Agriculture and Life Sciences
Susan S. Sumner, Associate Dean and Director of Academic Programs
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Overview
The college offers interdisciplinary courses that utilize a cross-section of disciplines throughout the university, thereby providing students with greater academic exposure to current and universal problems affecting the environment, water, sustainability, food safety, and animal and human nutrition and health. Because of the complexity of subject matter, courses rely upon the diverse expertise of faculty members.
A cross-campus team of faculty, staff, students, and community partners collaborated to develop an undergraduate curriculum for a transdisciplinary and experiential-based Civic Agriculture and Food Systems (CAFS) minor. This minor provides students with knowledge and skills to identify, examine, and integrate agriculture and food system sustainability philosophies and activities into personal and professional practice.
The framework for the curriculum was developed around knowledge and core values that embody the definition of CAFS:
- food security/sovereignty
- civic engagement/democratic participation
- strong local economies
- healthy people/communities
- collaborative teaching and experiential learning
Reflecting a growing trend in higher education, the CAFS minor embodies a commitment to developing and strengthening an economically, environmentally, and socially sustainable system of agriculture and food systems that relies on local resources and serves local markets and citizens. What makes this minor unique is its commitment to serving the needs of all students using transdisciplinary approaches to curriculum development, collaborative teaching strategies, and experiential learning. It is designed to promote academic enhancement, personal growth, and civic engagement while strengthening the student’s capacity to learn about civic agriculture and food systems through reflection and experiential practice to solve "real-world" problems.
The minor in International Agricultural and Life Sciences focuses on agricultural issues as they apply to less developed countries. The courses recommended for the minor deal with problems affecting these countries, such as environmental degradation, competition for resources, food security, and economic stability, as well as the role of agriculture in finding solutions to alleviate these problems.
The college offers interdisciplinary courses of fundamental subject matter in the departments of animal and poultry sciences and dairy science, which are not restricted to a particular animal species through courses carrying the ALS prefix. Courses carrying the ALS prefix are taught by appropriate faculty members or teams of faculty members in more than one department. Academic programs of these departments are thus strengthened by providing professional faculty expertise in essential scientific disciplines that are of equal importance to all students, regardless of their animal species preference.
Undergraduate Course Descriptions (ALS)
1004: AGRICULTURE, THE ARTS AND SOCIETY
Introduction to the relationships among agriculture, society, and the arts, all of which are integral components of civilization. Pass/Fail only. (1H,1C) I, II.
2204 (HORT 2204): INTRODUCTION TO CIVIC AGRICULTURE
Introduction to the economic, social, and ecological foundations of civic agriculture. Topics include industrialization, localized food systems, and citizen participation in civic agriculture. Emphasis will be given to a range of civic agriculture models, strategies, and hands-on approaches to establish, retain and strengthen community-based food and agriculture systems. (3H,3C)
2304: COMPARATIVE ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY AND ANATOMY
Comparative anatomy and physiology of domestic mammals and birds including cell neural, musculoskeletal, respiratory, cardiovascular, urinary, and endocrine systems. Pre: BIOL 1106. (3H,2L,4C) I,II.
2404 (BIOL 2404): BIOTECHNOLOGY IN A GLOBAL SOCIETY
Introduction to the world-wide impact of biotechnology and molecular biology, including applications to plants, animals, and microorganisms. Explores basic concepts of genetic engineering, scientific and ethical issues, and public concerns related to biotechnology. Topics include: environmental release of genetically engineering organisms, bioremediation, safety of genetically engineered food products, transgenic plants and animals, gene therapy, and genetic screening. Pre: (BIOL 1015, BIOL 1016) or (BIOL 1105, BIOL 1106) or (BIOL 1205H, BIOL 1206H), (CHEM 1015, CHEM 1016). (3H,3C) II.
2504: ANIMALS IN SOCIETY
Overview of animal well-being and behavior, human-animal interactions, responsibilities to animals, animal care, behavior, disease and pain recognition and current topics concerning companion animals, domestic animals and wildlife. (2H,3L,3C) II.
2964: FIELD STUDY
Variable credit course.
2974: INDEPENDENT STUDY
Variable credit course.
