be part of Harper Ireland - Harper Adams University College

Harper Adams 

University College 

Shropshire 

Harper Ireland

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Harper 

Adams 

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HARPER IRELAND 

P1 

WELCOME TO HARPER ADAMS 

Harper Adams University College (known to 

students simply as ‘Harper’) is the largest 

centre of Higher Education for rural, food and 

land-based studies in the UK. More than 1,900 

students study for foundation, undergraduate and 

postgraduate degrees here. 

In the prestigious Sunday Times University Guide 

(September 2008) Harper Adams ranked as the best 

University College,Top for Jobs and Top for Teaching 

out of 126 university institutions. Harper Adams was 

also second in a survey of Head Teachers’ verdicts and 

fourth in the UK for student satisfaction. See 

www.timesonline.co.uk/universityguide for details. 

With more than 96% of full-time, first degree students 

getting a job or going on to further study within 6 

months of graduating and multi-million pound stateof-the-art 

facilities, it’s not hard to see why Harper 

Adams is a popular choice. 

More and more students 

from Ireland are choosing 

Harper because of its place as a 

leader in its field and the 

opportunities offered to broaden 

horizons, see new places and mix 

with people from a variety of 

backgrounds. Currently, 3.5% of our 

student population is from Ireland (37 

from Northern Ireland and 29 from the 

Republic of Ireland) and popular course 

choices include Agricultural Engineering, 

Agriculture-related 

and Food-related 

courses.

P2 


DESMOND 

CONNOLLY 

Chairman of Harper Ireland 

Hi, I’m Desmond Connolly, from Co Laois, and I’m studying 

BEng Agricultural Engineering. I’m also the Chairman of 

Harper Ireland (the society formed here by and for 

students from Ireland) and I’m going to tell you about Harper 

from our perspective. 

Here are 5 big reasons to choose 

Harper: 

1. Harper is based on a single-site campus, with teaching, 

sports, recreational facilities and halls of residence all 

within 10 minutes walk – easy! 

2. There’s a ‘Harper Spirit’ here, it’s like being part of a 

family - everyone fits in, both in classes and socially. The 

social life is really good – there’s great craic everywhere 

you go around here and no shortage of friends for 

anyone. With Harper Ireland too, it’s like home from 

home. 

3. The teaching/staff support here is second to none – very 

helpful, friendly and approachable. Also the smaller 

classes lead to a better teacher/student relationship and 

makes for a more personal and comfortable learning 

environment. 

4. Students at Harper have excellent teaching facilities 

including the unique advantage of a HUGE commercial 

farm on campus with 343 hectares of arable land and all 

the main livestock. New building developments also 

include the West Midlands Regional Food Academy. 

These are all fantastic teaching and learning resources. 

5. Harper Adams is the single largest teaching university 

college in the UK for rural and land-based studies. It is 

also an internationally recognised brand name. If you 

want to develop your education and career prospects 

then why not go for it – you’ll regret it if you don’t and 

have no regrets if you do!


P3 

HARPER IRELAND... MY SORT OF CLUB! 

Irish students have formed Harper Ireland, one of the many 

popular societies you can join here. The club will ease you 

into university life, help you make good friends and enable 

you to get the most from your time at Harper. Member Paudie 

Fehin, from Charleville, Co. Cork and studying BEng Agricultural 

Engineering, explains “Harper Ireland is a brilliant club with over 

60 members from every corner of Ireland. Harper Ireland hosts 

many social activities from Rugby Union and Gaelic football 

matches to go-karting to ice skating to swimming and heading 

out as a group to places like Alton Towers. Paddies Ball is 

organised by the complete club where all members put in a big 

effort to host a very successful ball for the entire College. It’s 

one of the most enjoyable nights in the year along with the 

Harper Ireland dinner where the whole club have a private 

dinner with Irish business speakers, club sponsors and 

prospective Irish students (all are welcome) and awards are also 

given out on the night.” Chris Megarry, from Lisburn, Co. Antrim 

and studying BSc (Hons) Agriculture, adds “I was attracted to 

Harper Adams when I was invited over to attend the Harper 

Ireland dinner and everyone went out of their way to make sure 

I felt welcome. The aim of the club is to get everyone together 

and make sure they have a good time!” 

