Book of Majors 2013: All-New Seventh Edition (College Board Book of Majors) - Softcover

The College Board

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0874479819 ISBN 13: 9780874479812

Publisher: College Board, 2012

Synopsis

The Book of Majors 2013 helps students answer these questions: What's the major for me? Where can I study it? What can I do with it after graduation?

Revised and refreshed every year, this book is the most comprehensive guide to college majors on the market. In-depth descriptions of 200 of the most popular majors are followed by complete listings of every major offered at over 3,800 colleges, including four-year, two-year and technical schools.

The 2013 edition covers every college major identified by the U.S. Department of Education ― over 1,100 majors are listed in all. This is also the only guide that shows what degree levels each college offers in a major, whether a certificate, associate, bachelor's, master's or doctorate. The guide features:

· Insights ― from the professors themselves ― on how each major is taught, what preparation students will need, other majors to consider and much more!

· Updated information on career options and employment prospects.

· Inside scoop on how students can find out if a college offers a strong program for a particular major, what life is like for students studying that major, and what professional societies and accrediting agencies to refer to for more background on the major.

About this title

About the Author

The College Board is a not-for-profit membership association whose mission is to connect students to college success and opportunity. Founded in 1900, the College Board is composed of more than 5,700 schools, colleges, universities, and other educational organizations. Each year, the College Board serves 7 million students and their parents, 23,000 high schools, and 3,800 colleges through major programs and services in college readiness, college admission, guidance, assessment, financial aid, and enrollment. Among its widely recognized programs are the SAT®, the PSAT/NMSQT®, the Advanced Placement Program® (AP®), SpringBoard® and ACCUPLACER®. The College Board is committed to the principles of excellence and equity, and that commitment is embodied in all of its programs, services, activities, and concerns.

For further information, visit www.collegeboard.com.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

BOOK OF MAJORS 2013 (Chapter 1)

Agriculture

Agriculture is an ancient practice that has become a cutting-edge science and industry. It's all about the production of crops, livestock, feed, and fiber. People need agriculture for the basics like food and clothing.

"The things that we do have a major impact on everyone--everyone must eat," says Bonita A. Glatz, a food science professor at Iowa State University.

Farmers and ranchers have gotten pretty good at growing and raising crops and food. The big push in agriculture now is to increase the quality and quantity of plant and animal products, while preserving the ecology of our systems. Things are really getting technical. In many majors, agricultural study is a type of applied biology or applied chemistry. It's a science. So if you study agriculture in a four-year program, you're likely to get a solid science background followed by an in-depth exploration of chemistry, biochemistry, genetics, pathology (study of diseases), meteorology (weather), economics, or education.

Is agriculture for you? People who study and work in farming represent a wide variety of skills and interests. If you care about people, animals, or planet Earth, you might consider an agricultural major. Do you have a passion for vegetable gardening or horseback riding? Maybe you love nature, plants, or the outdoors. Perhaps you want to protect the environment or help developing countries that are struggling with poverty and malnutrition. Many students bring experience in farming and ranching with them to college. During college, they gain an interest in economics and business or a particular branch of agriscience. You don't have to come from a farming background or plan to work on a farm to be an ag major. But you will need quantitative skills--math and statistics--to study this field.

What about job prospects? We all need agricultural products, but the industry is so efficient that we don't need as many farms and traditional farm jobs as we did in the past. Farms are merging so that we have fewer and larger farms now. Agriculture is big business. That means a smaller number of jobs for farmers and ranchers. On the other hand, the business of farming and the global scale of food distribution expand the role of other things like agribusiness and agricultural economics. In fact, students in these two majors will take many of the same classes. The difference is that agribusiness students will probably have a career path toward management in a food company. Agricultural economics is more analytical and good preparation for either research or business. Your choice of major and level of degree affect your job prospects.

What's hot in the field

If you're thinking that agriculture is just plants and soil, no way. Computers, telecommunications, and other high-tech tools play a huge role. "Precision agriculture guided by geographic information systems, satellite guidance, and computer-equipped tractors increases production and conserves natural resources," explains Professor Douglas L. Young of Washington State University.

What else is happening? You've probably seen news stories about environmental regulations or about real estate development in what were once rural areas. These trends may require agriculture students to learn more about the environment and resource economics. "The sustainability of the way we produce food is becoming more important as fuel, transportation and food safety issues are intensifying," says Professor Marianne Sarrantonio, who coordinates the sustainable agriculture program at the University of Maine. She sees increasing demand for graduates in that field.

