Agricultural & Environmental Technology, Bachelor of Science College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences

The technological transformation of agriculture that began more than a century ago continues with recent advances made in sensing, data management, information processing, communications, control, modeling and simulation, gene manipulation, automation, artificial intelligence, and robotics that can radically alter resource demand and improve environmental, social and economic sustainability when appropriately implemented.

The Agricultural & Environmental Technology (AET) major aims to bridge the disciplines of agriculture, management, technology, and applied engineering, and to train students in integrating technology, leadership and design in solving complex problems in the agricultural and environmental sciences.

A key aspect of the major is to help students develop an understanding of how the next generation of technologies (including cyber‐physical and knowledge‐based) interact with animals, plants, and their environments, and technologies for the production and management of bio‐based products and sustainable food, feed, fiber, and energy.

The Program

Learn how to integrate the next generation of technologies such as big data, robotics, digital technology, AI and machine learning for more advanced, efficient and sustainable food, fiber and energy production. 

Students specialize within the major through selection of a track. Tracks are regularly reviewed and updated by program faculty to ensure relevancy to current societal needs. We offer tracks in Digital Agriculture, Bioproducts and Wearable Technologies, Energy and Environment. Students choose one of the three tracks, and in the Digital Agriculture track, they also choose an area of emphasis.

As a new major, courses are still in the process of being approved. These are notated as "Pending" in the requirements. Please contact the staff advisor for more information.  

Career Alternatives

Graduates of the AET major will gain technical skills and experience in technology systems management, bio‐based product innovation, environmental quality, energy efficiency, power systems, the next generation of smart agricultural machinery, GIS/GPS remote sensing and geo‐informatics‐based control, irrigation and water control, precision agriculture and other features of the diverse developing technologies in agriculture.

Opportunities for employment include managers and entrepreneurs to bridge between science, engineering and application, skilled operators to interface with smart machines and smart technologies, and scholars and educators to help train others.

Graduate study for the AET student may lead to M.S. or Ph.D. degrees in agricultural technology, data science, agriculture and life sciences, and related fields such as bioproducts, plant science, environmental science and policy, agricultural chemistry, and biochemistry.

Advising

Staff Advisor. The Advising Center for the AET major is located in 1204 Robert Mondavi Institute (RMI), South Building; bftvadvising@ucdavis.edu

Lead Faculty Advisor. Ali Moghimi, Ph.D.

The major requirements below are in addition to meeting University Degree Requirements & College Degree Requirements; unless otherwise noted. The minimum number of units required for the Agricultural & Environmental Technology Bachelor of Science is 86.

Preparatory Subject Matter
Accounting4
Elementary Accounting
Agricultural & Environmental Technology7
Introduction to Agricultural & Environmental Technologies
Mobile Communication & Computing Technologies for Agriculture & the Environment
Chemistry10
General Chemistry
General Chemistry
Communication4
Introduction to Public Speaking
Economics8
Principles of Microeconomics
Principles of Microeconomics
Principles of Microeconomics
Principles of Macroeconomics
Principles of Macroeconomics
Geology 4
The Earth
Mathematics12
Calculus for Biology & Medicine
Calculus
Calculus for Biology & Medicine
Calculus
Calculus for Biology & Medicine
Calculus
Physics6
Principles of Physics
Principles of Physics
Statistics4
Elementary Statistics
Elementary Statistics
Preparatory Subject Matter Subtotal59
Depth Subject Matter
Agricultural & Environmental Technology8
Smart Control Systems for Agricultural & Environmental Technologies
TAE 180
(Pending Approval)
Management; choose 15 units:15
Intermediate Microeconomics: Theory of Production & Consumption
Water Science & Management
Managing & Using Information Technology
Marketing for the Technology-Based Enterprise
Technology Management
Writing; choose one:4
Advanced Composition
Advanced Composition
Advanced Composition
Writing in the Disciplines: Environmental Writing
Writing in the Professions: Business Writing
Writing in the Professions: Business Writing
Writing in the Professions: Business Writing
Writing in the Professions: Science
Writing in the Professions: Technical Writing
Depth Subject Matter Subtotal27
Total Units86

