Specializations Available
within Agricultural Systems
Students pursuing a major in Agricultural Systems can custom-tailor
their major to meet their specific career needs and goals by declaring a specialization.
Each course in the specialization is designed to deliver useful and
practical information that interfaces directly with a chosen profession. The
specializations are below, listed alphabetically by major. You may
click on the name of the specialization to see the curriculum sheet, or
click the "description" link to the right of the specialization to read the
description of that specialization.
Agricultural Systems Major
General Agriculture (description)
Agricultural Technology (description)
Agricultural Production (description)
Agricultural Education (description)
The curriculum sheets are in PDF format.
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Bachelor of Science, Agricultural
Systems, General Agriculture Specialization
The General specialization is for those students who want to enter
careers in almost any area of mainstream agriculture, most often in
production, agribusiness or agronomy. In addition to the required
curriculum in Agricultural Systems, you may take courses in agricultural
mechanization, soils, agricultural production, pest control, agribusiness,
and fertilizer/nutrient management. (top)
Bachelor of Science, Agricultural
Systems, Agricultural Technology Specialization
Applying technology to agriculture is the
major interest of agricultural technology students. Every phase of
agriculture is supported by technology of some kind, and our graduates are
in demand to help plan for the application, maintenance and improvement of
agricultural technology.
Students in our agricultural technology program take courses in electrical
systems, production machinery management, surveying, physical principles,
construction, safety and materials handling. They learn to apply technology
to agricultural problems. Graduates are generally employed in professional
and management careers that require an understanding of systems used in
production agriculture-related industries and federal agencies.
They may find employment as soil and water technicians, research and
development support personnel, operation management trainees in the food and
feed processing industries and management trainees in agricultural
production units and in sales and service of technology. Our graduates
currently work with CASE, Caterpillar, John Deere and ADM, among others.
(top)
Bachelor
of Science, Agricultural Systems, Agricultural Production Specialization
Specialists in agricultural
production prepare for the many agricultural production-related careers by
taking course work in feeds and feeding, computers in agriculture,
agribusiness, soil science, livestock production, farm management, financial
management and physical principles.
In addition to returning to the family farm and managing grain, swine and
poultry production farms, agricultural production graduates have found an
interesting variety of other jobs. Some of those positions have been as
sales representatives for implement dealers, agricultural extension agents,
livestock or crop farm managers, consultants for local crop service
companies, representatives, for American Breeder Service and technicians
applying the Global Positioning System (GPS) to agriculture. (top)
Bachelor
of Science, Agricultural Systems, Agricultural Education Specialization
SIUC has the largest agricultural education program in Illinois.
Students specializing in agricultural education will gain the technical and
professional training needed for certification as teachers of agriculture in
secondary schools or for employment in agribusiness or industry. Some
typical courses include physical principles in agriculture, computers in
agriculture, career development in agriculture, reflective teaching
practices, classroom management and discipline, and human learning.
Many students have chosen the teaching aspect of agriculture for a career
because there is a high demand in society for their technical skills in
agriculture and in dealing with people. Our alumni are teaching in Illinois,
Texas, Florida, Indiana, North Carolina and many other states and countries.
These majors can also find work in extension, banking and industry. (top)
