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Agribusiness Department
An Agricultural Business major prepares for the growing, fast-paced agriculture environment of the future. Students study economics and accounting, marketing, law and policy, production agriculture and management, all of which then take into account technology and environmental regulations. 

Graduates are ready to influence all aspects of agriculture, from rural farms to the global/international marketplace. There is a demand for individuals who understand the complex, networked management of the world's agriculture industries, and the key to our graduates' success is their ability to accurately respond to these changes with the knowledge, managerial expertise, leadership ability and creativity that is the backbone of our program. 

An Agricultural Business degree offers the following areas of concentration: Farm and Ranch Management, Marketing, Policy, Finance and Appraisal, and International Marketing.

Agricultural Education and Communication Department
In the Agricultural Education & Communication Department, teacher education and communications are two of the ways our students will be changing the world. These fields are wide open with exciting career opportunities - ranging from K-12 teaching and education to public relations specialists and writers.

Agricultural Education & Communication's emphasis is on teacher preparation, and there is a growing need for good teachers to mold the future. Upon graduation, our alumni have the opportunity to directly share their knowledge with their students and show them the challenge and the diversity of agriculture. Our graduates also work with local farmers and the agribusiness community and are a vital part of California's future.

Agriculture Education & Communication provides the necessary skills to promote agriculture while increasing public awareness. There is a need for effective communicators who are poised, well informed, and able to provide the public with accurate details about food safety, water, land and other important issues that affect agriculture.

Animal Science Department
A degree in Animal Science combines theory with hands-on, practical applications for the livestock and poultry industries. From livestock production and poultry management to preparing for zoo and exotic animal care or pre-veterinary/graduate school, our students are ready to take the principles of science and technology they learn here and apply them successfully in any field of their choosing. 

Students in the Animal Science Department actively participate in the management of herds or flocks of beef cattle, sheep, swine, horses and poultry, which simulate the larger-scale operations of industry. Some of the nation's most noted bloodlines can be found within the registered breeds on campus. Enterprise projects present another valuable experience for students, along with an assortment of extra- and co-curricular activities, including student clubs and nationally competitive livestock judging teams. 

The department also has an active role in the management of Swanton Pacific Ranch. We take the lead in developing environmentally sound resource management practices including intensive controlled grazing, multiple species grazing, and using the grazing animal as a tool to enhance the total environment of the ranch.

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering Department
BioResource and Agricultural Engineering major (BRAE) offers answers for students who want to be problem solvers. Today's high-tech agriculture industries are looking for graduates who can engineer solutions to the problems of resources and systems as well as for those who can manage advanced technologies. 

The BRAE program, accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, offers hands-on experience in a wide range of engineering skills areas. Concentrations include mechanical design, structures, electronics and control systems, irrigation, agricultural safety, renewable energy and waste treatment, and resource information systems.

With the Agricultural Systems Management major, students combine hands-on experience in agricultural technology with practical training in the business and management aspects of agriculture within a curriculum that is recognized by the American Society of Agricultural Engineers. In addition to the hands-on courses in the department, students may take enough business and management classes to earn a minor in Agribusiness.

Dairy Science Department
Students in Dairy Science acquire hands-on training in one of the most up-to-date, state-of-the-art facilities in the world. Our graduates are prepared to advance in all phases of the dairy industry, including production, allied industries/services, processing or management.

Our on-campus dairy herd includes purebred Jerseys and Holsteins in a well-planned unit where feeding, milking, calf raising and management are learned in the classroom and experienced by hands-on practice. Our Dairy Cattle Instructional Center contains the milking parlor, classrooms, a nutrition and physiology lab, a microbiology lab and a computer system dedicated to dairy management applications software. 

The Dairy Products Technology Center is the research, technology transfer and professional training component of our program. The Creamery is the production component. Both are fully supported by a "world class" state-of-the-art processing plant for milk, cheese, ice cream, butter and other dairy products. The Creamery employs our students to work in both production and marketing, and Dairy Science enterprise projects provide first-hand experience with real-world dairy products.

Earth and Soil Sciences Department
One of the world's most precious natural resources - and the one from which three-fourths of the world's food and nearly all of its fiber comes from - is soil. The need to conserve and manage this important asset lies firmly in the hands of soil scientists and our graduates are very well prepared to meet the diverse challenges awaiting them.

Career opportunities are vast and varied for our Soil Science graduates. Traditional positions include agricultural managers, environmental consultants, food producers, land appraisers, hazardous waste specialists, laboratory technicians, teachers, licensed fertilizer and pesticide advisors, ecologists, erosion control specialists and field research managers. But soil scientists are not limited to just the traditional - if agriculture, forest or rangeland are involved, chances are there is a need for a qualified Cal Poly Soil Science graduate.

Our Soil Science program provides the strong scientific foundation and practical skills with the balance of general education needed for tomorrow's diverse job market. The major also offers more specialized education in its concentrations, including Land Resources, Environmental Management, Environmental Science and Technology, and Earth Sciences.

