INTRODUCTION

The Department of Agricultural Economics (founded in 1970) offers a  Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Business (since AY 1971-72), which combines economic analysis with business applications focused on the agricultural sector.  It was one of the first programs of its kind in the nation and its curriculum became recognized as a national model (one of four) in 1985 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture sponsored Agribusiness Education Project, comprised of agricultural industry leaders and higher education scholars from around the country.  The coursework consists of lower division electives in agricultural sciences (broadening requirement), lower division business management (base requirement), upper division agricultural economics (core requirement), along with upper division career specialty electives primarily from the main sub-disciplinary areas (depth requirement).  There are also Additional Requirements to the Major (General Education lower division courses in mathematics, economics, biology, and chemistry that meet dual purposes). 

Top

Mission and Goals

The Department of Agricultural Economics graduates broadly educated and well trained agribusiness professionals, who are prepared for their roles and obligations as good citizens and principled leaders in the community as well as in industry.

The agricultural business degree is awarded based on successful completion of a quality program of study that provides a comprehensive and integrative curriculum of economic analysis and business applications with a problem-solving orientation and a practical experience emphasis.  As such it combines core courses in agricultural economics with foundation courses in business management and agricultural science.  High performing graduates should be qualified for entry into responsible managerial positions and into respected graduate schools.

The Department works collaboratively with the Center for Agricultural Business through applied research projects that address challenges facing the agricultural sector.  The faculty engage in knowledge dissemination activities that aim to increase the productivity of agricultural professionals, improve the competitiveness of industry and the effectiveness of government, and enhance the quality of the instructional experience for students.

Top

Program Aims

Programmatic aims and purposes of the Agricultural Economics Department and Agricultural Business Program are rooted in the Mission Statement and are an extension of its components.  The elements include to:

1.      Provide a quality degree program in general agricultural business that attracts well-prepared students and affords graduates excellent job prospects and career opportunities within the broadly defined agricultural sector inclusive of farm input supply industries, crop and livestock production industries, commodity processing and food manufacturing industries as well as supportive distribution and service industries throughout the value-added food and fiber supply chain.

2.   Establish a close working relationship between faculty and students through academic advising, career counseling, course tutoring, co-curricular programs, student mentoring, and joint participation in student club activities.

3.   Enable students to see the "big picture" of the agricultural sector and to understand its component parts and appreciate the unique features of agricultural industries.

4.   Emphasize the importance and value of strong economic analysis and quantitative reasoning abilities as crucial aids to intelligent decision making in business and government.

5.   Stress the need to understand and utilize subject matter content/knowledge and complementary technical skills/talents in order to comprehend and manipulate the world in which we live and work.

6.   Offer students curricular, co-curricular, and extra-curricular opportunities for applied learning and practical experience, through which knowledge and skills can be jointly employed and mastered.

7.   Ensure students have ample opportunities to interact with industry and government professionals through field trips, internships, guest speakers, research projects, etc.

8.   Build a keen awareness among employer constituents and prospective students about the Agricultural Business Program and its ability to educate and train well-qualified professionals who can solve problems and exploit opportunities in an effective and efficient manner.

Top
 

DESCRIPTION OF THE PROGRAM

 The award-winning Agricultural Business Program at California State University, Fresno is a pacesetter - having been recognized in 1985 as a national model for other colleges and universities by the Agribusiness Education Project, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and comprised of agricultural industry leaders and higher education scholars from around the country.

The agricultural business curriculum is a comprehensive and integrative program of economic principles and business application with a problem-solving orientation and a practical experience emphasis. 

Degree Programs

The Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Business combines core undergraduate courses in agricultural economics (AGEC) with basic business management and agricultural science foundation courses. This undergraduate major allows the student to emphasize a career specialty, such as agribusiness management, agricultural finance, agricultural marketing, farm management, and food industry management.

