Agriculture (Campus Geel)

Agriculture

About Agriculture

Agriculture is about producing plant and animal products on a large scale. You will learn about cultivating field crops such as maize, grass, grain and beets or about animal production, such as cattle, pigs and poultry. Moreover, sustainable agriculture has practices that are not only economically efficient, but also ecologically and socially acceptable without mortgaging the chances of future generations. Depth is therefore needed to understand agriculture as an applied bioscience and to place it in a complex ecosystem. Knowledge is the key to successful cultivation techniques, responsible livestock breeding systems, ingenious machines, top management and thorough land and environment management. For those who want to further specialise in the management of nature reserves, management areas, forests, recreation areas, parks, etc. and explore the agriculture-nature relationship, we offer the study programme ‘nature and the environment’.

Options:

Animal life

Course content
This option is especially aimed at the domestic animals sector. Animals have always played an important role in the work and lives of people. They keep us company, perform useful tasks or supply milk, meat, eggs and wool. With an emphasis on better production results and animal welfare, agriculturists are still studying food, behaviour and health of domestic animals in a scientific way. This knowledge can also be extended to the field of small domestic animals.

Within families animals have gained a prominent place in the home. Pets also have to answer to the high expectations people place on them. Our highly developed society is prepared to invest time and money in food, care, health and rearing of household pets, having created an entire pet industry. Professionally and academically trained advisors are needed to fill this gap.

Work placement
A three-months’ work placement will offer an excellent opportunity to gain experience and prove that you can indeed put the acquired knowledge into practice.

Job opportunities
You will be responsible for the production of safe and healthy food. You can be a consultant, project leader, production leader, information professional, researcher, official, engineer, commercial employee, company leader, teacher. You will be especially wanted in the agricultural sector and in the supplying sector, nature and environment.

Plant and Animal Production

Course content
You will learn about applied biosciences: sustainable arable farming en livestock farming; design and control of production processes in agriculture; biology and cultivation technique of field crop such as corn, cereals and potatoes; efficient production methods in the animal sector: dairy cattle, pigs, poultry; principles of the technology of farming estates, milking techniques, agricultural machines; design of a farming company: agronomically, technologically, ecologically and economically.

Work placement
A three-months’ work placement will offer an excellent opportunity to gain experience and prove that you can indeed put the acquired knowledge into practice.