OVERVIEW
Administered by the Department of Agricultural Education and Studies
For undergraduate curricula in agricultural and life sciences education, and agricultural studies, leading to the degree of bachelor of science, see College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Curricula.
The department offers two curricula for students desiring to enter careers in agriculture and related fields. These curricula are agricultural and life sciences education and agricultural studies. 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 and life sciences education curriculum has two options, teacher certification and communications. 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 both 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:
- professional, interpersonal, and cross-cultural communications
- problem solving and critical thinking
- leadership
- entrepreneurship
- life-long learning
- ethics
- environmental awareness
- U.S. diversity
- 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 Education choose between two options: Teacher Certification or Communications.
Teacher Certification Option
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 150 | Critical Thinking and Communication | 3 |
| ENGL 250 | Written, Oral, Visual, and Electronic Composition | 3 |
| International Perspectives | 3 | |
| LIB 160 | Introduction to College Level Research | 1 |
| US Diversity | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 13 | |
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 311 | Presentation and Sales Strategies for Agricultural Audiences | 3 |
| American History Elective | 3 | |
| BIOL 211 | Principles of Biology I | 3 |
| BIOL 211L | Principles of Biology Laboratory I | 1 |
| BIOL 212 | Principles of Biology II | 3 |
| BIOL 212L | Principles of Biology Laboratory II | 1 |
| CHEM 163 | College Chemistry | 4 |
| CHEM 163L | Laboratory in College Chemistry | 1 |
| ECON 101 | Principles of Microeconomics | 3 |
| Ethics Elective from Approved List | 3 | |
| MATH 140 | College Algebra | 3 |
| STAT 104 | Introduction to Statistics | 3 |
Major Specific Requirements - Agricultural Sciences and Economics (C- or higher required)
| ACCT 284 | Financial Accounting | 3 |
| Ag Elective From Approved List | 6 | |
| AGEDS 315 | Personal, Professional, and Entrepreneurial Leadership in Agriculture | 3 |
| AGEDS 488 | Methods of Teaching Agricultural Mechanics | 3 |
| AGRON 181 | Introduction to Crop Science | 3 |
| AGRON 182 | Introduction to Soil Science | 3 |
| AN S 101 | Working with Animals | 2 |
| AN S 114 | Survey of the Animal Industry | 2 |
| HORT 221 | Principles of Horticulture Science | 3 |
| ECON 230 | Farm Business Management | 3 |
| NREM 120 | Introduction to Renewable Resources | 3 |
| Total Credits | 34 | |
Major Specific Requirements - Professional Credits (C or higher required except Psych 230):
| AGEDS 110 | Professional Development in Agricultural Education and Studies: New Student Seminar | 1 |
| AGEDS 211A | High School Agriculture Programs | 1 |
| AGEDS 310 | Foundations of Agricultural Education Programs | 3 |
| AGEDS 401 | Planning Agriculture and Life Sciences Education Programs | 3 |
| AGEDS 402 | Methods of Teaching in Agriculture and Life Sciences | 3 |
| AGEDS 416 | Pre-Student Teaching Experience in Agricultural Education | 1 |
| AGEDS 417 | Supervised Teaching in Agriculture and Life Sciences | 1-16 |
| EDUC 333 | Educational Psychology | 3 |
| PSYCH 230 | Developmental Psychology | 3 |
| SP ED 401 | Teaching Secondary Students with Exceptionalities in General Education | 3 |
| Total Credits | 22-37 | |
Electives: Select courses to get to 128 credits.
Communications Option: 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.
University Requirements:
| ENGL 150 | Critical Thinking and Communication | 3 |
| ENGL 250 | Written, Oral, Visual, and Electronic Composition | 3 |
| International Perspectives | 3 | |
| LIB 160 | Introduction to College Level Research | 1 |
| US Diversity | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 13 | |
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 311 | Presentation and Sales Strategies for Agricultural Audiences | 3 |
| BIOL 211 | Principles of Biology I | 3 |
| BIOL 212 | Principles of Biology II | 3 |
| CHEM 163 | College Chemistry | 4 |
| CHEM 163L | Laboratory in College Chemistry | 1 |
| ECON 101 | Principles of Microeconomics | 3 |
| or ECON 102 | Principles of Macroeconomics | |
| Ethics Elective from Approved List | 3 | |
| Humanities Elective from Approved List | 3 | |
| MATH 140 | College Algebra | 3 |
| STAT 104 | Introduction to Statistics | 3 |
| Total Credits | 29 | |
Major Specific Requirements - Professional Communications:
| AGEDS 110 | Professional Development in Agricultural Education and Studies: New Student Seminar | 1 |
| AGEDS 211C | Agricultural Industries and Agencies | 1 |
| AGEDS 215 | Professional Development in Agricultural Education and Studies: Career Seminar | 1 |
| AGEDS 315 | Personal, Professional, and Entrepreneurial Leadership in Agriculture | 3 |
| AGEDS 327 | Survey of Agriculture and Life Sciences Communication | 3 |
| AGEDS 412 | Internship in Agricultural Education and Studies | 6 |
| Psych Elective From Approved List | 3 | |
| Communications Elective From Approved List | 21 | |
| Total Credits | 39 | |
Major Specific Requirements - Agricultural Sciences and Economics:
| Select one CALS area, take 12 credits including 6 credits at 300-400 level | 12 | |
| Select additional CALS area, take 6 credits any level | 6 | |
| Select additional CALS area, take 6 credits any level | 6 | |
| Select any CALS area, take 9 credits any level | 9 | |
| Total Credits | 33 | |
Electives: Select courses to get to 128 credits.
