Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems, Bachelor of Science College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences
1150 PES; 530-752-1603; Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems
Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems is an interdisciplinary major hosted by the Department of Land, Air, & Water Resources.
The Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (SA&FS) major serves students interested in improving the sustainability of agriculture and food systems. This major prepares graduates to understand the interdisciplinary and systems-based aspects of sustainability and provides them with the knowledge, leadership skills and experiences required to excel in agricultural and food systems professions.
The Program
This program is designed to develop students' competencies for addressing the environmental, social, and economic challenges and opportunities associated with agricultural and food systems sustainability. The program emphasizes an experiential learning approach to sustainability education, allowing students to choose between three tracks within the major. Students in the Agriculture & Ecology track focus on crop and animal production systems, ecology, and practices that mitigate negative impacts while producing environmental and social benefits. Students in the Food & Society track focus on issues related to the social, cultural, political and community development aspects of agriculture and food systems. Students in the Economics & Policy track focus on issues related to agricultural and resource economics, policy and management. The program provides students with practical experiences through courses with on- and off-campus fieldwork and through internship placements at sites related to students' interests and focus of study.
Lead Faculty Advisor
Lead Faculty Advisor. W. Horwath (Land, Air & Water Resources)
Track I Advisor. W. Horwath (Land, Air & Water Resources)
Track II Advisor. R. Galt (Human Ecology), M. Cooper (Human Ecology), C. Cannon (Human Ecology), A. Haven Kiers (Human Ecology), D. de la Pena (Human Ecology)
Track III Advisor. W. Horwath (Land, Air & Water Resources)
Advising Center for the major is located in 1150 PES; 530-752-1603.
Internships & Career Alternatives
Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems students are required to complete an internship in the field before graduation. Internships have been arranged with local, county, & state agricultural agencies, production farms and commercial processors & retailers, domestic & international non-governmental organizations, and rural & urban community development programs. Graduates are prepared to pursue a broad range of careers related to agricultural production & food system management, rural & urban community services, education & development, and agricultural & environmental sciences, as well as careers in agricultural, environmental, and economic policy & analysis. Positions may be in private industry, government and public service agencies and in the non-profit sector, nationally and internationally. The major also prepares students for graduate studies in a wide range of fields related to agriculture and food systems.
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 Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems Bachelor of Science is 135.
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| English Composition Requirement | ||
| See College requirement. | 4-8 | |
(1) Either two courses emphasizing written expression or one course emphasizing written expression and one course emphasizing oral expression, with a grade of C- (or P) or better. The following UC Davis courses satisfy this requirement: | ||
(3) By successfully passing the English Composition Examination administered by the College of Letters & Science upon completion of 70 units of degree credit (the examination does not yield credit). | ||
| English Composition Requirement Subtotal | 4-8 | |
| Core Courses | ||
| Plant Science | ||
| PLS 015 | Introduction to Sustainable Agriculture | 4 |
| Community & Regional Development | ||
| CRD 020 | Food Systems | 4 |
| ANS 112 | Sustainable Animal Agriculture | 3-4 |
| or PLS 150 | Sustainability & Agroecosystem Management | |
| Agricultural & Resource Economics | ||
| ARE 121 | Economics of Agricultural Sustainability | 4 |
| Plant Science | ||
| PLS 190 | Seminar on Alternatives in Agriculture | 2 |
| Environmental Science & Policy | ||
| ESP 191A | Workshop on Food System Sustainability | 3 |
| ESP 191B | Workshop on Food System Sustainability | 3 |
| Core Courses Subtotal | 23-24 | |
| Internship Requirement | ||
| Students must complete at least 8 units of internship, which may be combined off-campus or on-campus units. | 8 | |
| Internship Requirement Subtotal | 8 | |
| Applied Production | ||
| Choose one: | 2-3 | |
| Edible Mushroom Cultivation | ||
| Organic Crop Production Practices | ||
PLS 131 | (Discontinued) | |
| Viticultural Practices | ||
| Viticultural Practices | ||
| Viticultural Practices | ||
| Management of Container Media | ||
| Animal Science | ||
| Choose one: | 2 | |
| Domestic Animal Production Laboratory | ||
| Animal Management Practices: Aquaculture | ||
| Animal Management Practices: Beef | ||
| Animal Management Practices: Dairy | ||
| Animal Management Practices: Goats | ||
| Animal Management Practices: Horses | ||
| Animal Management Practices: Laboratory Animals | ||
| Animal Management Practices: Meats | ||
| Animal Management Practices: Poultry | ||
| Animal Management Practices: Sheep | ||
| Animal Management Practices: Swine | ||
| Choose one: | 2-3 | |
| Field Equipment Operation | ||
| Field Equipment Welding | ||
| Engine Technology | ||
| Equipment & Technology for Small Farms | ||
| Introduction to Food Preservation | ||
| Applied Production Subtotal | 6-8 | |
| Tracks | ||
| Choose one track: | 94-110 | |
| Tracks Subtotal | 94-110 | |
| Total Units | 135-158 | |
Track I: Agriculture & Ecology
Focuses on crop and animal production systems, ecology, and practices that mitigate negative impacts while producing environmental and social benefits.
