Agriculture

For students to be ready to undertake a bachelor’s degree the criteria focusses on different aspects of the applicant’s character, capabilities, and readiness.

Motivation and Purpose

What we are looking for is:

• A clear, deeply rooted reason for pursuing a course at Marcus Oldham.
• Passion for Agriculture or Agribusiness with long-term goals.

Students with intrinsic motivation are more likely to persevere through the difficulties of an intensive program.

Emotional, Social and Learning Readiness

What we are looking for:

• The ability to work well with others, especially in challenging group dynamics.
• Emotional intelligence (self-awareness, empathy, social skills) and maturity in handling conflicts or stress.
• Humility, modesty and integrity
• A positive learning disposition

Marcus’s immersive and collegiate learning environment means students will live and work collaboratively with peers, which means they should be adept at managing group dynamics, resolving conflicts, and contributing to a positive team atmosphere. Students need maturity and self-control.

Resilience and Adaptability

What we are looking for is:

• Past examples where they faced adversity, setbacks, or failure and how they coped.
• Ability to reflect on and learn from those experiences, showing personal growth.

Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking

What we are looking for:

• A structured and logical approach to problem-solving.
• Creativity and flexibility in finding solutions, especially in complex or unfamiliar situations.

Students will face complex problems requiring deep analysis and innovative thinking. It is important to understand how they approach problems.

Passion and Industry Knowledge

What we are looking for:

• Genuine interest and enthusiasm for Agriculture or Agribusiness.
• Awareness of current trends, challenges, and developments in the industry.
• Experience in the industry with higher regard given to candidates based on the length and depth of their industry experience including roles and responsibilities.

Passionate students are more likely to stay motivated, especially in a fast-paced, challenging program. Having a foundational understanding of the industry is crucial for Marcus, especially in an accelerated program where students won’t have as much time to learn the basics.

The College needs to ensure that students entering the programs are ready to complete an accelerated bachelor’s degree, as students will be expected to master material more quickly than in a traditional program. This criterion goes beyond high school results and ATAR scores to measure whether students have the foundational knowledge, cognitive ability, and study habits needed to excel in a compressed timeframe.

What we are looking for:

• School performance as this reflects both subject mastery and discipline in maintaining strong grades over time. This is what is often reflected in an ATAR.
• Entry Test. The College recognises that not all students do well at school, however they do have to have a basic level of math skills to undertake the courses.

Academic readiness is not just about prior academic success but also about a student’s ability to thrive in an accelerated environment that requires independence, intellectual engagement, and strong learning habits.

The application process ensures that all applicants have an equitable chance to demonstrate their suitability to enter the course.

How:

• Application Form
• Pre-Interview Test
• Interview

Application Form

The application form collects preliminary data that assists in predetermining whether the minimum requirements have been met, as well as the providing some information about the suitability of an applicant.

Pre-Interview Test

The main objective of a pre-entry test is not to rank applicants by their performance on a test but to exclude any applicants (for now) who do not reach the minimum threshold on the test. This process is in line with Objective 2, whereby the College cannot set a student up to fail.

Interview

It is preferred that applicants attend the College for a face-to-face interview, although MS Teams is offered as an alternative, for those unable to travel.

During the interview, applicants are provided opportunities to share their background, experience and why they were motivated to apply to come to Marcus Oldham. The interview also attempts to garner what the applicant’s experience has been and how they have developed as a person as a result of that experience. The interview is heavily focused on the characteristics that have been described in Objective 1 to ensure the applicant is well prepared to enter into an academic program at Marcus Oldham.

Referees

Applicants nominate referees that meet criteria set by the College, for example, two referees, a previous employer and a recognised industry figure such as a graduate who personally knows the applicant. Not all applicants will be able to nominate both such people.

The College will seek feedback from nominated referees to help determine the character of the applicant.

The College has established a strong and effective selection method for applicants which is both valid and reliable.

The selection method addresses five key principles to ensure validity and reliability:

1. It focuses on the two key objectives, Preparedness (Objective 1) and Capability (Objective 2)
2. It is applied with consistency
3. It is owned by the academic team
4. It is transparent and fair
5. It is not influenced by factors outside the two key objectives, Preparedness and Capability

Upholding these five principles ensures the selection process is fair and equitable.