Majors, minors & more
Agriculture and Food Security
College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences
- Offered as:
- Major
Overview
Students in this major are the protectors of the world’s plant-based food supply. The agriculture and food security major prepares students to manage plant pests and diseases from a holistic perspective.
Students learn to understand the complexity of relationships within agricultural ecosystems, how external factors influence these systems, and how to effectively manage pests and diseases without incurring undue risks to human or environmental health.
Course offerings begin with a strong scientific base in biology and chemistry, and expand to focus on crop science, soil science, integrated pest management, and plant pathology.
The major is an exciting blend of classroom instruction and field experience that is tailored to the eventual employment goals of the student. Graduates who can evaluate and diagnose pest and plant disease problems and recommend economically and ecologically sound ways to correct them are in great demand.
- Graduation requirements
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See the WSU Catalog for degree requirements and talk with your academic advisor about planning and scheduling your courses. All students must meet requirements as outlined in the catalog in order to graduate.
- Scholarships and financial aid
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A variety of state, federal, and university-sponsored programs are available to help students with educational costs.
For all students at WSU
Washington State University awards millions of dollars in financial aid and scholarships to students every year based on financial need, academic merit, or a combination of the two.
To get all the financial help WSU can provide, start by doing these two things:
- Complete the University's general scholarship application so you can be eligible for scholarship consideration, including departmental awards.
- Complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) so WSU can consider you for aid (scholarships, grants, loans, etc.) based on financial need. Get started here.
Click here for more info about WSU scholarships and financial aid
For agriculture majors
The College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences (CAHNRS) annually awards more than $500,000 to students. For more information, see the CAHNRS scholarship page.
- Careers
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Graduates who can evaluate and diagnose pest and plant disease problems and recommend economically and ecologically sound ways to correct them are in great demand.
Employment opportunities are available in a wide variety of settings. For instance:
- Agrichemical Companies
- State Agencies
- Federal Agencies
- International Agriculture
- Environmental and Regulatory Agencies
- Agrichemical Companies
- Agricultural and Environmental Consulting Firms
- Food Processing
- Forest Products
- Vegetable and Seed Companies
Agriculture and food security majors often work as:
- Crop Consultant or Researchers
- Farm Owners or Managers
- Greenhouse Managers
- Nursery Operators
- Plant Breeders
- Plant Nutrition Specialists
- Soil Chemists
- Soil Conservationists
- Weed Scientists