Agroecology B.A.

• Information and Policies
• Requirements and Planners

Information and Policies

Introduction Expand and Collapse

The agroecology major provides ecological concepts that can be applied to the development of sustainable agricultural systems. Students will develop their understanding of social, political, and economic aspects of agriculture . Students will also engage in hands-on experiences, and obtain skills in research, fieldwork, production, and communication in order to achieve multiple sustainability goals in complex, social-ecological food systems.

Students interested in the available concentrations should choose to pursue the environmental studies bachelor of arts (B.A.) degree. 

Academic Advising for the Program Expand and Collapse

Advising is one way to make the most of your university experience. The advising system at UC Santa Cruz is amazing, and we encourage you to use it often. Ask questions, seek advice, and make decisions that work best for you.

To receive advising for this major, contact [e-mail]. Additional information for prospective transfer students can be found in the Transfer Information and Policy section.

Program Learning Outcomes Expand and Collapse

Students graduating with a B.A. degree in agroecology will be able to: 

• Analyze the problems faced in agriculture and food systems by identifying the societal (historical, social, political, economic, cultural, and ethical) agents and structures that contribute to environmental change. (Social science competency)
• Describe the structure and functioning of major physical and ecological components of earth’s systems, including agricultural systems. (Natural science competency) 
• Access and assess complex literature and review specific topics in agroecology and sustainable food systems, and evaluate the usefulness and limitations of individual methods. (Analytical thinking)
• Demonstrate effective oral and written communication skills. (Communication skills)
• Demonstrate an introductory level of competence in horticulture or agronomy or aquaculture. (Production skills)

Major Qualification Policy and Declaration Process Expand and Collapse

Major Qualification Expand and Collapse

To qualify for the agroecology major, students must complete the specific courses listed below, or their approved equivalents.

One of the following

ENVS 23	The Physical and Chemical Environment	5
CHEM 1A	General Chemistry	5

Plus one of the following:

ENVS 24	General Ecology	5
BIOE 20C	Ecology and Evolution	5

Plus all of the following:

STAT 7	Statistical Methods for the Biological, Environmental, and Health Sciences	5
STAT 7L	Statistical Methods for the Biological, Environmental, and Health Sciences Laboratory	2
ENVS 25	Environmental Policy and Economics	5
ENVS 80F	Introduction to Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems	5

Determining Qualification

Students who complete all the qualification courses with a grade of P, or letter grade of C or better are qualified to declare the major.

Students who have received one grade of NP, C-, D+, D, D-, or F in one of the qualification courses taken at UC Santa Cruz will only be qualified to declare after successfully completing the same or an equivalent course with a grade of P, or letter grade of C or better.

Students with two or more grades of NP, C-, D+, D, D-, or F in the qualification courses taken at UC Santa Cruz are not qualified to declare the major.

Students with AP credit (score of 3 or higher) for any of the qualification course(s) are qualified to declare after successfully completing the remaining qualification courses.

Students must attend an Environmental Studies Department declaration workshop when requesting to declare the major.

Appeal Process Expand and Collapse

Students who are not qualified to declare the major may appeal this decision by submitting an appeal to qualify for the major here within 15 days of the denial of the declaration. Within 15 days of receipt of the appeal, the department will notify the student and college of the decision. If a student has questions about the appeals process, they should contact [e-mail].

How to Declare a Major Expand and Collapse

All students are required to attend one declaration workshop offered during the first three weeks of the quarter they are eligible to declare. Before students attend declaration workshops, they should check to see if they are eligible to declare using the major qualification page. Students wishing to declare within the Environmental Studies Department should visit the Environmental Studies Department website and follow the steps listed in the "how to declare" tab. Degree requirement sheets may be downloaded from the Environmental Studies Undergraduate Program Requirements page.

Transfer Information and Policy Expand and Collapse

Transfer Admission Screening Policy Expand and Collapse

Students who apply for transfer admission to the major are required to have taken the equivalents of the following courses with a C grade (2.0) or better by the end of the spring term for students planning to enter in the fall: 

One of the following:

ENVS 23 or a general chemistry course 

Plus one of the following:

ENVS 24	General Ecology	5
BIOE 20C	Ecology and Evolution	5

Plus one of the following:

AM 3	Precalculus for the Social Sciences	5
AM 6	Precalculus for Statistics	5
MATH 3	Precalculus	5

Plus one of the following options:

Either this course:

ENVS 25

Environmental Policy and Economics

5

Or these courses:

ECON 2 and a course in national or international politics 

Or these courses:

ECON 1 and a course in national or international politics 

GPA Requirement

To be considered for admission in the environmental studies majors, transfer students must pass the following courses or their equivalents of the following courses with a C (2.0) or better in the required courses.

