Postgraduate Module Descriptor


ANTM002: Permaculture and Gardening with Nature

This module descriptor refers to the 2019/0 academic year.

Module Aims

This is a practical module set within an academic context. To that end, you will apply knowledge you acquire through the study of: agroecology, ethnobotany, soil ecology, nutrition, health and well-being.  You will network with food practitioners in public institutions, private enterprises, third sector organisations and social enterprises with an interest in alternative forms and methods of producing food, as well as with academics studying these. The skills acquired will enable you to pursue careers in gardening and/or growing food in public institutions, private enterprises, third sector organisations and social enterprises. You will learn how to use gardening/growing food within a range of contexts, including working with school children; working in community development; or working to promote well-being and support people with mental health challenges.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

This module's assessment will evaluate your achievement of the ILOs listed here - you will see reference to these ILO numbers in the details of the assessment for this module.

On successfully completing the programme you will be able to:
Module-Specific Skills1. Develop and perfect practical skills in the design and management of a range of growing techniques.
2. Recognize and accurately assess the causes of success and failure associated with particular growing techniques.
Discipline-Specific Skills3. Recognize a range of culturally-variable food sources and food-growing methods and produce informative and insightful accounts of these in a range of media
4. Understand how food procurement and production fit within the broader natural environment and provide well-documented and convincing analysis of these.
Personal and Key Skills5. Assess with precision both the benefits and difficulties associated with different forms of own-growing, such as promoting well-being, fostering community, or providing education in settings such as schools and forest schools.
6. Develop a robust professional network with key individuals and organizations that practice these growing techniques.

Module Content

Syllabus Plan

Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following themes with scope for individual students to focus on elements of their choice:

How to record information than could affect growing food successfully, such as soil testing and using exiting vegetation as a proxy for the land’s status

How to design a food production area

How to build up organic matter in soil, including traditional composting, no-dig, and permaculture methods

How to grow food using various methods, from raised beds to forest gardens

How to obtain food, from foraging, perennial and annual food resources, to typical garden flowers

How to plant particular crops, from annuals to perennials (including trees)

How to care for particular crops and prune perennials (particularly trees)

How to manage a productive area

How to develop a harvest plan

How to manage bee hives

Learning and Teaching

This table provides an overview of how your hours of study for this module are allocated:

Scheduled Learning and Teaching ActivitiesGuided independent studyPlacement / study abroad
75750

...and this table provides a more detailed breakdown of the hours allocated to various study activities:

CategoryHours of study timeDescription
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activity6030 x 2-hour sessions of supervised practical work in the garden
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities15Fieldtrips
Guided Independent Study30Reading
Guided independent study45Preparation of gardening journal and project presentation

Online Resources

This module has online resources available via ELE (the Exeter Learning Environment).

Useful LInks:

Incredible Edible Movement http://incredibleediblenetwork.org.uk/

Grow it Yourself https://giy.ie/

The Orchard Project: www.theorchardproject.org.uk