Agricultural Business Development B.B.A., Major #1914
Agricultural Business Development is a ThinkPad University curriculum in which the use of Laptop computers is integrated into courses.
Agribusiness is the coordination of all activities that contribute to the production, processing, marketing, distribution, financing and development of agricultural commodities and resources. This includes food, fiber, wood products, natural resources, horticulture, and other plant and animal products and services. Agribusiness is a high-tech industry that uses satellite systems, computer databases and spreadsheets, biotechnology, and many other innovations to increase efficiency and profitability.
Students enrolled in the program will develop the management skills (both technical and soft) to make effective decisions relating to agricultural labor, finance and markets. The coursework includes a strong agriculture and business based curriculum that emphasizes management application to large and small scale agribusiness as well as non-profit organizations. These business/organizations may include but are not limited to food production, distribution, value added, production agriculture, the United States Department of Agriculture, and non-governmental organizations.
According to the USDA 60,000 high-skilled agricultural job openings are expected annually in the U.S., yet only 35,000 graduates are available to fill the jobs. Expected strong employment opportunities exist for: technical sales representatives, food brokers, accountants, financial managers, market analysts, fruit and vegetable marketing representatives, sales managers, small animal health care distribution and international business specialists.
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to:
Create and successfully operate their own agricultural enterprise given the limited resources often available within the rural economy.
Seek financing and maintain positive relationships with creditors and financial institutions.
Identify market opportunity and successfully utilize the opportunity to improve farm-level profitability.
Form, create and maintain effective relationships with the non-agriculture community.
Develop, manage and maintain and effective interpersonal skills in the corporate and family business setting.
Question, investigate, analyze, evaluate, and communicate in agribusiness
Interact with peers toward the accomplishment of effectively collaborating with agribusiness peers
Adapt to a constantly changing agribusiness environment, and identify realistic goals and inventions for short- and long -term business planning
Assess the range of one’s abilities, accept responsibility for setting realistic goals, and implement a plan for personal and professional well-being
Curriculum Requirements - 120 Credits
Course | Credits |
|---|---|
AGBS 100 - Intro to Agricultural Economics OR AGBS 225 - Environmental Economics | 3 |
AGBS 110 - Introduction to Food and Agribusiness (students who have completed AGBS 240 are not required to enroll in AGBS 110) | 3 |
AGBS 200 - Marketing Agricultural Products | 3 |
AGBS 240 - Farm Management & Finance | 3 |
AGBS 305 - Agricultural Lending & Decisions | 3 |
AGBS 350 - Agricultural Business Development | 3 |
AGBS 400 - Market Distribution of Agricultural Products | 4 |
AGBS 405 - Capstone for Farm Managers & Rural Entrepreneurs | 3 |
AGBS 450 - Agricultural Policy | 3 |
AGBS 480 - Retailing of Agricultural Products | 3 |
RREN 450 - Internship Orientation | 1 |
AGBS 470 - Internship in Agricultural Business | 15 |
ACCT - Accounting as Advised | 3 |
CITA 101 - Principles of Computer Applications OR AGSC 132 - Intro to Computer Applications in Precision Farming OR OFFT 110 - Intro to Spreadsheet Software (1 credit) AND OFFT 100 0r 106 or 109 (1 credit) | 2-3 |
BSAD 221 - Business Statistics OR AGSC 137 - Agricultural Statistics OR MATH 123 - Elementary Statistics OR MATH 141 - Statistics | 3-4 |
COMP 101 - Composition and Research | 3 |
COMP 102 - Writing About Literature | 3 |
Foreign Language as Advised | 3 |
Mathematics as Advised (If students do not complete MATH 123 or MATH 141, they must complete through MATH 102) | 3 |
Additional Liberal Arts & Sciences Credits as Advised | 18 |
100-200 Lower Level Credits as Advised* | 10 |
300-400 Upper Level Credits as Advised* | 10 |
Upper or Lower Level Credits as Advised* | 9 |
| |
Suggested Course Sequence | |
Year 1/Fall - 15 Credits | |
AGBS 100 - Intro to Agricultural Economics | 3 |
MATH - Mathematics as Advised | 3 |
COMP 101 - Composition and Research | 3 |
Liberal Arts & Sciences as Advised | 3 |
100 - 200 Lower Level Elective as Advised | 3 |
Year 1/Spring – 14 credits | |
AGBS 200 - Marketing of Agricultural Products | 3 |
COMP 102 - Writing About Literature | 3 |
OFFT 110 - Introduction to Spreadsheet Software | 1 |
OFFT 100 - Introduction to Word Processing Software | 1 |
100-200 Lower Level Elective as Advised | 3 |
Liberal Arts & Sciences as Advised | 4 |
Year 2/Fall – 13 credits | |
AGBS 240 - Farm Management & Finance | 4 |
ACCT - Accounting as Advised | 3 |
100-200 Lower Level Elective as Advised | 3 |
Liberal Arts and Sciences as Advised | 3 |
Year 2/Spring – 15 credits | |
AGBS 350 - Agricultural Business Development | 3 |
BSAD - Business Course as Advised | 3 |
100-400 Level Electives as Advised | 6 |
Liberal Arts and Sciences as Advised | 3 |
Year 3/Fall – 16 credits | |
AGBS 400 - Marketing & Distribution of Agricultural Products | 4 |
AGBS 305 - Agricultural Lending & Decision Making | 3 |
100-200 Lower Level Elective as Advised | 3 |
300-400 Upper Level Elective as Advised | 3 |
Liberal Arts and Sciences as Advised | 3 |
Year 3/Spring – 17 credits | |
AGBS 405 - Agricultural Policy | 3 |
AGBS 480 - Retailing of Agricultural Products | 3 |
100 - 200 Lower Level Elective as Advised | 2 |
300-400 Upper Level Electives as Advised | 6 |
Liberal Arts and Sciences as Advised | 3 |
Year 4/Fall – 15 credits | |
AGBS 405 - Capstone in Agricultural & Rural Entrepreneurship | 3 |
100-200 Lower Level Elective as Advised | 3 |
300-400 Upper Level Elective as Advised | 3 |
Liberal Arts and Sciences as Advised | 3 |
General Elective as Advised | 3 |
Year 4/Spring – 15 credits | |
AGBS 470 - Internship in Agricultural Business | 15 |