2984: SPECIAL STUDY
Variable credit course.
3104: ANIMAL BREEDING AND GENETICS
Principles of genetics related to improvement of domestic farm animals. Molecular, cellular and physiological genetics, estimation of breeding values, selection, heritabilities, genetic correlations, relationships, in-breeding, heterosis, genetic abnormalities. I
Pre: BIOL 1105, STAT 2004. (2H,2L,3C)
3204: ANIMAL NUTRITION AND FEEDING
Characteristics, sources, digestion, absorption, and metabolism of water, carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, vitamins, and minerals. Feeding systems for livestock, poultry and companion animals. Pre: 2304, (CHEM 1036 or CHEM 1036H or CHEM 1016). (3H,3C) II.
3304: PHYSIOLOGY OF REPRODUCTION
Physiological mechanisms that control and affect reproductive processes in domestic mammals, birds and other selected species. Pre: 2304. (2H,3L,3C)
3404: ECOLOGICAL AGRICULTURE: THEORY AND PRACTICE
Presents an overview of historic and modern agricultural practices. Surveys the principles of ecology in the context of managed ecosystems, civic agriculture, and food systems. Explores ecologically based practices and their use in holistic and integrated agricultural systems. Pre: 2204. (2H,3L,3C)
3954: STUDY ABROAD
Variable credit course.
4204: CONCEPTS IN COMMUNITY FOOD SYSTEMS
Examination of the economic, political, social, and cultural issues related to community food systems development, food production and biotechnology, food sovereignty and security, and population and environmental health. Analyze models, strategies, and policies of national food systems. Pre: 2204. (3H,3C)
4214: CAPSTONE: CIVIC AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SYSTEMS
Multidisciplinary, experiential community-based course focusing on civic agriculture-food systems. Work in partnership with community stakeholders to propose viable solutions to real world issues revolving around civic agriculture and food systems. Connect with communities locally, regionally or globally. Pre: 2204, 3404, 4204. (3H,3C)
4554 (BIOL 4554): NEUROCHEMICAL REGULATION
Neurochemical transmission within the vertebrate brain will be examined. Emphasis will be placed on the chemical coding underlying the control of various behaviors and how these systems can be modified by various drugs or diet. Pre: (2304 or BIOL 3404), CHEM 2535. (3H,3C) II.
4574 (BIOL 4574): SOCIAL BEHAVIOR OF BIRDS AND MAMMALS
This course examines origins, influences and implications of social behavior in a variety of avian and mammalian species. Emphasis is placed on understanding group organization and dynamics in inter and intra-species situations. Experimental data from several disciplines (e.g., genetics, physiology, biochemistry) are reviewed to demonstrate their associations with behavioral adaptive mechanisms. Avian and mammalian species living in wild, zoo, agricultural, companion and laboratory settings are discussed. Pre: 3104 or BIOL 2004, BIOL 1106. (3H,3C)
4614 (NR 4614): WATERSHED ASSESSMENT, MANAGEMENT, AND POLICY
Multidisciplinary perspectives of assessment, management and policy issues for protecting and improving watershed ecosystems. Topics include: monitoring and modeling approaches for assessment, risk-based watershed assessment geographic information systems for watershed analysis, decision support systems and computerized decision tools for watershed management, policy alternatives for watershed protection, urban watersheds, and current issues in watershed management. Pre: Two 4000 level courses in environmental/natural resource science, management, engineering, and/or policy in BSE, CEE, FOR, GEOL, LAR, CSES, ENT, BIO, GEOG, AAEC, UAP or equivalent. (2H, 2C). II. (2H,2C)
4714 (HORT 4714): GLOBAL SEMINAR
Student-centered internet-based course including text and real-time video conferencing among students at collaborating institutions in the United States and Canada. Focus is contemporary North American environmental sustainability issues based on student-prepared case studies. Pre-requisite: Junior or Senior Standing required. (1H,1C)
4964: FIELD STUDY/PRACTICUM
Variable credit course.
4974: INDEPENDENT STUDY
Variable credit course.
4984: SPECIAL STUDY
Variable credit course.
4994: UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH
Variable credit course.
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