Bachelor's Degree Programme in Agricultural and Rural Industries
Key learning outcomes
Bachelors of Natural Resources are able to seek solutions to ensure sustainable and profitable business in bioeconomy and utilise the most recent research data and technology. They are able to develop customer-oriented and innovative products and services. As part of their studies, they are able to produce quality food, other biomasses and energy or grow and use forests in a pluralistic manner depending on their selection. Graduates understand the regularities that underlie bioeconomy. They are able to observe the environmental impact of agriculture and forestry and take care of soil, forests and aquatic systems as part of climate change mitigation and the effort to become carbon-neutral. They are familiar with the Finnish and international operating environment.
Education content and professional growth and know-how
AgriBusiness is the theme running through the entire agriculture and rural industries degree programme. The degree programme includes studies in sustainable and profitable bioeconomy business, the utilisation of the most recent research data and technology in the field and the development of customer-oriented and innovative products and services. The AgriBusiness competence of a Bachelor of Natural Resources is built on transferable skills, professional core competence and complementary competence, which deepens and expands the student’s competence. Students may choose 30 op (credits) of complementary studies from elective professional studies according to their interests. The options include production of quality food or other biomasses, technology, energy production or forestry. The degree also includes 10 op of elective studies. The competence areas of the Bachelor of Natural Resources degree are agriculture and forestry, evolving technologies, production processes, and leadership and business management.
The first year focuses on transferable skills and gaining a basic understanding of the fundamentals, operating preconditions and development trends of bioeconomy.
The second year covers the basics of agriculture and forestry, followed by an in-depth look at sustainable business and production process development in the different sectors of bioeconomy during the following years to complement the student’s competence in the chosen manner. In AgriBusiness studies, students develop their entrepreneurial prerequisites by producing a feasible business plan during their studies. The business idea can be tested in practice during project studies and the thesis can be used in seeking solutions to the most challenging issues.
Flexible studies
The AgriBusiness studies can be completed either full-time or part-time, which allows for studies to be completed flexibly alongside working. Some of the courses are available online.
Students have a choice of alternative or elective studies offered by partner universities in Finland and abroad, such as other universities of applied sciences (CampusOnline), universities and educational institutions involved in the EduFutura collaboration (University of Jyväskylä and Gradia). Higher level studies completed elsewhere may be accredited as part of your degree. The student must have a certificate or some other document to prove that they have completed the studies. Skills acquired elsewhere can also be described and demonstrated to enable accreditation. Further information is available on the web pages for students.
Working life oriented learning
Participating in the extensive research and development activities of the Institute of Bioeconomy offers students opportunities to develop their project work skills and expertise as part of the institute’s teams. The Bioeconomy Campus training farm will be used for the studies. The studies also include practical training after the second and third year in the location of the student’s choosing to expand on the student’s transferrable skills and expertise.
Working life oriented learning is included in bachelor’s degree courses throughout the studies. These include practical training to promote professional skills, the thesis and various working life projects. At JAMK University of Applied Sciences, the operating model for working life oriented and student-driven learning is called JAMK Future Factory®. It combines working life operators, students, JAMK experts and working life oriented LAB environments and other learning environments. In addition to multidisciplinary and working life oriented project studies, it offers students a chance to develop their future working life skills, career paths and networks.
Studification is also among the options offered by working life oriented learning. It refers to combining work, project work, Future Factory activities, etc. with studies. Studification involves students drafting a studification plan and documenting it in the manner agreed with the teacher. Further information is available on the web pages for students.
Career opportunities and employment
The comprehensive AgriBusiness skills of graduates allow for placement in many different kinds of roles. Students may influence their development in the work assignments in keeping with the tasks’ requirements through their choice of studies. Students have been successful in finding employment after graduation. A significant proportion of graduates work as entrepreneurs.
Qualifications
There are no specific degree-related or statutory qualification requirements in the field.
Further studies
Students may, after graduation and a working career of at least two years, apply for studies leading up to a master’s degree. Studies can also be continued by applying for a university master’s degree programme or similar programmes as well as professional teacher education. After a bachelor’s degree from a university of applied sciences, it is also possible to continue studies at higher education institutes abroad on master’s degree level programmes. A university of applied sciences also provides opportunities for continuing education in the form of specialisation studies, open studies, an online study portal (CampusOnline) and working life based continuing education.
A student who completes a master’s degree at a university of applied sciences may apply to continue on to postgraduate studies in science or arts at universities (Act 558/2009, Section 37).
Education planning
A team of teachers has been working on the curriculum together with project experts at the institute. Representatives from other JAMK University of Applied Sciences profit centres and the Teacher Education College have also provided insight into planning the curriculum. An advisory board consisting of representatives of core interest groups of the Institute of Bioeconomy has participated in defining the objectives of the curriculum and provided feedback on the AgroBusiness study module. The curriculum has been presented at several interest group events, and the resulting feedback has been taken into consideration in drafting the curriculum. Students have also been asked to provide feedback to help in drafting the curriculum.
Contact Information
Riihinen Arto
Senior Lecturer, Institute of Bioeconomy
+358407694793
firstname.lastname@jamk.fi