Environmental Management in Agriculture and Natural Resources

The interdisciplinary major in environmental management in agriculture provides students with the scientific and technical foundation to integrate and communicate the diverse environmental issues associated with agriculture and natural resources. Students will be able to deal in an informed manner with the agricultural regulations and permitting requirements established by various agencies and jurisdictions, and students will achieve an appreciation for the complexities of agricultural practices. Students will learn to integrate, balance and communicate the mix of agricultural and environmental issues that need to be addressed in modern society.

Before Graduating Students Must

• Complete an approved senior-year research project, SWS 4905 Individual Work, related to management and science skills.
• Achieve minimum grades of C in AEC 3030C and AEC 3033C. These courses are graded using rubrics developed by a faculty committee.
• Complete requirements for the baccalaureate degree, as determined by faculty.

Students in the Major will Learn to

Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

1. Appraise similarities between agronomic production and environmental protection issues.
2. Describe the role of soil and water in transport of contaminants in ecosystems and illustrate the interconnectedness of ecosystems and ecosystem components with specific examples.
3. Cite specific examples of natural resources and environmental public policy issues and identify contending stakeholder interests with respect to each issue.
4. Develop a plan for the analysis of an environmental / agricultural study using geographic information systems software.
5. Critically evaluate natural resource policies using basic economic tools and applying ecological, social and political criteria.
6. Create, interpret and analyze written text, oral messages and multimedia presentations used in agricultural and life sciences.

Curriculum Map

I = Introduced; R = Reinforced; A = Assessed

Assessment Types

• Projects
• Papers
• Presentations
• Exams