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Agricultural and Life Sciences Education

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OVERVIEW

Administered by the Department of Agricultural Education and Studies

For undergraduate curricula in agricultural and life sciences education, agricultural communications, and agricultural studies, leading to the degree of Bachelor of Science, see College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Curricula.

The department offers three curricula for students desiring to enter careers in agriculture and related fields. These curricula are agricultural communication, agricultural and life sciences education and agricultural studies. The agricultural communication curriculum prepares graduates to communicate about agricultural science with diverse audiences within and outside the agricultural sector locally, nationally, and globally, using various communication channels and tools. The agricultural and life sciences education curriculum prepares persons for careers as agricultural education instructors, and educational specialists for industry, nonprofit organizations, and governmental agencies. The agricultural studies curriculum has two options, production and management and multidisciplinary. Graduates are prepared for careers in production agriculture and agricultural industry. Graduates of all three curricula accept positions in agricultural business, industry, agencies, and production agriculture.

Student Learning Outcomes

Graduates will have a broad base of agricultural knowledge, and will be skilled in decision-making, planning, organizing, presenting, and evaluating information. Through the successful completion of the required coursework, active participation in clubs and organizations, and the acquisition of technical skills and experiences associated with work experiences, internships, and international travel, graduates of our baccalaureate programs meet the university, college, and departmental outcomes in the following nine areas:

  1. Professional, interpersonal, and cross-cultural communications
  2. Problem solving and critical thinking
  3. Leadership
  4. Entrepreneurship
  5. Life-long learning
  6. Ethics
  7. Environmental awareness
  8. U.S. cultures and communities
  9. International perspectives.

More information regarding the departmental learning outcomes can be found at www.ageds.iastate.edu/.

Curriculum in Agricultural and Life Sciences Education

Administered by the Department of Agricultural Education and Studies. Students majoring in Agricultural and Life Sciences Education may lead to teacher licensure.

Total Degree Requirement: 128 cr.

Only 65 cr. from a two-year institution may apply which may include up to 16 technical cr.; 9 P-NP cr. of free electives; 2.00 minimum GPA. Teacher certification requires 2.5 GPA at particular points in the program of study, and a minimum grade of C- in selected courses.

University Requirements:

ENGL 1500Critical Thinking and Communication3
ENGL 2500Written, Oral, Visual, and Electronic Composition3
International Perspectives3
LIB 1600Introduction to College Level Research1
U.S. Cultures and Communities (formerly U.S. Diversity)3
Total Credits13

CALS Requirements:

Communications Proficiency:

6 cr. of English composition with a C or better and 3 cr. of speech fundamentals with a C or better.

AGEDS 3110Presentation and Sales Strategies for Agricultural Audiences3
American History Elective3
BIOL 2110Principles of Biology I3
BIOL 2110LPrinciples of Biology Laboratory I1
BIOL 2120Principles of Biology II3
BIOL 2120LPrinciples of Biology Laboratory II1
CHEM 1630College Chemistry4
CHEM 1630LLaboratory in College Chemistry1
ECON 1010Principles of Microeconomics3
Ethics Elective from Approved List3
MATH 1400College Algebra3
STAT 1040Introduction to Statistics3

Major Specific Requirements - Agricultural Sciences and Economics (C- or higher required)

ACCT 2840Financial Accounting3
Ag Elective From Approved List3
AGEDS 3150Personal, Professional, and Entrepreneurial Leadership in Agriculture3
AGEDS 4880Methods of Teaching Agricultural Mechanics3
AGRON 1810Introduction to Crop Science3
AGRON 1820Introduction to Soil Science3
ANS 1010Working with Animals2
ANS 1140Survey of the Animal Industry2
HORT 2210Principles of Horticulture Science3
ECON 2300Farm Business Management3
NREM 1200Introduction to Renewable Resources3
AGEDS 3880Agricultural Mechanics Applications3
Total Credits34

Major Specific Requirements - Professional Credits (C or higher required):

AGEDS 1100Professional Development in Agricultural Education and Studies: New Student Seminar1
AGEDS 2110AHigh School Agriculture Programs1
AGEDS 3100Foundations of Agricultural Education Programs3
AGEDS 4010Planning Agriculture and Life Sciences Education Programs3
AGEDS 4020Methods of Teaching in Agriculture and Life Sciences3
AGEDS 4160Pre-Student Teaching Experience in Agricultural Education1
AGEDS 4170Supervised Teaching in Agriculture and Life Sciences1-16
PSYCH 3330Educational Psychology3
PSYCH 2300Developmental Psychology3
SPED 4010Teaching Secondary Students with Exceptionalities in General Education3
Total Credits22-37

Electives: Select courses to get to 128 credits.

