Agriculture and Food Systems Major (B.A.)

The Agriculture and Food Systems B.A. offers a highly flexible curriculum to students interested in cultivating expertise in a wide variety of topics including modern agricultural practices, the science and management of working landscapes, local and regional food systems, value-added agricultural products, and the promotion of healthy eating through sustainable food production and policies. An interdisciplinary field comprising the social, physical, and life sciences and beyond, agriculture and food systems lie at the center of many of the major challenges facing the world, such as producing food to meet the needs of an ever-growing population while conserving natural resources and promoting human wellness.

Our students get hands-on experience in applied coursework and are actively encouraged to conduct impactful research alongside faculty. Our graduates become practitioners and entrepreneurs of agricultural and food businesses, researchers and policy-makers at state/federal agencies and non-profit organizations, laboratory technicians, and agricultural educators. Some go on to obtain advanced degrees in the agricultural sciences.

Degree Requirements

All Major, Option and Elective Requirements as indicated.
*Major GPA requirements as indicated.

Major Requirements

The AGFS B.A. program structure includes FOUR major components: foundation courses, courses in a student-designed emphasis area, program elective courses, and a capstone. You must earn a minimum grade of C- in all courses required for the major.

Foundation courses include 37 credits, which satisfy at least 5 of the University Discovery requirements.

Student-Designed Emphasis courses include 20 credits that make up a cohesive emphasis or focus area. Courses may be selected from the List of Approved Program Electives, but do not need to be on that list. Each student will define their emphasis area in consultation with their advisor and submit it to the AGFS program committee for approval prior to the start of their 7^th semester.

Elective courses include 16 credits, chosen from the List of Approved Program Elective courses.

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Some courses (e.g. genetics, microbiology) require CHEM 403 and CHEM 404 as a prerequisite.  If you intend to take these courses, you should take CHEM 403 rather than CHEM 411.

University Requirements

In addition to meeting the AGFS major requirements, students must satisfy all University requirements including those that pertain to the minimum number of credits, grade-point average, writing-intensive courses, the Discovery Program, and foreign language for B.A. students only.

Program Learning Outcomes

• Students will demonstrate a working understanding of the interdisciplinary nature of agriculture and food systems and the basic principles underpinning sustainability including: economic viability, environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and the trade-offs between competing metrics of sustainability.
• Students will demonstrate in-depth knowledge, critical thinking and analysis, and effective written communication in a self-declared area of emphasis within the program.
• Students will gain an applied understanding of agriculture and food systems by engaging in an experiential education opportunity.
• Students will be able to independently interpret, evaluate, and engage with research in the agricultural sciences, including its biological, physical, social, and/or economic aspects.