The Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering offers a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Systems Technology (AST). Students majoring in AST choose between two options: Agricultural and Biosystems Management or Machine Systems. The department also offers a minor in Agricultural Systems Technology.
Successful AST graduates gain knowledge, skills, and abilities in solving technical problems, understanding the design process, excelling in authentic leadership, being aware of safety issues, having a quality orientation, effectively managing projects, and having a systems-thinking perspective. This translates to a holistic approach where AST graduates apply science, technology and engineering principles to manage complex agricultural and other production systems, including how the constituent sub-systems are interrelated and the broader impact of these systems.
Graduates find careers within a variety of agricultural industries, businesses, and organizations in the fields of agricultural machinery; off-road equipment; food, feed and grain processing; water quality; biorenewable resources; precision agriculture; or livestock production systems.
Common job duties of AST Agricultural and Biosystems Management graduates include:
- Technical support
- Operations management
- Production supervision
- Grain elevator management
Common job duties of AST Machine Systems graduates include:
- Precision agriculture support
- Testing or sales management
- Technical support
- Maintenance supervision
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon graduation, all AST students should be able to:
- Apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and applied engineering to identify and solve applied science and technology problems.
- Develop and conduct experiments and analyze and interpret resulting data.
- Evaluate and adapt systems, components, processes to meet specified needs.
- Function effectively on multi-disciplinary teams.
- Communicate effectively, ethically, and professionally in written, oral, and other formats to technical and non-technical audiences.
- Understand the potential impacts and limitations of solutions in global and societal contexts.
- Recognize the need for, and demonstrate an ability to, engage in life-long learning.
- Effectively apply modern scientific and technical tools necessary for professional practice to address contemporary issues in applied engineering and technology.
Upon graduation, AST students in the agricultural and biosystems management (ABM) option should be able to:
- Design, implement, and evaluate best practices for the management of global and natural resource systems.
- Integrate and utilize agricultural and biosystems applied engineering and technology to address contemporary issues in bio-based industries.
- Evaluate the factors impacting the complex systems that sustain water, air, soils, food, and feed.
Upon graduation, AST students in the machine systems (M.S.) option should be able to:
- Specify, manage, and test machine systems in the context of a complete agricultural, biological production or processing system.
- Use and apply the technology of machine systems including power and information flows, function and interaction with biological materials.
- Perform an energy and cost analyses of complete machine systems to ensure the success and sustainability of an enterprise.
For more information about the AST degree: http://www.abe.iastate.edu/undergraduate-students/agricultural-systems-technology
Total Degree Requirement: 120 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.
Communications Proficiency:
6 cr. of English composition with a C or better and 3 cr. of speech fundamentals with a C or better.
Communication/Library: 13 cr.
| ENGL 1500 | Critical Thinking and Communication | 3 |
| ENGL 2500 | Written, Oral, Visual, and Electronic Composition | 3 |
| One of the following: | 3 | |
| Business Communication | ||
| Proposal and Report Writing | ||
| Technical Communication | ||
| Survey of Agriculture and Life Sciences Communication | ||
| One of the following: | 3 | |
| Fundamentals of Public Speaking | ||
| Professional Communication | ||
| Presentation and Sales Strategies for Agricultural Audiences | ||
| LIB 1600 | Introduction to College Level Research | 1 |
| Total Credits | 13 | |
Mathematical, Physical, and Life Sciences: 25 cr.
| MATH 1450 | Applied Trigonometry | 3 |
| MATH 1510 | Calculus for Business and Social Sciences | 3 |
| STAT 1040 | Introduction to Statistics | 3 |
| CHEM 1630 | College Chemistry | 4 |
| CHEM 1630L | Laboratory in College Chemistry | 1 |
| PHYS 1310 | General Physics I | 4 |
| PHYS 1310L | General Physics I Laboratory | 1 |
| One of the following: | 3 | |
| Introductory Biology | ||
| Principles of Biology I | ||
| Principles of Biology II | ||
| Biological Processes in the Environment | ||
| Life Sciences Elective from approved College of Agriculture and Life Sciences list | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 25 | |
Business, Humanities, Ethics, and Social Sciences: 18 cr.
