William H. Darr College of Agriculture Student Learning Outcomes Statements

Agricultural Business Learning Outcomes

• Students will demonstrate the ability to analyze data and draw appropriate statistical conclusions.
• Students will demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
• Students will demonstrate knowledge of the legal and ethical environment impacting agriculture organizations and exhibit an understanding and appreciation of the ethical implications of decisions.
• Students will demonstrate an understanding of and appreciation for the importance of the impact of globalization and diversity in modern agriculture organizations.
• Students will demonstrate an ability to engage in critical thinking by analyzing situations and constructing and selecting viable solutions to solve problems.
• Students will demonstrate an ability to work effectively with others.
• Students will understand and analyze the current events and issues that are occurring in agriculture and how they affect the future of agriculture.
• Students will be able to recognize and examine the relationships between inputs and outputs in their agricultural field to make effective and profitable decisions.
• Students will be able to effectively evaluate the impact of trade policy, common markets, trading blocks, market instability, commodity problems, trade agreements and environmental regulations on imports and exports in international trade to be able to improve production decision making.
• Students will understand how all aspects of agriculture combine and are used by scientists, marketers, and producers.
• Students will understand how employer characteristics and decision-making at various levels enhance the success of an agricultural enterprise.

Agriculture Education Learning Outcomes

• Students will demonstrate the ability to analyze data and draw appropriate statistical conclusions.
• Students will demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
• Students will demonstrate knowledge of the legal and ethical environment impacting agriculture organizations and exhibit an understanding and appreciation of the ethical implications of decisions.
• Students will demonstrate an understanding of and appreciation for the importance of the impact of globalization and diversity in modern agriculture organizations.
• Students will demonstrate an ability to engage in critical thinking by analyzing situations and constructing and selecting viable solutions to solve problems.
• Students will demonstrate an ability to work effectively with others.
• Students will understand and analyze the current events and issues that are occurring in agriculture and how they affect your future in agriculture.
• Students from this program will be able to implement a philosophy and utilize instructional methods used in agricultural education settings.
• Students will be able to plan and organize units of instruction for topics in agriculture.
• Students will be able to develop and use teaching plans on agriculture topics for traditional and special needs students.
• Students will be able to effectively manage a diverse student population of students.
• Students will be able to prepare effective tests which will allow them to evaluate and grade students in agricultural education.
• Students will demonstrate the ability to effectively utilize a variety of teaching techniques and strategies in the classroom in order to positively influence student learning.
• Students will demonstrate skills in individualized assessment, instructional planning, and data-based decision-making through satisfactory completion of all checkpoints prior to student teaching.

Animal Science Learning Outcomes

• Students will able to apply concepts of breeding, physiology, nutrition, herd-health, economics and management into practical and profitable animal production programs.
• Students will understand the role of nutrition in animal production.
• Students will be able to explain the mechanisms and role of reproductive physiology in livestock production.
• Students will be able develop feeding systems for farm animal production and companion animals.
• Students will be able to demonstrate critical thinking and problem solving skills as they apply scientific principles to a variety of animal production systems.
• Students will understand how the application of modern animal production technologies and management practices impact their production facilities, their communities and the world.

Environmental Plant Science - Crop Science Emphasis Learning Outcomes

• Students will be able to identify plant vegetative and reproductive structures.
• Students will understand basic principles, processes and functions of plant growth and reproduction, including photosynthesis, respiration, transpiration, vegetative growth and reproductive growth, fertilization and fruit formation.
• Students will understand factors affecting the need to find sustainable practices for production of feed, feed and fiber crops and how to implement and evaluate them.
• Students will understand how to propagate, plant, sustainably grow, manage and harvest a variety of plants in a diverse set of environmental, marketing, and financial conditions.
• Students will understand how the environment influences plant growth and crop yields, and ways to modify the environment to improve plant growth and yields.
• Students will be able to identify soil types and will be able to identify ways to improve soil fertility as well as reduce soil erosion and improve water quality and availability.
• Students will understand sustainable practices for production of food, feed and fiber crops and how to implement and evaluate them.
• Students will be able to apply their knowledge to solve problems related to plant growth, crop production and natural resource management.
• Students will learn how crop science relates to the economy and environment, both currently and in the future.
• Students will be able to find detailing information on a topic from print as well as online information sources.
• Students will be able to critically evaluate current events and public information related to crop science as being scientifically-based or opinion-based and contribute to the knowledge base of information.
• Students will work with others to coordinate activities to achieve group/team objectives.
• Students will understand how to write in a style appropriate for technical or informative publications for various audiences related to crop science.
• Students will have supervised, hands-on work experience related to crop production.

