This course is normally offered to students who have successfully completed a FdSc/HND in Agriculture; students may believe that farming is a way of life, but it is also a highly advanced technological industry; in the UK approximately 2% of the working population are directly involved in farming, whereas 15% are involved in the food chain from farm to fork; over the last few years we have seen considerable change in the rural economy with increasing emphasis being placed on rural diversification and the management of rural land for alternative uses; there is an increasing demand for highly skilled practitioners with an understanding of the options available and business management skills to advise and lead on these developments; whilst a FdSc/HND is a highly sought after qualification there are a number of opportunities which require a graduate qualification on entry; this course gives students the opportunity to convert their FdSc/HND to a non-honours degree in 12 months or to an honours degree in 2 years or less; the option of joining the degree programme with advanced standing means that further development of the underlying principles and their application can take place without the need to repeat the first year of an honours degree programme; this reduces the time spent studying and the financial burden is minimised.