Agriculture & Plant Science Degree Guide
Select the major for your area of interest
Build a major around your interests in agriculture and plant science — from developing sustainable food sources to researching plant biology and informing agricultural policies.
With a degree in Agricultural and Applied Economics, you'll build the quantitative and analytical skills to tackle real problems in food, business, water, and environmental sectors.
Emphases
You'll choose the emphasis that's right for you. You can dig into the financial strategies behind agribusiness and global food systems, or shape the policies that drive sustainable resource management. Whichever direction you choose, you'll graduate with the tools to make a meaningful impact across a wide range of industries.
- Agribusiness Economics and Management: Focus on the business, management and financial strategies behind production in a global food system.
- Environmental Economics and Policy: Explore policy and sustainability through economics, data, and resource management.
Sample courses
Learn to think like an economist using data, research, and analytical models to develop data-driven solutions for real problems. You'll be able to evaluate company finances, analyze environmental policies, or even design your own research. View a sample course checklist to learn more about degree requirements. Some of the courses you'll have the opportunity to take include:
- Understanding the World of Commerce
- Economics of Futures Markets
- Agricultural and Food Marketing
- Competing for Water in the American West
- Environmental Law and Economics
What you can do with the degree
A degree in agricultural and applied economics prepares you for careers and graduate programs in agricultural policy, management and business. Although your career possibilities are limitless, is one example of
- Financial analysts develop and lead industry research, prepare industry updates, and review and assess emerging risks associated with investing in various industries.
- Environmental policy analysts evaluate the impacts of environmental and agricultural regulations using economic tools, including benefit-cost analysis and empirical methods, to inform decision-making in government or policy organizations.
- Farm or ranch managers hire and supervise farm and livestock workers as you plan, direct, and coordinate efficient, sustainable site operations.
- Data analysts focusing on environmental, resource, or policy issues use econometric, statistical, and spatial tools (including GIS) to analyze environmental and policy-related data.
The sustainable plant systems program integrates basic and applied plant and soil science in a way that gives you practical experience in laboratory and field settings while also learning scientific principles and approaches to innovate and develop new techniques in plant production and management. You will earn a skill set suited for careers in field and greenhouse plant production, urban forestry, public garden management, and fresh produce safety.
Emphases
You'll choose the emphasis that's right for you. You can dig into the financial strategies behind agribusiness and global food systems, or shape the policies that drive sustainable resource management. Whichever direction you choose, you'll graduate with the tools to make a meaningful impact across a wide range of industries.
- Agronomy & Horticulture: This degree emphasis will prepare you for a fulfilling career in agronomic crop production, soil management in arid lands, crop consulting, crop breeding, education, or advocacy. The degree can lead to advanced studies at the graduate level conducting laboratory or field research.
- Controlled Environment Agriculture: Create sustainable growing solutions that aid in feeding, clothing and fueling our ever-expanding population while ensuring a healthy planet for future generations.
- Fresh Produce Safety: Nurture a greener and healthier tomorrow with a degree that innovates new, sustainable ways to keep food fresh.
- Urban Horticulture: Become a leader who designs and builds gardens and landscapes resilient to the impacts of an increasingly urban world and changing climate.
Sample courses
As a sustainable plant systems student, you’ll gain knowledge and valuable skills in modern agriculture. View a sample course checklist to learn more about degree requirements. Some of the courses you'll have the opportunity to take include:
- Understanding the World of Commerce
- Economics of Futures Markets
- Agricultural and Food Marketing
- Competing for Water in the American West
- Environmental Law and Economics
What you can do with the degree
You want to create plant-based solutions to produce food, clothing, fuels and pharmaceutical products, and you want to turn that desire into a rewarding career. The sustainable plant systems program prepares you to be a leader in 21st-century agriculture and an expert in the use of technology, science and cultural practices to generate innovations in plant production and crop improvements with sensitivity to resource conservation and ecological context. It also can serve as a springboard for graduate school.