General Education Courses (GEs)

Prospective students are also encouraged to complete the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) or to complete all UC Santa Cruz general education requirements before matriculation.

Recommended Courses

In addition, one of the following courses is recommended prior to transfer to ensure timely graduation. 

SOCY 1	Introduction to Sociology	5
SOCY 10	Issues and Problems in American Society	5
SOCY 15	World Society	5
ANTH 2	Introduction to Cultural Anthropology	5
PHIL 22	Introduction to Ethical Theory	5
PHIL 24	Introduction to Ethics: Contemporary Moral Issues	5
PHIL 28	Environmental Ethics	5
BME 80G /PHIL 80G	Bioethics in the 21st Century: Science, Business, and Society	5

Getting Started at UCSC as a Transfer Student Expand and Collapse

Transfer students pursuing agroecology majors are encouraged to transfer in the fall quarter.

Transfer students should enroll in STAT 7 & STAT 7L during the summer or fall quarter and ENVS 80F in the fall in order to take ENVS 100 & ENVS 100L in winter or spring quarter of their first year. Transfer students who have completed the screening requirements listed above can formally declare their major once STAT 7 & STAT 7L  and ENVS 80F are completed. Transfer students can formally declare their major once qualification courses are successfully completed, following the steps in How to Declare a Major given above.

Courses recommended for transferring into the agroecology major include:
●    ENVS 80F: Introduction to Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems
●    One of the following: SOCY 1,  SOCY 10, SOCY 15, ANTH 2, PHIL 22, PHIL 24, PHIL 28, or PHIL 80G

ENVS 25 and CHEM 1A are usually offered during Summer Session at UC Santa Cruz, and transfer students are encouraged to take these classes if they have not yet completed a substitute requirement or if they want a better understanding of the relevant material. If you are transferring, compare catalog descriptions and consult your current institution's advisor to determine equivalency. Prospective transfer students should review the transfer information.

Students who are proposed in a different major and have advanced standing when they come to UC Santa Cruz require permission from the department to change into the major. Contact [e-mail] to request permission.

Letter Grade Policy Expand and Collapse

This program does not have a letter grade policy, except that the comprehensive requirement must be taken for a letter grade.

Course Substitution Policy Expand and Collapse

Of the four elective courses, agroecology students can substitute to take one elective course from:

• Another ENVS upper-division course (ENVS 104-ENVS 179) not listed as one of the four elective course options.
• A relevant course in SOCY, LALS, ANTH by petition*
• A relevant course taken in a study abroad program by petition*

*By petition: You may petition to substitute courses taken outside of ENVS and/or UC Santa Cruz such as other institutions, other departments, courses not listed on the pre-approved substitution list, other programs including Educational Abroad Program (EAP), Wildlands Studies, or the Sierra Institute. Please review the petitioning process on the department's website.

Study Abroad Expand and Collapse

Students in environmental studies are encouraged to participate in Study Abroad programs and other off-campus programs. Students who are interested in these programs shall note the following policies:

• Students planning to study abroad must be declared in their major prior to studying abroad.
• Students must have the courses they plan to take abroad reviewed and approved by Environmental Studies Advising.
• Single environmental studies majors may petition to substitute up to two courses taken abroad to count toward the environmental studies upper-division electives. Agroecology majors may petition for one course to fulfill their four electives. Combined environmental studies majors cannot petition for substitution. Please review the petitioning process here prior to your EAP program. For more information on EAP, please visit the UC Education Abroad Program website.

Honors Expand and Collapse

Departmental Honors. Students must have a 3.5 grade point average (GPA) in all courses used to satisfy the environmental studies upper-division requirements. To be considered for departmental honors, students are limited to no more than one grade of P in those upper-division courses.

Senior Comprehensive Honors. Only applicable to a senior thesis, senior internship, or individual work in a senior seminar. Honors must be awarded by the student’s faculty sponsor, and a second faculty member (chosen by the student’s faculty advisor) must concur.

