BS in Agricultural Leadership, Communications and Education
Degree Program Description
Graduates are the leaders, teachers, and communicators for the agricultural industry. Our students combine their passion for agriculture and their talents working with people to lead and teach the next generation of agriculturalists. Students in Agricultural Education work with industry, government, and extension partners to develop skills through meaningful, authentic, and hands-on learning experiences. Students use the flexibility of the degree program to customize their undergraduate experience.
Graduates of Agricultural Education are hired for a variety of careers, as employers seek our graduates for their broad-based knowledge of agriculture and their ability to develop/work with people. Popular careers include Agriculture teacher, Public Relations Specialist, Strategic Communications Specialist, Sales manager, Workforce Development trainer, commodity organization representative, governmental agriculture specialist, and Youth Specialist. Many of our graduates live in work in rural Missouri communities as the Agriculture teacher/FFA Advisor. These teachers work on a year-round contract to facilitate student success in FFA, Classroom teaching, agricultural mechanics, greenhouse, and food science laboratories, and Supervised Agricultural Experience Programs.
Agricultural Communications graduates find careers in agricultural businesses, agricultural communications and marketing firms, commodity organizations, governmental agriculture organizations, and University of Missouri Extension. These individuals use their leadership and communication skills to lead advocacy campaigns, implement brand strategy, crisis communication, graphic design, membership services, human resources, producer programs, youth development, and many other careers.
Major Program Requirements
The Agricultural Leadership, Communications and Education degree cultivates visionary leaders equipped with exceptional communication and educational skills to strengthen the fields of agriculture and natural resources. Students majoring in Agricultural Leadership, Communications and Education select from one of two tracks: Agricultural Communications or Agricultural Education (with teacher certification option).
Students are required to complete all University general education, University graduation, and degree requirements, including selected foundational courses, which may fulfill some University general education requirements.
If you are planning to transfer courses (including AP credit) and would like to information on how they apply to a degree program(s), you can email CAFNRadvising@missouri.edu for general recommendations.
Foundational Courses
| MATH 1100 | College Algebra | 3 |
| BIOCHM 2110 | The Living World: Molecular Scale | 3-4 |
| or BIOCHM 2112 | Biotechnology in Society | |
| or CHEM 1100 | Atoms and Molecules with Lab | |
| or CHEM 1400 | College Chemistry I | |
| ABM 1041 | Applied Microeconomics | 3 |
| or ECONOM 1014 | Principles of Microeconomics | |
Core Requirements
| AG_ED_LD 1000 | Orientation to Agricultural Education and Leadership | 1 |
| AGSC_COM 2220 | Verbal Communication in Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources | 3 |
| AG_ED_LD 2250 | Introduction to Leadership | 3 |
| AG_ED_LD 2260 | Team and Organizational Leadership | 3 |
| AG_ED_LD 2270 | Leadership Development in Youth Organizations | 3 |
| AG_ED_LD 3010 | Leadership in Today's World | 3 |
| or AG_ED_LD 3020 | Rural America in the 21st Century: Concepts and Methods | |
| AG_ED_LD 4340 | Designing and Delivering Educational/Leadership Programs | 3 |
| or AG_ED_LD 4320 | Methods of Teaching I | |
| AG_ED_LD 4993 | Internship in Agricultural Education and Leadership | 3 |
| or AG_ED_LD 4087 | Internship Seminar in Agricultural Education and Leadership | |
| PSYCH 1000 | General Psychology | 3 |
| or ESC_PS 2010 | Inquiry Into Learning I | |
Agricultural Communications Track (not listed on transcripts or diplomas)
| Agricultural Communications, Journalism and Communications requirements (27 credits) | ||
| AGSC_COM 1160 | Foundations of Agricultural Science Communications | 3 |
| AGSC_COM 2210 | Communicating Science to the Public | 3 |
| AGSC_COM 3210W | Fundamentals of Communications - Writing Intensive | 3 |
| AGSC_COM 3240 | Communicating on the Web | 3 |
| SOCIOL 1000 | Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
| Select a minimum of 4 courses (12 credits) from the following: | ||
| JOURN 1000 | Journalism for Non-Majors | 3 |
| JOURN 1050 | Public Relations and Image Management for Non-Majors | 3 |
| JOURN 1200 | Fundamentals of Visual Journalism and Strategic Communication | 3 |
| JOURN 1300 | Fundamentals of Written Journalism and Strategic Communication | 3 |
| COMMUN 1880 | Introduction to Digital Media Production | 3 |
| COMMUN 2100 | Media Communication in Society | 3 |
| COMMUN 2880 | Digital Storytelling Production I | 3 |
| COMMUN 3460 | Organizational Advocacy | 3 |
| COMMUN 3580 | Crisis Communication | 3 |
| Agricultural, Food & Natural Resource Sciences (36 credits) | ||
| ABM 3223 | Relationship Selling: Creating Value for Customers | 3 |
| ABM 3241W | Ethical Issues in Agriculture - Writing Intensive | 3 |
| or ABM 3283 | Fundamentals of Entrepreneurship | |
| Complete an additional 30 credits, 15 at the 3000/4000 level, in two of the following subject areas: ABM, AG_S_TCH, AN_SCI, ATM_SC, ENV_SC, F_W, F_S, FOREST, NAT_R, PLNT_SCI, and SOIL. | ||
Agricultural Education Track (not listed on transcripts or diplomas)
Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (27-30 credits) Teacher certification requires 45 credits of AFNR Content. General education, foundational, and core requirements may be used to fulfill a portion of the requirement.
