Agricultural Science - BS
The Agricultural Science curriculum includes a combination of courses in scientific agriculture and professional education that will meet requirements for employment and advanced study in careers emphasizing formal and informal programs of education. This degree plan will prepare a student to successfully work toward teacher certification, resulting in the ability to teach Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources (AFNR) classes in a secondary school setting. A student following this curriculum must meet the requirements of admission to the teacher education program as determined by the State of Texas. Enrollment in this program requires a passing score on the TExES AFNR content exam and a full semester off-campus professional teaching internship in a secondary classroom in order to graduate. After successful completion of the professional teaching semester, a student may be eligible to enter public schools as a teacher of AFNR certified by the Texas Education Agency.
In addition to teaching in a secondary agriculture program, career options may include working as an agricultural extension agent, working for a marketing agency or agricultural supply company, or working in other industries related to agricultural education.
A student majoring in agricultural science will be counseled by an advisor in the Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications to ensure that the program developed with the student will satisfy his or her unique interests, needs and professional aspirations, as well as requirements for teacher certification. The degree requires the completion of 120 semester credit hours. Course selection allows a student to place emphasis on a particular field of agriculture or to prepare broadly in agricultural studies.
For more information on this major, visit our AGSC web page.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Semester Credit Hours | |
| AGLS 101 | Modern Agricultural Systems and Renewable Natural Resources | 1 |
| ANSC 107 or POSC 201 | General Animal Science or General Avian Science | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Agricultural Economics | ||
| Principles of Economics | ||
| Principles of Economics | ||
| Communication | 3 | |
| Mathematics | 3 | |
| Scientific agricultural elective 1 | 3 | |
| Semester Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| HORT 201 or SCSC 105 | Horticultural Science and Practices or World Food and Fiber Crops | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Special Topics in... | ||
| Agricultural Energy and Power Systems | ||
| Occupational Safety Management | ||
| Special Topics in... | ||
| Animal Waste Management | ||
| American history | 3 | |
| Mathematics | 3 | |
| General elective | 3 | |
| Semester Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| Communication | 3 | |
| Government/Political science | 3 | |
| Language, philosophy and culture | 3 | |
| Life and physical sciences | 3 | |
| Scientific agricultural elective 1 | 3 | |
| Semester Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| American history | 3 | |
| Creative arts | 3 | |
| Government/Political science | 3 | |
| Life and physical sciences | 3 | |
| Scientific agricultural elective 1 | 3 | |
| Semester Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| AGSC 302 | Teaching School-Based Agricultural Education & Clinical Professional Experience 2,3 | 4 |
| INST 210 | Understanding Special Populations 2 | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Marketing Agricultural and Food Products | ||
| Food and Agricultural Sales | ||
| Principles of Farm and Ranch Management | ||
| Agribusiness Management | ||
| Plant science elective 4 | 3 | |
| Scientific agricultural elective 1 | 2 | |
| Semester Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| AGSC 373 | Managing Safety in the Agricultural Science Program 2 | 3 |
| AGSC 383 | Teaching Agricultural Mechanics 2 | 3 |
| ANSC 320 | Animal Nutrition and Feeding | 3 |
| INST 301 | Educational Psychology 2 | 3 |
| Life and physical sciences | 3 | |
| Semester Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| AGSC 402 | Designing Instruction for Secondary Agricultural Science Programs 2,3 | 3 |
| AGSC 405 | Facilitating Complete Secondary Agricultural Science Programs 2,3 | 3 |
| ANSC 333 | Reproduction in Farm Animals | 3 |
| Plant science elective 4 | 3 | |
| Scientific agricultural elective 1 | 2 | |
| Semester Credit Hours | 14 | |
| Spring | ||
| AGSC 425 | Learner Centered Instruction in Agricultural Science 2,3 | 3 |
| AGSC 436 | Professional Teaching Internship in AGSC 2,3 | 6 |
| AGSC 481 | Seminar 2 | 1 |
| AGSC 484 | Field Experience 2 | 4 |
| ANSC 484 | Livestock Practicum | 1 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 120 | |
| 1 | All scientific agricultural electives are to be selected in consultation with an academic advisor. |
| 2 | Must make a grade of C or better to receive credit. |
| 3 | Professional development course required for certification as a teacher of agricultural science. |
| 4 | Select from ESSM 100-499, HORT 100-499, SCSC 100-499. |
Graduation requirements include a requirement for 3 hours of International and Cultural Diversity courses and 3 hours of Cultural Discourse courses. A course satisfying a Core category, a college/department requirement, or a free elective can be used to satisfy this requirement. See an academic advisor.
Additional Requirements:
1. Completion of all courses listed on the degree plan. All AGSC and Interdisciplinary Studies (INST) courses with a C or better.
2. A minimum of 2.75 Cumulative GPA at Texas A&M.