University College Dublin

GradCert Sustainable Agriculture & Rural Development
This Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development (SARD) programme is offered by UCD in response to the new agenda for agriculture and rural area development. It represents a return to core values in the development of rural areas which are rooted in agricultural change as well as responding to new societal demands such as safe and ethically produced food, a healthier environment and sustainable and affordable energy. These issues are as relevant not just in Ireland, the EU and other industrialised countries, but also in countries in the developing world.

The programme draws on thirty years' experience of UCD's past MSc programmes in Rural Development and Agricultural Extension.

• Builds the requisite skills and knowledge base to develop careers in the broad areas of sustainable agriculture and rural development.
• Combination of lectures, small group work, field visits, computer laboratory-based activities and private study.

Vision and Values Statement
The Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development offers an oppurtunity for students to equip themselves with some the requisite skills and knowledge base to develop careers in the broad arena of sustainable agriculture and rural development. The goal of the programmes is to prepare graduates for roles in local, national and overseas development settings. This is achieved by strengthening their capabilities in the relevant analytical, communications and entrepreneurship skills, underpinned by the provision of an enhanced understanding of the theory, policy and practice of rural development. The learning environment fosters individual and group-based activities, which develop students' skills of inquiry, critical thinking, self-directed and collaborative learning. A variety of teaching and learning approaches are used including group project work, student presentations, individual assignments, field trips and case study work.

Programme Outcomes
-Understand the key principles and practices that make agriculture sustainable;
-Demonstrate enhanced problem-solving skills for application to issues in agriculture and rural development and the ability to formulate/evaluate potential solutions
-Understand and interpret strategies applied in achieving the objectives of SARD in Irish, EU and developing country contexts.
-Understand of the nature and practice of rural diversification
-Plan and implement strategic communications campaigns in Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development (SARD) settings;
-Understand the context in which sustainable agriculture and rural development related policies are devised.
-Demonstrate enhanced problem-solving skills for application to issues in agriculture and rural development and the ability to formulate/evaluate potential solutions
-Plan and implement strategic communications campaigns in Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development (SARD) settings
-Understand and interpret strategies applied in achieving the objectives of SARD in Irish, EU and developing country contexts
-Understand the nature and practice of rural diversification
-Understand the context in which sustainable agriculture and rural development related policies are devised
-Understand the key principles and practices that make agriculture sustainable.