Agricultural Sciences Undergraduate Major (BS, HBS)
This program is available at the following locations:
- Corvallis
- Ecampus
- LaGrande
The Agricultural Sciences major gives you the freedom to design your own degree! As part of the degree program, you can choose from various agricultural-based credits and electives. You can go broad with exposure to all areas of agriculture, go deep within two or more emphasis areas — or do a combination of both.
Our major allows you to customize your degree and take courses from different areas throughout our College of Agricultural Sciences. The agricultural sciences major allows our students to create a purposeful course plan, crossing several areas of study, to meet their individual career goals. Students use this major to prepare to return to their family operation, teach agriculture, develop agricultural communications materials, work in Extension, go into industry, sell equipment/insurance, start their own businesses, or work for state or federal agricultural programs.
Major Code: 259
Upon successful completion of the program, students will meet the following learning outcomes:
- Demonstrate professional skills/competencies and ability to adapt to diverse audiences and diverse work environments.
- Demonstrate an ability to apply scientific, and computer literacy knowledge.
- Analyze and communicate effectively how agricultural sciences integrate with contemporary, social, economic, political, and environmental issues.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Agricultural Core | ||
| AEC 211 | AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD MANAGEMENT | 4 |
| AG 111 | INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN AGRICULTURE | 3 |
| AG 311 | +*INDIGENOUS AGRICULTURE AND SUBSISTENCE | 3 |
| or FW 340 | +*POWER AND JUSTICE IN U.S. NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT | |
| or SUS 331 | +*SUSTAINABILITY, JUSTICE, AND ENGAGEMENT | |
| AG 421 | ^WRITING IN AGRICULTURE | 3 |
| LEAD 242 | +PERSONAL LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3-4 | |
| INTRODUCTION TO EXTENSION AND ENGAGEMENT | ||
| +*SOIL SCIENCE | ||
| SOIL SCIENCE and +*SOIL SCIENCE LABORATORY FOR SOIL 205 | ||
| Skills & Traits in Agriculture | ||
| Select 9-12 credits from the following: 1 | 9-12 | |
| INTRODUCTION TO AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION | ||
| EARLY FIELD EXPERIENCE | ||
| PLANNING AND DELIVERING NON-FORMAL AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION | ||
| ORIENTATION TO THE AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES MAJOR | ||
| +*INDIGENOUS ECOSYSTEM SCIENCES IN PACIFIC NORTHWEST REGIONS | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO EXTENSION AND ENGAGEMENT | ||
| *WOMEN IN AGRICULTURE | ||
| *COMMUNICATING GLOBAL AGRICULTURE & NATURAL RESOURCES ISSUES | ||
| FARM IMPLEMENTS | ||
| AG SAFETY AND HEALTH | ||
| SOCIAL MEDIA ADVOCACY IN AGRI SCIENCES & NATURAL RESOURCES | ||
| *RISK AND CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS IN AG SCI & NATURAL RESOURCES | ||
| College of Agricultural Sciences Electives | ||
| Select 60 credits of agricultural electives, including 24 upper-division credits 2 | 60 | |
| Business and Law | ||
| BA 315 | ACCOUNTING FOR DECISION MAKING | 4 |
| or ST 243Z | +ELEMENTARY STATISTICS I | |
| Select one course from the following: | 4 | |
| *ENVIRONMENTAL LAW, POLICY, AND ECONOMICS | ||
| AGRICULTURAL LAW | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO BUSINESS LAW | ||
| Communication | ||
| Select one course from the following: | 3 | |
| ADVANCEMENT & CONSUMPTION OF AGRICULTURAL MEDIA | ||
| *COMMUNICATING GLOBAL AGRICULTURE & NATURAL RESOURCES ISSUES | ||
| SOCIAL MEDIA ADVOCACY IN AGRI SCIENCES & NATURAL RESOURCES | ||
| *RISK AND CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS IN AG SCI & NATURAL RESOURCES | ||
Any COMM or WR course (if WR, must be above WR 121Z) | ||
| Introductory Applied Economics | ||
| Select one course from the following: | 4 | |
| +*INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS AND POLICY | ||
| +*INTRODUCTION TO AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD ECONOMICS | ||
| +*PRINCIPLES OF MICROECONOMICS | ||
| Sciences - Physical and Biological | ||
| Physical Science - Chemistry | ||
| CH 121 | +GENERAL CHEMISTRY | 5 |
| CH 122 | *GENERAL CHEMISTRY | 5 |
| Biological Sciences – One-Year Series | ||
| Select one of the following series: | 12-15 | |
| Preferred Series | ||
| +*PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: CELLS and *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: ORGANISMS and *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION | ||
| Alternate Series | ||
| +*ENVIRONMENTAL BIOLOGY: ECOLOGY, CONSERVATION, GLOBAL CHANGE and +*ANIMAL BIOLOGY: GENES, BEHAVIOR AND EVOLUTION OF LIFE and +*HUMAN BIOLOGY: THE HUMAN BODY, HEALTH AND DISEASE | ||
| Online Series | ||
| +*INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY I and *INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY II and *INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY III | ||
| Leadership and Engagement | ||
| Select one course from the following: | 3 | |
| *MULTICULTURAL LEADERSHIP | ||