Tracks

Bioproducts & Wearable Technologies

Bioproducts & Wearable Technologies62
Agricultural & Environmental Technology16
Introduction to Wearable Materials & Bioproducts
TAE 130A
(Pending Approval)
TAE 130B
(Pending Approval)
TAE 130C
(Pending Approval)
Chemistry17
General Chemistry
Organic Chemistry for Health & Life Sciences
Organic Chemistry for Health & Life Sciences
Organic Chemistry for Health & Life Sciences
Design4
History of Fashion
Management4
Fundamentals of Marketing Management
Social Science9
Cultural Anthropology
Self & Society
Restricted Electives12
Choose 12 units if not previously chosen for Depth Subject Matter Requirements:
Internship in Agricultural & Environmental Technology
Special Study for Lower Division Students
TAE 170A
(Pending Approval)
TAE 170B
(Pending Approval)
Internship in Agricultural & Environmental Technology
Special Study for Upper Division Students (Pending Approval; May be taught abroad)
Intermediate Microeconomics: Imperfect Competition, Markets & Welfare Economics
Fundamentals of Organization Management
Managerial Marketing
Operations Research & Management Science
Energy, Materials, & Design Over Time
Introduction to Structural Design for Fashion
Sustainable Design
Design & Wearable Technology
Managing & Using Information Technology
Marketing for the Technology-Based Enterprise
Financing New Business Ventures
Management Accounting & Control
Supply Chain Planning & Management
Total Units124

Note: For students considering graduate study in Bioproducts, the following additional preparatory subject matter is recommended; substitute PHY 007A & PHY 007B for PHY 001A & PHY 001B.

Physical Chemistry6
Physical Chemistry for the Life Sciences
Physical Chemistry for the Life Sciences
Physics 12
General Physics
General Physics
General Physics

Digital Agriculture

Digital Agriculture62
Agricultural & Environmental Technology7
HYD 006
(Pending Approval)
TAE 060
(Pending Approval)
Biology10
Introduction to Biology: Essentials of Life on Earth
Introduction to Biology: Principles of Ecology & Evolution
Geographic Information Systems4
Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (or TAE 150 Pending Approval)
Management; choose 4 units if not chosen previously from Depth Subject Matter Requirements:4
Fundamentals of Organization Management
Fundamentals of Marketing Management
Agricultural Policy
Economics of Agricultural Sustainability
Farm Management
Managing & Using Information Technology
Marketing for the Technology-Based Enterprise
Technology Management
Philosophy4
Minds, Brains, & Computers with Discussion
Science & Society; choose three units:3
Feeding the World: Influences on the Global Food Supply
Feeding the World: Influences on the Global Food Supply
SAS 004
(Discontinued)
Water In Popular Culture
Water Quality at Risk
Crisis in the Environment
Water, Power, Society
Plants & Society
Forests & Society
Genetics & Society
Global Climate Change: Convergence of Biological, Geophysical, & Social Sciences
Global Climate Change: Convergence of Biological, Geophysical, & Social Sciences

Emphasis

Digital Agricultural track students must choose one of the following three emphases:

Animal Agriculture Emphasis
Animal Agriculture Emphasis30
Required Courses21
Choose 3 units:3
Introductory Horse Husbandry
Domestic Animal Production
Domestic Animal Production Laboratory
Introductory Companion Animal Biology
Choose 5 units:5
Animal Physiology
Systemic Physiology
ANS 103Animal Welfare4
ANS 104Principles & Applications of Domestic Animal Behavior4
NPB 121Physiology of Reproduction4
NPB 121LPhysiology of Reproduction Laboratory1
Restricted Electives9
Choose 9 units: 19
Internship in Agricultural & Environmental Technology
Special Study for Lower Division Students
Internship in Agricultural & Environmental Technology
Special Study for Upper Division Students (Pending Approval; May be taught abroad)
Water Quality Management for Aquaculture
Genetics & Animal Breeding
Advanced Horse Production
Equine Exercise Physiology
Equine Nutrition
Equine Enterprise Management
Pig & Poultry Care & Management
Beef Cattle & Sheep Production
Dairy Cattle Production
Enterprise Analysis in Animal Industries
Avian Development & Genomics
Genes & Gene Expression
Animal Nutrition
1

Note that some ANS and ANG courses require ANS 015, ANS 041, BIS 101 and/or NUT 115 as prerequisites. Students choosing these courses should take the required prerequisites as part of their required courses or restricted electives accordingly.

