Offered by: CALS Plant and Soil Science Department
Become an advocate for environmentally friendly food production. Learn how to produce food in a sustainable and ecologically sound manner. Gain a solid foundation in ecology and practical experience through our student run Community Supported Agriculture cooperative, internships and field trips. Nationally there is a growing need for professionals who can understand and apply ecological principles to agriculture.
The Ecological Agriculture Program integrates course work in ecology, plant science, soil science, entomology, economics, and policy with an experiential learning internship to create educated professionals.
The Ecological Agriculture major focuses on applying ecological concepts to the field environment. Students in this major are interested in growing horticultural or agronomic crops or diversified agriculture systems. Ecology is the uniting thread that integrates the course-work and ties the curriculum together. Faculty in Plant and Soil Science will help you develop an excellent individualized program of study based on your agricultural interests and career goals.
The Ecological Agriculture major offers a strong background in science. It includes economic, policy, and ethics course-work, and an internship that allows students to gain hands-on experience. All students who enroll in the program must complete the basic core requirements for a bachelor of science degree from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. In addition you will be required to complete courses within the program in such areas as botany, ecology, plant and soil science, economics and policy. This course-work supports your internship experience.
The Plant and Soil Science faculty work very closely with farmers and growers in Vermont and the Northeast, and state and federal agencies. The disciplines represented in this department include vegetables, fruit, forages for animals, soil science, compost science, pest management, and ornamental plants. All of these areas are important in diverse agriculture systems and for students who want to study them. Your internship experience will allow you to put your knowledge to work, earn credit and develop skills to improve your employment opportunities. Students have worked on farms, for community compost projects, and in greenhouses during the summer gaining valuable experience.
Students also have opportunities to work with College of Agriculture
and Life Sciences faculty doing research in campus laboratories, in the
field on farms, at UVM's 97-acre Horticultural Research Center, or in
our state-of-the-art greenhouse. For example, students run a community
supported Agriculture cooperative.
Pursue a career in production of specialty crops, organic farming,
soil conservation, environmental science and management, precision
agriculture technology, phytoremediation, plant inspection, food
biosecurity or science policy.
| Core Courses | Advanced Level Courses | ||
|---|---|---|---|
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| Faculty and Area of Expertise | |
|---|---|
| John Aleong | Design and analysis of experiments Ph.D. Iowa State University |
| Lorraine Berkett | Integrated pest management in apple production, plant
pathology Ph.D. Pennsylvania State University |
| Sidney Bosworth | Agronomy, forage and grain crop management and production for
animal agriculture Ph.D. University of Kentucky |
| Scott Costa | Entomology, biological control using insect, killing fungi Ph.D. North Carolina State University |
| Alexsandra Drizo | Constructed wetland for pollution control Ph.D. University of Edinburgh |
| Wendy Sue Harper | Soil science, composting process and sustainable agriculture Ph.D. University of Vermont |
| John Hayden | M.S. Michigan State University |
| Frederick Magdoff | Soil science, soil fertility, soil chemical and physical
problems associated with waste disposal and bioremediation Ph.D. Cornell University |
| Deborah A. Neher | Soil ecology Ph.D. University of California-Davis |
| Bruce Parker | Entomology, insect pest management, fungal pathogens for
integrated pest management of greenhouse and forest pests Ph.D. Cornell University |
| Leonard Perry | Horticulture, production of perennials, hardiness of plant
species, perennial cut flower production Ph.D. Cornell University |
| Donald Ross | Soil science, chemistry of soils in terrestrial ecosystems,
soil and compost testing Ph.D. University of Vermont |
| Margaret Skinner | Entomology, insect pest management in greenhouse and forest
environments, biological control using fungi Ph.D. University of Vermont |
| Mark Starrett | Horticulture, propagation and production of woody ornamental
plants Ph.D. North Carolina State University |
| Milton Tignor | Horticulture, vegetable production, compost utilization,
curriculum development, greenhouse operations and management Ph.D. University of Florida |
| Jon Turmel | Vermont State entomologist M.S. University of New Hampshire |
Last modified September 10 2007 04:11 PM