There are a variety of career opportunities available to students who complete a B.S. in Sustainable Plant Systems, including:
- Agronomists manage soil and field crop production, conduct research, and develop production practices and new crop varieties.
- Horticulturists work in fields and greenhouses to cultivate high-value, specialty crops and provide consultation to landscape architects about ecologically sustainable grounds-management practices.
- Botanists study plants and their environment to identify and classify new species.
- Plant geneticist research and work to identify genes useful in developing desirable plant traits, with jobs in public and private sectors.
- Those in education and advocacy can work in museums, public parks or government positions to educate policymakers and communities about the importance of plants and thoughtful stewardship of the world’s natural resources.
You can help solve some of our planet's greatest challenges, from food and energy security to environmental and human health, with a bachelor’s degree in plant sciences.
The plant sciences program prepares you to tackle real-world problems through classroom knowledge and hands-on training in laboratory, field and industrial settings. You’ll be equipped with the confidence and expertise to enter post-graduate studies or careers in molecular biology and plant breeding research, with applications in medicine, pharmacy, microbiology, agriculture and more.
Emphases
- Plant Sciences: Learn the fundamentals of genetic, molecular, developmental, physiological and biochemical aspects of plants, with career opportunities in agronomy, horticulture, ecology and more.
- Plant Health Sciences Explore living (animals, bacteria, etc.) and non-living (atmosphere, water, sun, soil, etc.) subjects that affect plant health to prepare for careers in plant pathology, environmental science, epidemiology and more.
Sample courses
Plant sciences students have the unique opportunity to gain fundamental and practical experience in the classroom, lab and field with courses. View a sample course checklist to learn more about degree requirements. Some of the courses you'll have the opportunity to take include:
- Plant Genetics and Genomics
- Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition
- Insect Pest Management for Desert Cropping Systems
What you can do with the degree
A degree in plant sciences prepares you for careers in food production, renewable energy, medicine, agriculture and manufacturing. It also serves as a springboard for graduate school. There are a variety of career opportunities available to students who complete a B.S. in plant sciences, including:
- Research assistants/technicians perform research or other laboratory tasks under the supervision of a senior scientist in plant breeding, propagation or pest control companies, or in academic, institutional or government research laboratories.
- Agronomists manage soil and field crop production, conduct research, and develop new crop hybrids and varieties.
- Ecologists collect, study and report data on the quality of food, soil and water.
- Plant pathologists research and work to understand plant responses to pests to design strategies for pest management.
- Plant breeders develop crops adapted to arid and semi-arid environments.
From working with cutting-edge tech to teaching future leaders in agriculture, our graduates enter the workforce prepared for a lifetime of meaningful contribution. We offer the experience and hands-on training employers are looking for, while giving students the opportunity to specialize in one of three areas of emphasis.
Emphases
Customize your perfect agricultural degree with emphasis areas for trade skills like welding, management skills in communication and leadership, and classroom teaching experiences within the local community.
- Agricultural Technology Management: Be on the forefront of advancements in the agriculture industry in areas like horticultural management, cop production and animal agriculture.
- Leadership & Communication: Lead the wat to innovative solutions in agriculture to provide for a world population that's projected to grow to more than 9 billion by 2050.
- Teaching: Be an agriscience teacher in the dynamic field of agriculture by educating the innovators and leaders of the future.
