Will this course qualify me as an agronomist or soil scientist?

Not on its own. SEEK notes that agronomists are usually required to complete a diploma or degree in agriculture or agricultural science. This is a non-accredited short course, not a nationally accredited VET qualification such as a Certificate III. Its practical knowledge of crops, soils, pasture and farm business is useful for farm, field officer and supervisory roles. If a role legally requires a specific qualification, check with the employer or licensing body.

Why should I test my soil before deciding on fertiliser?

Because a soil test shows what your crop or pasture can actually access, so you spend money on what's missing instead of guessing. A standard test reports pH, key nutrients such as phosphorus and potassium, and often salinity and organic carbon. pH matters because it changes how available other nutrients are; a very acid soil may need lime before fertiliser gives a full response. Soil testing is common practice: 57% of broadacre and dairy farms used it in the three years to 2023–24 (ABARES).

Why does a crop course include pasture management?

Because on many farms the same paddocks spend some years in crop and some in pasture. A well-managed pasture phase can rebuild soil structure, add nitrogen through legumes, break weed and disease cycles, and feed livestock that earn income while the soil recovers. Understanding both sides lets you plan rotations as one system rather than two separate jobs.

How is this different from the Advanced Certificate in Agronomy?

The Advanced Certificate in Agronomy has three modules: Agronomy I, Soil Management and Farm Management. This certificate adds Pasture Management as a fourth, so it covers grazing and pasture phases too. Choose it if you run, or plan to run, crops and pasture together.

Agriculture & Crop Science Courses

Agriculture Certificate in Crop & Soil Management (Online)

Q: How long does the Agriculture Certificate in Crop & Soil Management take?

Most students finish in 20–30 weeks studying part-time. The four core modules add up to about 400 study hours, and you set the pace. You have 12 months' access, and you can apply for an extension of up to 12 months if you need it (an extension fee may apply).

Manage crops, soil and pasture as one productive system.

Our most comprehensive cropping and grazing course. Learn how crops and pastures grow, how to test and manage the soil beneath them, and how to run the whole operation as a business, online and at your own pace.

100% online
4 core modules
approx. 400 study hours
12 months' access
Tutor support 6 days a week
Certificate + transcript

Download the brochure Speak to a course consultant

Hands holding a sample of crumbly paddock soil

What is the Agriculture Certificate in Crop & Soil Management?

The Agriculture Certificate in Crop & Soil Management is a self-paced online course covering the whole cropping and grazing system. Across four modules (Agronomy I, Soil Management, Farm Management and Pasture Management) you'll learn crop husbandry, soil testing and fertility, pasture establishment and grazing, and farm business planning. It suits growers, mixed farmers and people heading for field or farm management roles.

Course overview

One system, from the soil up to the crop and the grazing

If your paddocks move between crop and pasture, can you really manage either in isolation? This course treats soil, crop, pasture and business as one connected system. With four core modules, it's the most complete course in our agriculture range.

Grow better crops – Cereal and broadleaf husbandry from seed selection and sowing to harvest, finishing with a crop management project.
Test and fix your soil – Sampling and testing, and managing erosion, salinity, acidity and compaction.
Grow more feed – Choose pasture species for the site, establish new pasture, renovate existing pasture and manage grazing.
Make the system pay – Whole-farm planning, budgets and cash flow, staff and WHS.

Want the full picture rather than one piece of it? Speak to a course consultant about getting started.

Who this course is for

Mixed farmers running cropping and grazing on the same country who want one framework for managing both.
Farm hands and station workers aiming for an overseer or manager role on a cropping or mixed property.
Career changers working toward field officer, crop monitoring or agronomy support roles who want real depth before further study.
New landholders and tree-changers who've bought a block with paddocks and want to know what it can grow and carry.

What you'll study

You'll start with a short Student Induction module that sets you up on the learning platform and introduces your tutor. Then you'll work through four core modules.

Module 1: Agronomy I (approx. 100 hours)

The crop side of the system: field crops from seed to harvest, and what lifts yield and quality.

Introduction to Agronomic Practices – the scope of agronomy and the main farming systems.
Culture: What Influences Crop Growth – the environmental and management factors that drive yield.
Crop Husbandry Practices – cultivation, sowing, crop nutrition and crop protection.
Seed and Seed Management – seed quality, selection, storage and handling.
Arable Cereal Crops – how the major grain crops are grown and managed.
Arable Broadleaf Crops – pulses, oilseeds and other non-cereal field crops.
Harvesting – harvest timing, methods and post-harvest handling.
Crop Management: Special Project – an applied project that brings the module together.

Module 2: Soil Management (approx. 100 hours)

The foundation under everything else. You'll learn to test, interpret and improve soil for both crops and pasture.

Introduction: Soils and Soil Classification – what soil is and how soils are classified.
Properties of Soils and Plant Nutrition – the physical and chemical properties that supply nutrients to plants.
Soil Testing Methods – sampling, testing and reading the results.
Land Degradation and Other Soil Problems – erosion, salinity, acidity, compaction and how to recognise them.
Soil Management on Farms – practical ways to maintain and improve soil condition.
Crops: Soil and Nutrient Requirements (Part A) – the soil and nutrient needs of major crop groups.
Crops: Soil and Nutrient Requirements (Part B) – continued coverage of further crop groups.
PBL Soil Project: Soil Investigation and Report – a hands-on investigation of a real soil, written up as a report.