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Preparatory Subject Matter | ||
| Mathematics | ||
| MAT 016A | Short Calculus (Discontinued) | 3 |
| MAT 016B | Short Calculus (Discontinued) | 3 |
| PLS 120 | Applied Statistics in Agricultural Sciences | 4 |
| or STA 100 | Applied Statistics for Biological Sciences | |
| Chemistry | ||
| CHE 002A | General Chemistry | 5 |
| CHE 002B | General Chemistry | 5 |
| Physics | ||
| PHY 001A | Principles of Physics | 3 |
| Biological Science | ||
| BIS 002B | Introduction to Biology: Principles of Ecology & Evolution | 5 |
| BIS 002C | Introduction to Biology: Biodiversity & the Tree of Life | 5 |
| Plant Science | ||
| VEN 002 | Introduction to Viticulture | 2 |
| Animal Science | ||
| ANS 001 | Domestic Animals & People | 4 |
| or ANS 002 | Introductory Animal Science | |
| Food Science & Technology | ||
| FST 001 | Principles of Food Science | 3 |
| Economics | ||
| ECN 001A | Principles of Microeconomics | 4 |
| or ECN 001AV | Principles of Microeconomics | |
| or ECN 001AY | Principles of Microeconomics | |
| Community & Regional Development | ||
| CRD 001 | The Community | 4 |
| Philosophy | ||
| Choose one: | 4 | |
| Ethical & Social Problems in Contemporary Society | ||
| Introduction to Bioethics | ||
| Introduction to Ethics | ||
| Choose one: | 4-5 | |
| Cultural Anthropology | ||
| American National Government | ||
or POL 001Y | American National Government | |
| Basic Concepts in Political Theory | ||
| Introduction to Sociology | ||
or SOC 001V | Introduction to Sociology | |
| Social Problems | ||
| Preparatory Subject Matter Subtotal | 58-59 | |
| Depth Subject Matter | ||
| Agricultural & Resource Economics | ||
| Choose one: | 3-4 | |
| Fundamentals of Organization Management | ||
| Agricultural Policy | ||
| Farm & Rural Resources Appraisal | ||
| Resource & Environment Policy Analysis | ||
| Agricultural Labor | ||
| Environmental Science & Policy | ||
| Choose one: | 3-4 | |
| Environmental Law | ||
| Water Policy & Politics | ||
| Water Law | ||
| Soil Science | ||
| SSC 100 | Principles of Soil Science | 4-5 |
| or SSC 109 | Sustainable Nutrient Management | |
| Choose two: | 6-8 | |
| Apiculture | ||
| Irrigation Systems & Water Management | ||
| Concepts in Pest Management | ||
| Principles of Agronomic Crop Production Systems | ||
| Forage Crop Production | ||
| Biological Applications in Fruit Tree Management | ||
| Agroforestry: Global & Local Perspectives | ||
| Principles & Practices of Plant Propagation | ||
| Soil Microbiology | ||
| Soil Ecology | ||
| Additional upper division restricted electives chosen in consultation with the track faculty advisor. | 20 | |
| Depth Subject Matter Subtotal | 36-41 | |
| Total Units | 94-100 | |
Track II: Food & Society
Focuses on issues related to the social, cultural, political and community development aspects of agriculture and food systems.
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Preparatory Subject Matter | ||
| Philosophy | ||
| PHI 005 | Critical Reasoning | 4 |
| or PHI 031 | Appraising Scientific Reasoning | |
| Choose one: | 4 | |
| Ethical & Social Problems in Contemporary Society | ||
| Introduction to Bioethics | ||
| Introduction to Ethics | ||
| Statistics | ||
| STA 013 | Elementary Statistics | 4 |
| or STA 013Y | Elementary Statistics | |
| Choose at least one: | 4-5 | |
| Community Field Research: Theory & Analysis | ||
| Introduction to Geographic Information Systems | ||
| Applied Statistics for Business & Economics | ||
| Intermediate Social Statistics | ||
| Chemistry | ||
| CHE 002A | General Chemistry | 5 |
| Biological Science | ||
| BIS 002A | Introduction to Biology: Essentials of Life on Earth | 4-5 |
| or BIS 010 | Everyday Biology | |
| Plant Science | ||
| PLS 002 | Botany & Physiology of Cultivated Plants | 4 |
| Choose one: | 3-5 | |
| Introduction to Biology: Principles of Ecology & Evolution | ||
| Environmental Analysis | ||
| Wildlife Ecology & Conservation | ||
| Food Science & Technology | ||
| FST 001 | Principles of Food Science | 3 |
| Soil Science | ||
| SSC 010 | Soils in Our Environment | 3 |
| Economics | ||
| ECN 001A | Principles of Microeconomics | 4 |
| or ECN 001AV | Principles of Microeconomics | |
| or ECN 001AY | Principles of Microeconomics | |
| Political Science | ||
| POL 001 | American National Government | 4 |
| or POL 001Y | American National Government | |
| or POL 004 | Basic Concepts in Political Theory | |
| Choose one: | 4-5 | |
| Cultural Anthropology | ||
| Introduction to Sociology | ||