Harper Adams In Ireland – 

Friends For Life 

Being part of Harper extends 

beyond being a student. 

Harper Adams in Ireland is 

a thriving organisation for Harper 

Adams graduates living in Ireland. 

They organise their own 

networking activities, which 

include a bi-annual sumptuous 

dinner, so being part of Harper 

Ireland really is a life-long 

experience. 

Harper Ireland Committee

P4 


HARPER STUDENTS’ UNION 

The hard-working Harper Adams Students’ Union (SU) 

provides plenty of on and off campus entertainment, 

including societies, sports, Freshers’Week (actually 10 days 

of fun!), themed nights, gigs, quizzes and the spectacular summer 

ball. Lots of students get involved with the Raise and Give (RAG) 

organisation, which runs events throughout the year to raise cash for 

charity and have some fun into the bargain. Please visit www.haucsu.co.uk, 

the official Students’ Union website, for a taster of Harper life.


P5 

SPORT AT 

HARPER 

If you’re interested in sport, Harper 

has lots of teams to choose from 

including rugby (men’s and women’s), 

football, hockey, Gaelic football, netball, 

clay pigeon shooting and cricket. 

There’s also archery, badminton, 

squash, tennis and ultimate frisbee to 

name but a few! Sports can be played 

at all levels from fun to the serious 

university leagues (known as BUCS). 

Or maybe you just want to soak up 

the atmosphere on the sidelines with 

the BBQ going and the music playing 

or join in the big screen action in the 

Students’ Union during the Six 

Nations. There’s something for 

everyone here at Harper!

P6 


STUDENT PROFILES 

Christine Caven, from 

Downpatrick, Co. Down is 

studying BSc Veterinary 

Nursing and Practice Management. 

She thinks the best thing about being 

a Harper student is “meeting a lot of 

new people and being able to let 

yourself go – you don’t feel stupid, 

you just get stuck in to the fun. The 

facilities are great and the staff are 

always willing to help. I’ve made 

some of my best friends within the 

Harper Ireland club and our nights 

out have all been legendary. It’s quite daunting moving 

to a new country to study, but everyone in the club 

really looks out for each other and the older years 

really help you settle in.Without a doubt, you will 

have the best craic!” 

Barry Deering, from Portlaoise, Co. Laois, is glad 

he chose to study his course, BSc Agricultural 

Engineering, at Harper Adams because “it has 

given me great knowledge and a great social life. The 

teaching/staff support here is outstanding and the 

facilities are fantastic – there’s something to help your every 

need. The campus location here is very handy, everything is 

close by and the social life here is exceptional, it feels like a family. 

Harper Adams is a fantastic place and is a home away from 

home.” 

Claire Mullan, from Belfast, is studying BSc (Hons) 

Veterinary Nursing and 

Practice Management and is 

glad she chose to study at Harper 

because “it’s a tremendous 

opportunity to see outside Ireland, 

meet some incredible people and 

do what I love.” To Claire, 

‘Harper Spirit’ means 

“getting stuck in and 

giving it some welly!” 

Her favourite memory 

so far has been 

“Freshers’Week, most 

definitely, I would do it all 

again and meet hundreds more people!”


P7 

UNDERSTANDING DEGREES 

THE EXTENDED FOUNDATION DEGREE PROGRAMME is available to students who wish to 

access Higher Education but do not have A-levels or equivalent (including the right results in the Leaving 

Certificate). Very useful! This four-year course has specialist routes and includes a year-long work placement. 

Students who achieve exceptional results after the first year of the Extended Foundation Degree Programme 

benefit from the option of being able to transfer onto an Honours Degree in their second year. 

