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 (MS) 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 150 | Critical Thinking and Communication | 3 |
| ENGL 250 | 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 160 | Introduction to College Level Research | 1 |
| Total Credits | 13 | |
Mathematical, Physical, and Life Sciences: 25 cr.
| MATH 145 | Applied Trigonometry | 3 |
| MATH 151 | Calculus for Business and Social Sciences | 3 |
| STAT 104 | Introduction to Statistics | 3 |
| CHEM 163 | College Chemistry | 4 |
| PHYS 131 | General Physics I | 4 |
| PHYS 131L | General Physics I Laboratory | 1 |
| CHEM 163L | Laboratory in College Chemistry | 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 284 | Financial Accounting | 3 |
| ECON 101 | Principles of Microeconomics | 3 |
| TSM 370 | Occupational Safety (Ethics) | 3 |
| Humanities course from College of Agriculture and Life Sciences list | 3 | |
| International Perspectives course from University list | 3 | |
| U.S. Diversity course from University list | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 18 | |
Technical Core: 28 cr.
| TSM 110 | Introduction to Technology | 1 |
| TSM 111 | Experiencing Technology | 1 |
| TSM 115 | Solving Technology Problems | 3 |
| TSM 116 | Introduction to Design in Technology | 3 |
| TSM 201 | Preparing for Workplace Seminar | 1 |
| TSM 210 | Fundamentals of Technology | 3 |
| TSM 214 | Managing Technology Projects | 1 |
| TSM 270 | Principles of Injury Prevention and Safety | 3 |
| TSM 310 | Total Quality Improvement | 3 |
| TSM 363 | Electrical Power and Control Systems for Agriculture and Industry | 4 |
| TSM 397 | Summer Internship in Technology | R |
| or TSM 399 | Internship in Technology | |
| TSM 415 | Applied Project Management in Technology | 2 |
| TSM 416 | Technology Capstone | 3 |
| Total Credits | 28 | |
Agricultural and Biosystems Management Option: 36 cr.
| TSM 322 | Preservation of Grain Quality | 3 |
| TSM 322L | Preservation of Grain Quality Laboratory | 1 |
| TSM 324 | Soil and Water Conservation Management | 3 |
| TSM 325 | Biorenewable Systems | 3 |
| TSM 327 | Livestock and Poultry Production: Facilities, Technology, and Management | 3 |
| TSM 330 | Agricultural Machinery and Power Management | 3 |
| TSM 433 | Precision Agriculture | 3 |
| TSM 455 | Feed Processing and Technology | 3 |
| ECON 230 | Farm Business Management | 3 |
| 11 credits of free electives | 11 | |
| Total Credits | 36 | |
Machine Systems option: 36 cr.
| TSM 216 | Advanced Technical Graphics, Interpretation, and CAD | 2 |
| A B E 271, A B E 272, or A B E 273 | 1 | |
| TSM 240 | Introduction to Advanced Manufacturing and Metals Processing | 3 |
| TSM 330 | Agricultural Machinery and Power Management | 3 |
| TSM 335 | Tractor Power | 4 |
| TSM 337 | Fluid Power Systems Technology | 3 |
| TSM 433 | Precision Agriculture | 3 |
| TSM 443 | Statics and Strength of Materials for Technology | 3 |
| TSM 465 | Automation Systems | 3 |
| 11 credits of free electives | 11 | |
| Total Credits | 36 | |
Agricultural Systems Technology, B.S. - Machine Systems
| First Year | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
| TSM 110 | 1 | TSM 111 | 1 | ||
| TSM 116 | 3 | TSM 115 | 3 | ||
| ENGL 150 | 3 | MATH 151 | 3 | ||
| LIB 160 | 1 | PHYS 131 | 4 | ||
| MATH 145 | 3 | PHYS 131L | 1 | ||
| CHEM 163 | 4 | US Diversity - see list1 | 3 | ||
| CHEM 163L | 1 | ||||
| 16 | 15 | ||||
| Second Year | |||||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
| TSM 201 | 1 | TSM 216 | 2 | ||
| TSM 210 | 3 | A B E 271, 272, or 273 | 1 | ||
| TSM 214 | 1 | TSM 240 | 3 | ||
| TSM 270 | 3 | STAT 104 | 3 | ||
| ACCT 284 | 3 | BIOL 101 or 211 | 3 | ||
| ENGL 250 | 3 | ECON 101 | 3 | ||
| 14 | 15 | ||||
| Third Year | |||||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
| TSM 335 | 4 | TSM 310 | 3 | TSM 397 or 399 | R |
| TSM 363 | 4 | TSM 330 | 3 | ||
| TSM 433 | 3 | TSM 337 | 3 | ||
| ENGL 302, 309, 314, or AGEDS 327 | 3 | Humanities - See list2 | 3 | ||
| Life Science - See list3 | 3 | ||||
| 14 | 15 | 0 | |||
| Fourth Year | |||||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
| TSM 415 | 2 | TSM 370 | 3 | ||
| Elective | 6 | TSM 416 | 3 | ||
| International Perspectives - see list1 | 3 | TSM 443 | 3 | ||
| SP CM 212, COMST 214, or AGEDS 311 | 3 | TSM 465 | 3 | ||
| Elective | 5 | ||||
| 14 | 17 | ||||
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
Agricultural Systems Technology, B.S. - Agricultural & Biosystems Management
| First Year | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
| TSM 110 | 1 | TSM 111 | 1 | ||
| TSM 116 | 3 | TSM 115 | 3 | ||
| ENGL 150 | 3 | MATH 151 | 3 | ||
| LIB 160 | 1 | PHYS 131 | 4 | ||
| MATH 145 | 3 | PHYS 131L | 1 | ||
| CHEM 163 | 4 | ECON 101 | 3 | ||
| CHEM 163L | 1 | ||||
| 16 | 15 | ||||
| Second Year | |||||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
| TSM 201 | 1 | TSM 322 | 3 | ||
| TSM 210 | 3 | TSM 322L | 1 | ||
| TSM 214 | 1 | BIOL 101 or 211 | 3 | ||
| TSM 270 | 3 | ECON 230 | 3 | ||
| ACCT 284 | 3 | STAT 104 | 3 | ||
| ENGL 250 | 3 | SP CM 212, COMST 214, or AGEDS 311 | 3 | ||
| 14 | 16 | ||||
| Third Year | |||||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
| TSM 325 | 3 | TSM 310 | 3 | TSM 397 or 399 | R |
| TSM 327 | 3 | TSM 324 | 3 | ||
| TSM 363 | 4 | TSM 370 | 3 | ||
| ENGL 302, 309, 314, or AGEDS 327 | 3 | Life Science - see list3 | 3 | ||
| US Diversity - see list1 | 3 | Elective | 3 | ||
| 16 | 15 | 0 | |||
| Fourth Year | |||||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
| TSM 415 | 2 | TSM 416 | 3 | ||
| TSM 433 | 3 | TSM 330 | 3 | ||
| TSM 455 | 3 | International Perspectives - see list1 | 3 | ||
| Humanities - see list2 | 3 | Elective | 3 | ||
| Elective | 5 | ||||
| 16 | 12 | ||||
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 115 | Solving Technology Problems | 3 |
| TSM 210 | Fundamentals of Technology | 3 |
| 9 credits from: | 9 | |
| 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 Control Systems for Agriculture and Industry | ||
| 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 | ||
| • At least six (6) credits of 300-level or higher TSM classes (from the classes listed above) | ||
| • At least nine (9) credits that are not used to meet any other department, college, or university requirement. | ||