CSS UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM

Concentrations There are several "concentrations" or specializations within our department that help define the ways you can develop your central skills: Agronomy (which can be linked to International Agriculture) Crop Science Environmental Stress Management Soil Science Sustainable Agriculture Professional certification is available for these concentrations, but many undergraduate students prefer to keep their options open and not to become too specialized at the Bachelor's Degree level.

The philosophy of education at Cornell emphasizes a highly flexible curriculum. This is enhanced by our Agronomy concentration that allows broad experience and coursework in many disciplines for the widest array of career opportunities. The Agronomy concentration is centered around a sound understanding of crop production and soil management but allows sufficient flexibility to add further training in business, communication, or international agricultural development, to mention a few options. It is also the core of new careers in crop management consulting that are designed to tie environmental protection to traditional farming practices. It is a good place to begin for those interested in helping farmers or in farming themselves. It can also provide a relatively broad yet sufficiently basic perspective to support careers in related fields like environmental law and population/food issues.

The International Agriculture option, when linked to Agronomy, prepares you for work in international service organizations focused on agriculture or in overseas locations participating in the development and testing of new methods for meeting world food needs. In addition to training in Agronomy, a foreign language and considerable field experience are needed to develop a career in this area. If science is your main interest, one of the other concentrations in the department may appeal to you. Soil Science applies physics, mathematics, chemistry, and biology to the study of key environmental phenomena. It is fundamental to improving environmental management, including conservation and management of soil and water quality. Crop Science places special emphasis on plant biology. Some of the goals of crop scientists include overcoming environmental stresses (such as drought, cold, and weeds) and the development of pest control methods that do not damage the ecosystem. A career in the science fields often requires a graduate degree, and thus we emphasize sound basic training for our undergraduate science majors.

The courses you will take are selected by you in consultation with your academic advisor. A good starting point for planning an individual curriculum is the list of courses required for national certification in the various majors.