https://www.uwplatt.edu/department/school-agriculture
Director: Tera Montgomery
Office: 319 Pioneer Tower
Phone: 608.342.1393
E-mail: soa@uwplatt.edu
Majors
Agribusiness Major
- Agribusiness w/Minor
- Commodity and Price Analysis Emphasis
- Management Emphasis
- Communication and Marketing Emphasis
- Agricultural Engineering Technology Emphasis
- International Emphasis
- Comprehensive Emphasis
Agricultural Education Major
- Agricultural Education Major, Comprehensive Emphasis (Teaching)
- Agricultural Education Major, Agricultural Education and Technology Education Dual Licensure
- Agricultural Education Major, General Agriculture Emphasis (Non-Licensure)
Animal Science Major
- Animal Science w/Minor
- Comprehensive Emphasis
- Pre-Veterinary Medicine Emphasis
- Veterinary Technician Emphasis
Dairy Science Major
- Dairy Science w/Minor
- Pre-Veterinary Medicine Emphasis
- Comprehensive Emphasis
Ecological Restoration and Resource Management Major
- Biological Emphasis
- Technical/Physical Emphasis
Environmental Horticulture Major
- Environmental Horticulture w/Minor
- Greenhouse and Garden Center Management Emphasis
- Professional Landscape Management Emphasis
- Plant Breeding and Genetics Emphasis
- International Emphasis
Soil and Crop Science Major
- Soil and Crop Science w/Minor
- Plant Breeding and Biotechnology Emphasis
- Comprehensive Agriculture Emphasis
- International Emphasis
- Agricultural Hydrology and Water Quality Emphasis
- Agronomy Emphasis
- Soil Science Emphasis
Minors
- Agribusiness
- Agricultural and Applied Engineering Management Technology
- Agricultural Hydrology and Water Quality
- Animal Science
- Dairy Science
- Environmental Horticulture
- Soil and Crop Science
Pre-Professional Programs
- Pre-Veterinary Medicine
School of Agriculture Mission
The School of Agriculture at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville is committed to excellence in undergraduate education and research, scholarly and professional activities, and service to the agriculture industry at the state, national and global levels.
School of Agriculture Vision
The School of Agriculture will be recognized as a world leader in undergraduate programs in agriculture, natural resources, and agro-ecology research. We require students to participate in high impact practices such as hands-on activities, internships, cross-cultural or international programming, service learning, research, or other creative activities. Our graduates will be known as professionals with the ability to communicate and creatively apply their knowledge of agriculture to solve problems. Our faculty, staff, and students will be engaged in the discovery and transfer of knowledge through research, and be prepared to anticipate and effectively respond to changes and challenges in agriculture and higher education by partnering with agriculture stakeholders. We will be committed to finding creative ways to identify resources to support our research, educational, outreach and service programs.
Basic Values
To achieve its vision, the School of Agriculture at the UW-Platteville is committed to the following values:
- Development of a diverse and supportive academic community within the School of Agriculture, both on campus and at the Pioneer Farm
- Attract and retain the best possible faculty, staff, and students with diverse backgrounds and perspectives who all share a desire to strive for excellence in their knowledge of agriculture and service to the agriculture industry
- Build respectful and trusting collegial relationships, valuing professional autonomy while emphasizing collaboration and team-building
- Support innovation, entrepreneurialism, and reasonable risk while welcoming change and embracing flexibility
- Celebrate victories by recognizing the accomplishments of individuals and outcomes of collaborations.
- Foster a culture of collective vision, leadership, and public accountability
- Uphold a commitment to the well-being of all programs in the School of Agriculture, UW-Platteville, and the agriculture industry
- Foster communication, transparency, collaboration, and joint decision-making
- Empower faculty and staff by aligning their individual strengths and interests with specific goals and objectives
- Encourage visionary and holistic thinking in executing the shared mission and vision
- Promote student engagement with faculty, staff and each other
- Maintain a balanced focus on students, community, institution and individual disciplines in agriculture and natural resources
- Providing quality education in agriculture and resource management
- Develop engaging curricula that meet the needs of agriculture while helping students develop conceptual, technical, and professional skills
- Ensure that program requirements and curricula in all majors are student-centered, emphasize individual and group learning, prepare students for professional careers in agriculture, and align with the mission and vision of the School of Agriculture
- Seek stakeholder input during curriculum development and implementation
- Conducting quality research in agriculture and sustainable resource management
- Encourage active scholarship by students, staff and faculty
- Actively engage stakeholders for their input during all phases of research and honor public accountability
- Reaching out and serving the agriculture industry and community stakeholders
- Enhance the quality of outreach and service by developing partnerships and improving our engagement with the agricultural community
- Enhance public awareness and support of agriculture and natural resources
- Foster community outreach, service, and leadership
- Developing a culture of critical reflection
- Emphasize individual and collective self-reflection
- Continually evaluate and assess data to monitor program quality objectives
- Securing sufficient resources to support the mission and vision of the School of Agriculture
- Identify and secure resources to recruit, develop, and retain outstanding and diverse faculty, staff, and students as well as support our academic programs, research, outreach and community service endeavors
- Collaborate closely with the UW-Platteville Foundation to identify fundraising objectives and supporters of the School of Agriculture
- Engage stakeholders from the agriculture industry and community in resource acquisition
Programs of Study
Students in the School of Agriculture may choose from seven possible majors: agribusiness; agricultural education; animal science; dairy science; ecological restoration and resource management; environmental horticulture; and soil and crop science. Emphases are available within each program that allow students to specialize their program of study, and an international emphasis is available in agribusiness, environmental horticulture, and soil and crop science for students that desire to extend their education beyond the borders of the United States. Available minors include agribusiness, animal science, biotechnology, environmental horticulture, and soil and crop science. Specific details about these programs are provided with the description of individual programs. Students interested in veterinary medicine may enroll in the pre-veterinary medicine program or work towards a veterinary technician emphasis.
