M.S. Agricultural Education
Department of Agribusiness, Applied Economics and Agriscience Education

GENERAL PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

The general requirements for admission are an undergraduate degree from an accredited institution, with a grade point average of 2.65 (on a 4.0 scale) and a basic preparation in Agricultural Education, Education, General Agriscience, Agricultural Economics, Economics, Agribusiness or Business Administration, with a preparation in Economics/Statistics, generally will provide an acceptable preparation. Applicants who do not meet the req uirements will be considered on an individual basis.

Applicants are encouraged to provide GRE scores; however, these scores are not required for admission or graduation. A GPA of 3.0 is required for graduation.

AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION ADVANCED OBJECTIVES

After completing this program, agricultural educators will:

1.  have a deeper appreciation and knowledge of their discipline.
2. plan and conduct a quality agricultural education program.
3. possess a more in-depth knowledge of the subjects they teach.
4. be more student focused and better prepared to teach a diverse student population.
5. be able to implement and use a variety of instructional methodologies and technologies.
6. appreciate, understand and use the products of educational inquiry for program improvement.
7. exhibit a higher degree of professionalism.

OPTIONS

Students seeking admission into agricultural education have a choice of two major study concentrations:  Professional licensure and Professional Service.  The Professional Licensure track is designed for individuals who are currently teaching secondary agricultural education, holders of the "A" License for secondary agricultural education in the State of North Carolina, or those individuals whom are within 12 hours of the "A" License.  Students enrolled in the Professional Licensure Concentration are immersed in a curriculum based upon advanced competencies as mandated by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.  Students enrolled in the Professional Licensure concentration have the option to pursue a thesis or non-thesis track.  Upon completion of this concentration students are eligible for the "M" License in secondary agricultural education for the State of North Carolina. 

Students choosing the Professional Service concentration have the opportunity to develop a plan of study, which will prepare them for careers in the broad areas of extension education, public relations, social capital development, curriculum design, adult education, program development and evaluation, agribusiness, as well as positions in agriscience research.  The Professional Service Concentration consists of a thesis and non-thesis option.       

Upon admittance into the graduate program in Agricultural Education students are assigned an advisor who will guide the student in the development of their graduate committee, plan of study, Product of Learning, and Educational Inquiry Project/Thesis.    Completion of 37 semester hours of approved graduate level courses is required for both study concentrations.

A well balanced, unified, and complete program study will be required. In addition, those students who do not write a thesis must develop an educational inquiry project under the supervision of their graduate committee. The advisory committee will determine its nature and content. For those students who select the thesis option, he/she must complete 31 hours of approved graduate level courses and 6 hours of thesis credit. In both options students must successfully pass a written comprehensive examination in Agricultural Education to complete the degree program.

The student pursuing the Master of Science of Agricultural Education is required to complete a common core of courses consisting of:

Agricultural Education Classes

AGED-600. Youth Organization and Program Management Credit 3(3-0)
Principles, theories and practices involved in organizing, conducting, supervising, and managing youth organizations and programs. Emphasis will be on the analysis of youth organization and programs in vocational and extension education.

AGED-601. Adult Education in Vocational and Extension Education                Credit 3(3-0)
A study of the principles and problems of organizing and conducting programs for adults. Emphasis is given to the principles of conducting organized instruction in agricultural education, extension, and related industries.

AGED-607. Environmental Education              Credit 3(3-0)
Principles and practices of understanding the environment and the interrelated complexities of the environment. The course will include a study of agricultural occupations related to the environment and materials that need to be developed for use by high school teachers of agriculture and other professional workers.

AGED-608. Agricultural Extension Organization and Methods  Credit 3(3-0)
Principles, objectives, organization, program development, and methods in cooperative extension.

AGED-609. Community Analysis and Rural Life               Credit 3(3-0)
Educational processes, structure and function of rural society, and the role that diverse organizations, agencies, and institutions play in the education and adjustment of rural people to the demands of modern society.