Agricultural and Life Sciences Education, B.S.

Freshman
FallCreditsSpringCredits
AGEDS 11001ENGL 25003
ANS 11402ECON 10103
ANS 10102AGRON 18103
BIOL 21103BIOL 21203
BIOL 2110L1BIOL 2120L1
ENGL 15003Choose from Approved Ag Elective List3
LIB 16001 
MATH 14003 
 16 16
Sophomore
FallCreditsSpringCredits
CHEM 16304PSYCH 23003
CHEM 1630L1Ethics Elective3
NREM 12003STAT 10403
ACCT 28403American History Elective3
AGEDS 31003AGEDS 2110A or 2110C1
AGEDS 38803HORT 22103
 17 16
Junior
FallCreditsSpringCredits
ECON 23003Intl Perspectives Elective3
AGEDS 31503AGEDS 40103
PSYCH 33303Elective6
AGEDS 48803AGRON 18203
Elective3 
 15 15
Senior
FallCreditsSpringCredits
AGEDS 31103AGEDS 41601
AGEDS 40203AGEDS 41701-16
Elective6 
SPED 40103 
U.S. Cultures and Communities (formerly U.S. Diversity)3 
 18 2-17

Minor - Agricultural and Life Sciences Education

The department offers a minor in agricultural and life sciences education which may be earned by completion of a minimum of 15 credits in agricultural education and studies courses, with a minimum of two courses at the 4000 level. The minor must include at least 9 credits that are not used to meet any other department, college, or university requirement. A minor will not meet state licensure requirements for teaching high school agriculture. Courses that can be taken for a minor are:

AGEDS 2110
AGEDS 3100Foundations of Agricultural Education Programs3
AGEDS 3110Presentation and Sales Strategies for Agricultural Audiences3
AGEDS 3120Science With Practice3
AGEDS 3150Personal, Professional, and Entrepreneurial Leadership in Agriculture3
AGEDS 3270Survey of Agriculture and Life Sciences Communication3
AGEDS 3880Agricultural Mechanics Applications3
AGEDS 4020Methods of Teaching in Agriculture and Life Sciences3
AGEDS 4120Internship in Agricultural Education and Studies2-6
AGEDS 4140Developing Agricultural Education Programs in Non-Formal Settings2
AGEDS 4500Farm Management and Operation3
AGEDS 4510Agricultural Law3
AGEDS 4610Innovation Diffusion and the Role of Agricultural and Extension Education3
AGEDS 4880Methods of Teaching Agricultural Mechanics3
AGEDS 49001-3
AGEDS 4960AInternational1-3
or AGEDS 4960B Domestic
AGEDS 4990Undergraduate Research1-30

Visit the departmental website at www.AgEds.iastate.edu/.

Graduate Study

The department offers the degrees of Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy, with a major in agricultural education; a specialization in agricultural extension education; opportunities for emphasis in international agricultural education; and a minor for students majoring in other curricula. Graduate students who have earned a bachelor’s degree in an agricultural discipline may plan a course of study that leads to teacher certification. Candidates pursuing the Master of Science degree may do so by completing either a thesis or nonthesis program of study. 

Students have an opportunity to develop competence in disciplinary foundations and ethics, program planning, learning theory, instructional methods, program leadership and administration, program evaluation, research methodologies, data analysis and interpretation, writing for publication, and grant proposal writing.

The department also cooperates in the international development studies option of the General Graduate Studies Program. Courses and workshops are offered, both on and off campus, for extension educators, teachers, and industry and government personnel.