Program Overview

Agricultural Science Program

The Agricultural Science program offers an overview of modern agriculture, including animal science, plant and soil sciences, food production, livestock and poultry production, natural resources management, and more. This program is designed to help shape future educators and advocates for the agricultural industry.

Program Details

The program is located in San Luis Obispo, California, and provides a flexible and diverse curriculum. Students have the opportunity to dive deeply into a specialty agriculture area while gaining a broad understanding of animal and plant science, agriculture production, education methods, and presentation styles, sustainability, and holistic management.

Curriculum

The Agricultural Science Curriculum provides opportunities for work in various fields of interest, with laboratories available for course work and research projects in:

• Agriculture Mechanics
• Bee Keeping
• Beef Science
• Dairy Science
• Education Methods
• Food Processing
• Food Safety
• Graphic Communication
• Holistic Management
• Plant Science
• Soil Science

Career Areas

Agricultural science majors may select from two career areas:

Individualized Career Area

This career area is appropriate for those who are aiming to become agricultural leaders and communicators and aren't planning to pursue a teaching credential. Students can add courses supporting the completion of any minor program.

Teaching Agriculture Career Area

This concentration is appropriate for those seeking a teaching credential. Students must also choose an area of specialization for their elective courses.

Minors

The program offers several minors, including:

• Agricultural Education Minor: addresses subject matter competency requirements for the single subject-agriculture and the agriculture specialist teaching credentials.
• Agricultural Leadership Minor: helps students develop and improve their leadership skills and become more effective communicators.
• Agricultural Communication Minor: develops and improves students' leadership ability and self-awareness as they become more effective communicators.

Program Approval

The program is approved by the California Department of Education's Agricultural Education Unit and the California Commission for Teacher Credentialing to prepare individuals to teach at the junior high, high school, and community college level anywhere in California and the U.S.

Learning Experience

As an agricultural science student, students will be enrolled in a variety of courses that involve direct interaction with agriculture. They will explore what it is like to be a veterinarian, agricultural mechanic, horticulturist, agronomist, livestock producer, poultry producer, rancher, and agricultural leader – all in the very fields, labs, and workspaces of each respective industry. If students decide to focus on teaching, they will also be required to complete a full semester of student teaching at a California high school.

Career Opportunities

Graduates of the program have become award-winning educators, sales coordinators, school principals, harvest supervisors, marketing professionals, attorneys, and commodity board staff. Major employers include Corteva Science, California Department of Education, Valent, Mulholland Citrus Delite, Driscoll's, Advantis Global, and the California Department of Food and Agriculture. Graduates have also pursued advanced degrees at Chico State, Fresno State, Kansas State, University of Florida, Texas Tech, Oklahoma State University, and more.