University Catalog 2024-2025

Agroecology & Sustainable Food Systems (BS): Agroecology Research & Production Concentration

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. 

Contact Person

Undergraduate Programs Office
Crop & Soil Sciences Department
2234 Williams Hall
Campus Box 7620
919-515-5820
cropsoil-undergraduate-office@ncsu.edu

For more information about our program, visit our website.

Plan Requirements

Orientation
ALS 103Freshman Transitions and Diversity in Agriculture & Life Sciences1
or ALS 303 Transfer Transitions and Diversity in Agriculture & Life Sciences
CSSC 290Professional Development in Crop & Soil Sciences1
Mathematics & Natural Sciences
MA 121Elements of Calculus3
or MA 131 Calculus for Life and Management Sciences A
ST 311Introduction to Statistics3
AEC 360Ecology4
or PB 360 Ecology
BIO 181Introductory Biology: Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity4
BIO 183Introductory Biology: Cellular and Molecular Biology4
or PB 200 Plant Life
CH 101Chemistry - A Molecular Science3
CH 102General Chemistry Laboratory1
PY 131Conceptual Physics4
Advanced Chemistry
Select one of the following:4
Chemistry - A Quantitative Science
and Quantitative Chemistry Laboratory
Introductory Organic Chemistry
and Organic Chemistry I Lab
Communication/Advanced Writing
COM 110Public Speaking3
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
ARE 201Introduction to Agricultural & Resource Economics3
CS 230Introduction to Agroecology 13
CS 415Integrated Pest Management3
CS 430Advanced Agroecology4
HS/CS 410Community Food Systems3
HS/CS 480Sustainable Food Production (capstone)1
SSC 200Soil Science 13
SSC 201Soil Science Laboratory1
STS 323World Population and Food Prospects3
SSC 427Biological Approaches to Sustainable Soil Systems3
SSC 428Soil Management Principles for Sustainable Agriculture1
Experiential Learning
Select one of the following:3
Professional Internship Experience in Crop and Soil Sciences
Research Experience in Crop and Soil Sciences
International Learning Experience in Agriculture and Life Sciences
Teaching Experience in Horticultural Science
Concentration Electives
Foundational Elective3
Agricultural Sciences Electives6
Advanced Agricultural Sciences Elective9
Socio-Economic and Food System Electives6
Advanced Socio-Economic and Food System Electives3
GEP Courses
ENG 101Academic Writing and Research 14
GEP Humanities6
GEP Health and Exercise Studies2
GEP Social Sciences3
GEP US Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion3
GEP Global Knowledge (verify requirement)
Foreign Language Proficiency (verify requirement)
Free Electives
Free Electives (12 Hr S/U Lmt)6
Total Hours120
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

CS 224Seeds, Biotechnology and Societies3
ES 200Climate Change and Sustainability3
FW 221Conservation of Natural Resources3
IDS 203Humans and the Environment3
SSC 185Land and Life3

Agricultural Sciences

AEC 203An Introduction to the Honey Bee and Beekeeping3
CS 213Crop Science3
CS 214Crop Science Laboratory 1
CS 216Southern Row Crop Production - Cotton, Peanuts, and Tobacco3
CS 218Southern Row Crop Production - Corn, Small Grains and Soybeans3
CS 251Production of Forage Crops3
CS 411Crop Ecology3
CS 424Seed Physiology3
ENT 425General Entomology3
PB 215Medicinal Plants3
PB 250Plant Biology4
PP 315Principles of Plant Pathology4


Advanced Agricultural Sciences Electives

AEC 400Applied Ecology3
ANS 215Agricultural Genetics3
CS 211Plant Genetics3
CS 411Crop Ecology3
ENT 401Honey Bee Biology and Management3
ENT 526Organic Agriculture: Principles and Practices3
HS 431Vegetable Production4
HS 432Introduction to Permaculture3
HS 451Plant Nutrition3
HS 462Postharvest Physiology3
HS 476Crop Physiology and Production in Controlled Environments 3
PB 321Introduction to Whole Plant Physiology3
PB 345Economic Botany3
PB 346Economic Botany Lab1
PB 450Plant Ecology3
SSC 332Environmental Soil Microbiology3
SSC 341Soil Fertility and Nutrient Management3
SSC 342Soil and Plant Nutrient Analysis1
SSC 455Soils, Environmental Quality and Global Challenges3
SSC 461Soil Physical Properties and Plant Growth3

