Graduate Programs

Masters of Agriculture in Agricultural Education Teacher Development

Teacher Development has two different programs (Plan A & B) designed to serve, specifically, current and future teachers of agricultural education.

Plan A (thesis option) and B (professional paper option) students:

The Master of Agriculture in Agricultural Education Teacher Development requires a professional project, of which a publishable, written report and oral defense are required. The project must align with National Quality Program Standards for Agricultural Education and the Colorado Career and Technical Education Standards and Quality Indicators. Students should also create a project that aligns with the three-part Land Grant Mission:

• Teaching – Develop a project that has a direct impact on
  the effective teaching in agricultural education
• Research – Develop a project that is research-based and evaluates data which informs decisions in agricultural education.
• Service – Develop a project that will include an outreach or service component for the profession. The goal is to share the project through professional development seminars and publications

The purpose of the degree option is to explore and develop projects which directly impact the effective educational practices, including relevance, hands on training, high levels of student cognition and student confidence. This is a directed and personal experience for the student, designed to meet the specific needs of each individual within the degree program. The faculty in this program capitalizes on the strength of the individual student and develop focused areas of inquiry to improve their effectiveness.

A committee of three individuals (minimum) is required to guide and direct the project, curriculum plan of study and final defense of the project. The committee is integral to the success of the project. The committee includes:

• Advisor – A person familiar with school-based agricultural education as well as current practices and research in the field. The advisor will to work closely with and mentor the student towards successful completion of the project.
• Committee Member(s) – These individuals should be familiar with the content and research methods of the project to provide valuable insight to the project components, research plan and program of student.
• Outside Committee Member – This individual serves at the request of the graduate school and as such determines that the project and program of study is of sufficient scope and quality to be “graduate degree” worthy.

Other program requirements include:

• 30 credit hours
• 6 credits in regular courses above the 500 level
• Most courses can be done through correspondence or online experiences, though it is suggested that students plan on spending a summer session on campus for course and/or project completion
• 9 credits of professional development courses (typically EDCT 590), but credits must be above 500 level
• 3 credits of AGED 698 during the final semester to guide the project to formal completion
  18 credits that focus on education, methods and advanced agriculture content that is specific and directed towards what the individual student needs for teacher advancement

Additionally, there are options for individuals to pursue a Colorado Teacher’s License in combination with the graduate degree program. In such cases, the course work is different and more directed as it requires individuals to meet all the licensing requirements as specified through the Colorado Department of Education. Students in this program will also have to meet all requirements as listed on the undergraduate agricultural education check sheet (either with actual or approved substitutable content courses).

Summary of Required Coursework

Core Required Courses:
EDRM 600 – Introduction to Research (3 cr)
EDCT 590 – (4 cr)

Additional Required Courses:
Track 1* – Teacher Professional Development
AGED 540 – Laboratory Management in Ag Ed; 2 cr.
Track 2* – Teacher Development – Teacher Licensure
AGED 420 – Development of School Based Agricultural Education; 3 cr.
EDUC 450 – Instruction II; 4 cr.
EDCT 425 – Methods/Materials in Ag Ed – 4 cr.
Additional credits to meet Ag Ed licensure; varied cr.

*Track 1 students are in-service agriculture teaching professionals pursing MAGR in Teacher Professional Development. Track 2 students are those pursing post-bachelor licensure with the Master of Agriculture Teacher Development – Teacher Licensure Degree

What is Extension Education?

Extension agents are a vital link between the communities they serve and the resources offered by land-grant universities. This master’s degree in extension education prepares you with skills and knowledge to develop impactful programs and deliver educational resources in your role as community educator. You will learn to:

• Analyze the principles that guide extension work.
• Develop programs and community outreach initiatives.
• Customize instructional methods for various audiences.
• Develop evaluation strategies for programming.
• Gather, analyze, and communicate community-based research to various populations.

The field of extension education focuses on “extending” university knowledge and resources to communities throughout the state. Extension offices serve as a community-based education hub where extension educators learn about their local community needs and help develop education programs to address them. Common initiatives focus on:

• Nutrition
• Food systems education
• Family consumer sciences
• Agriculture
• Horticulture
• Youth development
• Volunteer development
• Economics
• Natural resource management

Extension educators work with a range of populations, including youth, adults, diverse communities, and various industries. They coordinate and mobilize efforts to address challenging situations by conducting fieldwork, providing workshops and trainings, and creating online informational resources.

