Agriculture Science (AS)

Degree: Associate of Science
Major: Agricultural Science
Program Code: 2341

About This Major . . .

The Agriculture Science curriculum is designed to provide students the fundamentals of agriculture and related business practices.  With this degree, students will be well positioned to transfer into a bachelor degree program in agriculture.  Graduates are qualified for employment in a variety of positions associated with sustainable agriculture, including horticultural and livestock operations, wholesale and retail management, nursery operations, and environmental and agricultural education.

For more information on what you can do with this major, visit WCCC's Programs of Study page.

All CMU/WCCC associate graduates are expected to demonstrate proficiency in specialized knowledge/applied learning, quantitative fluency, communication fluency, critical thinking, personal and social responsibility, and information literacy. In addition to these campus‐wide student learning outcomes, graduates of this major will be able to:

  1. Apply business communication using listening, verbal and written, and electronic forms that are needed for entry level employment (communication fluency).
  2. Apply Mathematical and applied physics concepts for industry to meet employment requirements (quantitative fluency).
  3. Research, evaluate, synthesize and apply information/data relevant to business, sciences, and technical careers (specialized knowledge).
  4. Demonstrate knowledge of terminology, symbols, business practices, and principles and application of associated technical skills (critical thinking).
  5. Perform the necessary applied skill sets to fulfill the needs of entry level employment (applied learning).
  6. Demonstrate ethical, civic, and work place responsibility as part of professional behavior (specialized knowledge).

Each section below contains details about the requirements for this program. Select a header to expand the information/requirements for that particular section of the program's requirements. 

To print or save an overview of this program's information, including the program description, learning outcomes, requirements, suggested course sequencing (if applicable), and advising and graduation information, scroll to the bottom of the left-hand navigation menu and select "Print Options." This will give you the options to either "Send Page to Printer" or "Download PDF of This Page." The "Download PDF of This Page" option prepares a much more concise presentation of all program information. The PDF is also printable and may be preferable due to its brevity. 

Institutional Degree Requirements

The following institutional degree requirements apply to all CMU or WCCC Associate of Science (AS) degrees. Specific programs may have different requirements that must be met in addition to institutional requirements.

  • 60 semester hours total.
  • Students must complete a minimum of 15 of the final 30 semester hours of credit at CMU/WCCC.
  • 2.00 cumulative GPA or higher in all CMU/WCCC coursework.
  • A grade of “C” or higher must be earned in all Essential Learning courses in order to be accepted for transfer under the Colorado Core Transfer Consortium General Education curriculum or gtPathways, Colorado’s guaranteed transfer program.
  • A course may only be used to fulfill one requirement for each degree/certificate.
  • No more than six semester hours of independent study courses can be used toward the degree.
  • Non-traditional credit, such as advanced placement, credit by examination, credit for prior learning, cooperative education and internships, cannot exceed 15 semester credit hours for an associate of science degree. A maximum of 6 of the 15 credits may be for cooperative education, internships, and practica.
  • Pre-collegiate courses (usually numbered below 100) cannot be used for graduation.
  • Capstone exit assessment/projects (e.g., Major Field Achievement Test) requirements are identified under Program-Specific Degree Requirements.
  • The Catalog Year determines which program sheet and degree requirements a student must fulfill in order to graduate. Visit with your advisor or academic department to determine which catalog year and program requirements you should follow.
  • See “Requirements for Undergraduate Degrees and Certificates” in the catalog for a complete list of graduation requirements.

Essential Learning Requirements

(31 semester hours)

See the current catalog for a list of courses that fulfill the requirements below. If a course is an Essential Learning option and a requirement for your major, you must use it to fulfill the major requirement and make a different selection for the Essential Learning requirement.

English 1
ENGL 111English Composition I-GTCO13
ENGL 112English Composition II-GTCO23
Mathematics 1
MATH 110Mathematical Investigations-GTMA13
History
Select one History course3
Humanities
Select one Humanities course3
Social and Behavioral Sciences
Select one Social and Behavioral Sciences course3
Select one Social and Behavioral Sciences course3
Fine Arts
Select one Fine Arts course3
Natural Sciences 2
Select one Natural Sciences course3
Select one Natural Sciences course with a lab4
Total Semester Credit Hours31
1

Must receive a grade of “C” or better and must be completed by the time the student has 60 semester hours.

2

One course must include a lab.