Socio-Economic and Food System Electives

ARE 215Small Business Accounting3
ARE 270Principles of Agribusiness Entrepreneurship3
ARE 303Farm Management3
ARE 304Agribusiness Management3
ARE 306Agricultural Law3
ARE 309Environmental Law & Economic Policy3
ARE 311Agricultural Markets3
FS/NTR 301Introduction to Human Nutrition3
IDS 211Eating through American History3
NTR 210Introduction to Community Food Security3
NTR 310Food Insecurity and Federal Nutrition Programs3
NTR 330Public Health Nutrition3

Advanced Socio-Economic and Food System Electives

AEC 470Urban Ecology3
ARE 433U.S. Agricultural Policy3
ARE 448International Agricultural Trade3
IDS 303Humans and the Environment3
NTR 330Public Health Nutrition3
PRT 430Tourism, Poverty, and Health3
SOC 311Community Relationships3
SOC 342International Development3
SOC 350Food and Society3

Semester Sequence

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
Fall SemesterHours
ALS 103
Freshman Transitions and Diversity in Agriculture & Life Sciences
or Transfer Transitions and Diversity in Agriculture & Life Sciences
1
CSSC 290 Professional Development in Crop & Soil Sciences 1
BIO 181 Introductory Biology: Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity 4
ENG 101 Academic Writing and Research 4
MA 121
Elements of Calculus
or Calculus for Life and Management Sciences A
3
Foundation Elective 3
 Hours16
Spring Semester
BIO 183
Introductory Biology: Cellular and Molecular Biology
or Plant Life
4
COM 110
Public Speaking
or Interpersonal Communication
3
ST 311 Introduction to Statistics 3
GEP Humanities 3
GEP Health and Exercise Studies 1
 Hours14
Second Year
Fall Semester
CH 101
CH 102
Chemistry - A Molecular Science
and General Chemistry Laboratory
4
CS 230 Introduction to Agroecology 3
Agricultural Sciences Elective 3
GEP Humanities 3
GEP Health and Exercise Studies 1
 Hours14
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
Agricultural Sciences Elective 3
 Hours14
Third Year
Fall Semester
SSC 427 Biological Approaches to Sustainable Soil Systems 3
SSC 428 Soil Management Principles for Sustainable Agriculture 1
CS/HS 410 Community Food Systems 3
Select one of the following: 4
Chemistry - A Quantitative Science
and Quantitative Chemistry Laboratory
Introductory Organic Chemistry
and Organic Chemistry I Lab
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
 Hours14
Spring Semester
CS 430 Advanced Agroecology 4
STS 323 World Population and Food Prospects 3
Advanced Agricultural Sciences Elective 3
Advanced Agricultural Sciences Elective 3
Socio-Economic and Food Systems Elective 3
 Hours16
Fourth Year
Fall Semester
CS/HS 480 Sustainable Food Production (capstone) 1
PY 131 Conceptual Physics 4
Advanced Agricultural Sciences Elective 3
Socio-Economic and Food Systems Elective 3
Select one of the following: 3
Professional Internship Experience in Crop and Soil Sciences
Research Experience in Crop and Soil Sciences
International Learning Experience in Agriculture and Life Sciences
GEP Social Sciences 3
 Hours17
Spring Semester
CS 415 Integrated Pest Management 3
GEP US Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion 3
Advanced Socio-Economic and Food Systems Elective 3
Free Electives 6
 Hours15
 Total Hours120

Career Opportunities

Interested in the deeper science of sustainable agriculture production, research, and graduate school opportunities in agriculture, entomology, horticulture, soil sciences and related sciences? Then Agroecology Research and Production is for you. Career tracks include:

Career Titles

  • Agriculture and Environmental Science Researcher
  • Agriculture Policy and Education Specialist
  • Community Garden Director
  • Conservationist
  • Ecologist
  • Environmental Scientist
  • Farmer
  • Farm Nursery Manager
  • Governmental (USDA, NRCS, EPA) Researcher and Educator
  • International Agriculture Worker
  • Organic Farmer
  • Plant Breeder
  • Sustainable Agriculture Specialist
  • Weed Ecologist

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Careers in Crop and Soil Sciences
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