The course provides a thorough grounding in agriculture, including crop and animal science and husbandry, agricultural economics, marketing and business management. Equine production systems, science, management and financial control are integral aspects of the degree course. For practical equine experience, we are superbly situated. We are surrounded by all types of equine enterprises, including our own 90-stable polo and livery business. Indeed, many students utilise this venue for reasonably priced DIY livery for their own horses. You will undertake a work placement during the course which will provide a detailed understanding of the nature of the agricultural or equine-related business sectors. These placements provide excellent contacts and experience, greatly enhancing future job opportunities for graduates. The course benefits from the expertise of the many visiting speakers who come from within the top level of all areas of the equestrian industry in Great Britain. Staff have close working relationships with all the main equestrian bodies in the country and you also benefit from our extensive links with agriculture. You will carry out an in-depth study of the international equestrian industry. These studies are carried out in north west Europe and the USA. A second language is taught in French, German or Spanish, aimed at providing you with business language competence. (It may not always be possible to teach languages at all levels of competence. If there are not enough students at a particular level, you may be asked to study at a different level or another language.) These studies have proved to be extremely popular and beneficial, and offer unique opportunities to understand the international equine industry, thereby increasing future employability. You will also undertake a final year honours project specialising in a subject area of particular interest or relevance to your future employment. Moreover, students have been successful in publishing results from this process, or presenting data at international conferences.

This course provides a basis for careers within agriculture, and also for equine and leisure-related rural enterprises. In addition, the experience gained by graduates enables them to make a success of careers in a number of non-equine related businesses e.g. journalism, event organising, marketing and accountancy. The continuing diversification in land use requires leaders of rural development programmes and managers of farms and estates to be able to deal with both food production and leisure industries. Graduates are trained to take responsibility for farming and equine businesses.