Program Overview

Community Leadership and Development Major

The Community Leadership and Development Major is a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Sciences program offered by the Department of Agricultural, Leadership, and Community Education at Virginia Tech.

Program Description

This major focuses on community education and development, leadership effectiveness, and communication in agricultural and life sciences. Students will explore courses in community leadership, sustainable food systems, and identity and inclusion in agricultural and life sciences.

Program Requirements

• Degree Core Requirements:
  • ALCE 3004: Educational Programs in Agricultural and Life Sciences 1 (3 credits)
  • ALCE 3624: Communicating Ag and Life Sciences in Writing 1 (3 credits)
  • ALCE 3634: Communicating Ag and Life Sciences in Speaking 1 (3 credits)
  • ALCE 4014: Introduction to Cooperative Extension (3 credits)
  • ALCE 4044: Agricultural Sciences Seminar 1 (3 credits)
  • ALS 1234: CALS First Year Seminar (1 credit)
  • LDRS 1414: Citizen Leadership 1 (3 credits)
• Major Requirements:
  • A. Disciplinary Core Courses:
    • ALCE 4304: Community Education and Development 1 (3 credits)
    • ALCE 3014: Leadership Effectiveness for Professionals in Agricultural Organizations (3 credits)
    • ALS 2204: Sustainable Food Systems (3 credits)
    • LDRS 2014: Principles of Peer Leadership (3 credits)
    • LDRS 3104: The Dynamics of Leadership 1,2 (3 credits)
    • LDRS 3304: Elements of Team Leadership 1,2 (3 credits)
    • ALCE 3900: Bridge Experience (0 credits)
  • B. Restricted Electives:
    • Select 12 credits from the following courses:
      • ALCE 4034: Methods of Planning Education Programs for Agriculture
      • ALCE 4884: Youth Program Management
      • ALS 4204: Concepts in Community Food Systems 1,2,3
      • LDRS 4454: Toxic Leadership
      • LDRS 4514: Skills for Nonprofit Organizational Leaders
      • ALCE 4XXX 1
      • LDRS 1XXX & higher 1
• Area of Specialization:
  • Select 18 credits
• Free Electives:
  • Select 6 credit hours (or balance to 120 credit hours)
• Pathways to General Education:
  • Pathways Concept 1 - Discourse:
    • ENGL 1105: First-Year Writing (1F) (3 credits)
    • ENGL 1106: First-Year Writing (1F) (3 credits)
    • ALCE 2414: Identity and Inclusion in Agricultural and Life Sciences (1A) 1,2 (3 credits)
  • Pathways Concept 2 - Critical Thinking in the Humanities:
    • Select 6 credit hours in Pathway 2
  • Pathways Concept 3 - Reasoning in the Social Sciences:
    • AAEC 1005: Economics of the Food and Fiber System (3 credits)
    • AAEC 1006: Economics of the Food and Fiber System (3 credits)
  • Pathways Concept 4 - Reasoning in the Natural Sciences:
    • Choose one of the following sequences:
      • BIOL 1105 & BIOL 1115 & BIOL 1106 & BIOL 1116: Principles of Biology and Principles of Biology Laboratory
      • CHEM 1015 & CHEM 1025 & CHEM 1016 & CHEM 1026: Chemistry in Context and Introduction to Chemistry Laboratory
      • GEOS 1004 & GEOS 1104 & GEOS 1024 & GEOS 1124: Earth Science: Our Past, Present, and Future and Introduction to Earth Sciences Laboratory
  • Pathways Concept 5 - Quantitative and Computational Thinking:
    • Select 6 credits in Pathway 5f
    • Select 3 credits in Pathway 5a
  • Pathways Concept 6 - Critique and Practice in Design and the Arts:
    • Select 3 credits in Pathway 6d
    • Select 3 credits in Pathway 6a
  • Pathways Concept 7 - Critical Analysis of Identity and Equity in the United States:
    • This requirement is satisfied by the completion of ALCE 2414

Graduation Requirements

• Minimum Overall GPA Required for Graduation: 2.00
• Minimum In-Major GPA Required for Graduation: 2.00
• Satisfactory Progress:
  • By the end of the academic year in which the student has attempted 72 hours (including transfer, advanced placement, advanced standing, and credit by examination), "satisfactory progress" will consist of:
    • GPA of at least 2.0
    • At least 24 credits that apply to the University Core
    • 9 credit credits of departmental requirements

Foreign Language Requirement

• Requires 2 years of high school study in the same language (equivalent to 1105)
• Courses taken at Virginia Tech to complete the foreign language requirement will not count toward graduation

Plan of Study Grid

The plan of study grid outlines the recommended course sequence for each semester.

• First Year:
  • Fall Semester:
    • ALS 1234: CALS First Year Seminar (1 credit)
    • AAEC 1005: Economics of the Food and Fiber System (3 credits)
    • ENGL 1105: First-Year Writing (3 credits)
    • Pathways Concept 4 - Reasoning in the Natural Sciences (4 credits)
    • LDRS 1414: Citizen Leadership (3 credits)
  • Spring Semester:
    • AAEC 1006: Economics of the Food and Fiber System (3 credits)
    • ALCE 3004: Educational Programs in Agricultural and Life Sciences (3 credits)
    • ENGL 1106: First-Year Writing (3 credits)
    • MATH 1014: Precalculus with Transcendental Functions (3 credits)
    • Pathways Concept 4 - Reasoning in the Natural Sciences (4 credits)
• Second Year:
  • Fall Semester:
    • ALCE 2414: Identity and Inclusion in Agricultural and Life Sciences (3 credits)
    • Area of Specialization Course (3 credits)
    • Pathways Concept 2 - Critical Thinking in the Humanities (3 credits)
    • ALS 2204: Sustainable Food Systems (3 credits)
    • STAT 2004: Introductory Statistics (3 credits)
  • Spring Semester:
    • ALCE 3634: Communicating Ag and Life Sciences in Speaking (3 credits)
    • Area of Specialization Course (3 credits)
    • Pathways Concept 2 - Critical Thinking in the Humanities (3 credits)
    • Pathways Concept 6 - Critique and Practice in Design and the Arts (3 credits)
    • Restricted Electives (3 credits)
• Third Year:
  • Fall Semester:
    • ALCE 4014: Introduction to Cooperative Extension (3 credits)
    • ALCE 3014: Leadership Effectiveness for Professionals in Agricultural Organizations (3 credits)
    • Pathways Concept 5 - Quantitative and Computational Thinking (3 credits)
    • LDRS 2014 or ALCE 4054 or ALCE/LDRS 4754 or ALCE/LDRS 4994 (3 credits)
    • Restricted Electives (3 credits)
  • Spring Semester:
    • ALCE 3624: Communicating Ag and Life Sciences in Writing (3 credits)
    • LDRS 2014: Principles of Peer Leadership (3 credits)
    • Area of Specialization Course (3 credits)
    • Pathways Concept 6 - Critique and Practice in Design and the Arts (3 credits)
    • Restricted Electives (3 credits)
• Fourth Year:
  • Fall Semester:
    • ALCE 4304: Community Education and Development (3 credits)
    • LDRS 3104: The Dynamics of Leadership (3 credits)
    • Area of Specialization Course (3 credits)
    • Restricted Electives (3 credits)
    • Free Electives (3 credits)
  • Spring Semester:
    • LDRS 3304: Elements of Team Leadership (3 credits)
    • Area of Specialization Course (3 credits)
    • Area of Specialization Course (3 credits)
    • Restricted Electives (3 credits)
    • Free Electives (3 credits)

Total Credits: 120