Agricultural and Life Sciences Education, B.S - communications option
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| AGEDS 110 | 1 | BIOL 212 | 3 |
| Ag elective | 3 | ENGL 250 | 3 |
| BIOL 211 | 3 | Psych elective | 3 |
| ENGL 150 | 3 | Free Elective | 3 |
| LIB 160 | 1 | Ag Elective | 3 |
| ECON 101 or 102 | 3 | ||
| MATH 140 | 3 | ||
| 17 | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| CHEM 163 | 4 | Prof Comm Elective | 3 |
| CHEM 163L | 1 | Ag Elective | 6 |
| Prof Comm Elective | 3 | Intl Perspectives Elective | 3 |
| Ag Elective | 3 | AGEDS 215 | 1 |
| Ethics Elective | 3 | AGEDS 211 | 1 |
| STAT 104 | 3 | AGEDS 327 | 3 |
| 17 | 17 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| AGEDS 315 | 3 | Prof Comm Elective | 6 |
| Prof Comm Elective | 3 | Ag Elective | 6 |
| U.S. Diversity Elective | 3 | AGEDS 311 | 3 |
| Ag Elective | 3 | Humanities Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | ||
| 15 | 18 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| AGEDS 412 | 6 | Prof Comm Elective | 3 |
| Ag Elective | 6 | Elective | 6-7 |
| Prof Comm Elective | 3 | Ag Elective | 5 |
| 15 | 14-15 | ||
| * | Communications Option: In addition, students would have to meet requirements in the following areas. Select one technical agricultural area in which you will complete at least 12 credits (6 of these must be 300-400 level courses) Select two other technical agricultural areas in which you will complete at least 6 credits (2 courses) in each area. Select 9 credits of any agricultural science and economics electives. A 2.0 grade point average is required. |
Agricultural and Life Sciences Education, B.S - teacher certification option
| Freshman | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| AGEDS 110 | 1 | ENGL 250 | 3 |
| AN S 114 | 2 | ECON 101 | 3 |
| AN S 101 | 2 | AGRON 181 | 3 |
| BIOL 211 | 3 | BIOL 212 | 3 |
| BIOL 211L | 1 | BIOL 212L | 1 |
| ENGL 150 | 3 | Choose from Approved Ag Elective List | 3 |
| LIB 160 | 1 | ||
| MATH 140 | 3 | ||
| 16 | 16 | ||
| Sophomore | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| CHEM 163 | 4 | PSYCH 230 | 3 |
| CHEM 163L | 1 | Ethics Elective | 3 |
| NREM 120 | 3 | STAT 104 | 3 |
| Choose from Approved Ag Elective List | 3 | American History Elective | 3 |
| ACCT 284 | 3 | AGEDS 211 | 1 |
| AGEDS 310 | 3 | HORT 221 | 3 |
| 17 | 16 | ||
| Junior | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| ECON 230 | 3 | Intl Perspectives Elective | 3 |
| AGEDS 315 | 3 | AGEDS 311 | 3 |
| EDUC 333 | 3 | Elective | 6 |
| AGEDS 488 | 3 | AGRON 182 | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | ||
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Senior | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| AGEDS 401 | 3 | AGEDS 416 | 1 |
| AGEDS 402 | 3 | AGEDS 417 | 1-16 |
| Elective | 6 | ||
| SP ED 401 | 3 | ||
| US 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 400 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 211 | Early Field Based Experience | 1 |
| AGEDS 310 | Foundations of Agricultural Education Programs | 3 |
| AGEDS 311 | Presentation and Sales Strategies for Agricultural Audiences | 3 |
| AGEDS 312 | Science With Practice | 3 |
| AGEDS 315 | Personal, Professional, and Entrepreneurial Leadership in Agriculture | 3 |
| AGEDS 327 | Survey of Agriculture and Life Sciences Communication | 3 |
| AGEDS 388 | Agricultural Mechanics Applications | 3 |
| AGEDS 402 | Methods of Teaching in Agriculture and Life Sciences | 3 |
| AGEDS 412 | Internship in Agricultural Education and Studies | 2-6 |
| AGEDS 414 | Developing Agricultural Education Programs in Non-Formal Settings | 2 |
| AGEDS 450 | Farm Management and Operation | 3 |
| AGEDS 451 | Agricultural Law | 3 |
| AGEDS 461 | Technology Transfer and the Role of Agricultural and Extension Education | 3 |
| AGEDS 488 | Methods of Teaching Agricultural Mechanics | 3 |
| AGEDS 490 | Independent Study in Agricultural Education and Studies | 1-3 |
| AGEDS 496 | Agricultural Travel Course | 1-3 |
| AGEDS 499 | Undergraduate Research | arr † |
| † Arranged with instructor. | ||
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.