AGED-611  Special Problems in Agricultural Education and Extension               Credit 1-6(1-6)
Special work in problems dealing with Agricultural Education and Extension will be examined.   Students should be at the graduate level or be working on their lateral or      provisional license in agricultural education. 

AGED-612 Field Studies in Agricultural Education Credit 1-6(1-6)
Field Studies involved in Agricultural and Extension Education. Graduate Students Only

AGED-700. Seminar in Agricultural Education               Credit 1(1-0)
A review of current problems and practices in the field of agricultural education and extension.

AGED 701  Professional Service Seminar  Credit 1(1-0)
This course will prepare students for the entire Master's Program.   Students will establish goals and objectives for their Master's Program.   Students will also be introduced to the Professional Portfolio that is required of all Master's Students on the completion of their program.  

AGED-703. Scientific Methods in Research     Credit 3(3-0)
Methods of procedures in investigation and experimentation in education, accompanied by critical examination of studies made in agricultural education and related fields. A research problem is developed under the supervision of the staff.

AGED 704 Foundation and Philosophy of Agricultural Education   Credit 3(3-0)
This advanced course deals with the development, organization, and philosophical foundations of agricultural education from colonial times to the present.   Emphasis is placed on the role of societal and scientific changes, the federal government, and philosophy and its role in life including the rise of education in America, legislation having an impact on agricultural education, education in agriculture, and current issues in agricultural education on the evolution of agricultural education.   Students will be expected to develop and defend their philosophy of agricultural education based on the foundations and philosophy of Agricultural Education. In additional to the above, students will be expected to research educational topics, critique the current research and present a seminar on their research topic. 

AGED 705  Advances in Agricultural Business and Science  Credit 3(3-0)
Students will review and study the literature on innovations in agri-business/science practices, processes and product technologies.   They will become knowledgeable and articulate about issues related to the role and contribution of science and research to agriculture over time, the development and diffusion of best practices, the impact of specific technological breakthroughs and basic techniques for assessing the efficacy of these.

AGED 708 Scientific methods in Educational Research II   Credit 3(3-0)
This course covers advanced techniques in qualitative and quantitative research methodology focusing on the formulation of substantive research questions, problems or issues.   Students will learn to apply a variety of educational research procedures such as ethnographic methodologies, evaluation research and case studies, qualitative choice models, nonparametric and parametric statistical methods and quasi-xperimental techniques for field research and general linear models.   Students will conduct, under the direction of the instructor, a research educational based project on their present agricultural educational experiences.  Prerequisite: AGED 703

AGED 709 Study and Application of Technological Advances and Best Practices to Agriculture             Credit 3(3-0)
This course provides students with an opportunity to observe and study the application of technological advances and best practices in a variety of settings in agriculture.    In addition, students will work to develop a repertoire of skills and techniques that will enable them to select and apply innovations to their own educational settings, particularly the infusion of technology into the curriculum.   The program will draw on the expertise of industry specialists and researchers, field trips and labs will provide hands-on experience.    Prerequisite: AGED 705

AGED 710 Program Design, Management, and Evaluation    Credit 3(3-0)
The planning, management and development of agricultural educational programs including needs assessment, objectives, development and content and materials selection. Evaluation of instructional programs; formative for program improvement and summative for outcomes accountability. Prerequisite: AGED 700 

AGED 711 Advance Teaching and Assessment Methods  Credit 3(3-0)
This course focuses on advanced concepts and methods relevant for both formal and informal agricultural education presentations, effects that methods may have on individuals involved in the learning experience and demonstrations of proficiency in use of various advanced methodologies, technologies and concepts. Students will focus on human learning development, diversity issues, motivational strategies to plan, use and evaluate student learning.   Students will research and present projects based on the course of study.    Students will keep a reflective journal based on the infusion of  learning methods used in their educational occupations.  Prerequisite: AGED 700 (701 for Professional Service Majors), 704, 709, 710

AGED 712  Government Policy Analysis and Agriculture and Problem Solving Techniques for Field Settings   
Credit 2(2-0)
Students will become conversant with basic principles, procedures, and phases of public policy formulation, analysis and decision making.   Students will use agricultural issues/problem and policy as case studies to trace the evolution of an issue/problem/felt need into legislation or policy.    Students will also learn basic techniques for analyzing policy impacts.   Prerequisites: AGED 703

AGED-750. Community Problems                     Credit 3(3-0)
A study of the common problems of the community that relate to agriculture and related areas and of solutions for these problems.

