Department of
Agricultural Studies

Bachelor of Arts in Agricultural Studies with concentrations in Agricultural Biology, Agricultural Business/Economics, Permaculture, and a Special Concentration

Business Administration concentration in Agricultural Business*

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Bachelor of Arts in Agricultural Studies

This multidisciplinary program blends the contributions of a number of academic departments through upper-division core courses and four concentrations, listed above. The program encourages students to explore diverse approaches to agricultural production, distribution, and management in evolving economic and environmental settings. Experiential learning and applied research opportunities are offered through the concentrations.

The major fosters sustainable relationships with area community colleges through the implementation of a “2+2” program design. Individuals who have an A.S. degree or equivalent lower-division coursework in Agriculture, Agricultural Science, Agricultural Economics and closely related fields, and who complete the designated lower-division prerequisite courses, may participate in the program. Freshmen admitted to the major are dually enrolled in the university and an area community college agriculture program.

Requirements

1. Complete the University’s General Education breadhth requirements for the Bachelor of Arts degree (51 units minimum).
2. Complete the following prerequisites to the major at a community college.
   1. A minimum of 30 units of lower-division agriculture courses that include:
      One course in Introduction to Animal Science
      One course in Introduction to Plant Science
      One course in Soil Science
      One course in Elements of Agricultural Economics
      One course in Agricultural Computer Applications
      Additional requirements for the Agricultural Business/Economics concentration:
      One course in Agricultural Marketing or Sales
      One course in Agricultural Accounting
      One course in Agricultural Management (suggested)
   2. Lower division GE courses to include:
      One course in Statistics
      One course in Macroeconomics
3. Complete the major core requirements (16 units minimum).
4. Complete a concentration (20-24 units minimum).
5. Complete electives for a total of 120 units for the Bachelor of Arts degree.

The Major Core (16-18 units)
Complete one course from each of the following areas:

1. Social Context of Agriculture
   AGST 3000 Agriculture, Society, and the Natural World, 3 units
2. Methodology/Technology of Agriculture
   GEOG 4750/4752 Geographic Information Systems, 3 units
3. Physical/Biological Aspects of Agriculture
   BIOL 4200 Ecological Agriculture, 3 units
   GEOG 4070 Agricultural Geography, 4 units
4. Business/Economics of Agriculture
   ECON 4560 Natural Resources & Environmental Economics, 4 units
   ECON 4640 Economics and Agriculture, 3 units (required for Agricultural Business/Economics concentration)
5. Agriculture Policy and Regulations
   PSCI 4326 Planning Issues and Agriculture, 4 units

Concentrations in the Major
Students are required to complete a specific concentration in addition to the upper-division core courses in the Agricultural Studies major. The following concentrations are offered, including specific concentration requirements.

Concentration in Agricultural Biology

This concentration has a science focus and thus appeals to students with an interest in the biological aspects of agriculture. The concentration provides students with a unique opportunity to combine upper-division courses about agriculturally related biology with studies about agricultural geography, economics, and planning issues.

Additional Lower Division Prerequisite
One course in general chemistry with laboratory

Requirements (20 units minimum)

1. Two courses, one from each area (8 units)
   1. Botany/Microbiology
      BOTY 3500/3502 Introductory Plant Pathology, 4 units
      BOTY 3700/3702 Flowering Plants, 4 units
      MBIO 3010/3032 Bacteriology, 3 units/Lab, 2 units
   2. Entomology/Zoology
      ENTO 3000/3002 Principles of Entomology, 4 units
      ENTO 4800/4802 Agricultural Entomology, 4 units
      ZOOL 4430/4432 Invertebrate Zoology II, 4 units
2. One ecology course (3-4 units)
   BIOL 4200 Ecological Agriculture, 3 units
   BIOL 4680/4682 Ecology, 4 units
   BOTY 4600/4602 Plant Ecology, 4 units
3. Internship in an agriculture-related setting (3 units)
   AGST 4940 Agricultural Studies Internship, 1-4 units
   BIOL 4940 Internship in Biology, 2-4 units
4. Upper-division elective units in agriculture-related courses listed below (6 units)
   BIOL 4000 Biogeography, 3 units
   BIOL 4010/4012 Research and Technical Writing in Biology (WP), 3 units
   BIOL 4300 Conservation Biology, 3 units
   BOTY 3000/3002 Principles of Plant Propagation, 3 units
   BOTY 3050/3052 Plants, Agriculture, and Humans, 4 units
   BOTY 4200/4202 Plant Physiology, 4 units
   ENTO 4330/4332 Medical and Veterinary Entomology, 4 units
   GEOG 4301 Permaculture Applications in Diverse Environments, 3 units
   MBIO 4600 Food Microbiology, 3 units
   MBIO 4700 Host-Parasite Interactions, 3 units
   NSCI 3000 Science for Self-Sufficiency, 3 units