FOUNDATION DEGREES (these have replaced HNDs) are typically 3 years full-time at Harper to include a 

year-long work placement (or 2 years full-time study for those already with extensive work experience). Students 

who have taken a diploma level course often opt for a foundation degree. They are good qualifications in their own 

right and can lead to excellent employment opportunities. However, many students choose to stay on at Harper to 

‘top-up’ to a full degree, thus widening their career choice. 

DEGREES are the highest qualification students can achieve at undergraduate 

level and are internationally recognised. Harper Adams degrees are distinctive 

because they usually take 4 years and include a year’s work experience in a 

professional/industrial placement (degrees can take 3 years for those with 

extensive work experience). 

FLEXIBLE STUDY allows for ways to study at Harper other than by 

being a full-time student. You can study part-time or attend short courses - 

this is particularly aimed at people who need to fit their studies around 

work or childcare. 

Harper also has a range of postgraduate courses, see page 13. 

For further information, please see the 

website www.harper-adams.ac.uk 

or request a relevant prospectus and course 

brochure from Admissions 

on +44 (0)1952 815000 or email 

admissions@harper-adams.ac.uk

P8 


ADMISSIONS 

All applications should be made through UCAS. Your 

school or college advisor will be able to help with your 

application. Harper Adams’ courses are applied and 

closely linked to the appropriate industry. We recommend that 

all students obtain relevant work experience prior to admission. 

We accept a wide range of qualifications and will advise students 

on their suitability and eligibility for particular courses. All 

applications are taken on their own merits but the following 

provides some general guidance: 

Students from 

Northern Ireland 

Students from Northern Ireland will need 5 GCSEs at grade ‘C’ 

or above including Maths, English Language and Science (or Key 

Skills level 2 equivalents) and ‘A’ levels to an appropriate 

standard, or a diploma level course comparable with the BTEC 

National Diploma. The actual requirements vary with the level 

of course. 

Students from the 

Republic of Ireland 

In most cases we will look closely at your Leaving Certificate 

results. Requirements vary from course to course, but generally 

you will need a minimum of 4 ‘C’ grades in appropriate subjects 

at the higher level (and also 5 Junior Certificates at grade ‘C’ or 

above including Maths, English Language and Science or Key Skills 

level 2 equivalents) to be considered for a degree. 

To be accepted onto a Foundation Degree you will need a 

minimum of 2 appropriate ‘C’ grades at the higher level (and 5 

Junior Certificates at grade 'C' or above including Maths, English 

Language and Science or Key Skills level 2 equivalents).We also 

accept entry via other qualifications to Harper Adams, e.g. 

Diploma qualifications gained at Irish colleges. 

For further details, please contact our Admissions Office on +44 

(0)1952 815000 or email admissions@harper-adams.ac.uk


P9 

Extended Foundation 

Degree Programme 

(EFDP) 

This programme of study enables those students who do not 

have the right qualifications for admission to a Foundation 

Degree to join the course of their choice. There are eight 

specialist routes to choose from, each of which, upon successful 

completion of Year 0, will lead to a specific foundation or 

honours degree. 

For the Agriculture route you should have some relevant work 

experience. The same applies to the Veterinary Nursing route, 

for which you will also be interviewed by the VN Course 

Manager. 

For further details, please check the website 

www.harper-adams.ac.uk/foundation or contact our Admissions 

Office on +44 (0)1952 815000 or email admissions@harperadams.ac.uk 

You must be over 17 years of age, preferably with at least 5 

GCSE passes at grade ‘C’ or above, to include English, Maths and 

Science at grade ‘C’ or above (or comparable results in the Irish 

Leaving Certificate), or be a mature student with relevant 

experience.We judge all candidates on their individual merits 

and may take other skills, qualifications and experience into 

account when considering your application.