The Department of Agricultural Economics offers a baccalaureate degree in agricultural business which includes a minimum of 120 units.  The general education component is a minimum of 51 units.  The major includes 61 or 62 units depending upon the excess units due to additional requirements for the major.    In addition to the general educations requirements, the major includes DS 71 or Math 75, Chemistry 3A, Biology/Botany/Zoology 10, and Agricultural Economics 1.  These additional requirements can be used to satisfy categories B4, B1, B2, B3, and D3 respectively, of the General Education Requirements.  However, if these categories of GE are satisfied with other course, the student must still complete the additional requirements. The remainder of the 120 units is comprised on 7-8 units depending on how the undergraduate writing requirement is satisfied.  The major is sectioned into four major areas:  agricultural foundation, business management base, agricultural economics core, and career specialty.

Agricultural Foundation:  The agricultural foundation includes nine units with a maximum of three units from agricultural economics and six units from any one agricultural science area.  Students can take courses from animal science, food science/nutrition, mechanized agriculture, plant science, soils/water, and viticulture/enology (see Agricultural Business Checklist, Appendix A). 

Business Management Base:  The business management base includes 18 units designed to be prerequisites to the upper division agricultural economics core.  Each of the requirements in the business management base can be satisfied by a lower division agricultural economics course or an alternate course from economics, business administration, decision sciences, or information systems.  The base includes microeconomics and macroeconomics, however, microeconomics (Agricultural Economics 1 or Economics 40) is shown in Area D of the General Education requirements.  The base also includes a course in business law, six units of accounting, introductory statistics, and microcomputer applications.  The Agricultural Business Checklist (Appendix A) shows the agricultural courses and their alternates for each of the requirements.

Agricultural Economics Core:   The agricultural economics core includes 21 units of upper division courses from various areas of agricultural economics and business.  The core begins with Agricultural Economics 100, intermediate agricultural economics.  Agricultural Economics 100 is considered a prerequisite to the other upper division core courses.  This is followed by courses in farm management, agribusiness management, agricultural finance, agricultural & food policy, and agricultural market analysis (see Agricultural Business Checklist, Appendix A).  The agricultural economics core is completed by Agricultural Economics 170, Advanced Agribusiness Applications, which is considered the capstone experience for the majors.

Career Specialty:  The career specialty consist of 12 units, nine of which must be upper division agricultural economics courses.  Majors can choose from courses that cover different specialty areas such as farm management, agribusiness management, financial management, agricultural development, public policy, product marketing, and industry relations.  Students choose a concentration that emphasizes one of these areas or they may choose a flexible cluster approach which allows them to group courses from several different areas targeted on a chosen career opportunity.  The advising information sheets (Agricultural Business Checklist, Appendix A) provides a suggested list of career specialties for agribusiness majors.  The student is encouraged to use this list as a guide, however, it does not stipulate that the career specialty adhere to the list.

Curricula:  Students are expected and advised to complete  the agricultural science foundation and agricultural business management base—consisting of lower division courses—by the end of the sophomore year (for CSUF freshman intake) or by the middle or the junior year (for community college transfers).  Most of these courses are articulated across the state with agricultural business programs in CSUF’s feeder colleges.  The timely completion of these courses is important, as most are prerequisites to one or more upper division courses in the agricultural economics core and career specialty electives.  A four year course roadmap for successful and timely completion of all requirements is provided in Appendix C.

Certified Minor Programs: A Minor in Agricultural Business is available for students majoring in agricultural sciences, business, and other fields (see Agribusiness Minor, Appendix B). The minor in agricultural business was approved in 1990, but has never attracted many participants.  Currently, fewer than 10 students are actively pursuing a minor in agricultural business.  The minor has a 21 unit core and a three unit focus elective.  It is possible to have 12 units in the core waived if comparable courses are taken as additional requirements in the major.

Complementary Fields of Study: Agricultural business students wishing to enhance their major with a technical field should consider a minor in such closely allied disciplines as animal science, family and consumer sciences, food and nutritional sciences, and plant science. A supplementary Minor in General Business is available through the Craig School of Business.

 The Master of Business Administration (MBA) has an elective area in agricultural business combining graduate courses in agricultural business (AGBS) with core courses from business. This degree program, AACSB accredited, is administered by the Sid Craig School of Business. It is designed for individuals seeking to advance their career by enhancing their business management and economic analysis skills with an emphasis on agricultural sector applications.  Interest in this program has been low and the graduate agribusiness courses have not been offered during the past three semesters. 

Top