Man wearing hat smiling in a paddock

Course snapshot

Domestic snapshot

  • Start Date

    March, July

  • Duration

    1 year part-time

  • Location

    Lismore, Online

  • Placement

    Yes  Learn more

  • Course abbreviation

    GradCertRA

  • Course code

    1008140

  • Credit points

    48

  • Equivalent units

    4

  • Scholarships

  • Indicative fee

Please note, some locations may not have all intake periods available. See the full availability details for further information.

International snapshot

  • Start Date

  • Duration

    1 year part-time

  • Location

  • Placement

    Yes  Learn more

Please note, some locations may not have all intake periods available. See the full availability details for further information.

Overview

Industrial agriculture is facing a growing number of serious challenges, with degrading soils, increasing inputs and reduced water holding capacity across Australian landscapes. Looking to the future of food production demands that we rethink our approach to farming systems.

The Graduate Certificate in Regenerative Agriculture is designed for students who want to be a part of a new way of farming that better supports, and is supported by natural processes, building more resilient farms and farmers in a future of increased seasonal and weather variability.

This course is ideal for students from multi-disciplinary, science, agricultural and business backgrounds to gain postgraduate qualifications in the field of regenerative agriculture.

Greg in field

“We had two or three residentials a year and that included farm visits. We visited a whole range of farms, from strawberry farms to cotton farms, beef enterprises, and horticulture. It gave us an opportunity to speak to real farmers who are putting into practice what we were learning.”

The Southern Cross Model is a game-changer in higher education study.

Our students now engage in shorter, six-week unit structures designed around immersive and interactive learning experiences. The shorter unit structure gives students a greater sense of momentum as they achieve milestones quickly, resulting in increased student success rates, and course and teacher satisfaction. Lectures are a thing of the past - students will be engaged in active, interactive and discussion-based learning.

On-campus students experience a variety of teaching approaches including lectures, tutorials, online activities and video-linked or podcast virtual classes.

Our online study option is highly interactive and may include a combination of podcast or video-linked lectures, electronic study materials, workshops, online discussion forums and virtual classes.

The method of teaching and assessment may vary from unit to unit.

Learn more

Course Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a course. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes (GA).

Course Learning Outcome

GA1: Intellectual rigour

Develop a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of the nature of complex socio-ecological systems.

GA2: Creativity

Develop creative solutions to dynamic complex problems in agriculture, by synthesising information from a range of relevant sources and disciplines.

GA3: Ethical practice

Be resourceful and effective at reflecting on the role of self, ethics and continuous learning in building new discipline-specific knowledge and applying it to socio-ecological challenges in science and agriculture.

GA4: Knowledge of a discipline

Demonstrate an integrative understanding of agriculture by explaining the role and relevance of regenerative agriculture, its related sciences, and agribusiness in society

GA5: Lifelong learning

Be resourceful and effective at reflecting on the role of self, ethics and continuous learning in building new discipline-specific knowledge and applying it to socio-ecological challenges in science and agriculture.

GA6: Communication and social skills

Effectively communicate and generate ideas, concepts and knowledge for a variety of stakeholders in the agricultural context using a range of mediums.

GA7: Cultural competence

Engage with diverse indigenous and other cultural perspectives in rural and agricultural contexts.

Most units include compulsory on-farm field trips and practical workshops.

Students complete four core units:

Core units

  • Building Resilience in a Changing Climate: Through Drought, Fire & Flood.
  • Ecological Perspectives for Transformational Change
  • Regenerative Agricultural Principles and Practice
  • Supporting Change in Regenerative Systems.

Location Teaching period
LismoreTerm  1, Term  3
OnlineTerm  1, Term  3

To be advised.

Career Outcomes

Responding to consumer demand and a desire to build more resilient farming systems, farmers need regenerative agronomists and consultants to provide advice and guidance. Graduates will have the practical skills to apply in a range of public and private sectors, including on farms, with agronomic consulting companies, landcare programs, research, education, interpretation programs and government departments such as Local Land Services and the Department of Primary Industries.

Requirements

We encourage you to apply for the courses you most want to study. If you are not eligible to enter your chosen course right now, our team will work with you to find the best pathway option.

Before applying, make sure you double check all entry requirements, gather required documentation and review the University’s Rules Relating to Awards, noting any specifics listed below.

Entry requirements

Language requirements

English language requirements apply to International applicants and other applicants whose previous study was undertaken in a language other than English. The minimum English language requirements for such applicants for entry to this course are as follows

CategoryScore
Overall6.5
Listeningminimum 6.0
Speakingminimum 6.0
Readingminimum 6.0
Writingminimum 6.0

Course requirements

To be eligible to receive the Graduate Certificate in Regenerative Agriculture students must complete the equivalent of 4 units (48 credit points), comprising 4 core units.

Other things to consider

Credit for Prior Learning, also referred to as ‘Advanced Standing’ or Recognition for Prior Learning (RPL), is the process of looking at your prior study and/or experience to assess if you can be awarded academic credit or gain entry to a course on the basis of your existing knowledge and skills.

Learn more


Course structure

Your course progression is in the recommended order you should complete your course in. It is important that you follow this to ensure you meet the course requirements. For further assistance see How to Enrol in Units using My Enrolment.

