NES8106 : Agricultural Systems
- Offered for Year: 2025/26
- Module Leader(s): Dr Hannah Davis
- Lecturer: Dr Fritha Langford, Prof. Neil Boonham, Dr Tom Reershemius, Dr Dave George, Dr Ankush Prashar
- Owning School: Natural and Environmental Sciences
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 1 Credit Value: | 10 |
| ECTS Credits: | 5.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
The aims of this module are to:
• develop the knowledge and skills required to apply the principles of sustainable arable crop and livestock
production in practice under temperate conditions
• develop the knowledge and skills required to critically evaluate the concepts of crop and livestock production
and the underlying principles of soil health and fertility, environmental protection and appropriate
management methods (crop protection, breeding etc)
Outline Of Syllabus
This two-week module will cover:
1. Soil health, fertility and management
2. Arable production (different crops, introduce rotation)
3. Crop breeding and varieties
4. Crop protection
5. Integrated pest management
6. Precision agriculture
7. Grass and forage production
8. Ruminant management
9. Non-ruminant management
Friday field visits to NU Farms (or other)
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 8 | 2:00 | 16:00 | Lectures on core module material by teaching staff and visiting speakers |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 38:00 | 38:00 | Develop Project Inception report (PIR) with support of supervisor. |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Workshops | 8 | 2:00 | 16:00 | Workshops to develop, research and discuss underpinning lecture material |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Fieldwork | 2 | 6:00 | 12:00 | Field visits |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Dissertation/project related supervision | 1 | 2:00 | 2:00 | Students get the opportunity to network with a range of academics to identify what research they would like to conduct for their dissertation and potential supervisor. |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 1 | 16:00 | 16:00 | Lecture follow up. Student research on materials beyond taught materials |
| Total | 100:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
Lectures deliver the basic knowledge needed by students to understand the principles underlying the cropping and livestock systems.
Workshops provide an opportunity for students to extend and critically assess lecture and published material and information acquired through their own reading, whilst developing team and presenting skills.
Field trips will be a demonstration of current practice and discussion of pragmatic solutions to commercial problems.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Report | 1 | M | 100 | Project Inception Report- develop dissertation, plan and design, risk assessment, and COSHH, ethical assessment and timeline. Approx 2000 words |
Formative Assessments
Formative Assessment is an assessment which develops your skills in being assessed, allows for you to receive feedback, and prepares you for being assessed. However, it does not count to your final mark.
| Description | Semester | When Set | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prof skill assessmnt | 1 | M | Word Skills: Ensure students have worked through the Canvas word processing, excel and powerpoint skills. Professionally styled (with signature) introductory email to at least one potential supervisor, with project idea and request meeting. |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
Summative: The aim of the assessment is to test the student’s ability to design a research project (Project Inception Report) to answer a specific research question, to undertake and report that investigation and to present the information.
Formative: Develops professional communication skills using email. Will gain understanding on the importance of email signatures and clarity of questions. Gets students to start student-supervisor relationship prior to producing their PIF (summative).
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- NES8106's Timetable