BA (Hons) Equine Catherine Porter Catherine.porter@hartpury.ac.uk As your Programme Manager I am responsible for the day-to-day management and organisation of the programme alongside supporting your individual journey, assisting you in your development of study skills, to make module choices, consider possible career options, as well generally helping and supporting you to be as successful as possible. I have one of the more varied career paths amongst the team, with a background that enables me to have a varied approach to helping you achieve your goals. I initially graduated from Hartpury College 2002 with PGDip & Bsc(Hons) Equine Science. I worked for Cadbury UK for 8 years initially as a retail sales representative & progressed to an Account Manager position responsible for 10 million of their business. Finding a gap in the at home training market I have since qualified & set up as a REPs accredited Personal Trainer & successfully established a full client list. I currently have an active role in supporting the British Equestrian Federation (BEF) researching into how communication streams can be improved upon throughout the UK. Your designated programme team of module leaders are there to provide you with a wide array of industry and wider business knowledge. We will work closely with you so you can achieve your very best both academically and in preparation for your dream career. In addition to your individual module tutors you will have an academic year tutor, who will help you to make the most of your academic & personal development opportunities. BEFORE YOU ARRIVE PREPARATION IS EVERYTHING! Having the right kit: For the Yard: Although riding is not directly linked as part of your programme, you may be handling horses as part of the practical elements of the course, and the following is essential for sessions on the Hartpury yard. Dark coloured trousers/ shirts boots (e.g. Wellingtons, jodhpur boots, work boots, riding Yard safe boots) a hat that is British Standard approved ***please note that Gloves and BSEN1384 hat standards on their own will not be permitted from 1st January 2016 due to regulation changes*** Warm coat with no hood/hood that can be secured away. Dark in colour For the Lab: You will have practicals in a science laboratory. White lab coat; whilst we do provide spare coats for laboratory sessions we recommend purchasing your own lab coat (lab staff recommend Countrywide). College kit can be ordered on the college online shop (estore.hartpury.ac.uk/browse/department.asp?compid=1&modid=1&deptid=8) and samples will be available to view on welcome day and during the academic induction week- please ensure that you leave your name as a reference for the purchase if your parents are paying for your kit so we can contact you when it arrives.
Reading for your degree Our Learning Resource Centre works closely with programme managers and module leaders to stock books relevant to your course. We usually stock several loan copies and at least one reference copy of core texts. Both myself and current students would recommend that to start off, don t purchase the books yourself; instead use the books from the loan collection and decide to purchase any you find useful. If you decide to purchase text books, you will find a list of all recommended texts here: www.booksyouneed.co.uk/collegegroup/1-university-of-the-west-of- England/. Select Hartpury and then your programme, and a full list of recommended texts will be shown. BUDGET FOR THOSE EXTRAS s: You are required to take a minimum of 150 hours of off-site placement of your choice as part of a compulsory Level 2 module. Compensation and working arrangements are between the off-site employer and you; you may be required to self-fund living/travel costs depending on your placement selection. Educational Trips: We endeavour to take students into industry and attend industry events. You may be responsible for paying your entry ticket and some travel costs to events locally/nationally. Previously, total trip costs to students have ranged from 0 50. Each year trip costs will vary. Extra-curricular opportunities: Many trips are included in your programme, however sometimes we arrange optional trips, for example a day at the races.we are able to obtain very favourable discounts allowing you to experience this for approx. 10 including transport. International Trips are arranged when opportunities arise. These trips are optional. Hartpury Equestrian Club is run by student for riding and non-riding horse loving students. The club holds regular ridin and non-riding horse sessions through term time both semesters, where students can benefit from guest speakers, trips, discounted instruction from a range of coaches, and in-house demonstrations. The club has a small membership charge which helps to subsidise a variety of activities and is open to all students FE and HE alike. Finally, we offer a variety of short courses which provide students with the opportunity to add nationally recognised qualifications to their C.V.s. Review and book courses via the website http://www.hartpury.ac.uk/courses/short-courses/ COME AND SEE US We constantly have activity going on onsite at the Hartpury Equine Arena. This summer we have our Festival of Dressage (8th to the 12th July 2015), the RDA National Championships (17th to the 19th July 2015) and the NAF Five Star International Hartpury Horse Trials (12th to the 16th August 2015). You can find more information on the Hartpury website and check us out on Twitter (@Hartpury or @HartpuryEquine), on Facebook, and our news feed available on the Hartpury College website (www.hartpury.ac.uk). If you would like to visit Hartpury at our Open Day on the 22 nd June, please book a place on the Hartpury website. If you are unable to make this date, but would like to come to visit Hartpury, email Admissions@hartpury.ac.uk to arrange a personal visit. ARRIVING AT HARTPURY: WELCOME WEEK Welcome day on the 13th of September is a great way to meet other students and get familiar with the campus and move in (residential and non-residential). It is also the start of Hartpury Fresher s, kicked off by a live band in the Hartpury Bar and the start of our legendary Fresher s experience! When you arrive on Sunday, you will receive an induction timetable giving you a full schedule for the week s activities ensure that you know where you need to meet on Monday morning. You will attend introductory sessions during this period to ensure your start is as smooth as possible. Attendance is compulsory for these as we want all to know exactly what to expect from Day One. There will be a mix of administrative, get to know the ropes sessions which will ensure you know who you will be working with during your course and who can help you out with any queries you may have. Additionally we arrange a light hearted team building afternoon so you can get to know your tutors and each other better!