Module 3: Farm Management (approx. 100 hours)

This module ties the agronomy to the bank balance: planning, financing, staffing and running a cropping or mixed operation.

Farm Planning – SMART goals, action plans, and planning and zoning rules.
Business Planning – whole-farm and property management plans, and planning stock and resources.
Financial Management – records, lenders, leases and contracts, budgets and forecasts.
Human Resource Management (HR) – recruiting, inducting and supervising farm staff.
Operational Management – supply chains, scheduling, weather and risk.
Farm Business Structure – business types, family farms, succession, ABN and GST.
OH&S – duty of care, PPE, chemicals, machinery and safety audits.
Land Management – buildings, animal shelters, native vegetation and tree regeneration.
Water Management – water sources, storage, irrigation, salinity and drought.
Soil Erosion – erosion types, acidification, and contour and strip cropping.
Farming Practices – grazing, lot-feeding and cropping systems, energy and waste.
Future Success – diversification and measuring how the business is tracking.

Module 4: Pasture Management (approx. 100 hours)

The grazing side of the system: choosing, establishing and managing pasture so paddocks out of crop still earn their keep.

Introduction to Pasture Management – why pasture matters, plus land management, location and site requirements.
Pasture Anatomy – the structure of pasture plants.
Pasture Selection – choosing grass and legume species to suit the site and purpose.
Soil Management – soils and fertility for productive pasture.
Water Management – water supply and use for pasture.
Pest, Disease, and Weed Management – identifying and controlling threats to pasture.
Machinery and Equipment – the equipment used to establish and maintain pasture.
New Pasture and Growth Management – sowing new pasture and managing early growth.
Existing Pasture Growth and Management – renovating existing pasture and managing grazing.

How you'll learn and be assessed

Online, in your own time – study materials, quizzes and assignments are on the learning platform 24/7, on any device.
Quizzes and written assignments – a short online quiz after each unit, and written assignments marked by your tutor with personalised feedback on every one.
Applied projects across the system – a crop management project (Agronomy I), a soil investigation and report (Soil Management), pasture assignments on species selection, soil and water, and pest management, and a farm business task on establishing a working farm.
Competency-based – if an assignment isn't quite there yet, your tutor tells you what to improve and you resubmit. No exams to sit in a centre.

Tailor your course with add-on modules

Shape the course further to your property or plans. Any certificate can be tailored with add-on modules from our catalogue, so you can pick up extra skills that match your property, business or career plans.

Sustainable Agriculture

Farm so the land and the business both last: soils, water, land care, financial sustainability and sustainable plant and animal enterprises. Takes your soil and pasture work further into whole-farm land care and long-term financial sustainability.

Organic Farming

Organic production that works with natural systems: soil fertility, non-chemical weed, pest and disease control, organic livestock, pasture and crops. For growers weighing up organic or lower-input cropping and pasture on some or all of the property.

Agricultural Marketing

Sell what you grow for a better return: marketing strategy, target markets, produce handling, customer relationships, market research and promotion. Completes the system by showing you how to sell the grain, hay or stock your paddocks produce.

Horticulture 3 – Health & Welfare of Plants

Diagnose and manage plant health: pests, diseases and weeds, natural and chemical controls, integrated pest management, environmental impacts and safe work practices. Deepens the crop-protection side of your studies with integrated pest management and the safe use of chemical controls.

Ask a course consultant about adding modules when you enrol.

Career pathways and earning potential

Combined crop, soil and pasture knowledge is useful on cropping and mixed farms, and in the advisory and supply businesses that work with them. Roles graduates often explore include:

Crop or mixed farm worker – sowing, spraying, fencing, moving stock and harvesting on a property that runs both crops and pasture. Farmhand median $71,210 (advertised salaries), SEEK.
Field officer or agronomy support – monitoring crops and pastures, taking soil samples and reporting problems to growers and agronomists. Agricultural technicians median $1,808/week full-time, Jobs and Skills Australia.
Farm overseer or farm manager – planning paddock rotations, budgets and staff on a cropping or mixed property, usually after on-farm experience. Farm manager median $105,000; typical $95k–$115k (advertised salaries), SEEK.

Figures are advertised salaries (SEEK, Jora) or median full-time earnings (Jobs and Skills Australia), accessed October 2026. Pay varies with experience, location and employer. Figures are a guide only.

Course details

Study mode: 100% online, self-paced
Core modules: 4 (plus Student Induction)
Study time: approx. 400 hours at your own pace (most students finish in 20–30 weeks)
Access: 12 months
Support: tutor support 6 days a week
You'll receive: Certificate of Completion, Certificate of Attainment and transcript
Payment: upfront or interest-free payment plan

Download the brochure Speak to a course consultant

Download your Agriculture Certificate in Crop & Soil Management brochure

See all four modules, every unit, how assessment works and payment options in one place.

Frequently asked questions

No. You don't need your own property, a farm job or any prior study. For the soil investigation and other practical tasks you can use any site you can get access to, such as a family or neighbour's farm, a community garden or a large backyard.