A degree for Extension Agents and Community Educators

Designed for working professionals, the online Master of Extension Education program does not require a thesis, and all coursework is offered online. Interact and network with others across the country who are in extension or similar agencies, so you can collaborate and gain insights from peers.

The program pairs you with an advisor to help design a plan of study that emphasizes direct career applicability. Customize the curriculum to suit your specific professional goals and interests, while gaining a broad, interdisciplinary education that combines theory and practice.

Enrich your career in Extension and Community Outreach

Extension practitioners throughout the world often work for government agencies. In the United States, many extension agents (sometimes called county agents, or extension educators) work at land-grant universities in cooperative extension service programs.

If you work in a nonprofit, government, or extension organization, this degree can advance your education career in a variety of fields, including:

• Agricultural extension
• Community development
• Environmental education
• Human development
• Natural resources
• Range science

With an interdisciplinary curriculum tailored to suit your specific career goals, this program helps you gain skills to improve the quality of lives and livelihoods of individuals and communities — whether you work within the field of extension education or in other professions requiring community education and public contact.

The Master of Extension Education is a 36-credit program that requires:

• 18 credits of core coursework.
• 9 credits of AGED, EDAE, HDFS, JTC or SOWK at the 500 level or above.
• 9 credits of disciplinary coursework at the 500 level or above. Disciplines must be approved by an academic advisor, and may include areas such as youth development, horticulture, agriculture, animal science, and others.
• An extension education internship in a county or state extension office or other advisor-approved setting. An internship requires 45 hours of work per credit.

There is no thesis required for completion of this degree. You will work with your graduate advisor to choose your coursework. Additionally:

• 24 credits must be earned at Colorado State University, 21 of which must be earned after formal admission.
• 16 credits of graduate-level electives are chosen with your graduate advisor.
• No independent study, research, supervised college teaching, or practicum credits may apply toward the degree.

Courses that are prerequisites or supplementary to the graduate program do not apply to the minimum credit hours required for this degree. In addition, approved courses from other institutions may be accepted; talk with your advisor before including these in your course plan. Additional coursework may be required depending on your background and preparation for graduate level work.

Learn to teach in Extension in an online certificate program

Extension agents function as resources and content experts in the communities they serve. With areas of expertise ranging from agriculture to health topics, formally teaching these subjects in an effective and useful way requires a specialized skillset. Learn the Extension teaching methods to relate your valuable knowledge and experience in a certificate program designed for Extension agents already working in their field.

The Teaching in Extension Certificate is a great option for students and working professionals alike.

Students interested in educational principles and theories can add the certificate to enhance the experiences of a specialized degree.

Working professionals can utilize the certificate to advance their career goals, sharpen skills, and go beyond professional development expectations.

Colorado State University employees may use study privileges.

Earn your master’s in agriculture online

CSU’s online master’s in agriculture is a multi-disciplined program, blending animal science, business, range science, ecology, wildlife, policy, and human resources. This fusion of topics allows you to understand how agricultural resource systems work together in a comprehensive way, and how to apply them in an agricultural management setting.

Integrated Resource Management at CSU

One of the only programs of its kind in the nation, this master’s degree in agriculture caters to those with full-time jobs and busy schedules. Some unique attributes of this degree are:

• Students interact and network with others across the country as well as some international locations.
• Advisors help students design plans of study that emphasize immediate career applicability.
• Online education allows working professionals to obtain a degree without putting their careers on hold.

The business of agriculture

Today’s agricultural managers are challenged to manage their land, animal, and natural resources in ways that ensure long-term profitability and sustainability of farms, ranches, and rural communities. Integrated resource management is a concept within agricultural production that examines economic and environmental variables with an orientation toward more sustainable production.

A focus on sustainable agriculture

Students learn to be active problem solvers focused on long-term resource sustainability solutions for the agricultural industry, with a focus on creating specific solutions to unique problems agriculture businesses may face.

Agriculture research and leadership

Reflecting Colorado State University’s land-grant heritage, research expertise, and leadership in agricultural and sustainability education, this program is offered by the Western Center for Integrated Resource Management (WCIRM) and is supported by the:

• College of Agricultural Sciences
• Warner College of Natural Resources
• College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
• School of Global Environmental Sustainability (SoGES)