AGED 751 Agricultural Education Across the Curriculum  Credit 3(3-0)
This advance course will center on the application of curriculum development models, theories and processes in agricultural education.   A large portion of the class will be devoted to the integration of agricultural curriculum into other subject areas such as Math, Science, English and History and the integration of other subject matter areas into agricultural education.   Student will evaluate curriculum products and learn to modify curriculum to meet the needs of all students as well as reinforce other curricular areas.    Students will see how content matter can be reinforced as it is taught across all curricular areas.   Students will be expected to present a project based on developing curricular plans and materials that address curriculum integration as related to agricultural education. Prerequisite: AGED 700 (701 for Professional Service Majors), 703, 704, 710

AGED 752 Special Populations in Agricultural Education   Credit 3(3-0)
This advance course will focus on the diverse needs of students for learning to take place.   Special emphasis will be placed on the instruction of agricultural education to populations of students within economic, gender, ethnic, cultural, political, physical differences.   Students will discover and use educational theory to examine strategies and plans to overcome problems in their educational occupations.   Students will research both legal requirements and expectations that effect what can be done with increase student learning.    Students will be required to develop and present a diversity management plan for their program.  Prerequisite: AGED 700 , 703, 704, 753

AGED 753 Teaching and Assessment for Agricultural Professionals     Credit 3(3-0)
This course focuses on concepts and methods relevant for both formal and informal education presentations, effects that methods may have on individuals involved in the learning experience and demonstrations of proficiency in use of various educational methodologies, technologies and concepts. Students will focus on human learning development, diversity issues, motivational strategies to plan, use and evaluate student learning.   Students will research and present projects based on the course of study.   Students will keep a reflective journal based on the infusion of learning methods used in their educational occupations.Prerequisite: AGED 701, 704, 709, 710

AGED-754. History of Agricultural Education and Extension  Credit 3(3-0)
Historical development, social and philosophical foundations, and current status in relation to the total vocational education program. Special attention is given to agricultural education and extension as it developed in the United States.

AGED 796 Master's Non-thesis Project Seminar    Credit 1(1-0)
This seminar will focus on the needs of bringing agricultural education programs up to date with public requirements and the success of all students.   Students will be required to do outside reading in current educational trends in agricultural education and critique them.   Students will present two seminars in this course.   One will focus on an issue in agricultural education and the second will be based on the students Agricultural Education Program Management Plan. Prerequisite: AGED 797

AGED 797 Agricultural Education Program Management Plan Project    Credit 4(4-0)
Students in the Non-thesis option will be required to put a management plan together for their educational occupational program.   The plan will include research on the needs and expectations of the educational program and the evidence that either shows compliance or plans to meet the programs needs.   Students will work with their committee to establish the requirement of the plan and evidence which will be required to meet the plans expectations.   Students will present their plan in AGED 796. Prerequisite: AGED 700 , 703 and 710

AGED 798 Seminar in Agricultural Education                                 Credit 1(1-0)
This course is designed for students who are in their last semester of their Master's program.   The course focuses on the needs and expectations of being a Master Teacher and a leader in agricultural education.   Students will be expected to present their Master Teacher portfolio at the end of the course.   Students will also present seminars based on topics related to the overall themes, competencies, standards of the Agricultural Education Master's Program.    Prerequisite: Last semester of the Master's Program.

AGED 799 MS Thesis Research                                              Credit 6(6-0)
Master of Science thesis research under the supervision of the thesis committee chairperson, leading to the completion of the Master's thesis.   This course is only available to thesis option students

Agricultural Economics Classes