AND THEN THE WORK STARTS. The programme is split into two semesters. Semester ONE runs from Sept to Dec (exams in January) and semester TWO run from Jan (end) to Apr/May (exams May-June). You will study different types of modules: there are those that start and end in one semester while others start in September and are assessed at the end of semester two for example: nearly all our modules have a lecture and seminar component In each year of your course you will study 120 credits. At Level one (your first year) you have no choices, as subjects prepare the foundations for your later learning. The Skills for Equine module will span the whole year and will support your study skills, team building, and personal development planning. Other modules studied at Level 1 are introductory modules covering the foundations of Economics, Finance, Organisations and People, Marketing,, & Equine Structure and Function. Each module will have a weekly lead lecture and a smaller group seminar or practical session (from 1 to 2 hours in duration each), this is where the content of the lecture is further broken down and contextualised to assist your understanding and learning. It is expected that outside taught sessions you will complete any directed tasks and read independently around the topics covered. As a guide we would expect for each 15 credit module, a total of 150 hours study is conducted. One day a week will be free in your timetable. We do not have lectures on Mondays. This is to give you time to spend time working on assignments. It definitely is not a day off! MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR DEGREE The Equine course provides students with a comprehensive introduction to the core principles of business management. Modules developed in partnership with the prestigious Bristol School offer a robust and essential foundation in finance, economics, marketing, people management & strategy. Students then build on this core with a range of equine industry specific options available, such as Equine Performance, Nutrition and Diagnostics and Therapy if that is where your interest lies, conversely it may be that you opt for more of the stringent business orientated modules, further developing your management, marketing and sponsorship skills to name a few, or perhaps a combination The choice is entirely yours, enabling you to tailor your degree to personal strengths and interests. Through a stimulating mixture of lectures, seminars, workshops, field trips and work placements, students are equipped with the knowledge and skills for success within the industry. This programme is one of the few degrees to incorporate a work placement during the second year of study, allowing you to gain first-hand experience of the industry as well as invaluable networking opportunities, with an additional opportunity to take a Sandwich year and work within the business industry between Years 2 and 3, further enhancing your employability upon graduation. As the largest equine college in the world, we have long-standing relationships with National Governing Bodies; these invaluable relationships with the industry allow students to engage in live British Equestrian Federation (BEF) sponsored final year projects. We are committed to developing our graduates and provide a programme of workshops and enrichment activities to help develop academic skills and employability. Study support will be offered via your personal tutor and the Success & Achievement team who will assist you with skills to make the most of your potential. Our Innovation, Careers and Enterprise centre, provides assistance, guidance and opportunities to help you to build your CV and prepare for your future career. PLACEMENTS In the second year of your degree, you will complete a compulsory work placement. This will comprise at least 150 hours of relevant industry experience. There is also an additional, optional opportunity for you to take a supported Sandwich Year placement between Years 2 and 3. Our alumni and industry partners positively endorse the value of this opportunity within the programme. How are placements managed? You will be assigned a Tutor who will act as your central contact throughout the placement. They are allocated to support, guide and advise you. The College also has a designated HE Work Coordinator (WPC) who is there to support and oversee
the overall placement process they are here to help you, from sign posting you to where to look for placements, highlighting the bank of placements we already have established and of course being someone on the end of the phone / email throughout the placement. Been there, done that, got the T-shirt! We asked students what tips you would give future work placement students and the most common response was Start looking for the placement early and don t leave it until the last minute. When trying to fnd a placement it is sometimes better to phone or visit in person rather than emailing. This could be before you even start on the course! DREAMS START HERE. The following illustrates how your module choices can lead to careers in different areas. Each column shows a career path and modules that support each career path. CAREERS HUMAN RESOURCE SALES AND MARKETING FINANCIAL EVENT EQUINE LEVEL 1 Organisations and People Skills for Equine the Market Process Skills for Equine and Financial Information and Economic Environment and Economic Environment Equine Structure and Function LEVEL 2 LEVEL 3 Human Resource People, Leadership and Change for Managing Process Event and Fundraising Sponsorship and Brand for Media, Technology and Communication in Sport The Legacy and Impact of Sports Events Accounting information for Managing Process Dissertation for Sports Marketing and Sponsorship Skills for Equine Event and Fundraising Sport and Hospitality for the Sports Sponsorship and Brand Media, Technology and Communication in Sport The Legacy and Impact of Sports Events Equine Therapy and Diagnostics / Applied Equine Nutrition Equine Performance Stud Equine Therapy & Rehabilitation / Nutrition for Performance Contemporary Issues in Equestrian Sports for People, Leadership and Change
FINAL WORD TOP TIPS FROM THOSE WHO KNOW When asked, current students offered the following advice: Reading around the subject is vital in order to get a good grade Be sociable, as hard as it is, get involved with as many as the activities available to you Use your free time for work (you have a lot) If you re unsure about anything accommodation, what to bring, what to read, what s in your stable just drop Catherine an email, there s no such thing as a silly question! The assessment structure is varied, a step up from A-level, but tutors offer lots of useful support so I was able to make the transition and I exceeded my own expectations! There s no excuse not to get involved Suggested Social Media sites you may wish to follow: Facebook Hartpury Students Hartpury Equine Hartpury College Twitter - @Hartpury (Hartpury College official) @HartpuryEquine (all things equine specific) @HartpuryStudent (to be in the know of current student goings on!) @legends_pury (The campus bar to find out, first-hand about the Fresher s week line up!)