Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences

Samuel Nahashon, Ph.D.,
Department Chair
Office: 108 Lawson Hall (615) 963-5829 or 5431
snahashon@tnstate.edu

The graduate programs in the Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences are designed to provide students with a solid and the most relevant up-to-date curriculum that blends 21st-century leadership skills and scientific knowledge to solve problems in agriculture and related areas. Students will develop the necessary set of skills and competency, and expand their knowledge, creativity, and scholastic activities through classroom, experiential hands-on learning, and networking opportunities that prepare them for today’s ever-demanding job market. The graduate students have opportunities to conduct basic and applied research in food, agricultural and environmental sciences to solve contemporary issues, challenges, and problems encountered by the society at local, regional and global levels. Students’ engagement in research activities not only provide a learning experience but also contribute to the university’s research mission. The graduate programs are tailored to prepare students for careers in food, agricultural and environmental sciences to meet the growing demand for such professionals in the private industries, academia and government sectors. The graduate program is administered at the Certificate, Master of Science (M.S.), Professional Science Master’s (PSM) and the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) levels.

The Department is home to over four dozen graduate faculty members with diverse experience, and educational training and background. There are 35 research laboratories on the main campus housed in Lawson Hall Annex, Farrell-Westbrook Agricultural Research Complex, and the Agricultural Biotechnology Building. These laboratories provide state-of-the-art equipment essential for advanced microbiological, biotechnology, environmental sciences, food science, and animal science research using the latest cutting-edge technologies. To facilitate field research, there are three field research stations - the main campus Agricultural Research and Education Center; the Cheatham County Agricultural Demonstration and Research Center; and the Otis L. Floyd Nursery Research Center at McMinnville, which also houses numerous research labs.

Objectives

The graduate programs in the Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences are designed to prepare students to become:

Professionals and research scholars who have in-depth knowledge, and skills in the increasingly complex field of agriculture and related areas;
Scholars for rewarding and challenging careers in government, the agricultural industry, international organizations, and higher education;
Scholars to take leadership roles in professional food, agricultural and environmental sciences;
Agricultural professionals capable of evaluating and defining a diverse set of problems, and developing feasibility studies to find solutions to the problems;
Experts who can analyze and interpret data, and develop, implement, and evaluate acceptable solutions to the real-world problems encountered by the government, academia, industry, and society in general;
Scholars capable of communicating effectively to diverse audiences; and
Scholars who are fully prepared for further training in doctoral and/or post-doctoral programs.

Programs and Degrees

The Department offers the following graduate degrees

Master of Science in Agricultural Sciences
Master of Science in Food and Animal Sciences
Professional Sciences Master’s (P.S.M.) in Applied Geospatial Sciences
Graduate Certificate in Applied Geospatial Information Systems
Ph.D. in Biological Sciences*

*The Ph.D. degree in Biological Sciences is an interdepartmental degree program offered jointly by the Departments of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, and Biological Sciences. All admission requirements are found in the Biological Sciences, Ph.D. catalog pages.

Agricultural Sciences Faculty

Courses

Agricultural & Environmental Sciences