| Agricultural Education & Leadership and Education (30-33 credits) | ||
| AG_ED_LD 2271 | Early Field Experience | 1 |
| AG_ED_LD 3020 | Rural America in the 21st Century: Concepts and Methods | 3 |
| or LTC 2040 | Inquiring into Schools, Community and Society I | |
| AG_ED_LD 4001 | Topics in Agricultural Education and Leadership | 1-3 |
| AG_ED_LD 4310 | Intracurricular Program Management in Agricultural Education | 3 |
| AG_ED_LD 4321 | Field Experience I | 1 |
| AG_ED_LD 4330 | Methods of Teaching II | 3 |
| AG_ED_LD 4331 | Field Experience II | 1 |
| AG_ED_LD 4995 | Student Teaching Internship in Agriculture | 1-12 |
| ESC_PS 2010 | Inquiry Into Learning I | 3 |
| SPC_ED 4020 | Teaching the Exceptional Learner | 3 |
| Agribusiness Management (6 credits) | ||
| ABM 3223 | Relationship Selling: Creating Value for Customers | 3 |
| ABM elective | 3 | |
| Animal Sciences (6-8 credits). Select two courses: | ||
| AN_SCI 1011 | Introduction to Animal Sciences | 4 |
| AN_SCI 1164 | Biology of Animal Production I | 3 |
| or AN_SCI 1165 | Biology of Animal Production I with Laboratory | |
| AN_SCI 1174 | Biology of Animal Production II | 3 |
| or AN_SCI 1175 | Biology of Animal Production II with Lab | |
| Agronomy (3 credits) | ||
| PLNT_SCI 2110 | Who Runs the World? Plants. | 3 |
| or PLNT_SCI 3270 | Forage Crops | |
| or PLNT_SCI 3275 | Grain Crops | |
| or SOIL 2100 | Introduction to Soils | |
| Agricultural Systems Technology (6 credits) | ||
| AG_S_TCH 1020 | Introduction to Agricultural Systems Technology | 3 |
| AG_ED_LD 3320 | Metal Fabrication and Laboratory Management | 3 |
| Horticulture (6-7 credits) | ||
| PLNT_SCI 2075 | Environmental Horticulture | 3 |
| PLNT_SCI 3230W | Plant Propagation - Writing Intensive | 3 |
| or PLNT_SCI 3260 | Greenhouse Management | |
| or PLNT_SCI 4365 | Greenhouse Crops Production | |
The agriculture teacher license is accredited by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). Curriculum changes mandated to earn teacher certification may become effective at any point during your academic program. Therefore, it is extremely important that you DO NOT SELF ADVISE.