Another new area of study is the economics of biotechnology. The job picture is also bright for students in food science, partly because people's tastes change and consumers are learning more about nutrition, health, and wellness. And don't forget food safety and biosecurity. They couldn't be more important. Other hot jobs are in plant breeding and genetics, financial management, information systems, and teaching.

From field to table, from the plant to the planet, agriculture requires more knowledge and education than ever before. Today's agricultural professionals have business, economic, scientific, and technical skills and expertise.

It's no surprise that during graduate-level studies, students focus on a very specific area. For example, in agronomy, grad students zoom in on things like crop production and physiology; or soil sciences including soil chemistry, microbiology, and biochemistry. If you're interested in a business track, keep in mind that nearly all agribusiness professions require advanced degrees; grad studies veer toward agricultural marketing or agricultural trade.

But not all colleges and universities define majors in the same way. Colleges vary in the areas of study they emphasize. The differences could stem from the regional climate and its specific crop or soil suitability, or even a college's size and priorities. In college catalogs and on the Internet, look under agricultural sciences, biological sciences, environmental sciences, and natural resources. And be sure to go to the Web sites of the land-grant universities and the big state schools, which dominate agricultural education. Another section in this book related to agriculture is Natural resources and conservation. There you'll find majors in forestry, fisheries, and environmental studies.

Here are some Web sites to get you started thinking about your future in agriculture: the U.S. Department of Agriculture (www.usda.gov), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (www.fda.gov), the National FFA Organization (www.ffa.org), and the American Farm Bureau (www.fb.org).

Agricultural business

Also known as:

Agribusiness

What it's about:

Agricultural business deals with the management, marketing, and financing of food and fiber, "from the field to the table." You study principles from agricultural sciences, economics, business, and statistics in preparation for a career in agribusiness, farming, natural resources, government, and related areas.

Is this for you?

You might like this major if you also like: 4-H projects and competitions; debating; organizing or leading a club or other group activity; solving problems; sports. A concern for the problems of developing countries that are struggling with poverty and malnutrition might also lead you to this major.

Consider this major if you are good at: attention to detail; critical reading/thinking; leadership; organizing; persuading/influencing; quantitative analysis; teamwork...or have...initiative; verbal skills; writing skills.

Recommended high school prep:

English 4, math 3 (including precalculus), lab science 3 (including biology and chemistry), social studies 3, and a foreign language 2-3. If available, take a computer course covering basic office applications and spreadsheets.

Did you know...

...that to be successful in agricultural business, you must know math and statistics? Many students are surprised by the idea, as well as by the need for excellent writing and speaking skills.

Typical courses in this major:

Introduction to agribusiness

Managerial accounting

Economics (micro and macro)

Statistics

Farming technologies

Production management

Farm and ranch management

Human resources management

Agricultural marketing

International trade

Agricultural finance

Farm management laboratory

Agricultural history and law

Agricultural policy

Business/environmental law

Management information systems

Concentrations:

In college: agricultural economics; agricultural marketing; farm and ranch management; agricultural finance; environmental economics; crop or animal production; international agriculture and trade.

If you go on to grad school: econometrics; agricultural policy; rural and community economic development.

What the study of this major is like:

The agricultural business major prepares you to apply business and economic principles to the production and marketing of food and other agricultural products and to the management of natural resources. In order to make economically and environmentally sound decisions in this field, you need to understand accounting, economics, finance, labor, marketing, management, and public policy, as you analyze and deal with business and environmental risk; identify and respond to changes in the demand for food products and services; and improve profitability.

You learn principles associated with best practices for product development, profit maximization, and investment planning. You become familiar with accounting tools like balance sheets, income statements, and cash flow statements. You are taught to use quantitative tools such as statistics, accounting methods, computer programs, and investment analysis to solve management and planning problems.

You also learn the importance of risk management in an industry in which prices can zigzag (because of the uncertainties of worldwide markets) and production is at the mercy of weather, pests, and natural disasters. To thrive despite the risks, you must make smart use of futures markets, insurance, contracting, machinery maintenance, emerging technologies, and labor management. You also take supporting courses in data analysis, international studies, biological sciences, social sciences, and written and oral communication. A number of agribusinesses offer internships that give you a chance to get some real business experience.