Environmental Plant Science - Horticulture Emphasis Learning Outcomes

• Students will be able to identify plant vegetative and reproductive structures.
• Students will understand basic principles, processes and functions of plant growth and reproduction, including photosynthesis, respiration, transpiration, vegetative growth and reproductive growth, fertilization and fruit formation.
• Students will understand how the environment influences plant growth and crop yields, and ways to modify the environment to improve plant growth and yields.
• Students will understand the factors affecting the need to find sustainable practices for production of food, feed and fiber crops and how to implement and evaluate them.
• Students will be able to identify many of the commonly used herbaceous and woody ornamental plants and how to propagate, establish and care for them.
• Students will understand the nutritive value of fruits, nuts and vegetables in the human diet.
• Students will understand how to propagate, plant, grow/manage and harvest vegetable, fruit and nut crops.
• Students will be able to identify soil types and how they are formed and ways to modify soil structure and drainage to reduce erosion and improve water quality and water availability to plants.
• Students will understand how soil fertility is determined and how plant nutrient deficiencies are identified, and means of improving soil fertility and adding nutrients for plant growth.
• Students will understand how to identify and sustainably manage plant diseases in various production systems.
• Students will understand how to identify and sustainably manage insects in various plant production systems.
• Students will understand how to identify weeds and sustainably manage them in various plant production systems.
• Students will understand how to propagate herbaceous and woody plans by seed, cuttings, micropropagation, grafting, budding and layering.
• Students will understand the basic concepts, compounds and reactions occurring in organic and biochemical systems, particularly as related to the environment, plants and food crops.
• Students will understand the basic concepts of accounting, economics, marketing and management.
• Students will be able to apply knowledge to solve problems related to crop production and plant growth.
• Students will have a greater knowledge of how horticulture relates to the economy and environment, both currently and in the future.
• Students will be able to find detailed information on a topic from print as well as online information sources.
• Students will be able to critically evaluate the information related to horticulture as being scientifically-based or opinion-based and contribute to the knowledge base of information.
• Students will work with others to coordinate activities to achieve group/team objectives.
• Students will write in a style appropriate for technical or informative publications for various audiences related to horticulture.
• Students will have supervised, hands-on work experience in an area of horticulture.

General Agriculture - Agricultural Communications Emphasis Learning Outcomes

• Students will demonstrate the ability to take and edit photo and video content.
• Students will demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
• Students will demonstrate proficiency in Adobe design software such as Photoshop and InDesign.
• Students will demonstrate an understanding of and appreciation for the importance of the impact of globalization and diversity in modern agriculture organizations.
• Students will demonstrate an ability to engage in critical thinking by analyzing situations and constructing and selecting viable solutions to solve problems.
• Students will demonstrate an ability to work effectively with others.
• Students will understand and analyze the current events and issues that are occurring in agriculture and how they affect the future of agriculture.
• Students will demonstrate the power of human communication in relationships and communities.
• Students will apply appropriate theories to analyze and modify communication.
• Students will construct effective messages for diverse audiences.

General Agriculture - Agriculture Emphasis Learning Outcomes

• Students will demonstrate the ability to analyze data and draw appropriate statistical conclusions.
• Students will demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
• Students will demonstrate knowledge of the legal and ethical environment impacting agriculture organizations and exhibit an understanding and appreciation of the ethical implications of decisions.
• Students will demonstrate an understanding of and appreciation for the importance of the impact of globalization and diversity in modern agriculture organizations.
• Students will demonstrate an ability to engage in critical thinking by analyzing situations and constructing and selecting viable solutions to solve problems.
• Students will demonstrate an ability to work effectively with others.
• Students will understand and analyze the current events and issues that are occurring in agriculture and how they affect your future in agriculture.
• Students will be able to recognize and examine the relationships between inputs and outputs in their agricultural field to make effective and profitable decisions.
• Students will understand how all aspects of agriculture combine and are used by scientists, marketers, and producers.
• Students will understand how employer characteristics and decision-making at various levels enhance the success of an agricultural enterprise.
• Students will be able to demonstrate critical thinking and problem solving skills as they apply to a variety of animal and or plant production systems.