Plant Agriculture Emphasis
Plant Agriculture Emphasis 30
Required Courses13
Choose 4 units:4
Introduction to Biology: Biodiversity & the Tree of Life
Botany & Physiology of Cultivated Plants
Choose 9 or 10 units:9-10
Metabolic Processes of Cultivated Plants
Growth & Yield of Cultivated Plants
Environmental Interactions of Cultivated Plants
OR
Genes & Gene Expression
Plant Growth & Development
Molecular & Cellular Biology of Plants
Restricted Electives17
Choose 17 units:17
Environmental Analysis Using GIS
Internship in Agricultural & Environmental Technology
Special Study for Lower Division Students
Internship in Agricultural & Environmental Technology
Special Study for Upper Division Students (Pending Approval; May be taught abroad)
BIS 101 Genes & Gene Expression (4)
Principles of Plant Biotechnology
Plant Genetics & Biotechnology Laboratory
Greenhouse & Nursery Crop Production
Genetics & Plant Conservation: The Biodiversity Crisis
Food Microbiology
Principles of Quality Assurance in Food Processing
Food Packaging
Plant-Water-Soil Relationships
PLB/PLS 102
(Discontinued)
PLB/EVE 108
(Discontinued)
Plant Ecology
Population Biology of Invasive Plants & Weeds
Evolution of Crop Plants
Introductory Mycology
Introduction to Plant Pathology
PLP 140
(Discontinued)
Metabolic Processes of Cultivated Plants Laboratory
Growth & Yield of Cultivated Plants Laboratory
Environmental Interactions of Cultivated Plants Laboratory
Agriculture & the Environment
Concepts in Pest Management
Crop Management Systems for Vegetable Production
Forage Crop Production
Biological Applications in Fruit Tree Management
Biological Applications in Fruit Production
Ethnobotany
California Plant Communities
California Plant Communities Field Study
Plant Genetics
Introduction to Plant Breeding
Fruit & Nut Cropping Systems
Fruit & Nut Cropping Systems
Principles & Practices of Plant Propagation
Biology and Quality of Harvested Crops
PLS 173
(Discontinued)
Microbiology & Safety of Fresh Fruits & Vegetables
Introduction to Weed Science
PLS 196
(Discontinued)
Principles of Soil Science
Individualized Emphasis Option
Individualized Emphasis Option30
Choose a minimum of 30 upper division units, with approval from a faculty advisor, to form a coherent program of study resulting in expertise and competence in a sub-discipline of courses in the College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences

Energy & Environmental Technology

Energy & Environmental Technology62
Agricultural & Environmental Technology20
Sustainable Energy Technologies
TAE 128
(Pending Approval)
Engine Technology (or TAE 125 Pending Approval)
Animal Housing & Environment Management
Controlled Environments for Plants & Animals
Path to Zero Net Energy (or TAE 212 Pending Approval)
Geographic Information Systems & Remote Sensing11
Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (or TAE 150 Pending Approval)
Environmental Analysis Using GIS (or TAE 182 Pending Approval)
Environmental Monitoring
Environmental Remote Sensing
Science, Management, & Policy15
Choose 15 units; if not chosen previously for Depth Subject Matter Requirements15
Modern Climate Change
Global Environmental Interactions
Principles of Environmental Science
Energy Policy
Natural Resource Economics
Energy Economics
Managing & Using Information Technology
Marketing for the Technology-Based Enterprise
Restricted Electives16
Internship in Agricultural & Environmental Technology
Special Study for Lower Division Students
Internship in Agricultural & Environmental Technology
Special Study for Upper Division Students (Pending Approval; May be taught abroad)
Global Climate Change
Introduction to Biology: Essentials of Life on Earth
Bioenergetics & Metabolism
Biomolecules & Metabolism
General Chemistry
Organic Chemistry for Health & Life Sciences
Sustainable Design
Lighting Technology & Design
Designing with Light–Industrial Design
Daylighting & Interior Design
Materials & Methods in Interior Design
Greenhouse & Nursery Crop Production
Water Quality at Risk
Principles of Hydrologic Science
Water Science & Management
Air as a Resource
Environmental Analysis
Marine Environmental Issues
Oceanography
Energy & Environmental Aspects of Transportation
Climate Policy
Ocean & Coastal Policy
Environmental Impact Assessment
Role & Applications of Toxicology in Modern Industry
Environmental Toxicology of Air Pollutants
Health Risk Assessment of Toxicants
Legal Aspects of Environmental Toxicology
Exposure & Dose Assessment
Malting & Brewing Science
Food Microbiology
Food Processing
Introduction to Enzymology
Energy & the Environment
Energy & the Environment
Non-Renewable Natural Resources
Sustainable Development: Theory & Practice
Green Building, Design, & Materials
Financing New Business Ventures
Management Accounting & Control
Supply Chain Planning & Management
Physics of California
Physics of California
Thermodynamics & Statistical Mechanics
Introduction to Nuclear Physics
Nuclear Physics, Extensions & Applications
Metabolic Processes of Cultivated Plants
Agriculture & the Environment
Urban Ecology
Climate Change & Politics
The Politics of Energy
Plants & Society
Global Climate Change: Convergence of Biological, Geophysical, & Social Sciences
Global Climate Change: Convergence of Biological, Geophysical, & Social Sciences
Energy, Materials, & Design Over Time
Sociology of the Environment
Soils in Our Environment
Principles of Soil Science
Environmental Soil Chemistry
Physiological Ecology of Wildlife
Marine Conservation Science
Climate Change Ecology

