Agroecology & Sustainable Food Systems (BS): Community Food Systems Concentration
To see more about what you will learn in this program, visit the Learning Outcomes website!
The Bachelor of Science in Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems is offered jointly through the Departments of Crop and Soil Sciences and Horticultural Science. This multidisciplinary major offers students diverse courses, hands-on learning, community engagement opportunities, internships, and research experiences to address the grand challenges of agriculture and food systems. Students can choose from three career path concentrations – Agroecology Research and Production, Community Food Systems, and Urban Horticulture.
The Agroecology Research and Production concentration is for students interested in the deeper science of sustainable agriculture production practices, research, and graduate school opportunities in agriculture, entomology, horticulture, soil sciences and related sciences. Students will have the opportunity to learn from a wide diversity of faculty leading cutting edge sustainable agriculture research, many at the Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS), a national recognized sustainable agriculture research, education and extension facility.
Community Food Systems is a broad concentration for students interested in connecting production with issues in the greater food system, such as food security, policy, community education or extension. Students can also participate in social science, agricultural economics, agriculture education research and others with food system with researchers at CEFS and NC State that support this concentration.
The Urban Horticulture concentration integrates horticulture production and agriculture business education for students interested in starting or managing their own sustainable horticultural farm, working with community gardens, and more. There are many focused horticulture classes, research and internship opportunities as well for this concentration.
Program Highlights:
- Students in our program gain valuable hands-on experience in sustainable and organic production in our hands-on Agroecology Education Farm, a student farm near campus where all the food produced goes back into NC State Dining cafeterias and the food pantry on campus.
- Students interested in Agroecology can also join the Agroecology Student Club at NC State who organize various sustainable agriculture and food system activities each semester.
- As a required part of the curriculum, students will complete either an internship program or research experience to gain practical and professional development experience. Students will have no problems finding an opportunity with the numerous sustainable agriculture researchers and community stakeholders that collaborate with NC State focused in sustainable agriculture and food systems.
- Seniors will complete a Senior Capstone Project through which they draw on both their major courses and their concentration to address a problem or issue that they identify.
- Agroecology and Sustainable Food System students have the opportunity to student abroad with the various global food and sustainable agriculture focused study abroad programs in Ireland, Scotland, England, Mexico and others.
For more information about our program, visit our website.
Contact
Dr. Michelle Schroeder-Moreno
Professor and Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems Director
Department of Crop and Soil Sciences
2406 Williams Hall, Campus Box 7620
919.515.2755
msschroe@ncsu.edu
Plan Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours | Counts towards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orientation | |||
| ALS 103 | Freshman Transitions and Diversity in Agriculture & Life Sciences | 1 | |
| or ALS 303 | Transfer Transitions and Diversity in Agriculture & Life Sciences | ||
| Mathematics & Natural Sciences | |||
| MA 107 | Precalculus I | 3 | |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | ||
| Elements of Calculus | |||
| Calculus for Life and Management Sciences A | |||
| Calculus I | |||
| BIO 181 | Introductory Biology: Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity | 4 | |
| BIO 183 | Introductory Biology: Cellular and Molecular Biology | 4 | |
| or PB 200 | Plant Life | ||
| CH 101 & CH 102 | Chemistry - A Molecular Science and General Chemistry Laboratory | 4 | |
| AEC 360 | Ecology | 4 | |
| Communication/Advanced Writing | |||
| COM 110 | Public Speaking | 3 | |
| or COM 112 | Interpersonal Communication | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | ||
| Communication Methods and Media | |||
| Communication for Engineering and Technology | |||
| Communication for Business and Management | |||
| Communication for Science and Research | |||
| Major Requirements | |||
| CS 230 | Introduction to Agroecology | 3 | |
| CS 415 | Integrated Pest Management | 3 | |
| CS 430 | Advanced Agroecology | 4 | |
| HS 410 | Community Food Systems | 3 | |
| HS 480 | Sustainable Food Production (capstone) | 1 | |
| ARE 201 | Introduction to Agricultural & Resource Economics | 3 | |
| SSC 200 | Soil Science | 3 | |
| SSC 201 | Soil Science Laboratory | 1 | |
| STS 323 | World Population and Food Prospects | 3 | |
| SSC 427 | Biological Approaches to Sustainable Soil Systems | 3 | |
| or SSC 332 | Environmental Soil Microbiology | ||
| SOC 241 | Sociology of Agriculture and Rural Society | 3 | |
| SSC 428 | Service-Learning in Urban Agriculture Systems | 1 | |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | ||
| Environmental Ethics | |||
| Eating through American History | |||
| Humans and the Environment | |||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | ||
| Professional Internship Experience in Crop and Soil Sciences | |||
| Research Experience in Crop and Soil Sciences | |||
| Horticulture Internship | |||
| Research Experience in Horticultural Science | |||
| CSSC 290 | Professional Development in Crop & Soil Sciences | 1 | |