P10 


WORK PLACEMENT 

One of the best things about Harper is its 

strong focus on preparing students for the 

real world of work. The placement year is 

invaluable, as well as making your CV far better than 

graduates without experience, it gives most students 

a chance to earn some money in the middle of their 

course. Harper will help you find the right job for 

you and give you plenty of support whilst you’re 

working. Placements are available in Ireland, the UK, 

the EU and abroad, for example,America, Kenya and 

Australia. Harper has hundreds of professional links 

with rural and land-based industries and 

organisations, many of which offer work placements, 

scholarships and graduate employment 

opportunities.


P11 

STUDENT PROFILES 

Andrew Palmer, from Donegal, is studying 

BSc Agriculture and really values 

“learning things I wouldn’t have a 

chance to learn at home” and is 

“enjoying every 

minute.‘Harper 

Spirit’ means 

having the time 

of your life.The 

best thing about being a 

Harper student is the friends 

you make and having a laugh. 

The campus here is really 

nice, the social life is brilliant 

and experiences with Harper 

Ireland are unforgettable!” 

David O’Lone, 

from Birr, Co. 

Offaly and now 

living in Essex, graduated from Harper Adams last 

year with a BEng (Hons) in Agricultural Engineering 

and is now working as a Field Service Technician with 

Case New Holland. David said “Without my 

qualification and Harper Adams’ reputation with 

agricultural manufacturers, it would have been very 

difficult for me to obtain a position with CNH. I’m 

glad I chose to study my course at Harper because of 

their closely knit student community, the lecturers’ 

‘down to earth’ attitude and the College’s excellent 

contacts.”

P12 


UNDERGRADUATE COURSES 

The broad areas of study are: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Agriculture 

Leisure and Tourism Management including 

Outdoor/Adventure Activities 

Veterinary Nursing and Practice Management 

Rural Enterprise and Land Management (REALM) 

Animal Behaviour, Health,Welfare and 

Bioveterinary Science 

Food-related courses 

Countryside/Environment 

Business and Agri-food 

Engineering/Off-Road Vehicle Design 

Extended Foundation Degree Programme 

For a copy of the Undergraduate Prospectus and further information, 

please visit www.harper-adams.ac.uk or call Admissions on +44 (0)1952 

815000 or email admissions@harper-adams.ac.uk


P13 

POSTGRADUATE STUDY 

Postgraduate taught programmes include Master 

of Science (MSc), Postgraduate Diploma (PgD), 

Postgraduate Certificate (PgC), along with 

Master of Business Administration (MBA), Diploma in 

Management Studies (DMS) and Certificate in 

Management Studies (CMS). In addition Harper offers 

research degrees of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and 

Master of Philosophy (MPhil). 

The broad subject areas for study are: 

 

 

 

 

Business and Agri-business 

Food Production and Retail Management 

Agriculture and Agricultural Engineering 

Land and Estate Management 

students to tailor their learning to their professional 

requirements.This allows you to pick from the range 

of over 50 postgraduate modules and build a 

programme around your own needs. 

With a new Postgraduate Centre open in Autumn 

2009 and increased scholarship opportunities, Harper 

Adams is investing in the future of postgraduate study. 

For a copy of the Postgraduate Prospectus and 

further information, please visit www.harperadams.ac.uk 

or call Admissions on +44 (0)1952 

815000 or email admissions@harper-adams.ac.uk 

Taught programmes last 1 year full-time or up to 4 

years part-time, with teaching delivered in a 

convenient short course format. Harper Adams also 

has an innovative, flexible approach which allows

P14 


WHAT’S ON CAMPUS? 

There’s the Bamford Library, a £3 million learning resource 

centre with everything from books to computers, 

scanners, printers, wireless internet and quiet study rooms. 

Harper Adams is also a Centre of Excellence for Teaching and 

Learning and received funding of £1.94 million to build the 

Aspire (Advancing Skills for Professionals in the Rural Economy) 

Centre. The Learner Support Team is based here offering help 

with study skills, maths support, dyslexia support and support for 

students with disabilities. The Careers Service is also in the 

Aspire Centre and can help with anything from potential careers 

to industry contacts or simply finding a part-time job. 