Agricultural & Environmental Technology (TAE)

TAE 010 — Introduction to Agricultural & Environmental Technologies (3 units)

Course Description: Technologies of agriculture and the environmental sciences. History & revolution of industrial technology and its impacts on agriculture, environment, energy, and bioproducts; types of sensing technologies; communication and information transfer technologies; artificial intelligence, technologies for control of automatic processes; technologies for the production of food, bioproducts, clean energy and water purification; gene-editing technology; wearable technologies.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture 2 hour(s); Discussion 1 hour(s).
  • Enrollment Restriction(s): Pass One restricted to Agricultural & Environmental Technologies majors and students in College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Oral Skills (OL).

TAE 014 — Introduction to Wearable Materials & Bioproducts (4 units)

Course Description: Technical terminologies describing chemical structures and properties of polymers, biopolymers, fibers and fabrics. Introduction to manufacturing processes, colorations, coating, printing, and basic performances of fibers and fabrics, and properties for functional wearable products.

Prerequisite(s): CHE 002B; or consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture 3 hour(s), Discussion/Laboratory 2 hour(s).
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Science & Engineering (SE).

TAE 015 — Agricultural & Wood Framed Structures (3 units)

Course Description: Construction technologies for small farms. Design and construction of typical farm structures utilizing CAD, common construction tools and techniques while exploring the effects of wood properties on structures.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture/Lab 3 hour(s), Lecture 1 hour(s); Extensive Problem Solving.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Science & Engineering (SE); Oral Skills (OL); Visual Literacy (VL);

TAE 020 — Sustainable Energy Technologies (4 units)

Course Description: Sustainable and efficient energy technologies and their application in agriculture and other sectors. Basic principles of energy efficiency, conservation, and conversion technologies using solar, wind, water, biomass, geothermal, and other renewable sources. Environmental impacts and energy policy. Experiential learning about solar drying, controlled environment agriculture, net-zero energy building, electricity generation, energy storage, biofuels, and integrated waste management; field visits.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture/Discussion 3 hour(s), Lecture/Lab 3 hour(s).
  • Enrollment Restriction(s): Pass One restricted to Agricultural & Environmental Technology and Biological Systems Engineering students.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Science & Engineering (SE); Quantitative Literacy (QL).

TAE 030 — Mobile Communication & Computing Technologies for Agriculture & the Environment (4 units)

Course Description: Modern computer technologies and the applications of sensing technologies and the Internet of Things (IoT) in agriculture and the environment. IoT and embedded devices; history and evolution of IoT, communication, and computing technologies; sensors and actuators; microcontrollers; data communication technology; introduction to data analysis and data visualization; designing web applications; and hands‐on IoT-based projects.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture 2 hour(s), Discussion 1 hour(s), Laboratory 3 hour(s).
  • Enrollment Restriction(s): Pass One restricted to students in the College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Quantitative Literacy (QL); Visual Literacy (VL).