or SOC 001V | Introduction to Sociology | |
| Social Problems | ||
| Community & Regional Development | ||
| CRD 001 | The Community | 4 |
| CRD 002 | (Discontinued) | 4 |
| Preparatory Subject Matter Subtotal | 58-63 | |
| Depth Subject Matter | ||
| Agricultural & Resource Economics | ||
| Choose one: | 4-5 | |
| Fundamentals of Organization Management | ||
| Farm & Rural Resources Appraisal | ||
| Resource & Environment Policy Analysis | ||
| Agricultural Labor | ||
| Choose one: | 3-4 | |
| Environmental Economics | ||
| The Policy Process | ||
| Environmental Law | ||
| Water Policy & Politics | ||
| Public Lands Management | ||
| Environmental Impact Assessment | ||
| Choose 12 units: | 12 | |
| Ecology, Nature, & Society | ||
| Technology & Society | ||
| Rural Change in the Industrialized World | ||
| Community Development Perspectives on Environmental Justice | ||
| Community Development | ||
| Race Relations | ||
| Sociology of the Environment | ||
| Choose one: | 4 | |
| Special Topics: New Directions in American Culture Studies | ||
| Race, Culture & Society in the United States | ||
| Global Environmental History | ||
| American Environmental History | ||
| Native Foods & Farming of the Americas | ||
or NAS 123V | Native Foods & Farming of the Americas | |
| California Indian Environmental Policy II | ||
| Philosophy of the Social Sciences | ||
| Feminist Research | ||
| Critical Food Studies | ||
| Additional upper division restricted electives chosen in consultation with the track faculty advisor. | 20 | |
| Depth Subject Matter Subtotal | 43-45 | |
| Total Units | 101-108 | |
Track III: Economics & Policy
Focuses on issues related to agricultural and resource economics, policy and management.
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Preparatory Subject Matter | ||
| Mathematics | ||
| MAT 016A | Short Calculus (Discontinued) | 3 |
| MAT 016B | Short Calculus (Discontinued) | 3 |
| STA 013 | Elementary Statistics | 4 |
| or STA 013Y | Elementary Statistics | |
| Choose one: | 4 | |
| Econometric Theory & Applications | ||
| Applied Statistics for Business & Economics | ||
| Intermediate Social Statistics | ||
| Chemistry | ||
| CHE 002A | General Chemistry | 5 |
| Biological Science | ||
| BIS 002A | Introduction to Biology: Essentials of Life on Earth | 4-5 |
| or BIS 010 | Everyday Biology | |
| Plant Science | ||
| PLS 002 | Botany & Physiology of Cultivated Plants | 4 |
| Choose one: | 3-5 | |
| Introduction to Biology: Principles of Ecology & Evolution | ||
| Environmental Analysis | ||
| Wildlife Ecology & Conservation | ||
| Food Science & Technology | ||
| FST 001 | Principles of Food Science | 3 |
| Soil Science | ||
| SSC 010 | Soils in Our Environment | 3 |
| Economics | ||
| ECN 100A | Intermediate Micro Theory: Consumer & Producer Theory | 4 |
| ECN 100B | Intermediate Micro Theory: Imperfect Competition & Market Failure | 4 |
| Political Science | ||
| POL 001 | American National Government | 4 |
| or POL 001Y | American National Government | |
| or POL 004 | Basic Concepts in Political Theory | |
| Choose one: | 4-5 | |
| Cultural Anthropology | ||
| Introduction to Sociology | ||
or SOC 001V | Introduction to Sociology | |
| Social Problems | ||
| Community & Regional Development | ||
| CRD 001 | The Community | 4 |
| Philosophy | ||
| Choose one: | 4 | |
| Ethical & Social Problems in Contemporary Society | ||
| Introduction to Bioethics | ||
| Introduction to Ethics | ||
| Preparatory Subject Matter Subtotal | 60-64 | |
| Depth Subject Matter | ||
| Agricultural & Resource Economics | ||
| Choose one: | 3-4 | |
| Fundamentals of Organization Management | ||
| Farm & Rural Resources Appraisal | ||
| Agricultural Labor | ||
| Analysis for Operations & Production Management | ||
| Choose 11-12 units: | 11-12 | |
| Agricultural Policy | ||
| Agricultural Markets | ||
| Resource & Environment Policy Analysis | ||
| Environmental Economics | ||
| The Policy Process | ||
| Environmental Law | ||
| Water Policy & Politics | ||
| Public Lands Management | ||
| Environmental Impact Assessment | ||
| Choose 8 units: | 8 | |
| Ecology, Nature, & Society | ||
| Technology & Society | ||
| Rural Change in the Industrialized World | ||
| Community Development Perspectives on Environmental Justice | ||
| Community Development | ||
| Race Relations | ||
| Sociology of the Environment | ||
| Additional restricted electives chosen in consultation with an advisor. | 20 | |
| Depth Subject Matter Subtotal | 42-44 | |
| Total Units | 102-108 | |