Academic Information

Agribusiness Management (Start at any Campus and Finish: University Park)

Graduates can be found working in the food production, processing, financial services, wholesaling and retailing industries, both in the United States and abroad. A substantial number are employed by agricultural supply firms. Typically, B.S. degree holders begin their careers in sales or as management trainees, and then progress to management as they develop higher levels of expertise and experience. Many graduates also are employed in banking and the investment and mutual funds industries, and others have gone to law school, graduate school, or into rural development. The quality and diversity of the program enables Agribusiness majors to undertake a variety of jobs.
(College of Agricultural Sciences, Smeal College of Business)

Please see the Basic Admissions Requirements page for more information about high school and transfer requirements.

Agricultural and Extension Education (Start at any Campus and Finish: University Park)

This major helps students prepare for positions in education in agriculture, including schools and colleges; Cooperative Extension; business, trade, and professional associations; and government agencies. The department administers a program approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education for the preparation of agriculture teachers in public school systems. This includes programs in agricultural production, mechanics, supplies, resources, products, forestry, horticulture, and other agricultural areas.
(College of Agricultural Sciences)

Please see the Basic Admissions Requirements page for more information about high school and transfer requirements.

Agricultural Science (Start at any Campus and Finish: University Park)

This major enables students to develop programs of study to serve their individual needs by assembling courses selected from various departments within the College of Agricultural Sciences. The student develops either a broad background in agriculture or a special program of study not currently offered within departments of the college. Students are expected to focus study on one or more disciplines of the agricultural sciences by selecting a minor offered by the College of Agricultural Sciences. The student, in consultation with an adviser, is given considerable flexibility for selecting courses to satisfy individual interests and aspirations.
(College of Agricultural Sciences)

Please see the Basic Admissions Requirements page for more information about high school and transfer requirements.

Select this major on your application if you are interested in one of the majors in this college, but haven't yet decided which.

Please see the Basic Admissions Requirements page for more information about high school and transfer requirements.

Agricultural Systems Management (Start at any Campus and Finish: University Park)

Agricultural Systems Management graduates find careers in the production and management phases of agricultural enterprises. Graduates are employed as sales and field representatives, financial and technical consultants, and technical service or production personnel. Graduates are employed in the management and application of technology to power and machinery systems, soil and water systems, food production and processing systems, and agricultural structures and environmental systems. This major combines the study of agricultural sciences, engineering technology, natural resources, business, and management systems. The program is administered through the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, which offers a series of courses to provide the necessary technical background. Basic study is emphasized in the agricultural and business management sciences, along with the application of the technical results of engineering research, design, and manufacturing.
(College of Agricultural Sciences)

Please see the Basic Admissions Requirements page for more information about high school and transfer requirements.

Agroecology(Start at any Campus and Finish: University Park)

Agroecology is concerned with the principles and practices applicable to the management of plant agroecosystems. There are two options: Integrated Crop Management (ICM) and Plant Science. The Integrated Crop Management option emphasizes the principles of plant and soil management and the basic sciences upon which these principles are based. The Plant Science option requires additional emphasis in the basic sciences (mathematics, chemistry, physics, and biotechnology). The opportunity is available in either option to specialize in agronomy with emphasis on agronomic crops and conservation of soils; horticulture with emphasis on horticultural crops; entomology with emphasis on insects and their impact on the ecosystem; or plant pathology with emphasis on plant diseases. Students must develop, communicate, and apply technical information about plants, soils, environment, and production practices for food, feed, fiber, or ornamental crops. Business management skills can be developed by appropriate course selection in the ICM option.
(College of Agricultural Sciences)

Please see the Basic Admissions Requirements page for more information about high school and transfer requirements.

Animal Sciences (Start at any Campus and Finish: University Park)

Animal science may be defined as the study and integration of all disciplines that relate to the function and care of animals for the benefit of humankind by providing companionship, food, fiber, and research. The Animal Sciences major includes references to all types of animals. The educational experiences included in this major should prepare the student for a wide range of entry-level positions in production agriculture agribusiness and allied industries, and provide preparation for the pursuit of post baccalaureate studies leading to professional or advanced degrees. The student is expected to develop a comprehensive understanding of the biological and physical sciences underlying the functioning of all types of animals.
(College of Agricultural Sciences)

Please see the Basic Admissions Requirements page for more information about high school and transfer requirements.

Community, Environment, and Development (Start at any Campus and Finish: University Park)

The principal goal of the Community, Environment, and Development major is to help students develop the knowledge and skills to help local people, their communities, and institutions effectively understand, respond to, and ultimately shape economic and social changes, including those that pose risks to the environment. The major focuses on the fields of community and economic development, environment and natural resources, and the critically important interactions between these fields, both locally and globally. Building skills and knowledge to tackle important environmental and developmental issues facing communities today requires a multidisciplinary or transdisciplinary approach; the major bridges the disciplines of agricultural, environmental, and regional economics on the one hand and rural sociology on the other.
(College of Agricultural Sciences)

Please see the Basic Admissions Requirements page for more information about high school and transfer requirements.

Environmental Resource Management (University Park)
Environmental Resource Management (ERM) is an interdisciplinary, interdepartmental program in the College of Agricultural Sciences. Students may major or minor in ERM. The major is a science-based curriculum designed to prepare students for environment-oriented careers in the public and private sectors and for graduate school.
(College of Agricultural Sciences)

Please see the Basic Admissions Requirements page for more information about high school and transfer requirements.

