Overview
The Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Studies with General Agriculture Option is a major within the School of Professional Studies. If you have questions regarding this program, please contact dsu.hawk@dickinsonstate.edu or call 1-800-279-HAWK.
Degree Requirements:
Student Learning Outcomes
Agricultural Studies graduates will be able to demonstrate:
- The application of basic scientific and economic principles to agricultural production, business, and resource management. (This learning outcome directly addresses Institutional Learning Outcome II.)
- The application of production concepts appropriate to the Northern Great Plains region. (This learning outcome directly addresses Institutional Learning Outcomes II and VI.)
- Oral, written, and graphical communication skills. (This learning outcome directly addresses Institutional Learning Outcome III.)
- An understanding of agricultural resource management in a broader global, socioeconomic context. (This learning outcome directly addresses Institutional Learning Outcomes I and V.)
- The application of leadership skills necessary for successful advocacy at local, state, regional, and national levels. (This learning outcome directly addresses Institutional Learning Outcome IV.)
Career Options
Why should you pursue a Bachelor of Science Degree - Agricultural Studies: General Agriculture Option?
The general agriculture option of the bachelor’s in agricultural studies is designed to provide students with a broad array of agricultural content, often paving the way to employment in education and farm service consulting.
Possible Career Paths
- Agricultural Educator
- Entrepreneur
- Farm Cooperative
- Cooperative Extension Service
- Realtor
Requirements
THE FOLLOWING ARE REQUIRED AS PART OF GENERAL EDUCATION
AGRICULTURAL STUDIES CORE CURRICULUM
| AGEC 241 | Introduction to Agricultural Economics | 3 |
| AGEC 342 | Introduction to Agricultural Management | 3 |
| AGRI 350 | Agricultural Data Analysis and Statistics | 4 |
| AGRI 391 | Junior Seminar | 1 |
| AGRI 394 | Undergraduate Research | 1 |
| H&CE 241 | Leadership and Presentation Techniques | 3 |
| PLSC 110 | World Food Crops | 3 |
| RNG 236 | Introduction to Range Management | 4 |
| SOIL 210 | Introduction to Soil Science | 4 |
One course from the following two courses (3 credits):
One course from the following two courses (3 credits):
One course from the following two courses (1 credit):
AGRI 491 and RNG 491 are capstone experience seminars that consist of an independent study with a public presentation and a professional paper requirement.
One course from the following three courses (3 credits):
| AGRI 280 | Technology in Agriculture | 3 |
| GIS 380 | Applied Arc GIS | 3 |
| GIS 381 | Geographic Information Systems for Business | 3 |
One course from the following four courses (3 credits):
| BOTE 210 | Business Communication | 3 |
| COMM 212 | Interpersonal Communication | 3 |
| COMM 216 | Intercultural Communication | 3 |
| COMM 317 | Organizational and Group Communication | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 39 |
General Agriculture Option
Option Total Credit Hours: 42-44
Students pursuing the General Agriculture option combine business, production and resource management as they relate to agriculture in the Northern Great Plains. Employment opportunities include agricultural education and extension.
Students will be required to take GIS 380 – Applied Arc GIS and COMM 216 – Intercultural Communication as part of the Agricultural Studies core curriculum. Students will be required to take BIOL 111/BIOL 111L – Concepts of Biology and Lab, CHEM 115/CHEM 115L – Introduction to Chemistry and Lab, and PSYC 111 – Introduction to Psychology as part of General Education curriculum. If not taken as a General Education class, it must be taken to fulfill the General Agriculture option requirements. Students pursuing a Masters of Education in Agricultural Education from NDSU must also complete the Agricultural Education minor.
If pursuing a Masters of Education in Agricultural Education from NDSU, the following three courses are required. If not, seven additional credits of agricultural electives are required, of which three must be at the 300- or 400- level.
Choose course not taken in agricultural core curriculum (3 credits):
Choose ASM or GIS Electives (6 credits):
Select six credits of electives in ASM (Agricultural Systems Management) or GIS (Geographical Information Systems) courses. Three of these credits must be at the 300- or 400- course level.
Choose Agricultural Electives (15 Credits):
Select 15 credits of electives in AGEC (Agricultural Economics), ANSC (Animal Science), PLSC (Plant Science), RNG (Range Science), SOIL (Soil Science) or VETS (Veterinary Science) courses. All of these credits must be at the 300- or 400-course level. No more than six credits of agricultural electives can be taken from any one prefix.
Semester Sequence
First Semester
Second Semester
Third Semester
Fourth Semester
Fifth Semester
| AGRI 350 | Agricultural Data Analysis and Statistics | 4 |
| ASM 155 | Agricultural Welding | 3 |
| ASM 255 | Advanced Welding | 2 |
| ANSC 123 | Feeds and Feeding | 3 |
| RNG 236 | Introduction to Range Management | 4 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 16 |
Sixth Semester
Seventh Semester
Eighth Semester
Agriculture Electives (15 Credits)
If not pursuing master's degree, 7 additional credits are required.
300 level or higher
No more than 6 credits from one prefix
- AGEC (Agriculture Economics)
- ANSC (Animal Science)
- PLSC (Plant Science)
- RNG (Range Science)
- SOIL (Soil Science)
- VETS (Veterinary Science)
Communication Elective (3 Credits)
- BOTE 210: Business Communication (3 credits)
- COMM 212: Oral Interpretation
- COMM 317: Organization and Group Communication
- If taken COMM 216: Interpersonal Communication (3 credits), elective is met
Master's Program
EDUC 250 - Introduction to Education ( 3 credits)
H&CE 232 - Philosophy an Policy (3 credits - NDSU)
H&CE 322 - Agricultural Education and Psychology (NDSU)