Bachelor of Science degrees

The Stockbridge School of Agriculture offers an undergraduate program leading to a bachelor degree in Plant, Soil, & Insect Sciences, Sustainable Food & Farming, Sustainable Horticulture, and Turfgrass Science and Management.

The Undergraduate Major

Curriculum | Majors | Internships & Independent Study
Academic Forms | Career/Academic Opportunities
Transferring from Another College or University

The Curriculum
The undergraduate curriculum in the Stockbridge School of Agriculture has been designed with the goal of allowing students to tailor their course work to best reflect individual academic interests and career objectives. The majors encompass a broad range of related disciplines dealing with applied biology and the environment, Horticulture, Sustainable Food & Farming, and Turfgrass Science & Management.
Students begin their studies with introductory classes in the major and with general education courses required of all University students. These initial courses, which include biology, chemistry, ecology and mathematics, form the foundation for more advanced study in the major. The exact sequence of courses is determined by the student's selection of one of the four majors. Independent studies and internships are available under each of the majors, providing students with the opportunity to integrate laboratory and field work into their curriculum.
Majors will complete a minimum of 30 course credits taken within the Stockbridge School of Agriculture. Specific course requirements vary by major.

Internships and Independent Study

Students are encouraged to enhance their programs of study with an Internship experience and/or an Independent Study research project. These opportunities provide students with experience and training that will be useful in career planning as well as in decision-making about fields of possible graduate study. Students must have attained at least sophomore status and be in good academic standing in order to enroll in an Internship or Independent Study. Although the number of credits from Independent Study and Internship is restricted to 6 within the major, the University allows up to 18 credits of Internship to be applied toward the 120 credits required for graduation.

Internships: An Internship is a summer or semester-long work experience which allows students to “apprentice” with professionals in their field. Internships are intended to be a learning experience, and do not necessarily provide significant monetary compensation. Instead, academic credits are earned. Students can earn 12 credits for a full time, semester long internship experience and 3 to 9 credits for a summer program. Prior to undertaking an Internship, an Academic Contract (Independent Study/Practicum form) must be completed by the student and his/her faculty sponsor including planned activities, a statement of objectives, as well as criteria for evaluation and grading.
Independent Study: Students wishing to complete a research project or independent learning project must select a faculty member within the Stockbridge School who will approve the project and provide guidance. An Independent Study Form must be completed which specifies the number of credits to be earned, a statement of objectives, planned activities, and criteria to be used for evaluation and grading. This form must be filed with the Stockbridge School Office before the project is initiated.

Academic Forms
INDEPENDENT STUDY/PRACTICUM CONTRACT
OVERRIDE FORM
REQUIREMENT EXCEPTION FORM
PRIOR APPROVAL FOR TRANSFER COURSE WORK FORM

Career and Graduate School Opportunities
Stockbridge School of Agriculture graduates are highly employable within their field of specialization. Our graduates are working in environmental consulting, agronomic and horticultural crop production, secondary school instruction, and golf course and parks management, for example. Recent school graduates are employed as:
Scientists, research technicians, and environmental consultants
Growers of ornamental and edible crops
Regulatory officials
Sales representatives of agricultural products
Managers of golf courses, parks, garden centers, greenhouses, and nurseries
Teachers of vocational agricultural and high-school biology
A significant number of our graduates continue working towards advanced degrees which provide additional opportunities in research, teaching, consulting and public service in their chosen area of specialization. Recent graduates are presently enrolled in M.S. and Ph.D. programs studying organismal and evolutionary biology, developmental plant biology, plant pathology, environmental soil chemistry, and wetland science, just to name a few.
Transferring From Another College or University?
Students interested in transferring to the University should have taken courses in a variety of disciplines (including writing/composition, humanities, social sciences, mathematics, and natural sciences). The Stockbridge School of Agriculture majors requires more than 60 semester credit hours of plant and soil sciences or related course work, so early transfer is recommended to avoid delay of graduation. We recommend that prospective transfer students contact our Undergraduate Program Office as early as possible to discuss appropriate transfer course work.
Interested? Please contact:
William L. Mitchell
Office of Undergraduate Affairs
wmitchell@cns.umass.edu
121 Stockbridge Hall
(413) 545-2222