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Diploma in Agriculture

This course is available

On-Campus

Level of Study

Diploma

Duration

1 year

Next start date

Expected Jul 2026

Campus

Our campus

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Summary

Grow your agricultural knowledge and farm management capabilities, so you can play a role helping New Zealand’s vital primary industry sector expand and succeed.

Study a Diploma in Agriculture at Lincoln University

Lincoln University has been behind New Zealand’s agricultural and land-based industries for more than 150 years.

Our primary industry sector is now more important than ever, and is going through a period of rapid innovation and transformation.

Lincoln’s Diploma in Agriculture helps you expand your knowledge with a programme of eight integrated courses. These cover farm management and associated husbandries along with complementary skills including business and financial planning.

Regional study option

If you are based in Darfield or the surrounding areas, you may be able to study this programme at Darfield Rural College.

For more information see our Regional Diploma page.

Practical work

This one-year full-time study programme focuses on New Zealand agriculture, its management systems and resources.

Practical work is completed externally to your course, usually during the summer months (November–February). You may also choose to complete this requirement before or after your study period, as long as all criteria are met. International students should ensure their visa covers the full duration of their planned practical work.

For the Diploma in Agriculture you'll need to:

  • Work for 12 weeks at farms or agricultural businesses, with at least four weeks and a maximum of 12 weeks at any one operation.
  • Display competence in driving vehicles. Tractor and truck experience is an advantage.

Download the [Practical Work Handbook [PDF 2.1 MB]](/assets/Publications/Practical-Work-Handbook-Diploma-in-Agriculture-v2.pdf "Practical Work Handbook DipAg") for this diploma.

For more information on the practical aspects of study, practicalwork@lincoln.ac.nz or phone +64 3 423 0061.

Entry criteria

One of the following:

  • NCEA Level 2 or higher, a minimum of 40 credits over four subjects recognised by Lincoln University as suitable for entry. University Entrance literacy and numeracy standards are also required. A maximum of 24 credits in any one subject will be counted towards the total.
  • A New Zealand Certificate in Agriculture at Level 4 or higher, obtained through an approved polytechnic institution.
  • Special Admission or other pathways.
  • If you have an overseas qualification, you can find out more about entry requirements here.

If English isn’t your first language, other entry requirements will apply. Learn more about English language requirements.

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