Combining Diplomas with Degrees – the UNRE History

and Experience

Alan Quartermain

PNG University of Natural Resources and Environment

Current Diplomas and Degrees

• Diploma in Tropical Agriculture - 3 years - 2 campuses ENB and Oro

• Diploma in Fisheries and Marine Resources – 3 years – 1st year at ENB campus, 2nd and 3rd years at National Fisheries College, Kavieng

• Bachelor of Tropical Agriculture – 4 years• Bachelor of Fisheries and Marine Resources – 4

years – 4th year at ENB campus

Integration of Agriculture and Fisheries

• Common first year for agriculture and fisheries• Rationale is that many farmers are also fishers and

fishers are farmers• Hence graduates may be required to understand and

deal with people managing the resources and inter-relationships of gardening, farm forestry, fishing, aquaculture, coastal environments, waterways and natural vegetation

• Common fourth year degree courses also in Resource economics, Research methods and experimental design, Statistics and data management, Biotechnology, Marketing and Aquaculture

Integrating Diplomas with Degrees

• Degree programmes built on existing Diploma programmes in both Tropical Agriculture and in Fisheries and Marine Resources

• Generalised introductory first year with only the necessary basic science

• Second year is very practical• Split into Diploma and Degree streams after

second year• Differentiation then allows for different needs of

the two streams in third year and concentration on advanced science in Degree fourth year

Common First Year

• Introduction to agriculture• Biology 1 and 2• Natural resources conservation and utilisation 1

and 2• Chemistry for agriculture and fisheries• Communications• Introduction to fisheries• Physical sciences for agriculture and fisheries• Introduction to management and economics

Common Second Year – Tropical Agriculture

• Sustainable land use• Plant production and soils 1 and 2• Plant protection• Animal production and aquaculture 1 and 2• Rural technology• Agricultural mechanisation• Farm management • Rural sociology• On-farm practice

Comparison of Third Year Diploma and Degree

DIPLOMA• Extension methods• Post-harvest technology• Farmer experimentation• Monogastric animal

production • Ruminant animal

production• Crop production 1 and 2• Marketing• Farm business project• On-farm practice

DEGREE• Extension methods• Post-harvest technology• Research methods and

experimental design• Plant nutrition• Animal nutrition• Six months industrial

attachment

Fourth Year Degree – Tropical Agriculture

• Animal breeding• Plant breeding• Horticulture• Biotechnology• Resource economics• Advanced plant protection• Aquaculture• Marketing• Statistics and data management• Individual project

Rationale• Delayed streaming gives more time post secondary

school to determine desires and potentials• Takes the pressure off the first year struggle to adapt

and compete• Reduces loss of good potential agriculturists who cannot

cope with the level of basic sciences and mathematics• Yet allows time to develop skills and knowledge required

for chosen careers• Note mathematics dropped as a separate subject but

included later as needed where needed• Degree students get a good practical grounding with

their peers before the advanced science and management

• Options exist for Diplomates to return for a Degree at a later date after work experience