Other Lower Division Requirements

Wellness Requirement
KINE 100Health and Wellness1
Select one Activity course1
Total Semester Credit Hours2

Program Specific Degree Requirements

(24 semester hours, must earn a “C” or better in each course.)

Agriculture Courses
AGRS 100Practical Crop Production3
AGRS 100LPractical Crop Production Laboratory1
AGRS 102Agriculture Economics3
AGRS 105Animal Science3
AGRS 205Farm and Ranch Management3
AGRS 240Introduction to Soil Science3
AGRS 240LIntroduction to Soil Science Laboratory1
Restricted Electives
Select at least 7 semester hours from the following list 17
Animal Science Courses
Feeds and Feeding
Farm Animal Anatomy and Physiology
Live Animal and Carcass Evaluation
Live Animal and Carcass Evaluation Laboratory
Livestock Practicum
Topics:
Soil and Crop Science Courses
Principles of Financial Accounting
Introduction to Entomology
Introduction to Entomology Laboratory
Integrated Pest Management
Agricultural Marketing
Plant Propagation
Topics:
Concepts of Physics-GTSC2
Agriculture Business Courses
Agricultural Finance
Agricultural Marketing
Business Information Technology
Agriculture Education Courses
Agricultural Marketing
Feeds and Feeding
Farm Structures and Green Houses
Total Semester Credit Hours24
1

See advisor for recommended tracks.

General Electives

(3 semester hours)

Select electives3
Total Semester Credit Hours3
Plan of Study Grid
First Year
Fall SemesterSemester Credit Hours
AGRS 100
100L
Practical Crop Production
and Practical Crop Production Laboratory
4
AGRS 105 Animal Science 3
ENGL 111 English Composition I-GTCO1 3
Essential Learning - Natural Science with lab 4
KINE 100 Health and Wellness 1
 Semester Credit Hours15
Spring Semester
Restricted Elective 3
Essential Learning - Natural Science 3
General Elective 3
ENGL 112 English Composition II-GTCO2 3
MATH 110 Mathematical Investigations-GTMA1 3
 Semester Credit Hours15
Second Year
Fall Semester
AGRS 102 Agriculture Economics 3
AGRS 240
240L
Introduction to Soil Science
and Introduction to Soil Science Laboratory
4
Restricted Elective 3
Essential Learning - Humanities 3
Essential Learning - History 3
 Semester Credit Hours16
Spring Semester
AGRS 205 Farm and Ranch Management 3
KINA Activity 1
Essential Learning - Fine Arts 3
Restricted Elective 1
Essential Learning - Social and Behavioral Sciences 3
Essential Learning - Social and Behavioral Sciences 3
 Semester Credit Hours14
 Total Semester Credit Hours60

Students that intend to continue with Colorado Mesa University should take ESSL 290 - Maverick Milestone and ESSL 200 - Essential Speech during the final semester of their Associate of Science work.

Advising Process and DegreeWorks

Documentation on the pages related to this program is intended for informational purposes to help determine what courses and associated requirements are needed to earn a degree. The suggested course sequencing outlines how students could finish degree requirements. Some courses are critical to complete in specific semesters, while others may be moved around. Meeting with an academic advisor is essential in planning courses and altering the suggested course sequencing. It is ultimately the student’s responsibility to understand and fulfill the requirements for her/his intended degree(s).

DegreeWorks is an online degree audit tool available in MAVzone. It is the official record used by the Registrar’s Office to evaluate progress towards a degree and determine eligibility for graduation. Students are responsible for reviewing their DegreeWorks audit on a regular basis and should discuss questions or concerns with their advisor or academic department head. Discrepancies in requirements should be reported to the Registrar’s Office.

Graduation Process

Students must complete the following in the first two months of the semester prior to completing their degree requirements:

  • Review their DegreeWorks audit and create a plan that outlines how unmet requirements will be met in the final semester.
  • Meet with their advisor and modify their plan as needed. The advisor must approve the final plan.
  • Submit the “Intent to Graduate” form to the Registrar’s Office to officially declare the intended graduation date and commencement ceremony plans.
  • Register for all needed courses and complete all requirements for each degree sought.

Submission deadlines and commencement details can be found at http://www.coloradomesa.edu/registrar/graduation.html.

If a student’s petition for graduation is denied, it will be her/his responsibility to consult the Registrar’s Office regarding next steps.