AGRICULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
Davis College of Agriculture, Forestry & Consumer Sciences
This program is designed to prepare students for entry into agricultural teaching, extension, environmental technology, or other professional employment in government, industry, training, entrepreneurship, and/or development. Flexibility is a feature of the program, since majors are able to develop programs emphasizing teacher preparation, environmental technology, or communications and leadership.
Agriculture Teacher Education: Assists in the economic and social development of a community, while helping students become involved and established in production agriculture and off-farm occupations that require agricultural knowledge and skills. Students completing this program will meet requirements for certification by the West Virginia Department of Education and may be qualified to teach production and management, agricultural mechanics, conservation and forestry, and horticulture.
Communication and Leadership: Emphasizes human resources management and the development of leadership capabilities. Persons who wish to work for the Extension Service as agricultural or 4-H agents, or to be employed in government, business, or industry where agricultural and environmental training coupled with communications and leadership skills is valuable, may find this emphasis beneficial.
Agricultural and Environmental Technology: Offers broad training in agricultural and environmental technology as well as specialized instruction in areas of solid waste management, composting science, water quality management, turf irrigation, basic shop skills, electricity, and agricultural power. Employment opportunities exist with federal, state, county, and municipal agencies and private companies where knowledge of technology related to the environment is required.

 

Admission
Students who meet University admission requirements will be accepted directly into the Davis College as Agricultural and Environmental Education majors.

Curriculum
While pursuing a bachelor of science in Agriculture and following the Agricultural and Environmental Education curriculum, all majors must complete a minimum of 45 credit hours of courses in the Davis College with course work in animal science, plant science, soil science, agricultural and resource economics, and forest management. Those who intend to teach must also complete teacher preparation courses including student teaching. Additionally, restricted electives and the general education and liberal studies courses are required of all students.

After completing the teacher preparation program, students are eligible for certification by the West Virginia Department of Education. Eligibility for student teaching as well as certification depends on student qualifications: at least a 2.5 cumulative grade point average, passage of certain competency tests, and completion of the required professional education courses.

Individuals who work in the Cooperative Extension Service are involved in educating youths and adults. If a specialization in extension education is chosen, course work should include instruction in group organization and leadership, principles of cooperative extension, and methods and materials in extension education.

Accreditation
West Virginia University is fully accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. The Agricultural and Environmental Education program is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.

Service Opportunities
Students in Agricultural and Environmental Education have unlimited opportunities for service and professional development. The program sponsors the Mountaineer Collegiate FFA Chapter and Alpha Tau Alpha, the National Honorary for Agricultural Education. Service learning, internships, and experimental learning are available through cooperative agreements with public, private, and government agencies.

Career Opportunities
Graduates have entered positions in teaching, extension work, the West Virginia Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and state and municipal environmental management agencies; others have entered the private sector or have become entrepreneurs in farming, landscaping, etc.

Graduate School Opportunities
The Davis College offers twelve programs at the master's level. It currently offers three doctoral programs that can lead to teaching in higher education, federal and state government positions, and scientific research.

Salary Ranges
Teaching and extension service salaries range from $30,000 to $40,000, as do salaries for those entering work in environmental agencies. Governmental service salaries begin at about $25,000 but advance rapidly.

Course Work

Courses
English composition and rhetoric
Fine arts and humanities (Cluster A)
Social and behavioral sciences (Cluster B)
Natural sciences and mathematics (Cluster C)
(four hours biology; four hours chemistry; three hours algebra)
Courses in Agriculture, Forestry, and Consumer Sciences
Restricted science electives
Option requirements and electives*

Total

Hours
6
12
12
12

45
6
43

136
*Electives include the professional education courses for majors pursuing teacher certification as well as suggested courses in extension education and agricultural mechanization for students pursuing those options. See the current WVU Undergraduate Catalog for complete course descriptions.


For more information contact Layle D. Lawrence, at (304) 293-4832 ext. 4482, Layle.Lawrence@mail.wvu.edu, or visit the website at www.cafcs.wvu.edu/majors/undergrad/agee.html.

 

The Davis College has 18 undergraduate major fields of study which are divided into five academic divisions: Animal and Veterinary Sciences; Family and Consumer Sciences; Forestry; Plant and Soil Sciences; and Resource Management. The excellent instructional facilities of the Davis College offer students many learning opportunities. The Agricultural Sciences Building contains most offices, classrooms, and laboratories for agricultural programs. Percvial Hall houses the Division of Forestry's offices, classrooms, and laboratories, including the wood processing facilities. In Allen Hall, Family and Consumer Science classes are held, and the laboratory nursery school is located on the Evansdale Campus. Maintaining eight farms, two campus greenhouses, and more than 8,000 acres of forest land for teaching and research, the Davis College offers students a variety of educational opportunities with hands on experiences.

Students in the Davis College are offered fields of study that complement various careers. The study of ecology is interwoven throughout the courses to offer students the education necessary for careers emphasizing the protection of environmental quality and the management, utilization, and conservation of our soil, water, forests, wildlife, domestic animals, food, and fiber.

Majors in the Davis College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Consumer Sciences
Agribusiness Management & Rural Development: B
Agricultural & Environmental Education: B, M
Agricultural Resource Economics: M
Agricultural Education: M
Agriculture, Forestry, & Consumer Sciences: M
Agronomy: B, M
Animal & Food Sciences: D
Animal & Veterinary Sciences: B, M
Basic Sciences: B
Biochemistry: B
Child Development & Family Studies: B
Entomology: M
Environmental Microbiology: M
Environmental & Natural Resource Economics: B
Environmental Protection: B
Family and Consumer Sciences: M
Forest Resources Management: B
Forest Resources Science: D
Forestry: M
Genetics & Developmental Biology: M, D
Horticulture: B, M
Human Nutrition & Foods: B
Interior Design: B
Landscape Architecture: B
Natural Resource Economics: D
Plant Pathology: M
Plant & Soil Sciences: D
Recreation, Parks, & Tourism Resources: B, M
Reproductive Physiology: M, D
Textiles, Apparel & Merchandising: B
Wildlife & Fisheries Resources: B, M
Wood Industries: B
B=Bachelor's; M=Master's; D=Doctorate