Semester Plan
Example semester plan for Agricultural Communication Track:
| First Year | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
| AG_ED_LD 1000 | 1 | MATH 1100* | 3 | ||
| ABM 1041 | 3 | AG_ED_LD 2260 | 3 | ||
| AG_ED_LD 2250 | 3 | BIO_SC 1010 | 3 | ||
| ENGLSH 1000 | 3 | BIO_SC 1020 | 2 | ||
| AGSC_COM 1160 | 3 | Physical/Mathematical science elective or CHEM 1100 | 3 | ||
| 13 | 14 | ||||
| Second Year | |||||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
| AG_ED_LD 2270 | 3 | SOCIOL 1000 | 3 | ||
| AN_SCI 3214 | 3 | AGSC_COM 2210 | 3 | ||
| CAFNR Minor course | 3 | HIST 1100 | 3 | ||
| PSYCH 1000 | 3 | ABM 3223 | 3 | ||
| CAFNR Elective | 3 | AGSC_COM 2220 | 3 | ||
| 15 | 15 | ||||
| Third Year | |||||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
| AGSC_COM 3210W | 3 | AG_ED_LD 3010 | 3 | AG_ED_LD 4993 | 3 |
| AGSC_COM 3240 | 3 | AFNR 2191 | 3 | ||
| Animal Science course | 3 | ABM 3241W | 3 | ||
| CAFNR Minor course | 6 | Elective | 3 | ||
| BIOCHM 2112 | 3 | ||||
| 15 | 15 | 3 | |||
| Fourth Year | |||||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
| AG_ED_LD 4240 | 3 | AG_ED_LD 4340 | 3 | ||
| Elective | 6 | CAFNR Minor course | 6 | ||
| Plant Science course | 3 | CAFNR elective | 6 | ||
| CAFNR Minor course | 3 | ||||
| 15 | 15 | ||||
| Total Credits: 120 | |||||
Example of Agricultural Education Track:
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| AG_ED_LD 1000 | 1 | AN_SCI 1175 | 4 |
| AG_ED_LD 2250 | 3 | BIO_SC 1010 | 3 |
| ABM 1041 | 3 | BIO_SC 1020 | 2 |
| AN_SCI 1165^ | 4 | PLNT_SCI 2075 | 3 |
| ENGLSH 1000* | 3 | MATH 1100* | 3 |
| 14 | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| AG_ED_LD 2270 | 3 | ABM 3223 | 3 |
| AG_ED_LD 2271 | 1 | AGSC_COM 2220 | 3 |
| AG_S_TCH 1020 | 3 | HIST 1100 | 3 |
| PLNT_SCI 2110^ | 3 | LTC 2040 | 3 |
| ESC_PS 2010 | 3 | Physical/Mathematical elective or CHEM 1100 | 3 |
| 13 | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| AGSC_COM 3210W | 3 | AG_ED_LD 4320^ | 3 |
| AG_ED_LD 4310 | 3 | AG_ED_LD 4321 | 1 |
| ABM 3260 | 3 | AFNR 2191^ | 3 |
| PLNT_SCI 3260 | 4 | BIOCHM 2110 | 3 |
| SPC_ED 4020 | 3 | CAFNR minor course | 3 |
| LTC 4560 | 3 | ||
| 16 | 16 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| AG_ED_LD 3320 | 3 | AG_ED_LD 4087 | 3 |
| AG_ED_LD 4330 | 3 | AG_ED_LD 4995 | 9 |
| AG_ED_LD 4331^ | 1 | AG_ED_LD 4001^ | 3 |
| AN_SCI 3275 | 3 | ||
| CAFNR Minor course | 6 | ||
| 16 | 15 | ||
| Total Credits: 120 | |||
- *
Denotes University General Education Requirements
- ^
Denotes Degree Program Requirements
Degree Audit
The degree audit is an automated report reflecting a student’s academic progress toward the completion of a degree.
MU students can request a degree audit by logging in to myDegreePlanner. Students may also access myDegreePlanner via myZou, in the Student Center, click on the Academic Progress Tile, then select Request Degree Audit. The audit automatically pulls in the student’s MU course work, transfer courses and courses in progress. This is available to current students, admitted students, and those who last attended less than three terms ago.
Past MU students can request a degree audit by contacting the Academic Advising Unit of the division in which they were last enrolled at MU. For contact information, go to https://advising.missouri.edu/contact/.
Prospective students, can access a preliminary MU degree audit via https://www.transferology.com. Information on the college credits already earned will have to be manually entered before it can be evaluated against current degree requirements.
For additional details on degree audits, go to https://registrar.missouri.edu/degrees-audits/degree-audits/.
Major and Career Exploration
The University of Missouri has many resources to assist you in exploring majors and career possibilities. For guidance, visit the Majors and Careers website or view specific resources below.
- Change your Major. If you are considering changing your undergraduate major or are choosing between several majors, schedule an appointment with an advisor in the Discovery Center by calling (573) 884-9700 or through the Discovery Center service in your MU Connect success network.
- Decided on a Major. If you have decided on a major, visit an academic advisor in the School or College that you are interested in to discuss the process of declaring that major.
- Identify your Interests and Strengths. If you would like to learn more about your career interests, abilities, values, and talents, visit the staff at the MU Career Center. No appointment is necessary to explore career options with one of our staff members.
- Explore MU Majors. If you would like information about MU majors and degree programs, visit Majors at Mizzou or the Degrees, Majors (Degree Programs), Emphasis Areas, Minors and Certificates page in the catalog.
For additional major and career exploration resources, visit Major & Career Exploration in the catalog.