Program Overview

Program Overview

Agricultural Education is a systematic program of instruction for students desiring to learn and educate around the science, business, and technology of agriculture, food and environmental
atural resource systems. This program prepares students for successful careers and informed choices regarding agriculture.

Program Description

Agricultural Education is a major in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics and the School of Education – Center for Educator Preparation. The program focuses on two delivery concentrations: Teacher Development for school-based agricultural education, and Agricultural Literacy for application in non-formal and informal learning spaces. The department also offers a minor in Agricultural Literacy.

Learning Objectives

The successful student will demonstrate:

1. Significant knowledge, skills, and dispositions in agriculture.
2. Ability to create instruction opportunities that are adapted to diverse learners.
3. Employment of innovative instructional methods and assessment techniques to promote learning in agriculture.
4. Effective program management and techniques in program evaluation.

Program Outcomes

Upon successful completion, graduates will exhibit:

• Professional Development: Graduates will embody a general awareness of issues in agricultural education and their implications in a larger societal context.
• Technical Competence: Graduates will demonstrate technical competency within their chosen discipline.
• Problem-solving Skills: Graduates will demonstrate the ability to solve real-world problems beyond the context of the classroom.
• Communication Skills: Graduates will demonstrate proficiency in oral and written communication.
• Leadership: Graduates will have developed leadership qualities that they will use in their professional, personal, and community interactions.

Potential Occupations

Graduates in Agricultural Education are in demand to fill a continuous shortage of agricultural teachers in Colorado and nationwide. Potential occupations include:

• Teachers or administrators in public schools
• Education/marketing specialists with commodity and other agriculture-related entities
• Agribusiness positions with livestock, seed, fertilizer, feed, machinery, or finance firms
• Teachers in community or junior colleges, area career and technical schools, and technical institutes

Concentrations

The program offers two concentrations:

• Agricultural Literacy Concentration
• Teacher Development Concentration

Advanced Studies

Advanced studies after graduation include graduate studies in agricultural education, extension education and administration, or more in-depth studies in other areas of agriculture, food, and natural resources. Upon completion of these advanced degrees, additional opportunities exist for program completers, including leadership positions in agricultural education, post-secondary agriculture teacher, agribusiness or agriservice representative, cooperative extension agent, education specialist, 4-H Agent, youth development specialist, and science teacher.