Cal Poly Agriculture. With "Learn by Doing" on your resume, there are no limits.

Food Science and Nutrition Department
Feeding the world is a global priority and the demand for trained men and women in food processing, nutrition, research and development, quality and production control, food safety and marketing greatly exceeds the number of food and nutritional scientists available. 

If you have an interest in science, economics, engineering, microbiology, nutrition, management and public health, then Food Science is the choice for you. Our program encourages close relationships with industry, including internships and involvement with professional associations, such as the Institute of Food Technologists and the California League of Food Processors. Many companies look for skilled individuals to help develop and produce new and more nutritious food products. They look for them in our program.

Nutrition is a young and dynamic field that needs individuals interested in an integrated study of the basic sciences, communications and human development. Nutrition majors receive a solid background - approved by the American Dietetic Association - in the physical, biological, behavioral and social sciences, along with an in-depth understanding of food composition. Our graduates have the management skills that allow them to apply basic nutrition principles to practical aspects of dietetics and wellness - and that helps improve our quality of life. 

Horticulture and Crop Science Department (Horticulture Majors)
The Environmental Horticulture Science major provides training in one of the fastest-growing segments of agriculture in the nation and professionals in all aspects of this active "green" industry are in high demand. Whether you are interested in greenhouse or nursery production, retailing or marketing products, golf course/turf management, or any aspect of the landscape industry, this is your field.

The Horticulture & Crop Sciences Department is one of the largest in the nation. Our graduates are in demand all across the nation in management of ornamental crops and services - a multibillion-dollar industry. With a 16-acre facility, our hands-on curriculum provides students with vital experience in designing and installing landscapes from crops grown in our own greenhouses. 

We maintain strong ties within California's horticulture industry and our students have ample opportunities for internships as well as careers after graduation in some of the largest nurseries, greenhouses and landscape maintenance companies in the country.

Horticulture and Crop Science Department (Crops Majors)
The 21st century will be driven by the need to feed and clothe a growing world population while using methods that ensure the continued productivity of our farmland. And, while there might be a shortage of land for the growing of crops, there is no shortage when it comes to growing solutions. 

Worldwide demand for trained men and women in plant biotechnology, integrated pest management, precision farming, post-harvest technology, research and development, consulting and marketing is growing every day. Whether in orchards, vineyards, fruit and nut crops, vegetable production or field crops, our students receive practical, hands-on experience in our extensive outdoor laboratories that give them the "can-do" attitude employers are looking for in their growers, managers and consultants. 

The Horticulture & Crop Sciences Department enjoys close ties with California's agriculture industry and actively solicits input on future agricultural needs. With strong farming operations and internship programs to help students gain practical experience and skills, our graduates are ready - to grow today and handle tomorrow.

Natural Resources Management Department 
If making a difference in the future of our nation's fragile natural resources - or helping shape the leisure activities of the American people - appeals to you, then you want our department. The two majors of the Natural Resources Management Department can provide you with the practical and analytical management skills necessary to meet the resource and leisure demands of tomorrow. 

The Forestry and Natural Resources major and the Environmental Management and Protection major are fully accredited by the Society of American Foresters. We combine training in the areas of forest ecology, social and management sciences, computer information systems and field techniques to equip our students for jobs in natural resource management, watershed management, fire protection, environmental sciences and urban forestry - all ever-increasing fields. 

The Recreation Administration major focuses on America's favorite activities: leisure and recreation. The curriculum concentrates on program planning, public relations, marketing, budgeting and management of leisure activities. With the amount of time people spend in the pursuit of their favorite pastimes, the demand for well-trained and highly qualified recreation, park and tourism graduates is increasing and we are meeting those needs. 

Facilities and Laboratories
The College of Agriculture spans over 6,000 acres of land adjacent to the campus core. Rangeland is used for grazing and there are cultivated parcels containing orchards, vineyards, fruit and nut crops, vegetable production, field crops, agroforestry, greenhouses and an arboretum. We have a modern food processing pilot plant, as well as state-of-the-art dairy processing and poultry instruction plants. We also have livestock facilities for horse, beef cattle, swine and sheep. 

The College-owned 3,200-acre Swanton Pacific Ranch in Santa Cruz County offers our students a unique opportunity to live, learn and work on a commercial ranch where forestry, ecology, cattle and certified organic crop production mix in balance, all while taking Cal Poly classes through distance learning.

Numerous specialized computer labs incorporate the latest in technology - from business software for the design of strategic plans and economic forecasts to geographic information systems for mapping and spatial analysis.

Over $450,000 in scholarships are awarded each year to agriculture students. The College also offers enterprise projects, which are student-managed production, processing or marketing endeavors where students directly share in the profits. In addition, there are on-going opportunities to participate in applied research projects, many of which are sponsored by leading global agricultural industries. 

The College's hands-on teaching and learning methodology encourages student participation with diverse activities from internships to student clubs. The College of Agriculture provides opportunities to develop leadership, social, community service and recreational skills, in addition to providing a first-class formal education.

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