TAE 092 — Internship in Agricultural & Environmental Technology (1-12 units)

Course Description: Supervised internship in agricultural and environmental technology.

Prerequisite(s): Consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Internship 3-36 hour(s).
  • Repeat Credit: May be repeated 12 unit(s).
  • Grade Mode: P/NP only.

TAE 098 — Directed Group Study (1-5 units)

Course Description: Directed group study.

Prerequisite(s): Consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Variable 1-5 hour(s).
  • Repeat Credit: May be repeated.
  • Grade Mode: Pass/No Pass only.
  • General Education: Science & Engineering (SE).

TAE 099 — Special Study for Lower Division Students (1-5 units)

Course Description: Special study for lower division students.

Prerequisite(s): Consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Variable.
  • Grade Mode: Pass/No Pass only.
  • General Education: Science & Engineering (SE).

TAE 100 — Smart Control Systems for Agricultural & Environmental Technologies (4 units)

Course Description: Smart devices that communicate, sense their environment, and control their environment. Application examples include smart plant & animal care, and irrigation & fertigation. Technologies include Supervisory Control & Data Acquisition (SCADA) and Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) for applications in agricultural, environmental, and food sciences.

Prerequisite(s): Upper division standing; TAE 030 recommended.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture 2 hour(s), Discussion/Laboratory 2 hour(s).
  • Enrollment Restriction(s): Pass One restricted to Agricultural & Environmental Technology majors.
  • Credit Limitation(s): Only 3 units of credit if the student has taken EME 172 or EEC 157A or EEC 157AV or EEC 157B or EEC 157BY.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.

TAE 121 — Controlled Environments for Plants & Animals (4 units)

Course Description: Principles of environmental control (temperature, humidity, lighting, CO2, air circulation, air quality) for plants and animals. Psychrometrics and applications. Energy-efficient building envelopes for greenhouses, vertical farmings, and animal barns. Heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems, lighting and CO2 enrichment systems, growing substrates, and irrigation systems. Control systems (sensors and sensing for automated control). Visiting controlled environment facilities.

Prerequisite(s): Upper division standing in Agricultural Environmental Technology; or consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Lecture/Discussion 3 hour(s); Laboratory 3 hour(s).
  • Enrollment Restriction(s): Pass One restricted to Agricultural & Environmental Technology or Biological Systems Engineering majors only.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • General Education: Science & Engineering (SE); Quantitative Literacy (QL); Writing Experience (WE).

TAE 192 — Internship in Agricultural & Environmental Technology (1-12 units)

Course Description: Supervised internship in agricultural and environmental technology.

Prerequisite(s): Consent of instructor; approval of project prior to period of internship.

  • Learning Activities: Internship 3-36 hour(s).
  • Enrollment Restriction(s): Restricted to upper division students.
  • Repeat Credit: May be repeated.
  • Grade Mode: Pass/No Pass only.

TAE 198 — Directed Group Study (1-5 units)

This version has ended; see updated course, below.
Course Description: Directed group study.>

Prerequisite(s): Consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Variable.
  • Repeat Credit: May be repeated.
  • Grade Mode: Pass/No Pass only.
  • General Education: Science & Engineering (SE).
  • TAE 198 — Directed Group Study (1-5 units)
  • Course Description: Directed group study. May be taught abroad.
  • Prerequisite(s): Consent of instructor.
  • Learning Activities: Variable.
  • Repeat Credit: May be repeated.
  • Grade Mode: Pass/No Pass only.
  • General Education: Science & Engineering (SE).
  • This course version is effective from, and including: Fall Quarter 2024.

TAE 199 — Special Study for Upper Division Students (1-5 units)

This version has ended; see updated course, below.
Course Description: Special study for advanced undergraduates.

Prerequisite(s): Consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Variable.
  • Grade Mode: Pass/No Pass only.
  • General Education: Science & Engineering (SE).
  • TAE 199 — Special Study for Upper Division Students (1-5 units)
  • Course Description: Special study for advanced undergraduates. May be taught abroad.
  • Prerequisite(s): Consent of instructor.
  • Learning Activities: Variable.
  • Grade Mode: Pass/No Pass only.
  • General Education: Science & Engineering (SE).
  • This course version is effective from, and including: Fall Quarter 2024.