Mission, Goals and Objectives
Mission
The Mission of the Agricultural Studies Program is to provide students with an understanding of basic economic principles governing the production and distribution of agricultural resources; agricultural and environmental resource management; pre- and post- production business and marketing practices; physical, chemical, and biological principles of agroecosystems; global perspectives on food issues; restorative and sustainable agricultural practices; spatial and quantitative techniques; the social context of agricultural production; and public policy, regulatory, and land use issues.
In pursuing this mission, the program encourages students to critically assess agricultural issues and trends; provides students with opportunities to systematically develop the 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.
Program Goals
- Enable California State University, Stanislaus to pursue a program that is consistent with its liberal arts mission;
- Foster the development of sustainable relationships with area community colleges through the implementation of a “2+2” program design;
- Increase student access to an academic program in the area in which they reside;
- Strengthen ties between the University and the region’s agricultural and educational communities;
- Provide academic departments at California State University, Stanislaus with the opportunity and incentives to collaborate through the delivery of a multidisciplinary major;
- Strengthen ties between the University and the other CSU agriculture campuses capitalizing on the diversity and depth of those programs through collaborative efforts and course offerings; and
- Offer an academic program not replicated elsewhere that meets educational needs of geographically bound students in the northern San Joaquin Valley and Central Sierra Foothills.
Student 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;
- Explain the social context of agricultural production;
- Understand public policy, regulatory, and land use issues;
- 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.