Students should use course progression information to select units specific to their course and enrol in these units using My Enrolment.

Current Students should select their units by checking the Handbook for the year of their enrolment as these may be different.

View Student Handbook

Unit CodeUnit TitleAvailableCredit pointsNotes

Complete the following units to satisfy the Requirements of the Award

ENVR5007Building Resilience in a Changing Climate: Through Drought, Fire and Flood
Term1
12
LocationDomesticInternational
Lismore
Term1
Term1
Online
Term1
N/A
AGRC5001Regenerative Agricultural Principles and Practice
Term2
12 Note 1
LocationDomesticInternational
Lismore
Term2
Term2
Online
Term2
Term2
Enrolment informationThere will be a compulsory residential for all students that will be held on, or depart from, the Lismore campus. Please refer to http://scu.edu.au/timetables for further information on timetables
ENVR6008Ecological Perspectives for Transformational Change
Term3
12
LocationDomesticInternational
Online
Term3
Term3
ENVR6009Supporting Change in Regenerative Systems
Term4
12
LocationDomesticInternational
Lismore
Term4
Term4
Online
Term4
Term4


Note 1:

Compulsory 4-day residential for all students.

Unit CodeUnit TitleNotes

Core Units

ENVR6008Ecological Perspectives for Transformational Change
ENVR5007Building Resilience in a Changing Climate: Through Drought, Fire and Flood
AGRC5001Regenerative Agricultural Principles and Practice Note 1
ENVR6009Supporting Change in Regenerative Systems

Why Science and Environment at SCU

Global top 350

We're ranked in the global top 350 in Agriculture and Forestry

(QS Rankings 2023)

5-star rating

We’re rated 5-stars for learning resources, student support and teaching quality

(Good Universities Guide 2023: Science and Mathematics)

Guaranteed entry with Diploma of Science

Guaranteed entry with Diploma of Science into our Bachelor of Science with a choice of specialisations

Fees and Scholarships

Domestic students

You are a domestic student if you are an Australian citizen or permanent resident, New Zealand citizen, or Australian humanitarian visa holder. Your course will either be a Commonwealth Supported Place or a full fee-paying place. This is noted in the course snapshot.

Commonwealth Supported Places:

In a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP), the Government pays some of your fees and you pay the rest as the Student Contribution Amount (SCA).

SCA is calculated per unit, not per course. Eligible students can defer the SCA through a HECS-HELP loan.

Full Fee-Paying Places:

A full fee-paying place is where you pay the full (unsubsidised) tuition fee for your course. Eligible students can defer the payment of their tuition fees through the FEE-HELP scheme (including employer-reserved places for The Hotel School courses).

Also known as SSAF, the Student Services and Amenities Fee is a compulsory fee for most students used to provide important services and amenities to students both on and off campus. It’s charged per unit, based on the unit’s credit point value. Eligible domestic students have the option of deferring this fee through the SA-HELP loan scheme. More about SSAF

Depending on your course, your costs could also include computer equipment and software, books, stationery, field trips, uniforms or other course-specific expenses such as art materials, musical equipment or travel for practicums, internships, vaccinations or industry experience.

Southern Cross University offers a range of scholarships for undergraduate (your first degree), postgraduate, Indigenous Australian students as well as international students. There are also scholarships available to help you study overseas for a short period as an international exchange student. Scholarships range from a few hundred dollars a year to several thousand dollars a year.

More about scholarships

Further fee information

Fees and Scholarships

International Students

If you're an international student, you can find the annual course cost in Australian dollars (AUD$) on our International Courses and Fees page or on the web page for your course under fees.

Also known as SSAF, the Student Services and Amenities Fee is a compulsory fee for most students used to provide important services and amenities to students both on and off campus. It’s charged per unit, based on the unit’s credit point value. Eligible domestic students have the option of deferring this fee through the SA-HELP loan scheme. More about SSAF

Depending on your course, your costs could also include computer equipment and software, books, stationery, field trips, uniforms or other course-specific expenses such as art materials, musical equipment or travel for practicums, internships, vaccinations or industry experience.

Southern Cross University offers a range of scholarships for undergraduate (your first degree), postgraduate, Indigenous Australian students as well as international students. There are also scholarships available to help you study overseas for a short period as an international exchange student. Scholarships range from a few hundred dollars a year to several thousand dollars a year.

More about scholarships

Further fee information

Apply now

Preparing to apply

  1. Check requirements
  2. Get supporting documents ready
  3. Choose where and when from the available options

Click the Apply button to start your application in our Application Portal.

Choose where you want to study

Lismore

Online

Dates for the diary

Our shorter, more focused six-week unit structure gives students a greater sense of momentum and motivation as they achieve milestones quickly. Application dates per Term are shown on each course page however refer to our key dates and teaching calendar for detail on when enrolment opens, studies commence and when grades are published. There are also Dual Term and Tri Term calendars for those who have specific subjects.

See key dates

Credit Transfer

Get a head start on your degree. Find out if you’re eligible for credit from previous studies.

Go to credit assessor

Entry Pathway

We believe in equal access to further education, so we offer a range of pathways to university.

Find a pathway