Highest Departmental Honors. Students must have a 3.75 GPA in in all courses used to satisfy the environmental studies upper-division requirements and must also receive senior comprehensive honors (see above). To be considered for highest departmental honors, students are limited to no more than one grade of P in those upper-division courses.

Requirements and Planners

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Course Requirements Expand and Collapse

Continuing students must complete all lower-division course requirements before taking ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L.

Lower-Division Courses Expand and Collapse

One of the following courses

ENVS 23	The Physical and Chemical Environment	5
CHEM 1A	General Chemistry	5

Plus one of the following courses:

ENVS 24	General Ecology	5
BIOE 20C	Ecology and Evolution	5

Plus all of the following:

STAT 7	Statistical Methods for the Biological, Environmental, and Health Sciences	5
STAT 7L	Statistical Methods for the Biological, Environmental, and Health Sciences Laboratory	2
ENVS 25	Environmental Policy and Economics	5
ENVS 80F	Introduction to Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems	5

Plus one of the following:

AM 3	Precalculus for the Social Sciences	5
AM 6	Precalculus for Statistics	5
MATH 3	Precalculus	5

Plus one introductory course in sociology, cultural anthropology, or ethics

Choose one of the following:

ANTH 2	Introduction to Cultural Anthropology	5
BME 80G /PHIL 80G	Bioethics in the 21st Century: Science, Business, and Society	5
PHIL 22	Introduction to Ethical Theory	5
PHIL 24	Introduction to Ethics: Contemporary Moral Issues	5
PHIL 28	Environmental Ethics	5
SOCY 1	Introduction to Sociology	5
SOCY 10	Issues and Problems in American Society	5
SOCY 15	World Society	5

Upper-Division Courses Expand and Collapse

All of the following courses:

ENVS 100	Ecology and Society	3
ENVS 100L	Ecology and Society Writing Laboratory	5
ENVS 130A	Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture	5
ENVS 130L	Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture Laboratory	2
ENVS 130B	Justice and Sustainability in Agriculture	5

ENVS 100 and ENVS 100L are offered twice yearly during the winter and spring quarters. ENVS 130A and ENVS 130L are offered fall quarter only. ENVS 130B is offered winter quarter only. 

Plus one of the following courses:

ENVS 130C	Field Experiences in Agroecology and Sustainable Food	5
ENVS 133	Agroecology Practicum	5
ENVS 135	Sustainable Aquaculture	5

Plus four of the following:

Not duplicating any courses taken from the above lists. Lecture and lab combinations count as a single course.

ENVS 108	General Entomology	5
ENVS 108L	General Entomology Laboratory	3
ENVS 129	Integrated Pest Management	5
ENVS 130C	Field Experiences in Agroecology and Sustainable Food	5
ENVS 131	Insect Ecology	5
ENVS 133	Agroecology Practicum	5
ENVS 135	Sustainable Aquaculture	5
ENVS 142	Sustainable Energy	5
ENVS 143	Sustainable Development: Economy, Policy, and Environment	5
ENVS 146	Water Quality: Policy, Regulation, and Management	5
ENVS 160	Restoration Ecology	5
ENVS 161A	Soils and Plant Nutrition	5
ENVS 162	Plant Physiological Ecology	5
ENVS 162L	Plant Physiological Ecology Laboratory	2
ENVS 163	Plant Disease Ecology	5
ENVS 163L	Plant Disease Ecology Lab	2
ENVS 164	Projects and Practices in Soil Ecology	5
ENVS 165	Sustainable Water Systems	5
ENVS 166	Agroecosystem Analysis and Watershed Management	5
ENVS 168	Biogeochemistry and the Global Environment	5
ENVS 169	Climate Change Ecology	5
ENVS 170	Agriculture and Climate Change	5
BIOE 118	Plants and Society: the Biology of Food, Shelter, and Medicine	5
CMMU 149	Political Economy of Food and Agriculture	5
CMMU 186	Food and Agriculture Social Movements	5

Students can petition to take one elective course from: a) another ENVS upper-division course (ENVS 104A through ENVS 179) not listed above; b) a relevant course in SOCY, LALS, ANTH by petition; or c) a relevant course taken in a study abroad program by petition. Please review the petition process listed on the department's website. 