Harper Adams also offers a health, welfare and counselling 

service, advice on funding, help with finding accommodation, 

pastoral services and so on. If there’s one thing that’s made clear 

at Harper, it’s that the staff are here to help and they 

really do. Student Services, personal tutors 

and a team of specialist support staff are 

on hand with help and advice. 

Harper is expanding all the time. For example, a new West 

Midlands Regional Food Academy (for food teaching and 

nutritional research) and a new Student Service Centre (a ‘onestop 

shop’ for student services, including Students’ Union facilities 

and social rooms) are currently being built. 

The campus is surrounded by Harper Adams' own 343 hectare, 

modern, mixed farm. The farm combines arable with all major 

animal enterprises. The latest development is a new £2 million 

leading-edge dairy unit with 40 point internal rotary 

milking parlour. The farm is an amazing 

resource for both learning 

and research and it's all 

right here. 

Dairy unit rotary milking parlour


P15 

There are 3 main places to eat on campus: the Kaldi 

Café, the SU Coffee Shop and the Main Dining Hall. 

There’s also 2 bars on campus, the Students’ Union 

shop and an array of sports facilities including a gym, 

rugby and football pitches, astro-turf, squash courts, 

tennis courts, off-road vehicle track, a pool for 

fishing and loads more. Of course, there’s also lots 

of teaching rooms, workshops, science labs, etc, too!

P16 


ACCOMMODATION 

First Years get to live on campus with breakfast, 

lunch and dinner provided every weekday, a 

cleaner (how posh is that?) as well as someone to 

do your laundry! Each hall of residence has two final 

year student wardens who live in and act as a point of 

contact for First Years.All rooms have bed, desk, chair, 

storage, wash basin and internet access.There are also halls 

with en-suite facilities, self-catering halls and in Flatt Road, a 

few minutes walk away, some houses (all undergraduate houses 

are catered, a number of houses offer self-catered 

accommodation for postgraduate and overseas students). 

Second Years and up (if not on placement) generally live off 

campus within a 5 mile radius. For further information, visit the 

Harper website www.harper-adams.ac.uk/accommodation


P17 

ENTERTAINMENT OFF CAMPUS 

Nearby Newport is a small market town and 

has everything you’ll immediately need. To 

shop-till-you-drop try Telford, with its huge 

indoor shopping centre (only 10 miles away), or the 

charming Shrewsbury (20 miles away). Stafford and 

Wolverhampton are also worth a day’s retail 

therapy and Birmingham (40 miles away) has 

EVERYTHING! 

There are loads of pubs in Newport and Telford and 

eateries range from fish ‘n’ chip takeaways and pub 

grub to British, Chinese, Indian, Italian and vegetarian 

restaurants to name but a few. Throughout the 

Telford area, there’s also a wide variety 

of entertainment (music, comedy, films, 

plays and productions) and sports 

facilities galore including gyms, golf 

courses, an all-weather dry ski slope, ice 

rink, snooker centre, ten pin bowling, 

swimming pools, etc, etc. Don’t forget to 

ask about student discounts! You could also try 

Shrewsbury, Stafford (a fellow university town with 

plenty of students to mingle 

with) and Wolverhampton (a 

university city with an 

abundance of bars, clubs and 

restaurants). Failing that, a 

night in Birmingham is 

unbeatable – pubs, clubs, 

restaurants, café bars, 

cinema, entertainment – it’s 

got the lot. 

Newport 

Birmingham Bull Ring 

Shrewsbury

P18 


FINANCE 

Higher Education is probably one of the best investments 

you’ll ever make, from learning new skills and enjoying 

your independence to making life-long friends and 

opening the door to a rewarding career. Nobody is going to 

pretend that it’s not slightly more expensive for you to study in 

England rather than Ireland, but it’ll probably cost less than you 

think and you’ll gain the lifetime’s benefit of a Harper education. 