| ACCT 2840 | Financial Accounting | 3 |
| or ACCT 2150 | Legal Environment of Business | |
| ECON 1010 | Principles of Microeconomics | 3 |
| TSM 3700 | Occupational Safety (Ethics) | 3 |
| Humanities course from College of Agriculture and Life Sciences list | 3 | |
| International Perspectives course from University list | 3 | |
| U.S. Cultures and Communities course from University list | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 18 | |
Technical Core: 27 cr.
| TSM 1100 | Introduction to Technology | 1 |
| TSM 1110 | Experiencing Technology | 1 |
| TSM 1150 | Solving Technology Problems | 3 |
| TSM 1160 | Introduction to Design in Technology | 3 |
| TSM 2010 | Preparing for Workplace Seminar | 1 |
| TSM 2100 | Fundamentals of Technology | 3 |
| TSM 2140 | Managing Technology Projects | 1 |
| TSM 2700 | Principles of Injury Prevention and Safety | 3 |
| TSM 3100 | Total Quality Improvement | 3 |
| TSM 3630 | Electrical Power and Electrical Machinery Systems | 3 |
| TSM 3970 | Summer Internship in Technology | R |
| or TSM 3990 | Internship in Technology | |
| TSM 4150 | Applied Project Management in Technology | 2 |
| TSM 4160 | Technology Capstone | 3 |
| Total Credits | 27 | |
Agricultural and Biosystems Management Option: 37 cr.
| TSM 4330 | Precision Agriculture | 3 |
| Two of the following: | 6 | |
| Farm Business Management | ||
| Introduction to Agricultural Markets | ||
| Cooperatives | ||
| Agricultural Marketing | ||
| Managing Organizations | ||
| Organizational Behavior | ||
| Select 20 credits from departmental list | 20 | |
| 8 credits of free electives | 8 | |
| Total Credits | 37 | |
Machine Systems option: 37 cr.
| TSM 2160 | Advanced Technical Graphics, Interpretation, and CAD | 2 |
| ABE 2710, ABE 2720, or ABE 2730 | 1 | |
| TSM 2400 | Introduction to Advanced Manufacturing and Metals Processing | 3 |
| TSM 3300 | Agricultural Machinery and Power Management | 3 |
| TSM 3350 | Tractor Power | 4 |
| TSM 3370 | Fluid Power Systems Technology | 3 |
| TSM 3650 | Electrical Controls and Sensor Systems | 3 |
| TSM 4330 | Precision Agriculture | 3 |
| TSM 4430 | Statics and Strength of Materials for Technology | 3 |
| TSM 4650 | Automation Systems | 3 |
| 9 credits of free electives | 9 | |
| Total Credits | 37 | |
Agricultural Systems Technology, B.S. - Machine Systems
| First Year | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
| TSM 1100 | 1 | TSM 1110 | 1 | ||
| TSM 1160 | 3 | TSM 1150 | 3 | ||
| ENGL 1500 | 3 | MATH 1510 | 3 | ||
| LIB 1600 | 1 | PHYS 1310 | 4 | ||
| MATH 1450 | 3 | PHYS 1310L | 1 | ||
| CHEM 1630 | 4 | U.S. Cultures and Communities - see list1 | 3 | ||
| CHEM 1630L | 1 | ||||
| 16 | 15 | ||||
| Second Year | |||||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
| TSM 2010 | 1 | TSM 2160 | 2 | ||
| TSM 2100 | 3 | ABE 2710, 2720, or 2730 | 1 | ||
| TSM 2140 | 1 | TSM 2400 | 3 | ||
| TSM 2700 | 3 | STAT 1040 | 3 | ||
| ACCT 2840 | 3 | BIOL 1010 or 2110 | 3 | ||
| ENGL 2500 | 3 | ECON 1010 | 3 | ||
| 14 | 15 | ||||
| Third Year | |||||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
| TSM 3350 | 4 | TSM 3100 | 3 | TSM 3970 or 3990 | R |
| TSM 3630 | 3 | TSM 3300 | 3 | ||
| TSM 4330 | 3 | TSM 3370 | 3 | ||
| ENGL 3020, 3090, 3140, or AGEDS 3270 | 3 | TSM 3650 | 3 | ||
| Elective | 3 | Life Science - See list3 | 3 | ||
| 16 | 15 | 0 | |||
| Fourth Year | |||||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
| TSM 4150 | 2 | TSM 3700 | 3 | ||