| *TEAM AND ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP | ||
| LEADERSHIP SKILLS FOR CAREER SUCCESS | ||
| LEADERSHIP THROUGH CONVERSATIONS | ||
| Math | ||
| MTH 111Z | +*PRECALCULUS I: FUNCTIONS | 4 |
| Remaining Core Ed and Electives | 41-48 | |
| Total Credits | 180 | |
- *
Baccalaureate Core course. Applies to general education requirements for undergraduate students in a catalog year up to 2024-2025
- +
Core Education course. Applies to general education requirements for undergraduate students in catalog year 2025-2026 and beyond
- ^
Writing Intensive Curriculum (WIC) course
- 1
Blanket and special topics courses, such as AG 410, AG 499 and LEAD 407, may be accepted with advisor approval
- 2
A minimum of 45 of these elective credits must come from the College of Agricultural Sciences. Remaining credits may be approved from other colleges, to reach 60 total agricultural elective credits
Major Code: 259
Degree plans are subject to change and the following is only an example of how students may complete their degree in four years. Students should consult their advisor to determine the best degree plan for them. Contact details for advisors can be found on the Academic Advising page.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| BI 221Z | +*PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: CELLS or +*ENVIRONMENTAL BIOLOGY: ECOLOGY, CONSERVATION, GLOBAL CHANGE or +*INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY I | 4-5 |
| MTH 111Z | +*PRECALCULUS I: FUNCTIONS | 4 |
| WR 121Z | +*COMPOSITION I | 4 |
| Core Ed: Transitions | 2 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Winter | ||
| AG 111 | INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN AGRICULTURE | 3 |
| BI 222Z | *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: ORGANISMS or +*ANIMAL BIOLOGY: GENES, BEHAVIOR AND EVOLUTION OF LIFE or *INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY II | 4-5 |
| College of Agricultural Sciences Elective | 3 | |
| College of Agricultural Sciences Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Spring | ||
| BI 223Z | *PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY: ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION or +*HUMAN BIOLOGY: THE HUMAN BODY, HEALTH AND DISEASE or *INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY III | 4-5 |
| LEAD 242 | +PERSONAL LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT | 3 |
| Core Ed: Communication, Media & Society | 3-4 | |
| Core Ed: Difference, Power & Oppression Foundations | 3-4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| CH 121 | +GENERAL CHEMISTRY | 5 |
| Introductory Applied Economics | 4 | |
| College of Agricultural Sciences Elective | 3 | |
| Core Ed: Arts & Humanities General | 3-4 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Winter | ||
| AEC 211 | AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD MANAGEMENT | 4 |
| CH 122 | *GENERAL CHEMISTRY | 5 |
| Skills & Traits Course | 3 | |
| Core Ed: Arts & Humanities Global | 3-4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| SOIL 205 & SOIL 206 | SOIL SCIENCE or +*SOIL SCIENCE or INTRODUCTION TO EXTENSION AND ENGAGEMENT | 3 |
| College of Agricultural Sciences Elective | 3 | |
| Leadership and Engagement Course | 3 | |
| Communication Course | 3 | |
| Skills & Traits Course | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| Skills & Traits Course | 3 | |
| Skills & Traits Course | 3 | |
| College of Agricultural Sciences Elective | 4 | |
| College of Agricultural Sciences Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Winter | ||
| AEC 253 | *ENVIRONMENTAL LAW, POLICY, AND ECONOMICS or AGRICULTURAL LAW or INTRODUCTION TO BUSINESS LAW | 4 |
| BA 315 or ST 243Z | ACCOUNTING FOR DECISION MAKING or +ELEMENTARY STATISTICS I | 4 |
| College of Agricultural Sciences Elective | 4 | |
| College of Agricultural Sciences Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| AG 311 | +*INDIGENOUS AGRICULTURE AND SUBSISTENCE or +*POWER AND JUSTICE IN U.S. NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT or +*SUSTAINABILITY, JUSTICE, AND ENGAGEMENT | 3 |
| College of Agricultural Sciences Elective | 4 | |
| College of Agricultural Sciences Elective | 4 | |
| Core Ed: Writing Elevation | 3-4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| Upper-Division College of Agricultural Sciences Elective | 3 | |
| Upper-Division College of Agricultural Sciences Elective | 3 | |
| Upper-Division College of Agricultural Sciences Elective | 3 | |
| Upper-Division College of Agricultural Sciences Elective | 3 | |
| Core Ed: Seeking Solutions | 3-4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Winter | ||
| AG 421 | ^WRITING IN AGRICULTURE | 3 |
| Upper-Division College of Agricultural Sciences Elective | 4 | |
| Upper-Division College of Agricultural Sciences Elective | 4 | |
| Upper-Division College of Agricultural Sciences Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Total Credits | 180 | |
- *
Baccalaureate Core course. Applies to general education requirements for undergraduate students in a catalog year up to 2024-2025
- +
Core Education course. Applies to general education requirements for undergraduate students in catalog year 2025-2026 and beyond
- ^
Writing Intensive Curriculum (WIC) course