Euan Grassie

My RAU experience

I chose to study FdSc Agriculture and Farm Management because I wanted a dynamic degree that would teach me practical skills, as well as academic. When researching the course, what really stuck out to me was the wide range of careers available to me after university, as well as the opportunity to gain qualifications alongside my degree. 

One of the major highlights of my experience on the course so far must be the visit to Melview Farm. It was interesting to see a unique beef farm integrating different types of health monitoring technology to cut down on costs and labour. In addition to this, the farm manager was very kind and offered to provide information to help with assignments and placements! 

The most enjoyable aspect of studying at the RAU for me must be the lecturers and class sizes. At the RAU, many of our lecturers are industry professionals that understand our student body and tailor the course delivery to best suit our needs. In addition to this, the small class sizes mean that lecturers are always reachable, and classes are tight-knit groups.  

What I gained from the RAU 

I do not come from a farming background, so understanding terms, practices and management techniques was not something I was able to do. The RAU has helped me greatly to understand the agricultural industry by organising work placements, delivering practical lecturing and placing students on farm visits.  

My career aspiration is to manage beef cattle ranches in the United States. The RAU has assisted me with this goal by helping to organise my work placement. I undertook my work placement on three beef cattle ranches in Southwestern United States. These ranches operated different systems, which enabled to learn a range of management practices.  In addition to this, many assignments allow you to explore different systems and management practices that enabled me to understand more about the American beef industry.

If you are looking for a tight knit welcoming student body, and lecturers that deliver personal and practical teaching in Agriculture, then the RAU is a great choice.