Classroom instruction within the field of agriculture requires experimentation, observation and practical application of scientific principles. Students majoring in agriculture use classroom laboratories and Pioneer Farm, our 430-acre laboratory and demonstration property, for their coursework. All students have the opportunity to observe and apply approved management practices in animal science; feed processing and storage; farm power and machinery; and crops, soils and water conservation. In classroom laboratories, students learn the applications of biotechnology, computer technology and engineering technology in agriculture.
At Pioneer Farm, our activities are centered on a systems approach toward sustainable agriculture and agricultural ecology. Our livestock program includes dairy cattle, beef cattle and swine.
Global positioning systems (precision farming) are used for field crops. Agricultural field machinery and farmstead equipment are available for observation, test and analysis. Opportunities for applied research are also available at Pioneer Farm.
The Pioneer Greenhouse and Gardens Complex consist of an 8,000-square-foot, high-technology greenhouse range and the Dottie and Mansel Johns Pioneer Garden. A classroom equipped with 30 student workstations is located in Pioneer Greenhouse. The Dottie and Mansel Johns Pioneer Garden is an outdoor laboratory composed of theme garden areas that are primarily used by students majoring in environmental horticulture and professional landscape management.
Internship Program
The School of Agriculture internships program offers students an opportunity to experience a career firsthand while earning college credit. Internships are available in all areas of agriculture, including plant and animal breeding, soil conservation, farm equipment and machinery, food processing and canning, farm supply and service, agricultural credit, agricultural engineering, marketing and business management, federal crop insurance, statistical reporting services, plant and animal nutrition, greenhouse and nursery production, landscape design and management, public and private environmental horticulture and farm management. Student internships are obtained by contacting individual businesses and submitting an internship application to the School of Agriculture internship coordinator. Students must register for the Internship Course and satisfactorily complete the program requirements to receive college credit. Students majoring in agribusiness, environmental horticulture, and soil and crop science are required to complete at least one, three-credit internship before graduation. Students in agricultural education are required to complete a student teaching experience before graduation.
School of Agriculture Organizations
All students are encouraged to participate in extracurricular activities such as athletics, music, art, drama, judging teams and student clubs, organizations, and fraternities or sororities. The School of Agriculture supports 18 campus clubs and student organizations as well as competitive judging teams that represent all of our disciplines. These organizations provide practical learning experiences as well as an excellent opportunity to meet people and improve communication and leadership skills.
General Requirements
Bachelor of Science Degree
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Total for graduation | 120 | |
| General education | 44-53 | |
| School of Agriculture core curriculum | 11 | |
| Major studies | 36-60 | |
| Minor studies | 24 | |
School of Agriculture Core Curriculum
All students with a major offered through the School of Agriculture are required to complete requirements in the core areas outlined below:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture Professionalism | ||
| Select at least 2 credits of the following: | 2 | |
| Agribusiness Professional Development I | ||
| Agribusiness Professional Development II | ||
| Materials Handling and Energy Seminar | ||
| Pre-Capstone Seminar in Plant and Soil Sciences | ||
| Capstone Symposium in Animal Science (plus pre-req ANSCI 2990) | ||
| Pre-Student Teaching at Middle/Secondary Level | ||
| Professional Engagement | ||
| Select at least 3 credits of the following: 1 | 3 | |
| Agricultural Business Internship | ||
| Agricultural Education Internship | ||
| Agricultural Engineering Technology Internship | ||
| Animal and Dairy Science Internship | ||
| Ecological Restoration and Resource Management Internship | ||
| Environmental Horticulture Internship | ||
| Soil and Crop Science Internship | ||
| Undergraduate Research in Environmental Horticulture | ||
| Undergraduate Research in Animal Science | ||
| Independent Study | ||
| Student Teaching K-12 2 | ||
| Agriculture Foundation Courses | ||
| Select at least 2 of the following: 3 | 6 | |
| Introduction to Agribusiness | ||
| Equipment, Structure and Power Systems | ||
| Introduction to Animal Science | ||
| Introduction to Ecological Restoration and Resource Management | ||
| Introduction to Plant Science | ||
or ENVHORT 1240 | Introduction to Plant Science | |
| Total Credits | 11 | |
- 1
Internships are required for students majoring in Agribusiness, Environmental Horticulture, and Soils and Crop Science.
- 2
TEACHING 4660 is required for students majoring in Agricultural Education.
- 3
One course must be in the students’ major.
Faculty and Lecturers
Additional information about the Faculty and Lecturers may be found in the Faculty and Academic Instructional Staff section of this catalog.
Baxter, Christopher A.
Bernhardt, Kevin J.
Compton, Michael E.
Crow, Richard L.
Eiseman, Krista R.
Hampton, James H.
Hardyman, Krista A.
Heimerdinger, David W.
Kadjo, Lucie A.
Lammers, Peter J.
Lee, Dawn M.
Montgomery, Tera L.
Pralle, Ryan S.
Reddy, Rami A.
Sanford, Joseph R.
Steiner, Charles R.
Tembei, John N.
Venkateshwaran, Muthusubramanian
Wan, Zifan