Food Science (Start at any Campus and Finish: University Park)

Food science involves the application of science and technology to food product manufacture, storage, and distribution to consumers. Food scientists are especially concerned with food safety, nutrition, food quality, food processing management, and new product and process development. Graduates are employed by food manufacturing and food ingredient companies and other industries that supply goods and services to the food industry; by universities; and by government agencies concerned with food regulations and the health and well-being of the general public.
(College of Agricultural Sciences)

Please see the Basic Admissions Requirements page for more information about high school and transfer requirements.

Forest Science (Start at any Campus and Finish: University Park)

The mission of the B.S.program in Forest Science is to help students develop the knowledge, skills, and professional ethics for understanding and managing forest ecosystems and living as responsible members of society. The Forest Science major provides the education necessary to pursue careers in one of the following options: Forest Biology, Forest Management, Urban Forestry, and Watershed Management.
(College of Agricultural Sciences)

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Horticulture (Start at any Campus and Finish: University Park)

Horticulture is an applied biological science designed for students seeking careers in the management of public and commercial horticultural enterprises. Horticulture combines the application of science and technology to achieve its educational goals. Students have maximum flexibility in selecting a program of study suited to their needs and professional goals. Students can emphasize floriculture (greenhouse production or floral retail), olericulture (vegetable crops), ornamental horticulture (herbaceous and woody perennials), and pomology (fruit culture). Programs of study in the disciplines of plant breeding, plant nutrition, and horticultural physiology are also available.
(College of Agricultural Sciences)

Please see the Basic Admissions Requirements page for more information about high school and transfer requirements.

Immunology and Infectious Disease (Start at any Campus and Finish: University Park)

Immunology is the study of how animals and humans protect themselves from pathogens. Understanding basic mechanisms of immunity provides insights into how blood cells develop and how pathogens are recognized and attacked. Furthermore, understanding the concepts behind immunology is necessary for drug and vaccine design. Immunology covers a broad range of disciplines, including but not limited to microbiology, virology, animal health, genetics, biochemistry, and molecular and cell biology. Students will develop an understanding of normal immune responses to bacterial, fungal, and viral agents and the potential pathological outcomes of these responses. Students will learn about events that shape the immune response, the general biology of pathogens, and the mechanisms by which they cause disease. In addition, basic skills in microbiology, molecular biology, and biochemistry will be acquired.
(College of Agricultural Sciences)

Please see the Basic Admissions Requirements page for more information about high school and transfer requirements.

Landscape Contracting (Start at any Campus and Finish: University Park)

Landscape contracting involves constructing, establishing, and maintaining landscapes from small residential projects to large commercial and industrial projects, as well as producing plans for small-scale residential and commercial sites. Students develop skills in construction, site design, plant material usage, plant establishment, and landscape maintenance. Students are also educated in areas such as graphics, surveying, soils, turfgrass management, weed and pest management, and business operations.
(College of Agricultural Sciences)

Please see the Basic Admissions Requirements page for more information about high school and transfer requirements.

Toxicology (Start at any Campus and Finish: University Park)

Toxicology addresses adverse effects of chemicals on animals and humans and includes exposure assessment, hazard identification, dose-response analysis, and risk characterization. This discipline relies on cutting-edge biotechnological approaches to gain insight into drug and toxicant action at the molecular level. Students will develop an understanding of the principles by which chemicals affect the health of humans and animals either adversely, as toxic agents, or beneficially, as therapeutic agents. Through a combination of laboratory and lecture experiences, students will learn about: mechanisms of action of drugs and toxicants on organ systems of the body; general principles for assessing the safety of chemicals and therapeutic efficacy of drugs; and state-of the- art molecular, biological, and genetic approaches to understanding drugs, toxicants, and disease.
(College of Agricultural Sciences)

Please see the Basic Admissions Requirements page for more information about high school and transfer requirements.

Turfgrass Science (Start at any Campus and Finish: University Park, World Campus)

This major provides an integrated program of study that includes basic and applied sciences, business management courses, and an internship to help students prepare for careers in turfgrass management and related areas. By selecting supporting courses and electives, students can adapt the program to meet a variety of professional interests and educational needs.
(College of Agricultural Sciences)

Please see the Basic Admissions Requirements page for more information about high school and transfer requirements.

Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences (Start at any Campus and Finish: University Park)

This major provides a strong background in those biological and physical sciences underlying contemporary animal agriculture and establishes a sound foundation for graduate-level study in animal and related sciences. The student is expected to focus on one or more disciplines of the biological sciences related to animal agriculture during the senior year. Such disciplines may include animal behavior, genetics, nutrition, and physiology.
(College of Agricultural Sciences)

Please see the Basic Admissions Requirements page for more information about high school and transfer requirements.

Wildlife and Fisheries Science (Start at any Campus and Finish: University Park)

The purpose of the Wildlife and Fisheries Science major is to develop the knowledge, skills, and professional ethics of undergraduates interested in the conservation and management of fish and wildlife and their environments. The curriculum is designed to provide a broad-based science background incorporating natural resource management principles that prepare students for a diverse array of opportunities such as graduate school, natural resource management agencies, consulting firms, nonprofits, etc.
(College of Agricultural Sciences)

Please see the Basic Admissions Requirements page for more information about high school and transfer requirements.

Wood Products (Start at any Campus and Finish: University Park)

The primary purpose of this major is to help students prepare for careers in the wood products industry. Students can choose from two options: Wood Products Business and Marketing, and Wood Products Processing and Manufacturing. The options are designed to give the student flexibility for a science or business/marketing emphasis supported by general education in communication, natural science, social science and humanities, and quantification.
(College of Agricultural Sciences)

Please see the Basic Admissions Requirements page for more information about high school and transfer requirements.