Catalog Navigator : Agriculture and Food Systems Teacher Education Track

The B.S. in Agriculture and Food Systems Teacher Education Track is designed for preparation to become a certified K-12 Teacher of Agriculture. It also prepares students for agricultural extension and outreach work.

This program provides agricultural science, subject area preparation toward teacher certification at the Rutgers Graduate School of Education (Five Year, 4+1 Agricultural Science Education, teacher education program). However, graduates will also be prepared to pursue teacher certification at other graduate schools or the Alternative Route teaching certificate. Successful completion of N. J. Teacher Certification is required to qualify as a K-12 Teacher of Agriculture. Students apply to the 5-year program at GSE by February 1, ideally in their Junior year.

For more information, contact Dr. Xenia Morin or Dr. Thomas Leustek.

Graduation Requirements

A minimum of 120 earned credits are required to graduate with a B.S. in Agriculture and Food Systems, Teacher Education Track. Students must fulfill the SEBS Core graduation requirements and the following Agriculture and Food Systems Education Option requirements.

R1: Science Requirements (all AFS majors) (9 credits)

A total of 3 courses, one in each of the following categories:

One chemistry course
One biology course*
One ecology, earth science, or geology class

*Note: These are minimum science requirements. Students are encouraged to take the biology course sequence 01:119:115, 01:119:116 and 01:119:117 if they intend to become certified to also teach biological sciences or if these biology classes are pre-requisites for other classes.

R2: Agriculture and Food Systems Required Foundation Courses for the Education Track (15 credits)

A total of 5 courses as agriculture and food systems foundational classes (for all AFS Majors)(6 credits)

11:020:210 Introduction to Agriculture and Food Systems
11:020:215 Applied Practical Applications in Agriculture and Food Systems

And two of these three classes (6 credits):

11:067:142 Animal Science
11:776:211 Introduction to Horticulture
11:776:242 Plant Science

One of these (3 credits):

11:776:391 Weeds, Diseases, and Insects of Plants (3)
11:776:105 Stories of Plant Diseases (3)
11:776:402 Weeds: Impact and Management (3)
11:067:330 Animal Nutrition (3) along with 11:067:331 Animal Nutrition Laboratory (1)

R3: Educational Foundation Courses specific to the Education Track (18 credits)

Five classes from this list:

Pre-admission to the 5-year program and taken in Sophomore or Junior Year

05:300:200 Introduction to Education (3) 05:300:201
Introduction to Education Field Based Lab - Clinical Experience (0.5)
05:300:306 Educational Psychology: Principles of Classroom Learning (3)
11:374:416 Environmental Education in the School (3)

SEBS Senior Year, Fall Semester (also Year 1 of 2 of GSE requirements)

05:300:498 Clinical Experience Phase I (0.5)
05:300:450 Urban Education 1 (1.5)
05:300:307 Human Development: Infancy through Early Adulthood (3)
11:020:425 Developing Ideas in Agricultural Education (3) or 11:300:425 Developing Ideas in Agriculture (3)

Senior year, Spring semester (also Year 1 of 2 of GSE requirements)

05:300:498 Clinical Experience Phase 2 (0.5)
11:020:426 Teaching Agriculture and Food Systems (3) or 11:300:426 Teaching Agriculture (3)

Note: The 11:300:425/426 will be replaced by 11:020:425/426 starting in Fall 2019.

R4: Soils Requirement (all AFS Majors) (3 credits)

A total of 1 class from a list of soils classes:

11:776:102 Soil and Society (3)
11:776:440 Soil Fertility (3).

Note: Soils and Water or Soils and Organisms can be taken if you have the prerequisites.

R5: Economics Requirement (all AFS Majors) (3 Credits)

A total of 1 class:

11:373:121 Microeconomics

R6: Quantitative Skills (all AFS Majors*)(3 credits)

Complete one of the following:

Placement into pre-calculus or complete Intermediate Algebra (01:640:026) or equivalent transfer credit.
�Total of 1 quantitative course which meet the QQ and QR requirements for the SEBS Core. (3 credits): (*New expanded list!)

