Department: | |
Hours Required: | 120 |
Categories: | Major, Undergraduate |
Delivery: | On-Campus |
Students who desire a career in businesses that are involved in agriculture should pursue a degree in agricultural business. This degree provides students with a core set of business classes while providing education in the basic principles of animal and plant sciences, preparing students for careers in the various aspects of agribusiness including agricultural marketing, agricultural finance, international agricultural business, sales and services, or management of agricultural business.
What to expect
State-of-the-art facilities await students who choose the agricultural business major at SAU. After completing the general education requirements, students focus on courses in agriculture and business to complete this well-rounded degree program.
Learning Goals
- Our graduates communicate effectively
- Our students acquire knowledge of agricultural systems to make ethical and informed decisions relating to food and fiber production
- Our students can assimilate knowledge to develop critical thinking skills related to agriculture production and science
- Our graduates understand the value of technology and its application in Agricultural Communication and Agriculture Production
- Our graduates possess knowledge in the field of Agriculture
University Requirement - 2 hours GSTD 1002 Freshman Seminar General Education* - 27 hours (Natural science and physical science courses are included in the major.) *Social Science requirement - AGEC 2073 Principles of Agricultural Economics Biological Science - 4 hours BIOL 1203/1201 Principles of Biology I/Lab Chemistry - 4 hours CHEM 1013/1011 College Chemistry I/Lab CHEM 1023/1021 University Chemistry I/Lab Agricultural Core - 25 hours AGEC 3043 Farm Management AGRI 4033 Issues in Agriculture ANSC 1000 Farm Experience ANSC 1003/1001 Introduction to Animal Science/Lab ANSC 2002/2001 Animal Nutrition I/Lab ANSC 2013 Animal Anatomy and Physiology PLSC 1003 Introduction to Plant Science PLSC 2002/2001 Principles of Horticulture/Lab PLSC 2012/2011 Soils Science/Lab Agricultural Business Core - 40 hours AGEC 2103 Agribusiness Financial Statements and Planning AGEC 3003 Marketing of Agricultural Products AGEC 3033 Agricultural Futures and Options AGEC 3063 Agricultural Data Management and Analysis AGEC 3083 Agribusiness Entrepreneurship AGEC 4013 International Business in Agriculture AGEC 4023 Agribusiness Management AGEC 4043 Agricultural Finance AGED 3003 Leadership and Communications Select three hours from the following: AGEC 4053 Agricultural Policies and Problems AGEC 4063 Risk Management in Agriculture Select seven hours from the following: AGEC 4501-4503 Special Problems in Agricultural Business AGRI 4452/4551 Internship in Agriculture I and II ANSC 3103/3101 Ruminant Animal Production/Lab ANSC 3113/3111 Non-Ruminant Animal Production/Lab PLSC 3032/3031 Greenhouse Management/Lab Select three hours from the following: AGED 2001/2002 Agricultural Power: Electricity and Small Engines/Lab AGED 2011/2012 Agricultural Structures/Lab AGED 2021/2022 Agricultural Metals/Lab Business Core - 18 hours ACCT 2113 Survey of Accounting ECON 2203 Principles of Macroeconomics GBUS 2003 Legal Environment of Business GBUS 2013 Quantitative Analysis I MGMT 2003 Business Communications MGMT 3023 Organizational Theory and Behavior
Degree: Agricultural Business
Employer: BWI Companies, Inc.
Position: Purchasing Agent
Besides the obvious knowledge that was gained from the courses, my time at SAU helped me develop many skills such as leadership and multitasking. As an alumnus of SAU, I have the opportunity to connect with other Alumni that I cross paths with. The SAU Agriculture Department holds a special place in my heart because the classes, professors, and friends helped me learn who I was.
Degree: Agricultural Business
Employer: Riceland Foods, Inc.
Position: Manager Trainee
My degree opened up job opportunities that otherwise I would not have had.
Degree: Agricultural Business
Employer: Carl Albert State College
Position: Career and Transfer Center Coordinator
Though I am not in the field of agriculture right now, I previously worked for Farm Credit of Western Arkansas and my education helped me thoroughly in that position. My time there also presented the opportunity to develop many skills that have help qualify me for other positions, like the one I am in now.
Degree: Agricultural Business
Employer: Farm Credit of Western Arkansas
Position: Branch Manager/Loan Officer
My degree gave me a general knowledge of business and business terms, which Farm Credit expanded upon through training. The agriculture side plays a huge part in lending. Having cattle and poultry knowledge gives me a leg up on loan structuring.
Degree: Agricultural Business
Employer: Keith Smith Company
Position: Poultry Breeder Technician
The degree helped me get hired and has helped me out with using computers more efficiently.
Degree: Agricultural Business
Employer: LSU Agricultural Center
Position: Graduate Student
My degree has given me the background to become a Horticulture graduate student working on the Louisiana Farm to School Project
Degree: Agricultural Business
Employer: Bear State Bank
Position: Loan Service Specialist
My degree helped me get a better starting salary when I started my job. When the department accountant left the company, I was asked to take over that position due to the accounting knowledge I obtained at SAU.
Degree: Agricultural Business
Employer: Pilgrims/JBS
Position: Hatchery Manager
Honestly, between having the degree and the connections I made at school it allowed me to get started with Pilgrim’s right out of college. I wouldn’t say the degree has helped me since as far as my job is concerned. SAU’s Ag Department isn’t really poultry driven like some are. However, I learned a lot of useful tools that I use outside of my day job such as rotational grazing techniques, pasture management, and plant and weed identification. Granted, I have learned most of what I know out of my experience since college but the classes built the foundation.
Degree: Agricultural Business
Employer: Oklahoma State University, Agricultural Statistics
Position: Graduate Research Assistant
The education I received from SAU has adequately prepared me for graduate school. I am the only first-year master’s student with a degree from another institution, but I do not feel like I am falling behind. The degree provided appropriate courses for graduate courses or for industry jobs.
Degree: Agricultural Business
Employer: Natural Resource Conservation Service
Position: Soil Conservationist
My time spent at SAU contributes to my career on a day to day basis. While many of the classes I took have proven beneficial to my career and day to day job tasks, three classes stand out. The classes that stand out the most are the internship class, nutrition lecture and lab, and the soils class. The internship class taught me to be confident in my daily interaction with program participants. Nutrition lecture and lab taught me how to convert the amount of available forage. Soils class reinforced the skills needed to read soil tests and conversions for fertilizer needs. Not only was SAU a great and beneficial experience for me, but it also prepared me for my career.