| Concentration Electives | |||
| Foundational Electives | 11 | ||
| Restricted Electives | 21 | ||
| GEP Courses | |||
| ENG 101 | Academic Writing and Research 1 | 4 | |
| GEP Humanities | 6 | ||
| GEP Health and Exercise Studies | 2 | ||
| GEP Additional Breadth (Humanities/Social Sciences/Visual and Performing Arts) | 3 | ||
| GEP U.S. Diversity (verify requirement) | |||
| GEP Global Knowledge (verify requirement) | |||
| Foreign Language Proficiency (verify requirement) | |||
| Free Electives | |||
| Free Electives (12 Hr S/U Lmt) | 6 | ||
| Total Hours | 120 | ||
| 1 | A grade of C- or higher is required. |
| 2 | Students should consult their academic advisors to determine which courses fill this requirement. |
Foundational Electives
| Code | Title | Hours | Counts towards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group I (Max: 4 Units ) | |||
| NTR 220 | Food and Culture | ||
| NTR 420 | Applied Nutrition Education | ||
| SOC 311 | Community Relationships | ||
| Group II (Max: 4 Units ) | |||
| FS 301 | Introduction to Human Nutrition | ||
| GPH 201 | Fundamentals of Global Public Health | ||
| NTR 301 | Introduction to Human Nutrition | ||
| STS 214 | Introduction to Science, Technology, and Society | ||
| Group III (Max: 4 Units ) | |||
| AEE 206 | Introduction to Teaching Agriculture | ||
| AEE 230 | Introduction to Cooperative Extension | ||
| AEE 311 | Communication Methods and Media | ||
| NPS 340 | Fundamentals of Grant Development for Nonprofits | ||
Restricted Electives
| Code | Title | Hours | Counts towards |
|---|---|---|---|
| AEE 311 | Communication Methods and Media | ||
| AEE 323 | Leadership Development in Agriculture and Life Sciences | ||
| AEE 325 | Planning and Delivering Non-Formal Education | ||
| ARE 301 | Intermediate Microeconomics | ||
| ARE 433 | U.S. Agricultural Policy | ||
| EC 301 | Intermediate Microeconomics | ||
| HS 431 | Vegetable Production | ||
| HS 432 | Introduction to Permaculture | ||
| HS 532 | Introduction to Permaculture | ||
| IDS 303 | Humans and the Environment | ||
| NR 303 | Humans and the Environment | ||
| PB 321 | Introduction to Whole Plant Physiology | ||
| PB 345 | Economic Botany | ||
| PB 346 | Economic Botany Lab | ||
| SOC 342 | International Development | ||
| SOC 350 | Food and Society | ||
| SOC 402 | Urban Sociology | ||
Semester Sequence
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Hours | |
| BIO 181 | Introductory Biology: Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity | 4 |
| ALS 103 or ALS 303 | Freshman Transitions and Diversity in Agriculture & Life Sciences or Transfer Transitions and Diversity in Agriculture & Life Sciences | 1 |
| ENG 101 | Academic Writing and Research | 4 |
| MA 107 | Precalculus I | 3 |
| Foundation Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| BIO 183 or PB 200 | Introductory Biology: Cellular and Molecular Biology or Plant Life | 4 |
| Select one of the following: | 3-4 | |
| Elements of Calculus | ||
| Calculus for Life and Management Sciences A | ||
| Calculus I | ||
| GEP Humanities | 3 | |
| COM 110 or COM 112 | Public Speaking or Interpersonal Communication | 3 |
| GEP Health and Exercise Studies | 1 | |
| Hours | 14 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| CSSC 290 | Professional Development in Crop & Soil Sciences | |
| CH 101 | Chemistry - A Molecular Science | 3 |
| CH 102 | General Chemistry Laboratory | 1 |
| CS 230 | Introduction to Agroecology | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Environmental Ethics | ||
| Eating through American History | ||
| Humans and the Environment | ||
| GEP Humanities | 3 | |
| GEP Health and Exercise Studies | 1 | |
| Hours | 14 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| ARE 201 | Introduction to Agricultural & Resource Economics | 3 |
| AEC/PB 360 | Ecology | 4 |
| SSC 200 | Soil Science | 3 |
| SSC 201 | Soil Science Laboratory | 1 |
| Foundation Elective | 4 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| SOC 241 | Sociology of Agriculture and Rural Society | 3 |
| SSC 427 or SSC 332 | Biological Approaches to Sustainable Soil Systems or Environmental Soil Microbiology | 3 |
| CS/HS 410 | Community Food Systems | 3 |
| Foundation Elective | 4 | |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Communication for Engineering and Technology | ||
| Communication for Business and Management | ||
| Communication for Science and Research | ||
| Communication Methods and Media | ||
| Hours | 16 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| CS 430 | Advanced Agroecology | 4 |
| SSC/HS 428 | Service-Learning in Urban Agriculture Systems | 1 |
| STS 323 | World Population and Food Prospects | 3 |
| Restricted Elective | 3 | |
| Restricted Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 14 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| CS/HS 480 | Sustainable Food Production (capstone) | 1 |
| Restricted Elective | 3 | |
| Restricted Elective | 3 | |
| Restricted Elective | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| CSSC 492 or CSSC 493 | Professional Internship Experience in Crop and Soil Sciences or Research Experience in Crop and Soil Sciences | 3 |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| CS 415 | Integrated Pest Management | 3 |
| GEP Additional Breadth | 3 | |
| Restricted Elective | 3 | |
| Restricted Elective | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Total Hours | 119 | |
Career Opportunities
Interested in food policy and education, nutrition, food security, community impacts, and graduate school opportunities in sociology, economics, education and other disciplines related to food? Then Community Food Systems is for you. Career tracks include:
- Agricultural Educator
- Agriculture Extension Agent
- Community Education Specialist
- Community Garden Manager
- Local Food Procurement Professional
- Food Policy Specialist
- Food Security Professional
- Food Educator
- Community Garden Director
- Farmer/farm worker advocacy professional