Agricultural Technologies
(d)
Forest Systems
(e)
Natural Resource Management
(f)
Resource Economics
(g)
Sustainable Agriculture
(h)
Sustainable Horticulture
(2)
Not every specialisation is available every year.
(3)
Candidates for the Master of Agriculture will be awarded a specialisation based on the research area covered in their core units.

7 Course transfer

A candidate for the master or graduate diploma may elect to discontinue study and graduate with a shorter award from this embedded sequence, with the approval of the Dean, and provided the requirements of the shorter award have been met.

8 Transitional provisions

(1)
These resolutions apply to students who commenced their candidature after 1 January, 2011 and students who commenced their candidature prior to 1 January, 2011 who elect to proceed under these resolutions.
(2)
Candidates who commenced prior to 1 January, 2011 may complete the requirements in accordance with the resolutions in force at the time of their commencement, provided that requirements are completed by 1 January, 2016. The Faculty may specify a later date for completion or specify alternative requirements for completion of candidatures that extend beyond this time.