Agronomy Major

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Program Coordinator/Contact
David Wright, Department Head
Brent Turnipseed, Undergraduate Teaching Coordinator
Department of Plant Science
Agricultural Hall 219
605-688-5123
E-mail: david.wright@sdstate.edu
E-mail: brent.turnipseed@sdstate.edu
www.sdstate.edu/ps
Click here for additional information.

Program Information
The Agronomy major provides broad training in the plant and soil sciences and in crop production technology. The integrated program is designed to provide students with an understanding and knowledge base in crops, soils, weeds, entomology, plant pathology, breeding and genetics, precision agriculture, natural resource management, and the interaction of production systems. This major is recommended for students interested in cropping systems, natural/agricultural resource management, or the agribusiness areas of crops, soils, and pest management. Individuals can prepare for careers in crop consulting, crop/plant research, and with private industry managing agricultural inputs such as pesticides and fertilizers; developing improved seed traits, plant sciences, genomics, and producing seed; and for work with government agencies, such as the Cooperative Extension Service, Farm Service Agency, Agricultural Research Service, and Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Accreditation, Certification, and Licensure

Students seeking Soil Science Certification should contact their advisor and refer to https://www.soils.org/certifications/cpss-cpsc
Students seeking Certification as a professional agronomist should contact their advisor and refer to https://www.agronomy.org/certifications/cpag

Course Delivery Format
The program coursework is available on campus, in classroom and laboratory settings, as well as field-based settings.

Requirements for Agronomy Major: 125 Credits

Bachelor of Science in Agriculture

System General Education Requirements*: 31-34

Goal #1 Written Communication: ENGL 101 and ENGL 201 Credits: 6
Goal #2 Oral Communication: SPCM 101 or SPCM 215 or SPCM 222 Credits: 3
Goal #3 Social Sciences/Diversity: ECON 201 or ECON 202 and ABS 203 ,
SOC 100
,
SOC 150
, or
SOC 240
Credits: 6
Goal #4 Arts and Humanities/Diversity
: Credits: 6
Goal #5 Mathematics:
MATH 102
or MATH 115 or MATH 120 Credits: 3-5
Goal #6 Natural Sciences:
BIOL 151-151L
and
BIOL 153-153L
or
BOT 201-201L
Credits: 7-8

Institutional Graduation Requirements**: 5

Goal #1 First Year Seminar:
PS 109**
Credits: 2
Goal #2 Cultural Awareness and Social and Environmental Responsibility:
PS 213-213L **
Credits: 3

Major Requirements: 53-59

Agronomy Core Requirements:

PS 103-103L - Crop Production and Lab
Credits: 3 ^A
PS 109 - First Year Seminar **
(credits count for IGR #1)^A
PS 213-213L - Soils and Lab * **
(credits count for IGR #2) ^A
PS 223-223L - Principles of Plant Pathology and Lab
Credits: 3 ^A
PS 305-305L - Insect Biology and Lab (COM)
Credits: 3 ^A
or
PS 307-307L - Insect Pest Management and Lab
Credits: 3 ^A
PS 323 - Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrient Management
Credits: 3 ^A
PS 343-343L - Weed Science and Lab
Credits: 3 ^A
PS 390 - Seminar
Credits: 1 ^A
PS 494 - Internship
Credits: 0.5 ^A
PS 490 - Seminar
for Internship Credits: 0.5 ^A
ABS 475-475L - Integrated Natural Resource Management and Lab (AW)
Credits: 3 ^A

Other Major Requirements:

AGEC 354 - Agricultural Marketing and Prices
Credits: 3
or
AS 285-285L - Livestock Evaluation and Marketing and Lab
Credits: 4
or
BADM 474 - Personal Selling (COM)
Credits: 3
or
ENGL 379 - Technical Communication (COM) (AW)
Credits: 3
BOT 327-327L - Plant Physiology and Lab (COM)
Credits: 4
or BOT 419-419L - Plant Ecology and Lab (COM) Credits: 3
PS 383-383L - Principles of Crop Improvement and Lab
Credits: 3
or
BIOL 202-202L - Genetics and Organismal Biology and Lab
Credits: 4
or
BIOL 371 - Genetics (COM)
Credits: 3
CHEM 106-106L - Chemistry Survey and Lab * (COM)
Credits: 3,1
or
CHEM 112-112L - General Chemistry I and Lab * (COM)
Credits: 3, 1
CHEM 120-120L - Elementary Organic Chemistry and Lab *
Credits: 3, 1
or
CHEM 108-108L - Organic and Biochemistry and Lab * (COM)
Credits: 4, 1
PS 492 - Topics
Credits 1 and
PS 421-421L/521-521L - Soil Microbiology and Lab
Credits: 3^A
or
MICR 231-231L - General Microbiology and Lab * (COM)
Credits: 4
PHYS 101-101L - Survey of Physics and Lab * (COM)
Credits: 4
or
PHYS 111-111L - Introduction to Physics I and Lab * (COM)
Credits: 4
STAT 281 - Introduction to Statistics * (COM)
Credits: 3

Natural Resources Stewardship Elective: 3-4
Select one of the following courses^A:

ABS 203 - Global Food Systems * ** (G) Credits: 3 ²
ABS 482-582 - International Experience (G) Credits: 3
BIOL 383 - Bioethics ** (COM) (G) Credits: 4
PS 243 - Principles of Geology * Credits: 3²
PS 307-307L - Insect Pest Management and Lab Credits: 3 ²
PS 310-310L - Soil Geography and Land Use Interpretation and Lab ** (G) Credits: 3 ²
PS 362-362L - Environmental Soil Management and Lab ** Credits: 3 ²
PS 446-546 - Agroecology (G) Credits: 3²

Precision Ag Elective: 2-3
Select one of the following courses^A:

AST 203-203L - Introduction to Precision Agriculture and Lab Credits: 2
AST 426-426L - Emerging Technologies in Agriculture and Lab Credits: 3
PS 326 - Precision Ag Data Mapping Credits: 2 ²
PS 440-440L - Crop Management with Precision Farming and Lab Credits: 3²

Plant Science Electives: 13

Take at least two credits from each of the three areas listed.

Elective Credits: 14-20

Total Required Credits: 125

Notes:

1 Cannot be used to solely meet area requirements.

2 Can only be used to meet requirements in one section

A Agronomy Major Core Curriculum: A student must have a 2.5 GPA or higher and a grade of C or higher in the courses used to satisfy the Agronomy core curriculum in order to graduate with a major in Agronomy.

Curriculum Notes

* The 30 credit Board of Regents System General Education Requirements (SGRs) must be completed as part of a student’s first 64 credits.

** South Dakota State University has a 5 credit Institutional Graduation Requirement (IGRs).

(G) Globalization Requirement.

(AW) Advanced Writing Requirement.

Students must take the proficiency examination after completing 48 credits. English 101, and a course in each of the General Education areas of social science, mathematics, natural science, and humanities and arts must be taken prior to taking this exam.