Natural Resources Learning Outcomes

• Students will understand the factors affecting the need to find sustainable practices for production of food, feed and fiber crops and how to implement and evaluate them.
• Students will understand how the environment influences plant growth and crop yields, and ways to modify the environment to improve plant growth and yields.
• Students will understand how to propagate, plant, and sustainably grow, manage and harvest fruit, vegetable, grain and/or forage crops within various environmental, marketing and financial conditions.
• Students will be able to identify soil types and how they are formed and ways to modify soil structure and drainage to reduce erosion and improve water quality and water availability to plants.
• Students will understand how soil fertility is determined and how plant nutrient deficiencies are identified, and means of improving soil fertility and adding nutrients for plant growth.
• Students will be able to recognize how soil type and topography affects recommended agricultural, commercial and residential use and water quality at varying locations.
• Students will understand how to identify and sustainably manage plant diseases in various production systems.
• Students will understand how to identify and sustainably manage insects in various plant production systems.
• Students will understand how to identify weeds and sustainably manage them in various plant production systems.
• Students will understand the basic concepts, compounds and reactions occurring in organic and biochemical systems, particularly as related to the environment, plants and food crops.
• Students will understand the basic principles of livestock production.
• Students will understand the basic concepts of laws pertaining to agriculture and/or evaluation of land use for various agricultural practices.
• Students will be able to apply knowledge to solve problems related to crop production and plant growth.
• Students will having a greater knowledge of how natural resources relate to the economy and environment, both currently and in the future.
• Students will be able to critically evaluate current events and public information related to natural resources as being scientifically-based or opinion-based and contribute to the knowledge base of information.
• Students will work with others to coordinate activities to achieve group/team objectives.
• Students will be able to write in a style appropriate for technical or informative publications for various audiences related to natural resources.
• Students will have supervised, hands-on work experience related to natural resources.

Wildlife Conservation and Management Learning Outcomes

• Students will understand the factors affecting the need to find sustainable practices for production of food, feed and fiber crops and how to implement them.
• Students will be competent in basic forest management principles and evaluation of forest stands for health, wildlife habitat and lumber use.
• Students will understand how the environment influences plant growth and crop yields, and ways to modify the environment to improve plant growth and yields.
• Students will understand how to propagate, plant, and sustainably grow, manage and harvest grain or forage crops within various environmental, marketing and financial conditions.
• Students will be able to identify soil types and how they are formed and ways to modify soil structure and drainage to reduce erosion and improve water quality.
• Students will understand how soil fertility is determined and means of improving soil fertility and adding nutrients for plant growth.
• Students will know how to identify and sustainably manage insects in various plant production systems.
• Students will have a good understanding of cellular and organism-level plant and animal structures, taxonomy and metabolic processes.
• Students will be able to identify plant vegetative and floral structures and be able to identify native and non-native herbaceous and woody plants.
• Students will understand the general principles of ecology as how they related to terrestrial and/or aquatic plant and animal conservation and management.
• Students will be able to identify species, characteristics, habitat requirements and life cycles of birds, fish and/or mammalian wildlife species.
• Students will be able to apply knowledge to solve problems related to wildlife conservation and management.
• Students will have a greater knowledge of how wildlife conservation and management relates to the economy and environment, both currently and in the future.
• Students will be able to find detailed information on a topic from print as well as online information sources.
• Students will be able to critically evaluate current events and public information related to wildlife conservation and management as being scientifically-based or opinion-based and contribute to the knowledge base of information.
• Students will be able to work with others to coordinate activities that achieve group/team objectives.
• Students will be able to write in a style appropriate for technical or informative publications for various audiences related to wildlife conservation and management.

Natural and Applied Science - Plant Science Emphasis Learning Outcomes

• Students will have an in-depth understanding and mastery of the literature in at least one particular animal science area.
• Students will be able to evaluate and interpret quantitative data using the scientific method.
• Students will be able to write and speak accurately and clearly about animal science topics.
• Students will be able to identify, develop and complete an original scientific project.
• Students will be able to analyze research data using appropriate statistical methods.
• Students completing a thesis will write in the style appropriate for publication of the thesis.
• Students completing a thesis will present and successfully defend their thesis work.