Agriculture

Earn an Agriculture Degree

The curriculum emphasizes practical learning and theories related to agriculture and hands-on experience in areas such as soil management, crops and livestock. Students can enter the workforce after graduation or transfer to a four-year university to complete a bachelor’s degree in agriculture.

Program of Study

The associate of science degree in agriculture offers a program of study that prepares students for professional careers as agricultural and food scientists. Students can choose one of three majors:

Why study agriculture?

Agricultural science is a rapidly growing and transforming field of study that supplies millions of jobs. An agricultural degree offers many career paths in an exciting industry where you can help feed the world and create new products or techniques for production.

Agricultural and food scientists in private industry commonly work for food production companies, farms, and processing plants performing laboratory or soil testing to improve inspection standards or overall food quality. Others work for pharmaceutical companies where they use biotechnology processes to develop drugs or other medical products. Some look for ways to process agricultural products into fuels, such as ethanol produced from corn.

Agricultural and food scientists who work at universities conduct research and investigate new methods of improving animal or soil health, nutrition, and other facets of food quality. They also write grants to organizations, such as the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) or the National Institutes of Health (NIH), to procure funding for their research.

What is the career outlook?

The overall employment rate for agricultural and food scientists is projected to grow 7% from 2018 to 2028, faster than the average for all occupations. Employment is also expected to increase due to research into newly developing agricultural production methods and techniques. The use and application of technology in data collecting and analysis to help maximize food production is moving this career field toward very exciting career opportunities.

Agriculture Core Courses

Introduction to Agricultural Business (3 hours lecture) – This course is an introduction to the field of agricultural business and some of the basic tools and concepts of decision making. Concepts are illustrated in terms of selected current social and economic issues in the industry of production agriculture, agricultural business, and the computer application of those concepts.

Introduction to Animal Science (3 hours lecture) – This course introduces students to the fundamental principles of animal agriculture and companion animal management. Biological and scientific aspects of development, inheritance, and feeding will be introduced in addition to an overview of the animal industry and its products.

Introduction to Plant Science (3 hours lecture) – This course is designed to emphasize the economic importance of plants and their relationships to agriculture and society. Topics include plant structure, physiology, heredity, factors of the environment in relation to growth, adaptation, management of plants, and utilization of plant products.

Introduction to Soil Science (3 hours lecture, 2 hours laboratory: 3-4 credit hours) – This course will engage students in understanding soil management relative to fertility, plant nutrition, tillage, erosion and environmental conditions as the origins of soils and soil properties are examined. The physical, chemical, and biological processes of soil will be introduced in addition to the relation of soil and land use management.