Many majors are challenged by such requirements as calculus and courses in the humanities and social sciences. Third- and fourth-year team and individual projects--which can sometimes conflict with off-campus employment or other activities--require long hours of work. But problem-centered assignments help you build a solid foundation for future employment.

Leading agricultural colleges may emphasize agribusiness, marketing, farm/ranch management, technology, natural resource economics, or statistics/econometrics, but most colleges offer courses in all these areas. If you are interested in other areas, such as international agricultural development or rural development, explore the catalogs or Web sites of various programs to see what they offer. If you want to combine an agribusiness degree with another field (for instance, wine grape production), examine course offerings and prerequisites in departments such as crop and soil sciences. The agricultural business major is also offered at the two-year associate degree level; the program is generally geared for transfer into a four-year agribusiness program.

Other majors you might like:

Economics

Business administration and management

Accounting

Agronomy and crop science

Animal sciences

Forest resources production

Range science

Agricultural and biological engineering

Geography

Farm and ranch management

International business

Aquaculture

Questions to ask colleges:

Does the program feature the latest technologies being applied to agricultural production?

What ties do the faculty members have to the industry? Are undergrads given assistance in finding internships?

Where have recent graduates gone to work?

Career options and trends:

Agribusiness manager or marketer*; farmer or rancher*; loan officer*; government agency employee; production supervisor; financial analyst; commodity merchandiser.

The long-term trend toward consolidation into fewer and larger farms is projected to continue, further reducing the number of jobs for farmers and ranchers but increasing employment opportunities for agricultural managers since owners of these farms rarely live on their land. Most graduates obtain jobs in business and industry. There is demand for managers and specialists trained in accounting, credit analysis, marketing, and international trade. Job prospects are generally good, especially if you are willing to relocate.

For more info:

United Agribusiness League

54 Corporate Park

Irvine, CA 92606-5105

(800) 223-4590

www.ual.org

Agricultural economics

What it's about:

The agricultural economics major teaches you to understand agriculture from both the national and the international perspective. You apply economic principles to the study of agricultural trends, productivity, investment, and the use and conservation of natural resources.

Is this for you?

You might like this major if you also like: social studies; math; business; government; working with numbers; looking at the big picture; environmental issues.

Consider this major if you are good at: critical reading/thinking; leadership; math; persuading/influencing; quantitative analysis; teamwork...or have...initiative; verbal skills; writing skills.

Recommended high school prep:

English 4, math 4 (including precalculus), lab science 3, social studies 3, and a foreign language 3. If possible, take courses in computer science, economics, and statistics. A foreign language is especially helpful because agricultural markets are increasingly global.

Did you know...

...that most graduates in this major, contrary to popular belief, do not farm? While nearly 20 percent of all jobs in the United States are in the food and fiber industries, fewer than 3 percent of the employees in those industries actually work on a farm.

Typical courses in this major:

Accounting

Economics (micro and macro)

Statistics

Quantative methods in agricultural economics

Agricultural marketing and sales

Agricultural price analysis

Agribusiness management

Agricultural cooperatives

Agricultural finance

Agricultural policy

Commodity futures markets

International trade and finance

Agricultural and business law

Environmental resources development

Rural economic development

Professional career development

Concentrations:

Farm and ranch management; marketing; finance; environmental economics; rural development; international economic development.

What the study of this major is like:

Economics is the study of the way societies use available resources to meet people's needs. Since farming is the largest user of the earth's resources, agricultural economics is a wide-ranging field. You are most likely to benefit from the major if you have a broad educational background. Your general education courses may include English, speech, data analysis, chemistry, physics, economics, the natural and social sciences, history, literature, and the arts.

Many of the courses offered in this major are the same as in the agricultural business major, and sometimes it's hard to distinguish the two. Both majors cover economic principles, technical agricultural sciences, and business management tools. Whereas the agricultural business major provides management, operational, and production skills for business careers in the industry, agricultural economics focuses analytically on a broader range of issues to prepare you for graduate study or for careers in research and public policy as well as in business. You explore the relationship between agriculture and other sectors of the economy; you evaluate responses to economic problems created by the changing agricultural environment. You learn quantitative problem solving and qualitative reasoning, as well as how to make ethical judg...

About this edition

• Publisher: College Board
• Publication date: 2012
• ISBN 10: 0874479819
• ISBN 13: 9780874479812
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 1360