You’ll need to consider tuition fees and living costs, but there are 

grants and loans available to help. Harper Adams has a strong 

commitment to providing advice on financial matters and 

ensuring students are given every opportunity in securing 

adequate funding. Harper guarantees to offer scholarships to 

undergraduate students who are in financial need. Students 

from Ireland are advised to think about applying for a Merit 

Scholarship which supports students who, in their different ways, 

can enrich the learning community here at Harper through 

sporting or musical achievements and/or volunteer work. 

Harper Adams has a growing number of scholarships provided 

by the private sector. There are also a number of scholarships 

available specifically to Irish students. 

booklet and scholarships leaflet from the Admissions Office on 

+44 (0)1952 815000 or by emailing admissions@harperadams.ac.uk, 

or by telephoning the University College and asking 

for individual counselling. 

Please also visit www.studentfinanceni.co.uk and 

www.studentfinance.ie for further information and the Student 

Loan Company can be found at www.slc.co.uk 

Detailed advice is available on the Harper website at 

www.harper-adams.ac.uk/finance, in the ‘Invest in Your Future’


P19 

EARNING A BIT EXTRA 

Many Harper students work part-time in the evenings, at weekends or in their holidays, although they are 

careful not to let their studies or social lives suffer! Apart 

from the welcome cash, you’ll meet other people, learn 

new skills and have something extra to put on your CV. There are 

lots of jobs available on, or nearby, the campus. Jobs at Harper 

include being a student ambassador, working in the bar, in 

catering or on the farm. Check out the Careers Office, 

internet, adverts in town or the 

local newspaper for other 

vacancies. Remember, you can 

also earn money during your 

placement year. 

Need some Advice? 

If you’d like to chat things over and 

find out more about life in general at 

Harper then please contact 

Chris Manley, Students’ Union President, 

on +44 (0)1952 815356.

Wednesday 25 November 2009 from 12 noon to 3.30pm 

Wednesday 16 September 2009 from 12 noon to 3.30pm 

Harper Adams also runs a two day residential 

taster conference for 16 to 18 year olds.The 

Higher Education Choices (HEC) Conference 

dates for 2010 are 5–6July. 

Please see the website for further information 

about these events or contact Harper and 

request a programme. 

It’s important for students to visit before 

accepting an offer, so that you can tour the 

campus, meet students and staff, and feel 

confident that Harper Adams is the right choice 

for you. Students, parents, friends and family are 

warmly invited to visit on any of the Open Days 

or Afternoons as follows: 

Come and See Us... 

Sunday 11 October 2009 from 10.00am to 3.30pm 

Saturday 8 May 2010 from 10.00am to 3.30pm

EVENT DATES 

If you can’t make any of the Open Days or Afternoons, you can make an appointment to visit, or catch Harper at… 

The Royal Welsh Show 

2009 

16-18 Sept 

2009 

22-24 Sept 

Irish Times Higher Options 

Conference, RDS, Dublin 

www.rds.ie 

National Ploughing Championships 

Athy, Co. Kildare 

www.npa.ie 

2009 

13-14 Oct 

2010 

Harper is also represented at the following 

Higher Education fair in Ireland: 

22-24 Sept 

Career Options, Cork 

Rochestown Park Conference 

Centre, Douglas 2010 

The King's Hall, Belfast 

Check out www.ucas.com for dates. 

Irish Times Higher Options 

Conference, RDS, Dublin 

www.rds.ie 

May 

Balmoral Show 

Belfast 

www.balmoralshow.co.uk

Check out the 

HAUC video clips on 

YouTube 

www.youtube.com/ 

HarperAdamsUC 

Harper Adams University College 

Newport 

Shropshire,TF10 8NB 

England 

+44 (0)1952 820280 

www.harper-adams.ac.uk 

Follow HAUC on 

Twitter 

www.twitter.com/ 

HarperAdamsUC 

This brochure is also viewable as a PDF at www.harper-adams.ac.uk 

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this publication is correct at the time of going to press. However, 

Harper Adams reserves the right to implement changes without prior notification. 

Various photography from www.istockphoto.com

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