I think Agricultural Science is a really important major.
In today's environment,
we are very concerned about food security.
We're also really concerned about the environment.
And yet we know
that our population is continuing to increase.
And will increase till at least around 2050.
And so we have to be able to feed those people
in a way that is going to continue
to look after our environment.
Agricultural Science is a really broad area of study
and it covers everything from soils
through to crop production, livestock management,
animal science, animal health,
as well as looking at sort of the business of agriculture
and policy areas within government too.
Within the Agricultural Science major,
they will take 50 points of subjects
that relate to agricultural science.
And those 50 points are in their third year.
But through their first and second year,
they will take a variety of science and breadth subjects,
and some of those subjects will also lead
into the major as well.
In relation to the Ag Science major
at the University of Melbourne,
it's fantastic that students can be studying
a Bachelor of Science at a world-class university
where we've got leading academics
and great facilities for students.
One of the things that is unique
about Melbourne University is that it does have
a number of different campuses,
including the Dookie campus,
which is a 2,400 hectare working farm
with a variety of enterprises on that farm
and many different soil types,
and different cropping varieties,
and various animal enterprises as well.
So it's a great opportunity for the students
to be able to come and see what is a, you know,
virtually a commercial working farm.
For a student who's got an interest in agriculture,
we do have excellent industry connections
with the agricultural sector as well,
that can lead on
to some fantastic career opportunities post their degree.
The Agricultural Science major
within the Bachelor of Science is really suited to a student
who really wants to focus
taking their science education further.
The subjects are designed
to be able to apply the knowledge that they're learning
within some of the soil science area.
They may well do a field trip to, say, the Dookie campus,
which is in the northern part of Victoria,
where they can actually look
at the various different soil types
and the impact that has on plant health
and how we might grow plants through those soils.
And soil health is
a really important area within agriculture.
One of the things that students really enjoy
about getting out with, say, field trips is
the opportunity to put science into practice.
And I think that that's where they really say,
"Okay, I've been studying these scientific concepts
perhaps in a laboratory
or through other mechanisms at the Parkville campus,"
but they can go on a field trip and say,
"How does this relate to the real world?
What does this mean
in terms of how would I use this in a career going forward?
Is this something I really enjoy?
And is it a career that I would like to be involved in?"
We have a subject within the major,
that is the capstone subject
for the major that all students within that major do.
And the reason that we get all students
to do that subject is because it's the opportunity
to bring everything they've learnt
together in their degree
to address the grand challenges of agriculture.
They get to work in groups and pick a grand challenge
that they're interested in
and think about how they will actually address that,
come up with solutions to problems.
And the other really great thing about that subject is
that they get to work with the industry as they do that.
One of the things that students say to me
at the end of having completed their major is
that the things that they've learned are
so important to the future.
And whether that's dealing with emissions
or whether that's dealing with how we can produce
against a backdrop of climate variability
or looking after the environment,
it's things that in the end really resonate with them,
and they know that they're making
a really important contribution to just not their own future
but the future of humanity as well.
I often get asked the question
about where do our students end up.
It really is very diverse.
Everything from animal welfare, animal management,
animal nutrition, through to crop production, soil health,
agribusiness banking is another really big area,
government policy.
And of course a lot of them go
into further research as well.
So they've got this great diversity of careers
that really set them up for life.
And we have so many employers coming to us all the time
looking for graduates.
But it's a career that can really make a difference as well.
At the moment, there's about five jobs
for every graduate within agriculture.
Both nationally and internationally,
there's really great career opportunities.
I certainly get calls from industry every week,
two or three calls from industry people every week
asking for students and looking for graduates.