Department of Agricultural Sciences and Engineering

Korsi Dumenyo, Ph.D., Interim Department Chair
108 Lawson Hall

General Statement

The curricula of the four concentrations within the B.S. in Agricultural Science Degree are designed to provide both liberal and specialized education for students who seek to advance their education in the field of agriculture. The program in liberal education involves the social sciences, the natural sciences, the humanities, and the arts. It is designed to prepare students to understand and function in a very complex environment. The specialized program is designed to provide understanding and training in the complex scientific field of agriculture. The overall program offers curricula leading to the Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Agricultural Sciences, with concentrations in Agribusiness, Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication, Biotechnology with Premed, Environmental Sciences, Food and Animal Science & Pre-veterinary Medicine.

No grade less than “C” in any major course (Agricultural Sciences courses) will be accepted as credit toward meeting departmental requirements.

Program Goals

To maintain a responsive teaching and learning environment
To attract, retain, and graduate outstanding students
To advance biotechnology and biodiversity conservation
To ensure the viability of small-scale agriculture
To protect the environment and natural resources
To use innovative technologies in our academic programs

Program objectives

To recruit high-quality students, follow their progress through the program, and ensure that they graduate in a timely manner with high levels of achievement.
To produce graduates who have the capability to apply the concepts of the agricultural sciences to solving problems encountered in government, education, industry, and society in general;
To produce graduates who have in-depth knowledge and experience in the agricultural sciences, and expertise in their chosen field;
To produce graduates who can evaluate and define diverse problems, evaluate and develop feasibility studies, analyze and interpret data, and develop, implement, and evaluate acceptable solutions to professional problems;
To produce graduates who can communicate information to diverse groups at all levels of expertise;
To produce graduates who can use computer-based information systems to solve problems;
To produce graduates who understand their responsibility to their profession, to society in general, and the furtherance of lifelong learning;
To produce graduates capable of functioning successfully on multi-disciplinary teams and;
To produce graduates capable of further graduate studies.

Student Learning Outcomes

The professional expectation requires that students:

Apply the concepts of the agricultural sciences to solve problems encountered in government, education, industry, and society in general
Demonstrate in-depth knowledge and experience in the agricultural sciences in general and expertise in their concentration of choice;
Identify, evaluate, and define diverse problems in agriculture and related fields;
Evaluate and develop feasibility studies;
Analyze and interpret data;
Develop, implement, evaluate, and communicate acceptable solutions to professional agricultural problems or challenges;
Communicate information to diverse groups at all levels of expertise;

Manage and apply computer-based information systems to solve problems;
Demonstrate understanding of responsibility to the profession, to society in general, and to the furtherance of lifelong learning;
Demonstrate a commitment to personal and professional ethics;
Function successfully on multi-disciplinary teams and;
Manage and succeed in graduate studies.

Upper Division Policy

Students majoring in Agricultural Sciences must gain upper-division status before enrolling in upper-division courses (3000 & 4000 levels). Upper division courses taken prior to being given upper division status may not be accepted towards the B.S. degree. Students may be admitted to the upper division after completing at least 60 degree-level lower division credits (as set out in the curriculum) with a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0. It is the responsibility of the student to submit a formal petition to the department. A departmental committee will review such a petition to ensure that all criteria have been met.

Programs

Majors

Courses

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences