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Agricultural Systems Technology

This is an archived copy of the 2020-2021 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.iastate.edu.

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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.

Required AST courses are taught under the course designator TSM (Technology Systems Management).

Successful AST graduates gain knowledge, skills, and abilities in solving technical problems, understanding the design process, excelling in authentic leadership, being aware of a 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

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 150Critical Thinking and Communication3
ENGL 250Written, Oral, Visual, and Electronic Composition3
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 160Information Literacy1
Total Credits13
Mathematical, Physical, and Life Sciences: 25 cr.
MATH 151Calculus for Business and Social Sciences3
MATH 145Applied Trigonometry3
STAT 104Introduction to Statistics3
PHYS 111General Physics5
CHEM 163College Chemistry4
CHEM 163LLaboratory in College Chemistry1
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 list3
Total Credits25
Business, Humanities, Ethics, and Social Sciences: 18 cr.
ACCT 284Financial Accounting3
ECON 101Principles of Microeconomics3
Ethics Course3
Occupational Safety
Humanities course from College of Agriculture and Life Sciences list3
International Perspectives course from University list3
U.S. Diversity course from University list3
Total Credits18
Technical Core: 30 cr.
TSM 110Introduction to Technology1
TSM 111Experiencing Technology1
TSM 115Solving Technology Problems3
TSM 116Introduction to Design in Technology3
TSM 201Preparing for Workplace Seminar1
TSM 210Fundamentals of Technology3
TSM 214Managing Technology Projects1
TSM 270Principles of Injury Prevention and Safety3
TSM 310Total Quality Improvement3
TSM 363Electrical Power Systems and Electronics for Agriculture and Industry4
TSM 397Internship in TechnologyR
TSM 399Work Experience in Technology2
TSM 415Applied Project Management in Technology2
TSM 416Technology Capstone3
Total Credits30
No more than 4 cr. of TSM 399 may count toward graduation. 
Agricultural and Biosystems Management Option: 34 cr.
TSM 322Preservation of Grain Quality3
TSM 322LPreservation of Grain Quality Laboratory1
TSM 324Soil and Water Conservation Management3
TSM 325Biorenewable Systems3
TSM 327Animal Production Systems3
TSM 330Agricultural Machinery and Power Management3
TSM 433Precision Agriculture3
TSM 455Feed Processing and Technology3
ECON 230Farm Business Management3
9 credits of free electives9
Total Credits34
Machine Systems option: 34 cr.
TSM 216Advanced Technical Graphics, Interpretation, and CAD2
A B E 271, A B E 272, or A B E 2731
TSM 240Introduction to Advanced Manufacturing and Metals Processing3
TSM 330Agricultural Machinery and Power Management3
TSM 335Tractor Power4
TSM 337Fluid Power Systems Technology3
TSM 433Precision Agriculture3
TSM 443Statics and Strength of Materials for Technology3
TSM 465Automation Systems3
9 credits of free electives9
Total Credits34