Program Overview

BSc (Hons) Rural Enterprise and Land Management (REALM) (with placement)

Overview

REALM is all about making the best – most effective and most economical – use of a wide range of rural assets to achieve business objectives. Assets include land, infrastructure, buildings, equipment and more, with vast opportunities for REALM professionals to play a vital role in managing the countryside whilst helping rural businesses to thrive.

This RICS-accredited programme is ideal for aspiring rural practice chartered surveyors, and those with an interest in estate management, agriculture, diversification, sustainability and renewable energy.

The Harper Advantage

• A full placement year in industry as part of your degree, enabling you to put knowledge into practice, develop your network and discover your future ambitions
• Professional Accreditation: This degree course is accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) for the Rural Surveying Pathway
• More than 15 competitive scholarships open to students on Land and Property Management routes

Course Key Info

• UCAS code: DNK2
• Institution code: H12
• Duration: 4 years (full-time) including a one-year work placement. A three-year programme is available for applicants with at least two years, full-time relevant work experience.
• Location: Harper Adams University campus (and location of work placement)
• Accredited by: Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)

Entry Requirements for 2025

• Our typical offer: 104 UCAS points for A level students. See below for details of entry requirements for other accepted qualifications.

Course Modules

Year 1

• Academic Development and Professional Practice (HF)
• Surveying Practice (HF)
• Building Construction, Pathology and Regulation (HF)
• Rural Land Issues and Policy Development (HF)
• Introduction to Agricultural Production Systems (HF)
• Valuation with Land and Property Economics (HF)
• Introduction to Business, Finance and Law (HF)

Year 2

• Career and Data Management (HF)
• Farming and Management of the Natural Environment (HF)
• Planning and Development (HF)
• Compulsory Purchase and Sustainable Rural Infrastructure Delivery (HF)
• Property Agency and Tenancy Law (HF)
• Valuation, Taxation and Investment Appraisal (HF)
• Elective: Woodland Creation (HF)

Year 3

• Placement year

Year 4

• Dissertation - Land and Property Management (HF)
• Valuation and Professional Practice (REALM) (HF)
• Strategic Estate Management (HF)
• Farm Business Management and Investment (HF)
• Options: Event Management and Diversification (HF), Global Agricultural Land Investment and Trade Policies (HF)

How Will I Be Taught?

This course shares a common first and second year with the RPM course as both are aligned to the Rural Pathway of the RICS Assessment of Professional Competence. Students will specialise in the final year, post placement, with core modules covering business and residential tenancies, advanced valuation, global agricultural trade policies and farm business management. Optional modules will allow you to consider agricultural trade policies globally, auctioneering, sustainable forestry and forestry products, renewables and infrastructure or international rural property markets.

A typical week in year 1 consists of:

• 6hrs lectures
• 6hrs seminars, site/estate visits, farm walks and surveying practicals

Assessment Methods

The course is assessed on a mixture of coursework and examination.

Transfer

Students may transfer between BSc REALM and BSc RPM (and vice versa) at the end of the first two years, before commencing the placement year.

Learning in Higher Education – How Is It Different?

Whilst a student’s prior experience or qualifications should prepare them for Higher Education, most will find that study at university level is organised differently than they might have experienced at either school or college. Higher Education sets out to prepare students to think and learn independently, so that they are able to continue learning new things beyond their studies and into the workplace, without needing a tutor to guide them.

Work Placement

Placement will give you invaluable experience in your chosen area of work. It may be working with a national firm such as Carter Jonas, Savills, Strutt and Parker, Smiths Gore, or with a local firm such as Fisher German, Halls, Berry’s or Balfours.

Alternatively, you may choose to work on a large traditional estate such as Buccleuch, Chatsworth, local authorities or the National Trust.

Students who have performed well have often been offered a job when they graduate.

Most students will count this placement as the first of two years structured training needed for the RICS Assessment of Professional Competence.

Careers

Rural practice chartered surveyors are to be found working in:

• Professional firms providing a range of land management services
• Central and local government, providing advice to farmers and landowners managing country parks and country smallholding estates
• The management of rural land and property for bodies as diverse as the RSPB, English Nature, national parks and water and mineral companies
• Traditional estates as resident land agents
• Overseas for a firm of surveyors or advisers

Other careers graduates have chosen include: commodity trading, farm management, accountancy, and the armed services.

Accreditation

• Accredited by: Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)

This degree course is accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) for the Rural Surveying Pathway.

MRICS candidates, who have accredited degrees, must in addition, complete the RICS Assessment of Professional Competence (APC). This involves two years of structured work experience, training and assessment. The placement year of this course usually counts as the first year of the APC, with the second undertaken after graduation.

Fees and Costs

The latest fees for this course can be found in our fees and funding section. You will also find course related costs, specific to this course in the Fees and Charges PDF.

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Undergraduate BSc (Hons) Rural Property and Real Estate (with placement) UCAS: D440 Year of entry: 2025

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