Offered at: San Luis Obispo Campus
The BS Agricultural Science program is a flexible program in agriculture, allowing students multiple options and opportunities to select courses according to their areas of interest.
The major was developed to provide students with direction as they consider career options in the agricultural industry. Students complete coursework deemed broad and general to ensure a systems perspective in agriculture. Foundation courses are meant to help students identify an area of emphasis.
The six emphasis areas are:
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Agricultural Engineering Technology
-
Agribusiness
-
Animal Science
-
Plant, Crop, and Soil Science
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Forestry and Natural Resources
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Ornamental Horticulture
Many of the emphasis areas have courses embedded within them that lead to the completion of a minor. Students should consult with their academic advisor when considering a minor or minors.
Teaching Credential
Students can declare their candidacy for teaching while pursuing the undergraduate degree. The minor in Agricultural Education should be declared early during the student’s academic career to ensure requirements for obtaining certification to teach are met. Early field experiences are a part of the minor and are required for entrance into the credential program.
Teacher candidates are required to enroll in post-baccalaureate work to obtain the Single Subject in Agriculture and Agricultural Specialist credentials. Candidates must complete a minimum of 30 units of post-baccalaureate coursework. The Single Subject Content Advisor in Agricultural Education can provide more information. It is to the advantage of the post-baccalaureate teaching candidates to be simultaneously enrolled in the Master of Agricultural Education degree program.
Program Learning Objectives
- Demonstrate a high degree of agricultural science literacy.
- Develop and demonstrate effective leadership skills in agricultural science and related environments.
- Analyze and communicate effectively the major issues across agriculturally related sciences.
- Demonstrate cultural competencies in an increasingly global agricultural industry and society.
- Demonstrate critical thinking and problem-solving skills in the agricultural sciences.
- Integrate technology into agricultural sciences practices.
Degree Requirements and Curriculum
In addition to the program requirements listed on this page, students must also satisfy requirements outlined in more detail in the Minimum Requirements for Graduation section of this catalog, including:
- 40 units of upper-division courses
- 2.0 GPA
- Graduation Writing Requirement (GWR)
- U.S. Cultural Pluralism (USCP)
Note: No Major or Support courses may be selected as credit/no credit. In addition, no more than 12 units of cooperative or internship courses can count towards your degree requirements.
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| MAJOR COURSES | ||
| AGC 1102 | Orientation to Agricultural Communication & Agricultural Science | 1 |
| AGC 4404 | Applications of Agricultural Leadership | 3 |
| AGC 4426 | Presentation Methods in Agricultural Communication | 3 |
| AGC 4452 | Current Trends and Issues in Agricultural Communication | 3 |
| or AG 4452 | Leadership Seminar on Issues Affecting California Agriculture, Food Systems, and Natural Resources | |
| AGC 4463 | Senior Project | 3 |
| AGED 4410 | Computer Applications in Agricultural Education | 2 |
| or AGC 3314 | California Fairgrounds and Expositions | |
| AGED 4421 | Agricultural Mechanics | 3 |
| Foundations in Agriculture Courses | ||
| Agribusiness | ||
| AGB 2202 | Introduction to Sales | 3 |
| AGB 2212 | Agricultural Economics | 3 |
| AGB 3301 | Food Marketing | 3 |
| or WVIT 3343 | Branded Wine Marketing | |
| Animal Science | ||
| ASCI 1101 | Principles of Animal Physiology | 3 |
| ASCI 1102 & ASCI 1103 | Animal Management Systems and Animal Science Laboratory | 4 |
| Ag Systems Technology | ||
| BRAE 1141 | Agricultural Machinery Safety | 2 |
| BRAE 3340 | Irrigation Water Management (Upper-Division 2/5) 1 | 3 |
| Plant Science | ||
| PLSC 1120 & 1120L | Principles of Plant Sciences and Principles of Plant Sciences Lab | 3 |
| PLSC 3301 | Horticultural Production Techniques | 3 |
| Natural Resources | ||
| NR 3308 | Fire and Society (Upper-Division 4) 1 | 3 |
| or NR 3323 | Human Dimensions in Natural Resources Management | |
| SS 1120 | Introductory Soil Science | 3 |
| or SS 1130 | Soils in Environmental and Agricultural Systems | |
| Safe Practices in Handling Food Products | ||
| DSCI 2229 | General Dairy Manufacturing | 3 |
| or FSN 2245 | Elements of Food Safety | |
| Approved Electives | ||
| Select courses from the Guide to Approved Electives - Emphasis Areas below | 18 | |
| SUPPORT COURSES | ||
| Select from the following: (5B) 1 | 3-4 | |
| General Biology | ||
| Life: Molecules and Cells | ||
| General Botany | ||
| Introduction to Microbiology | ||
| CHEM 1110 | World of Chemistry (5A & 5C) 1 | 4 |
| Select from the following: (2) 1 | 3-4 | |
| College Algebra | ||
| Precalculus | ||
| Calculus I | ||
| Calculus for Data Science I | ||
| Business Calculus | ||
| GENERAL EDUCATION (GE) | ||
| (See GE program requirements below) | 27 | |
| FREE ELECTIVES | ||
| Free Electives 2 | 9-11 | |
| Total Units | 120 | |
- 1
Required in Major or Support; also satisfies General Education (GE) requirement.
- 2
If a General Education (GE) course is used to satisfy a Major or Support requirement, additional units of Free Electives may be needed to complete the total units required for the degree.
