Agronomy
An Associate of Science degree in agronomy focuses on the changing
problems in modern crop production and management in relation to propagation,
care, and management of cereal, field and forage crops.
With the Associate of Science degree, agronomy majors complete a combination
of technical and general courses that allow them to gain hands-on experience
while completing 50 percent of the curriculum for a Bachelor of Science
in Agriculture degree at The Ohio State University College of Food,
Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences.
This degree also includes the transfer module, a common set of general
education courses which apply to other bachelor's degree programs in
Ohio.
Students who are not planning to ultimately pursue a bachelor's degree
might be interested instead in our Crop Management
and Services Associate of Applied Science curriculum.
Career Opportunities in Agronomy
After completing the Associate of Science degree in agronomy, many students
choose to further their education by pursuing a bachelor's degree in
crop science at the Ohio State Columbus campus. Those who graduate with
a major in crop science are prepared for careers within the private
sector, with agrochemical, seed, grain, greenhouse, nursery, and food
processing companies. Crop scientists may also become independent crop
producers or professional agricultural consultants.
Salary Trends
Beginning salaries for crop science graduates range from $20,000 to
$30,000 per year with an average salary of $24,000. Salaries vary depending
on location, candidates' skills, and previous job-related experience.
High School Preparation
Students pursuing the Associate of Science program must complete the
following high school curriculum in order to be admitted to the program
without conditions: four units of English; three units of mathematics;
two units of natural science; two units of social science; two units
of the same foreign language; one unit of visual or performing arts;
and one additional unit from any of the above categories.
Applicants to the Associate of Science program in agronomy who have
not followed this curriculum will have conditions placed on their enrollment.
These conditions must be satisfied by earning college course credits
in the high school subject areas in which the students are deficient.
How to Major in Agronomy
Students seeking an Associate of Science degree in agronomy at The Ohio
State University Agricultural Technical Institute enter directly into
the program upon completion of their admission requirements. All applicants
are strongly advised to arrange a pre-admission conference with a faculty
member in the program in order to acquaint themselves with the various
aspects of this major.
General Degree Requirements
Students must complete a minimum of 104 quarter credit hours of technical
and general studies courses, with a cumulative point-hour ratio of 2.00
or above, to earn the Associate of Science degree in agronomy. A minimum
of 45 quarter credit hours must be earned through regular course work
at the institute.
Technical courses focus on the science of crop production and include
the study of soil management, diseases of crops, entomology and weed
control. A minimum of 35 quarter credit hours are required in technical
courses.
Agronomy students also complete 55 credit hours of general studies which
include communications, social sciences, mathematics, and biological
and chemical sciences. Fourteen credit hours of electives, either technical
or general, round out the curriculum.
Students in the agronomy program do not complete an internship while
attending Ohio State ATI. Practicum is required of students in agronomy.
This is a supervised, on-campus work experience that provides students
with the opportunity to apply skills learned in the classrooms at Ohio
State ATI. Students are encouraged to think independently and evaluate
and solve problems under the guidance of the crop manager. Students
assist in the daily tasks of crop production and management.
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