Required Internship or Independent Study Expand and Collapse

Complete one of the following in a topic related to agroecology, aquaculture, or sustainable food systems:

ENVS 83	Environmental Studies Internship	5
ENVS 184	Environmental Studies Internship	2
ENVS 199F	Tutorial	2

Disciplinary Communication (DC) Requirement Expand and Collapse

Students of every major must satisfy that major's upper-division Disciplinary Communication (DC) requirement. A primary goal of the environmental studies major is to train students who are able to critically analyze interdisciplinary environmental problems, justify their position on an issue, and communicate that position to a range of audiences verbally and in writing.

The DC requirement in agroecology is satisfied by completing:

ENVS 100	Ecology and Society	3
ENVS 100L	Ecology and Society Writing Laboratory	5

Plus one of the following:

ENVS 183B	Senior Internship	5
ENVS 190	Capstone Course: Environmental Problem Solving	5
ENVS 195B	Senior Thesis Group	5
ENVS 196	Senior Seminar	5

ENVS 183B and ENVS 195B are usually taken after successfully completing ENVS 183A and ENVS 195A respectively.

Comprehensive Requirement Expand and Collapse

The senior comprehensive may be satisfied by completing one of the options listed below. All courses used to satisfy the senior comprehensive requirement must be taken for a letter grade. The topic engaged in the senior comprehensive courses must be relevant to the field of agroecology. 

Before enrolling in the senior thesis or senior internship option, students must formally apply to work with a particular faculty mentor very early in their thesis or project preparation. The senior thesis and senior internship option require careful planning, additional independent research, and at least a two-quarter commitment.

Students with advanced skills in one of the graduate focal areas may also take a graduate seminar by invitation from the instructor.

One of the following options

Either these courses
ENVS 183A	Senior Internship	5
ENVS 183B	Senior Internship	5
or this course
ENVS 190	Capstone Course: Environmental Problem Solving	5
or these courses
ENVS 195A	Senior Research	5
ENVS 195B	Senior Thesis Group	5
or this course
ENVS 196	Senior Seminar	5

Planners Expand and Collapse

The following are two sample academic plans for students pursuing the agroecology B.A. major. Plan One is for incoming frosh and Plan Two is for incoming transfer students.

Plan One for Incoming Frosh

	Fall	Winter	Spring
1st (frosh)	MATH 3 or AM 3	SOCY/ANTH/ethics course	ENVS 23 or CHEM 1A
	ENVS 80F	ENVS 25
2nd (soph)	ENVS 24 or BIOE 20C	ENVS 100 & ENVS 100L*	Upper-division elective
	STAT 7 & STAT 7L		ENVS 83 or ENVS 184 or ENVS 199F
3rd (junior)	ENVS 130A & ENVS 130L	ENVS 130B	ENVS 130C or ENVS 133
		ENVS 133 or ENVS 135
4th (senior)	Upper-division elective	Upper-division elective	Upper-division elective
			Comprehensive requirement

*This course is also offered in the spring term

Students completing this major will have satisfied the SI, IN, PE-E, IS, and PR-E general education requirements needed to fulfill all remaining university, college, and general education requirements.

Students interested in taking the senior thesis or senior internship as their comprehensive requirement must take ENVS 195A (thesis) or ENVS 183A (internship)  in the quarter before completing ENVS 195B (thesis) or ENVS 183B (internship). Both the senior thesis and senior internship are two consecutive quarter commitments. 

Plan Two for Incoming Transfer Students

	Fall	Winter	Spring
3rd (junior)	STAT 7 & STAT 7L	ENVS 100 & ENVS 100L*	ENVS 130C or ENVS 133
	ENVS 80F	ENVS 130B	Upper-division elective
	ENVS 83 or ENVS 184 or ENVS 199F
4th (senior)	ENVS 130A & ENVS 130L	ENVS 133 or ENVS 135	ENVS 130C
	Upper-division elective	Upper-division elective	Upper-division elective
			Comprehensive requirement

*This course is also offered in the spring term

This planner assumes a student has completed all lower-division courses except STAT 7 & STAT 7L and ENVS 80F before transferring to UCSC.

Students completing this major will have satisfied the SI, IN, PE-E, IS, and PR-E general education requirements needed to fulfill all remaining university, college, and general education requirements.

Students interested in taking the senior thesis or senior internship as their comprehensive requirement must take ENVS 195A (thesis) or ENVS 183A (internship) in the quarter before completing ENVS 195B (thesis) or ENVS 183B (internship). Both the senior thesis and senior internship are two consecutive quarter commitments.