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Overview

Ever wonder why there are perpetual shortages of food in some parts of the world while tons upon tons of tasty, healthy chow goes to waste pretty much every day in the United States? Ever wonder what you could really do, about it, really? One very constructive thing that you could do is major in International Agriculture. If you do, you'll gain an understanding of the political, economic, social, and natural factors that interactively affect agricultural production and distribution everywhere on the planet.

A lot of the schools with International Agriculture curriculums only offer certificate programs, which are very similar to minors. In these programs, you usually concentrate on a specific country or region of the world.

With a degree or a certificate in International Agriculture, you'll be prepared to help change the world and, as a bonus, you'll have experiences and knowledge that will make you an attractive employment candidate in the global job market. You can work for the United Nations, the State Department, multinational agricultural corporations, or the World Bank. You can also seek overseas employment with the Foreign Service, Peace Corps, charities and nonprofit assistance agencies, and a host of other international programs.

SAMPLE CURRICULUM

  • Agriculture In Tropical Areas

  • Biology

  • Chemistry

  • Cultural Anthropology

  • Entomology

  • Foreign Language (several courses)

  • Forestry

  • Geography

  • Introduction to International Agriculture

  • Plant Pathology

  • Soil Science

  • Topics in International Agriculture

  • World Food Production and Distribution


HIGH SCHOOl PREPARATION

International Agriculture is pretty broad and, if you think you might want to make it your major, you should plan accordingly. You'll obviously need to take several years of a foreign language. In addition, take all biology and chemistry courses that your high school offers. Everything that you can learn about climate, soil, water, and plants will be helpful. If your high school offers agriculture courses, you should take a few. Lastly, you'll want to take social sciences courses (like history and economics), too, because you will almost assuredly be required to take a few mid- to upper-level social science courses to complete a major in International Agriculture.