R7 Experiential Learning (6 credits)

6 credits from an approved experiential learning course(s) (one course, or a combination of courses to make 3 credits):

11:300:417 Supervised Ag Educational Experience Practicum (3)
11:020:255 Special Topics in Agriculture and Food Systems (3) Subtopics: Ag Tech

Acceptable alternatives if related to agriculture and food systems or education:

11:067:200-207 Animal Practicums (1-3 credits)
11:020:490 Agriculture and Food Systems Practicum (1-3 credits)
11:902:300 SEBS Internship I (3)
11:902:301 SEBS Internship II (3)

R8 Approved electives for the Agriculture and Food Systems Education Track (minimum 21 credits; at least 12 credits should be at, or above, 300 level)

A minimum of 12 credits in agricultural sciences, food science, ecology, and natural resource management, landscape architecture with 6 credits coming from agriculture and food systems or plant science:

At least 12 credits from:

11:020:296 Honors Seminar in Agriculture and Food Systems
11:020:321 Principles and Practices of Small Organic Farming (summer farm course)
11:020:340 Indoor Cultivation of High Value Crops
11:020:455 Special Topics in Agriculture and Food Systems
11:020:436 Sustainable Agriculture

Any of the following 200 or higher:

11:776:202 Applied Physiology of Horticultural Crops (3)
11:776:205 Intro to Ethnobotany (3)
11:776:242 Plant Science (3)*
11:776:221 Principles of Organic Crop Production (3)
11:776:257 Edible and Poisonous Fungi (3)
11:776:390 Hemp and Medical Cannabis (3)
11:776:302 General Plant Pathology (3)
11:776:310 Plant Propagation (3)
11:776:321 Greenhouse Systems Management (3)
11:776:341 Fruit Production (3)
11:776:391 Weeds, Diseases and Insects of Plants (3)
11:776:439 Nursery Crop Production (3)
11:776:440 Soil Fertility (3)
11:776:442 Agroecology

Other approved elective courses:

Approved Animal Science Courses

11:067:200-207 Animal Practicum, Cattle; Sheep; Swine; Lab Animal; Horse (2);
11:067:330 Animal Nutrition (3) with 11:067:331 Animal Nutrition Laboratory (1)

Approved Entomology Courses

11:370:226 Pesticide Impacts on Human and Environmental Health (3)
11:370:350 Agricultural Entomology and Pest Management (3)
11:370:308 Apiculture (3)

Approved Food Science Courses

One of:

11:400:103 Science of Food (3)
11:400:106 Food as Medicine (3)
11:400:107 Foods: From Field to Table (3)

Approved Landscape Agriculture Courses (035) such as

11:550:271 Agriculture and the Landscape (3)

Approved Agriculture and Natural Resource Courses

11:035:268 Environmental Pollution - Issues in Agriculture, Industry, and Communities (2)
11:035:272 River and Stream Ecology (1)
11:035:274 Organic Farming and Gardening (2)
11:035:280 American Lawns and Turfgrass (1.5)
11:035:288 Edible Gardening for Enrichment and Education (2)

Approved Urban Forestry Courses

11:216:332 Plant Ecology (4)
11:216:365 Arboriculture (4)
11:216:377 Practicum in Forest Management (1-12)
11:216:403 Urban Forestry (3)
11:770:391 Diseases of Urban and Forest Trees (1.5)

Approved Marine Science Courses

11:628:309 Fishery Science (3)
11:628:317 Aquaculture (3)

Approved Microbiology Course

11:680:103 Microbiology of Agricultural Products in New Jersey (3)

Note: Other courses approved with permission of the undergraduate program director for agriculture and food systems. At least 3 credits in agribusiness or entrepreneurship.

11:020:305 Starting and Managing a Small Farm (3)
11:020:340 Indoor Cultivation of High Value Crops (4)
11:020:442 Entrepreneurial Agriculture (3)
11:373:231 Introduction to Marketing (3)
11:373:241 Introduction to Management (3)
11:373:331 Economics of the Food Marketing System (3)
11:035:300 Agricultural Commodities and Markets

A least 3 credits in food systems, policy, economics, ethics, or law:

11:020:333 Community Food Justice and Advocacy
11:020:337 Sustainability: Tackling Food Waste
11:020:465 Feeding America's Cities
11:374:279 Politics of Environmental Issues (3) (also a SEBS core class)
11:374:289 Sustainable Food: Politics, Policy and Ethics (3)
11:374:313 U.S. Environmental Policy (3)
11:373:218 Sustainable Food Policy for Developing Countries (3)
11:373:323 Agriculture and Food Policy (3)
11:373:362 Natural Resource Economics
11:373:371 Food, Nutrition and Health Policy (3)
11:373:XXX Food Policy and other approved 11:373:XXX approved courses

Optional credits in education, communication, leadership, and youth development.

11:374:227 Agriculture in Society and Mass Media (3)
11:607:200 Principles of Leadership (3)
11:607:202 Leadership and Civic Engagement (3)
11:607:203 Foundations of Volunteer Management (3)
11:607:401 Foundations of Program Planning (3)
11:607:402 Building Community Partnerships (3)
11:607:484 Practical Leadership Applications in Agricultural Science (4)