Department of Agriculture and Industry

(Including Agriculture, Animal Science, and Industrial Technology)

College of Agriculture, Life, and Physical Sciences

Office: Turner Range Animal Science Center 103 or Industrial Technology 101

Phone: (432) 837-8200

Chair and Associate Professor: Eric Busby, Ph.D.

Associate Professors: Jamie A Boyd, Ph.D., Carl Igo, Ph.D.

Assistant Professors: DeMetris Reed, Ph.D., Hugo da Costa Santos, Ph.D., Laura das Neves Patterson Rosa, Ph.D.

The Department of Agriculture and Industry offers course work leading toward the Bachelor of Science degrees in Agriculture, Animal Science, and Industrial Technology, as well as the Master of Science (thesis and non-thesis) in Animal Science and Master of Agriculture in Animal Science degrees. The Department also offers the Bachelor of Applied Science in Agriculture & Industry for students who have earned or worked towards an Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S) degree. Minors are available in Animal Science and Industrial Technology, each offering courses in a designated subject area.

The Department of Agriculture and Industry educates students in the art and science of applied knowledge and industry practices to manage domestic animals, agricultural enterprises, and industrial enterprises.

The curriculum is designed to be a student-centered education experience, capable of providing students with the ability to focus on a specific discipline, or to gain a broad range of skills and experiences. Our goal in the Department of Agriculture and Industry is to provide the best education and preparation available for professional careers in the animal, agriculture, manufacturing, and construction industries. We meet this goal with a curriculum solidly grounded in scientific principles emphasizing hands-on experience. Our degrees offer great flexibility to customize your educational needs by providing a number of concentrations.

The Department of Agriculture and Industry is located in the Everett E. Turner Range Animal Science Center (RAS) and Industrial Technology building. The RAS is a 400+ acre complex consisting of classrooms, laboratories, offices, and animal holding areas. There are special facilities for farrier technology, reproductive physiology, and equine science, as well as sheep and goat facilities, a feedlot and equine Center. The university also maintains animals for teaching and research including: a herd of registered Hereford cattle, horses, goats, sheep, and swine. The 14,700-acre university ranch is also available for animal science classes and research. The Industrial Technology building features large hands-on working spaces for metal work, welding, wood working, and machine repair. Classrooms and working spaces have modern digital capability as well as traditional capability so that students learn foundational techniques before applying in a digital or computerized format.

Agriculture

Agriculture students in the undergraduate program work toward a B.S. degree in agriculture with several concentrations. The Agricultural Education Concentration is designed to prepare students to enter the profession of secondary agricultural education. The curriculum combines classes from animal science, agriculture, industrial technology, and education designed to develop leadership qualities and knowledge needed to succeed in the field of agricultural education. Each student participates in course work and gains extensive hands-on experience. This concentration offers career opportunities focused on high school instructional positions. Students work closely with the Education Department and their Agricultural Education advisor in their senior year to meet all Teacher Certification Requirements. The Agricultural Systems Concentration is a broad degree that allows students to tailor courses to their area of interest across agriculture and industry. The degree gives students the maximum flexibility and depending on course selection, can be completed in an online format. The degree prepares students for careers in extension services, farm service agencies, and alternative ag teaching certification. The Agricultural Business Concentration is designed for students interested in agricultural-related businesses. Students selecting this specialization meet all the basic requirements for a degree in Agricultural Business which will prepare them for a career in the rapidly expanding fields of various combinations of agriculture and business-related industries. The Sustainable Ranch Management Concentration is designed to educate students using a practical, experiential approach to manage a ranch from the soil up. Students learn how soil, water, energy, nutrients, vegetation, wildlife, livestock, business, and people all contribute to a prosperous ranching enterprise.

Please go to the following links to view the degree plans and to see the course descriptions.

Animal Science

Animal students in the undergraduate program work toward a B.S. degree in Animal Science with several concentrations. The Production Concentration trains students for employment in traditional broad-based animal agriculture such as livestock production, business, and services related to livestock. Ranching, extension, livestock consultants, market livestock analysis, meat grading, and animal recreationists are additional examples of some of the professional opportunities available. The Science Concentration is for students interested in pursuing advanced degrees in Animal Science, such as Master of Science. The Pre-Veterinary Medicine Concentration curriculum is designed to meet or exceed the requirements for entrance into the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine as well as other vet schools across the nation.

Please go to the following links to view the degree plans and to see the course descriptions.

Industrial Technology

The Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology is designed to be a broad-based student-centered program that prepares students with marketable technical skills for careers in business, industry, education, and government. The management-oriented technical curriculum is built upon a balanced program of study drawn from a variety of disciplines related to manufacturing and construction technology allowing students to gain a broad range of skills and experiences. Sul Ross offers students the opportunity to not only build their technical and communication skills, but also their sense of collaboration and innovation. Graduates of the program will be equipped with the skills to be creative and technically proficient professionals who can help solve some of today’s most complex issues.

This program will equip students with leadership, management, and lifelong learning skills which allow them to adapt to changing work environments, think critically, and solve technical problems using sound engineering, social, and technological skills. Degree topics of interest are related to industries including construction management, project management, lean manufacturing, supply chain/logistics, safety, maintenance, production planning, and other related areas.

Industrial Technology students work towards a B.S. degree in Industrial Technology with the option to tailor degree studies to suit their professional interests and may complete a specialization in one of the following focus areas: Construction Management, Manufacturing, or Supply Chain Management.

The Manufacturing Concentration prepares students for positions in industry as production managers, manufacturing engineers, tech analysts, and more in the modern manufacturing environment.

The Construction Management Concentration prepares students for employment as a construction management professional with the knowledge and skills to address issues related to the management of multiple project sites and the applications of resource management, schedule control, cost control, design, and other requirements of the construction process.

The Supply Chain Management Concentration prepares students for employment as business consultants, logistics managers, and procurement analysts with the skills necessary for implementing strategic, efficient, and effective practices in contemporary business enterprise.

For students interested in pursuing a graduate degree, business administration courses are embedded in the curriculum and used to prepare students for an MBA program or to provide a seamless pathway to graduate school in another technical discipline.

To complete an Industrial Technology minor, students must earn at least 18 semester credit hours of Industrial Technology courses with at least six semester hours of the minor at the upper-division level.

Please use the following links to view the degree plan and to see the course descriptions.

Bachelor of Applied Science Degree in Agriculture and Industry

The Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) with a specialization in Agriculture and Industry provides seamless transfer for students who have earned or worked towards an Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S) degree. The B.A.S. in Agriculture and Industry degree allows students to personalize their education by choosing from 3 of the following concentrations: Animal Science, Ag Business, Ag Education, Construction Management, Conservation, and Farrier Technology, Manufacturing, Meat Science, Range Management, Ranch Management, Supply Chain Management, and Wildlife Management.