Sample courses
Agricultural Technology Management
Agricultural Technology Management is driven by hands-on skill development and professional coursework that includes laboratory and shop safety, principles and practices in agricultural mechanics, applications in agricultural mechanics, operations in urban agricultural mechanization, irrigation and turf maintenance, communicating knowledge in agriculture, and technology management. View a sample course checklist to learn more about degree requirements. Some of the courses you'll have the opportunity to take include:
- Plant & Animal Genetics
- Soil Fertility & Plant Nutrition
- Technical/Business Writing
- Introduction to Statistics for Social Sciences
- Advanced Plant Science
Leadership and Communication
Dive into core leadership and communication skills with courses that includes youth leadership development, leadership principles and practices, team and organizational leadership, communicating knowledge in agriculture, and technology management. n addition to exciting coursework, you have the option to specialize in a technical agricultural area of your choosing. View a sample course checklist to learn more about degree requirements. Some course options include:
- Leadership Principles and Practices
- Team and Organizational Leadership
- Entrepreneurial Leadership in Agriculture and the Life Sciences
- Principles and Applications of Organizational Innovation
- Technical/Business Writing
Teaching
Learn the principles of education and transferrable teaching skills with courses that include youth leadership development, secondary school teaching and curriculum development. You'll be prepared to teach in the high school classroom and meet all of the certification requirements for the state of Arizona as well as requirements for many other states. View a sample course checklist to learn more about degree requirements. Some course options include:
- Total Program Development
- Curriculum Development
- Structured English Immersion
- Teaching Secondary School Agricultural Science
- Teaching Science and Math Through Inquiry
- Structured English Immersion Teaching Methodology
What you can do with the degree
- Agricultural Technology Management: You'll graduate prepared to start your career in agriculture after completing an internship or field experience during the last half of your degree. Your internship will allow you to apply coursework knowledge to real world agricultural technology management challenges while making connections with industry professionals. Our alumni have interned with industry organizations from national and regional livestock shows to consulting firms and equipment manufacturers.
- Leadership and Communication: You'll graduate prepared to start your career in agriculture after completing an internship or field experience during the last half of your degree. Your internship will allow you to apply coursework knowledge to real world agricultural leadership and communication challenges while making connections with industry professionals. Our alumni have interned with various industry organizations, including construction consulting firms, equipment manufacturers and regional farms.
- Teaching: Graduate with the confidence and skills need to teach postsecondary students. With the Teaching Emphasis, you'll complete a 14-week student teaching experience during the spring semester of your senior year. The experience serves as a cumulative assessment designed to be a formal evaluation of your individual readiness to teach agricultural education at the secondary level.
Explore engaged learning opportunities
Your studies won’t be limited to a classroom. Students in our agriculture and plant science majors work alongside faculty, researchers, scientists and professionals as they innovate new ways to improve how we manage and use plants.
Students studying agriculture education can utilize the Innovation Collaboratory, which is equipped with state-of-the-art collaborative learning technologies and resources that foster creativity, ingenuity, and higher order strategic thinking.
Study abroad in Costa Rica to experience cutting edge agricultural development first hand. With more than 500,000 animal species, 100 species of trees, 200 volcano formations and 6 different kinds of rainforest, Costa Rica is a microcosm of world geography.
The Center for Agroecosystem Research in the Desert (ARID) pairs data science and technology with workforce training and community outreach, working at the intersection of agricultural production and holistic ecosystem science.
Tuition and financial aid
You may be wondering how much a degree with CALES will cost you — and that’s a fair question!
The Financial Aid Office outlines the cost of tuition, housing, books and other related fees. They also have additional resources and support in understanding options for funding an Arizona education.
CALES offers more than $1 million in scholarships each year. Explore more than 200 awards reserved for students in our majors.
Exclusive student resources
Other colleges may have similar degrees, but they won't give you the support you'll need to succeed. The College of Agriculture, Life and Environmental Sciences gives you exclusive access to services like:
- CALES Student Life: Join a club, extracurricular activity or student organization to find your community during college.
- CALES Career Center: Gain professional skills, perfect your resume, network with industry leaders, and land your dream internship or job.
- CALES Learning Lab: Work with a Learning Coach to access the best academic support options available– from major-specific resources to University opportunities, to tutoring, if necessary.
- CALES Life Management: Meet with a wellness expert, discover mental health resources and live a healthier life.