Guide to Approved Agricultural Electives - Emphasis Areas
Approved Agricultural Electives have been categorized by Emphasis Area to guide students. Advisor approval of Agricultural Electives is not required, but consultation with an advisor is recommended to ensure that the required number of upper-division units is met. Also, bear in mind that selection may impact pursuit of post-baccalaureate studies and/or goals. It is imperative for students seeking a teaching credential to select one Emphasis Area and adhere to the approved list of courses.
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| REQUIRED COURSES | ||
| Select Emphasis Area of choice: | 18 | |
| Agricultural Engineering Technology | ||
| Design Graphics and CAD for Agricultural Engineering | ||
| Agricultural Power and Machinery Management | ||
| Introduction to Biological Systems | ||
| Internal Combustion Engines | ||
| Energy for a Sustainable Society | ||
| Aquaculture | ||
| Agricultural Irrigation Systems | ||
| Agribusiness | ||
| Agribusiness Financial Accounting | ||
| Agribusiness Data Literacy | ||
| Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Agribusiness | ||
| Advanced Sales Techniques | ||
| Agricultural Policy | ||
| Agriculture Economic Analysis | ||
| Principles of Agribusiness Management | ||
| Agricultural Personnel Management | ||
| Food Retail Management | ||
| Produce Marketing | ||
| Fairgrounds and Facility Management | ||
| Crisis Communication in Food and Agriculture | ||
| Animal Science | ||
| Dairy Fit and Show Enterprise | ||
| Meat Science | ||
| Livestock Evaluation | ||
| Beef and Dairy Cattle Management | ||
| Swine and Poultry Management | ||
| Small Ruminant and Rangeland Management | ||
| Companion Animal Management | ||
| Principles of Rangeland Management | ||
| Advanced Beef Cattle System Management | ||
| Zoonoses and Veterinary Public Health Concerns | ||
| Nonruminant Nutrition | ||
| Meat Industry Study Tour | ||
| Poultry Meat and Egg Production and Processing | ||
| General Dairy Husbandry | ||
| Plant, Crop, and Soil Science | ||
| Introduction to Fruit Crop Production | ||
| California Row Crop Production | ||
| Horticultural Production Techniques | ||
| Weed Biology and Management | ||
| Advanced Fruit Crop Production | ||
| Postharvest Technology | ||
| Biological Control for Pest Management | ||
| Soil Health and Plant Nutrition | ||
| Soil Morphology | ||
| Soil Judging | ||
| Forestry and Natural Resources | ||
| Wildlife Conservation Biology | ||
| Indigeneity and the Land | ||
| The World of Spatial Data and Geographic Information Technology | ||
| Environmental Management | ||
| Dendrology | ||
| Natural Resource Ecology and Habitat Management | ||
| Fire and Society | ||
| Technology of Wildland Fire Management | ||
| Water Resources Technology and Society | ||
| Human Dimensions in Natural Resources Management | ||
| Forest Health and Disturbance Ecology | ||
| Environmental Law and Environmental Law | ||
| Water Resource Law and Policy | ||
| Ornamental Horticulture | ||
| General Botany | ||
| Introduction to Sustainable Site Horticulture | ||
| Plant Propagation | ||
| Floral Design | ||
| Introduction to Plant Materials | ||
| Introduction to Plant Breeding | ||
| Advanced Plant Materials | ||
| Sustainable Landscape Management | ||
General Education (GE) Requirements
- 43 units required, 16 of which are specified in Major and/or Support.
- If any of the remaining 27 Units is used to satisfy a Major or Support requirement, additional units of Free Electives may be needed to complete the total units required for the degree.
- See the complete GE course listing.
- A grade of C- or better is required in one course in each of the following GE Areas: 1A (English Composition), 1B (Critical Thinking), 1C (Oral Communication), and 2 (Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning).
| Lower-Division General Education | ||
| Area 1 | English Communication and Critical Thinking | |
| 1A | Written Communication | 3 |
| 1B | Critical Thinking | 3 |
| 1C | Oral Communication | 3 |
| Area 2 | Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning | |
| 2 | Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning (3 units in Support) 1 | 0 |
| Area 3 | Arts and Humanities | |
| 3A | Arts | 3 |
| 3B | Humanities: Literature, Philosophy, Languages other than English | 3 |
| Area 4 | Social and Behavioral Sciences (Area 4 courses must come from at least two different course prefixes.) | |
| 4A | American Institutions (Title 5, Section 40404 Requirement) | 3 |
| 4B | Social and Behavioral Sciences | 3 |
| Area 5 | Physical and Life Sciences | |
| 5A | Physical Sciences (3 units in Support) 1 | 0 |
| 5B | Life Sciences (3 units in Support) 1 | 0 |
| 5C | Laboratory (may be embedded in a 5A or 5B course) (1 units in Support) 1 | 0 |
| Area 6 | Ethnic Studies | |
| 6 | Ethnic Studies | 3 |
| Upper-Division General Education | ||
| Upper-Division 2/5 | Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning or Physical and Life Sciences (3 units in Major) 1 | 0 |
| Upper-Division 3 | Arts and Humanities | 3 |
| Upper-Division 4 | Social and Behavioral Sciences (Area 4 courses must come from at least two different course prefixes.) (3 units in Major) 1 | 0 |
| Total Units | 27 | |
- 1
Required in Major or Support; also satisfies General Education (GE) requirement.