Today’s job market has a high demand for persons with formal international experience. This certificate was thus developed to provide students with a basic foundation in agroecological principles along with a unique hands-on experience at an international partner institution. We indeed felt it was critical to develop an opportunity for students to experience the range of diverse cropping systems worldwide, to network, and to build a strong foundation in global agroecology.
Students are thus required to do a research internship at one of our partners institutions. They will be placed under the supervision of a research there, and will get involved in the research going on at the time of their visit. There is no expectation for students to conduct their own research. Students can also choose to take a course from this partner institution while visiting. This experience will help students gain valuable skills for a future profession in the agricultural, natural resources, and agroecological sciences domestically or abroad.
Requirements:
- 9-10 credit hours graduate coursework
- Bachelor’s degree from accredited institution or equivalent
- Admission requirements include an earned Bachelor’s degree from accredited institution or equivalent in a natural resource discipline and/or at least two biology, two chemistry courses, introduction to plant science and introduction to soil science, or equivalent.
Required Core Courses (6 credits):
- ALS 5155 Global Agroecosystems – 3 Credits Fall – Fundamentals of Agroecology and Sustainability
- ALS 5905 International Research Immersion – 3 Credits Fall/Spring/Summer – Each student must spend some time abroad at one of our Partner Institutions, during which time students are expected to participate in ongoing research at the host institution with resident faculty mentors. During this time, the student can enroll in distance education classes offered by the program as well as attend local classes offered by the international institution (at his own costs). Following this experience, the student presents a seminar to his/her advisor describing his involvement in the research at the partner institution.
Electives (3-4 Credits) – Choose one from the following:
- AGR 5511 Crop Ecology – 3 Credits
- AGR 6422C Environmental Crop Nutrition – 3 Credits
- AGR 5444 Ecophysiology of Crop Production – 3 Credits
- AGR 5230C Florida Grasslands Ecosystems – 4 Credits
- PLS 5632C Integrated Weed Management – 3 Credits
- SWS 5208 Sustainable Agriculture & Urban Land Management – 3 Credits
- SWS 5246 Water Sustainability – 3 Credits
- SWS 5050 Soils for Environmental Professionals – 3 Credits
- IPM 5305 Principles of Pesticides – 3 Credits