Specific elective courses within the concentration may have additional prerequisites (e.g. BOTY 4200, MBIO 4600, and MBIO 4700). Students who have not completed specific prerequisites are allowed to enroll with consent of the instructor.

If an equivalent course has been completed at the lower division level, an equal number of upper-division elective units must be completed.

Concentration in Agricultural Business/Economics

The Agricultural Studies concentration in Agricultural Business/Economics gives students the opportunity to combine community college coursework with courses at CSU Stanislaus to obtain a B.A. degree. Students take upper-division courses that build on specific knowledge and skills gained at the community college.

Courses in the concentration expose students to economic concepts such as resource allocation at the firm level and at the macro level, and business concepts such as sales and marketing. Students in the program will gain important statistical skills including forecasting and individual study/internship in a related field for university credit.

Requirements (24 units minimum)

1. Required courses for the concentration (12 units)
   ECON 4200 Intermediate Theory (Microeconomics), 3 units
   ECON 4331 Managerial Economics, 3 units or
   MGT 3300 Farm Management, 3 units
   ECON 4690 Agricultural Finance, 3 units
   MKT 3350 Agricultural Marketing, 3 units
2. Electives (minimum of 9 units total)
   1. General Business & Economics (6 units minimum)
      ECON 4100 Labor Economics, 3 units
      ECON 4335 Political Economy (WP), 4 units
      ECON 4500 Economics of Investment, 4 units
      ECON 4560 Natural Resources & Environmental Economics, 4 units
      BUS 3100 Business Technical Writing Communication (WP), 3 units
      MGT 3340 Agricultural Commodity Futures, 3 units
      MGT 4320 Appraisal of Agricultural Property, 3 units
      MGT 4380 Public Policy in Agriculture, 3 units
      MGT 4930 Strategic Planning in Agriculture, 3 units
   2. International Business & Economics (3 units minimum)
      ECON 4401 Third World Economics, 3 units
      ECON 4415 International Economics, 3 units
      ECON 4455 The U.S. and World Trade, 4 units
      MKT 4470 Global Marketing, 4 units
3. Internship in an agriculture-related setting (3 units)
   AGST 4940 Agricultural Studies Internship, 1-4 units

Students in this concentration will also be advised to fulfill as many of the University requirements as possible by taking upper-division courses in marketing, accounting, and finance.

Concentration in Permaculture

The concentration in Permaculture is an emphasis available to students in the Agricultural Studies major. Permaculture is a design approach for agroecosystems. With a focus on long-term sustainability, it emphasizes ecological principles and diversity of plant and animal combinations suited to the characteristics of places and cultures. As such, it is appropriate for students who are concerned with resources issues, agriculture, community development, and land use planning.

Requirements (21 units minimum)

