Agriculture (A.A. Degree)

To earn a degree in agriculture, students will need to complete courses in agriculture and chemistry. Students have some flexibility about which courses they take, but all students will complete at least six hours of lab work and receive CPR and first aid training.

As an agriculture major, you'll take courses that lay a foundation upon which to build your career.

Core Classes

• Biology, Care, and Production of Domestic Animals: History, management, physiology, breeding, lactation, feeding, health, and products of cattle, swine, sheep, poultry, companion animals, and other species as they relate to humans and the creation. Three lectures and one three-hour laboratory period per week.
• Orientation and Agricultural Safety: Classroom discussion, lecture, and practical experience are used to familiarize the students with the Agriculture Department, Agricultural Stewardship Center (ASC), and the greenhouse to develop understanding and competency in operating equipment at the ASC and
  classroom labs. Students will receive instruction in agricultural safety to develop an understanding and competency in the areas of current
  agricultural production practices and safety procedures. Students will be certified in CPR and complete first aid training. The course meets
  for seven weeks. Two lectures and one three-hour laboratory per week.
• Introduction to Plant Science: Students will study plants, their care and use within agroecosystems, as well as their role in creation. Students will be introduced to how agriculture both influences and is influenced by human cultural development, how humankind’s understanding of stewardship influences creation care, and how plants serve as sources of food, fiber, fuel, and fascination. Plant biology concepts including plant structure and function, growth, development and reproduction, and plant/environment interactions will be introduced. The course will demonstrate how these biotic and environmental factors integrate with plant biotechnology, crop breeding and propagation, protection, cropping systems, and crop economics and utilization. Three lectures and one three-hour laboratory per week.
• Introduction to Farm Business Management and Accounting: The study of the principles, financial statements, and analyses of farm business data using actual farm data and scenarios. Topics include decision making processes, whole business planning, goal setting, record keeping, balance sheets, budgeting, cash flow statements, income statements, budgeting, balance sheets, income statements, cash flow statements, investment analysis, tax planning and risk analysis. Three lectures and one three-hour laboratory per week.
• Perspectives in Agricultural Policy: Worldviews relating to contemporary agriculture systems are discussed. In addition to examining historical policies, the participating stakeholder groups and development of domestic and international agricultural policies are also studied. Several views on these topics are examined and a reformed perspective is developed. Two lectures and a one-hour small group discussion period per week.
• Nature and Properties of Soils: A comprehensive introduction to the field of soil science with an emphasis on scientific principles and their application in solutions to practical soil management problems. Two lectures and one three-hour laboratory per week.
• Feeds and Feeding: The evaluation, composition, and values of feedstuffs as they relate to animal nutrient requirements will be considered. The basics of
  ration formulation and feeding management will be covered for the major livestock species. Two lectures and one three-hour laboratory
  per week.
• General Chemistry: A first course in the fundamental principles of chemistry for students in all science disciplines. Topics include measurement, the mole and reaction stoichiometry, atomic and molecular structure and bonding, intermolecular forces, gases, types of reactions, and energy in chemical reactions. An introduction to laboratory safety and chemical hygiene is included in the laboratory. Three hours of lecture and one three-hour laboratory period per week.
• Principles of Chemistry: A study of the fundamental principles of chemistry and an introduction to foundational issues in science. Topics include atomic and molecular structure, chemical equilibria, chemical kinetics, chemical thermodynamics, and electrochemistry. An introduction to laboratory
  safety and chemical hygiene is included in the laboratory. This is the first course in chemistry for majors in the physical and life sciences.
  Three lectures and one three-hour laboratory period per week.
• Personal Financial Management and Stewardship: Prepares students for the many financial decisions that they will be making during their lives in light of a Biblical and reformed view of stewardship.
• Meteorology and Climate Change: Provides a general introduction to meteorology and weather. Climate and climate change in Quaternary times to the present are also considered. The implications of an anthropogenically enhanced greenhouse effect will be addressed, with particular attention given to the
  impact of these changes on the structure and function of ecosystems. Includes one or two field trips to relevant sites in the region.
• Three elective credits of agriculture

See the course catalog for more information.