| TSM 4430 | 3 | TSM 4160 | 3 | ||
| SPCM 2120, COMST 2140, or AGEDS 3110 | 3 | TSM 4650 | 3 | ||
| International Perspectives - see list1 | 3 | Humanities - See list2 | 3 | ||
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 | ||
| 14 | 15 | ||||
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- 2
- 3
- 4
Agricultural Systems Technology, B.S. - Agricultural & Biosystems Management
| First Year | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
| TSM 1100 | 1 | TSM 1110 | 1 | ||
| TSM 1160 | 3 | TSM 1150 | 3 | ||
| ENGL 1500 | 3 | MATH 1510 | 3 | ||
| LIB 1600 | 1 | PHYS 1310 | 4 | ||
| MATH 1450 | 3 | PHYS 1310L | 1 | ||
| CHEM 1630 | 4 | ECON 1010 | 3 | ||
| CHEM 1630L | 1 | ||||
| 16 | 15 | ||||
| Second Year | |||||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
| TSM 2010 | 1 | BIOL 1010 or 2110 | 3 | ||
| TSM 2100 | 3 | STAT 1040 | 3 | ||
| TSM 2140 | 1 | SPCM 2120, COMST 2140, or AGEDS 3110 | 3 | ||
| TSM 2700 | 3 | ECON/MGMT Elective | 3 | ||
| ACCT 2840 or 2150 | 3 | Option Elective5 | 4 | ||
| ENGL 2500 | 3 | ||||
| 14 | 16 | ||||
| Third Year | |||||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
| TSM 3630 | 3 | TSM 3100 | 3 | TSM 3970 or 3990 | R |
| ENGL 3020, 3090, 3140, or AGEDS 3270 | 3 | TSM 3700 | 3 | ||
| Option Elective5 | 3 | Option Elective5 | 4 | ||
| Option Elective5 | 3 | Life Science - see list3 | 3 | ||
| U.S. Cultures and Communities - see list1 | 3 | Elective | 2 | ||
| 15 | 15 | 0 | |||
| Fourth Year | |||||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
| TSM 4150 | 2 | TSM 4160 | 3 | ||
| TSM 4330 | 3 | TSM 3300 | 3 | ||
| Humanities - see list2 | 3 | TSM 3650 | 3 | ||
| Option Elective5 | 3 | International Perspectives - see list1 | 3 | ||
| Option Elective5 | 3 | ECON/MGMT Elective | 3 | ||
| 14 | 15 | ||||
Minor in agricultural systems technology
The Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering offers a minor in agricultural systems technology which may be earned by completing a minimum of 15 credits of technology systems management courses, which includes:
| TSM 1150 | Solving Technology Problems | 3 |
| TSM 2100 | Fundamentals of Technology | 3 |
| 9 credits from: | 9 | |
| Principles of Injury Prevention and Safety | ||
| Total Quality Improvement | ||
| Preservation of Grain Quality | ||
| Preservation of Grain Quality Laboratory | ||
| Soil and Water Conservation Management | ||
| Biorenewable Systems | ||
| Livestock and Poultry Production: Facilities, Technology, and Management | ||
| Agricultural Machinery and Power Management | ||
| Tractor Power | ||
| Fluid Power Systems Technology | ||
| Electrical Power and Electrical Machinery Systems | ||
| Electrical Controls and Sensor Systems | ||
| Occupational Safety | ||
| Occupational Safety Management | ||
| Legal Aspects of Occupational Safety and Health | ||
| Fire Protection and Prevention | ||
| Topics in Technology: Chemical Application Systems | ||
| Topics in Technology: Agricultural Safety and Health | ||
| Precision Agriculture | ||
| Feed Processing and Technology | ||
| Feed Safety, Ingredient Quality and Analytics | ||
| Automation Systems | ||
| Industrial Hygiene: Physical, Chemical, and Biological Hazards | ||
| Safety Laboratory | ||
| Risk Analysis and Management | ||
| • At least six (6) credits of 3000-level or higher TSM classes (from the classes listed above) | ||
| • At least three (3) credits that are not used to meet any other department, college, or university requirement. | ||