1. Physical Environment. Choose one course from the following (3-4 units):
   BIOL 4000 Biogeography, 3 units
   GEOG 3100 Climatology, 3 units
   GEOG 4070 Agricultural Geography, 4 units
   GEOL 3900 Soil Geology: Application to Agriculture and Hydrogeology, 3 units
2. Ecology. Choose one course from the following (3-4 units)
   BIOL 4200 Ecological Agriculture, 3 units
   BIOL 4650/4652 Aquatic Biology, 4 units
   BIOL 4680/4682 Ecology, 4 units
   BOTY 4600/4602 Plant Ecology, 4 units
   GEOG 3020 Human Ecology, 3 units
   PHIL 4800 Nature Revisited: Environmental Issues in Philosophical Perspective, 3 units
3. Techniques. Choose three courses from the following (9-12 units)
   ANTH/GEOG 4250 The Ethnoecology of Southeast Asia, 4 units
   PSCI 3810 Multicultural Community Building and Conflict Resolution, 3 units
   BOTY 3000/3002 Principles of Plant Propagation, 3 units
   BOTY 3500/3502 Introductory Plant Pathology, 4 units
   ENTO 3000/3002 Principles of Entomology, 4 units
   GEOG 4710 Field Methods (WP), 3 units
4. Capstone Course (3 units)
   GEOG 4301 Permaculture Applications in Diverse Environments, 3 units
5. Internship in an agriculture-related setting (3 units)
   AGST 4940 Agricultural Studies Internship, 1-4 units

Special Concentration

The Special Concentration will provide options within the Agricultural Studies major that offer flexibility in the career choice objectives of the students in the CSU Stanislaus Agricultural Studies Program. This concentration presents the unique opportunity to combine core courses and upper division requirements with courses outside the program, which fulfill a student’s education and career goals. The result is a concentration geared toward specific student objectives, while maintaining the integrity of the Bachelor of Arts degree in Agricultural Studies.

Requirements (21 units minimum)

1. Upper Division Units – 18 units
   1. Courses from Agricultural Studies concentrations (Agricultural Biology, Agricultural Business/Economics, Permaculture) (12 units)
   2. Approved courses outside of Agricultural Studies concentrations (6 units)
2. Internship in agriculture-related setting (3 units)
   AGST 4940 Agricultural Studies Internship, 1-4 units

Minor in Agricultural Studies

Requirements (18 units minimum)

Upper Division Agricultural Studies Core
(a minimum of 12 units from 4 of 5 areas)

1. Social Context of Agriculture
   AGST 3000 Agriculture, Society, and the Natural World, 3 units
2. Methodology/Technology of Agriculture
   GEOG 4750/4752 Geographic Information Systems, 3 units
3. Physical/Biological Aspects of Agriculture
   BIOL 4200 Ecological Agriculture, 3 units
   GEOG 4070 Agricultural Geography, 4 units
4. Business/Economics of Agriculture
   ECON 4640 Economics and Agriculture, 3 units
   ECON 4560 Natural Resources & Environmental Economics, 4 units
5. Agriculture Policy & Regulations
   PSCI 4326 Planning Issues and Agriculture, 4 units

Lower Division Transfer Core
(2 courses, a minimum of 6 units from the following)
Principles of Animal Science, 3 units
Principles of Plant Science, 3-4 units
Soil Science, 3-4 units
Agricultural Economics, 3 units
Computers in Agriculture, 3 units
Substitutions may be approved by adviser.

Learning Objectives
Students will:

• Explain basic economic principles with respect to the production and distribution of agricultural resources;
• Explain the principles of agricultural and environmental resource management;
• Describe agricultural business and marketing practices;
• Explain the physical, chemical, and biological principles of agroecosystems;
• Summarize global perspectives on food issues;
• Provide examples of restorative and sustainable agricultural practices;
• Describe spatial and other quantitative techniques;
• Understand public policy, regulatory, and land use issues;
• Explain the social context of agricultural production;
• Critically assess agricultural issues and trends;
• Systematically develop communicative, analytical, quantitative, and critical thinking skills;
• Be exposed to diverse teaching and learning strategies in a number of academic disciplines;
• Gain applied experience through internships and service learning;
• Experience a high quality academic program that prepares them for changing and emerging professional opportunities in the region; and
• Be involved in an educational experience that helps prepare them for graduate studies and teaching.

In pursuing these objectives, the program encourages students to critically assess agricultural issues and trends; provides students with opportunities to systematically develop their communicative, analytical, quantitative, and critical thinking skills; exposes students to diverse teaching and learning strategies in a number of academic disciplines; and delivers a high quality academic program that prepares students for emerging professional opportunities.

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