Sustainable Food & Farming

2-year Associate Degree

Program Advisor: Jaime Piñero, PhD

jpinero@umass.edu

Students in this major learn the complexities of farming and pursue careers in farming, education, and/or advocacy. The curriculum is flexible, with a wide range of electives, allowing students to specialize their degree as they desire.

Courses in bold require a minimum grade of C.

FIRST SEMESTER (FALL)

STOCKSCH 105 Soils  4

STOCKSCH 108 Introductory Botany  4

STOCKSCH 120 Organic Farming and Gardening  4

STOCKSCH 192F First Year Seminar  1

STOCKSCH 320 Organic Vegetable Production  3

Credit Total  16

SECOND SEMESTER (SPRING)

STOCKSCH 101 Exploring the Wonders and Applications of Entomology (1st Seven Weeks)  2

STOCKSCH 104 Plant Nutrients (1st Seven Weeks)  2

STOCKSCH 111 Introductory Plant Pathology (1st Seven Weeks)  2

STOCKSCH 298 Optional: Practicum (2nd Seven Weeks)  2

SFF ELECTIVES xxx (Advisor Approved: See Lists Below) (Full Semester)  6

STOCKSCH 198F Sustainable Food & Farming Internship (June-August)  3-4

Credit Total  15-18

THIRD SEMESTER (FALL)

MATH 100/101/104 Course Based on Math Placement Exam Score  3

STOCKSCH 270 Sustainable Soil and Crop Management  3

SFF ELECTIVES xxx (Advisor Approved: See Lists Below)  9

Credit Total  15

FOURTH SEMESTER (SPRING)

ENGLWRIT 111/112 Course Based on Writing Placement Exam Score  3-4

SFF ELECTIVES xxx (Advisor Approved: See Lists Below)  12

Credit Total  15-16

Grand Total  61-65

SUSTAINABLE FOOD & FARMING ELECTIVES (TAKEN WITH ADVISOR APPROVAL)

• Must earn a minimum of 27 credits across all 5 categories of electives below
• Each course can only be used to satisfy one category (no double dipping)
• Additional courses may be taken with advisor approval

Note: Students planning to transfer to a 4-year bachelor’s program may be required to complete general education courses that count towards that goal.

Economic & Social Systems (Must take one course)

ANIMLSCI 260 Animal Care & Welfare  4 (Fall)

NRC 225 Forests and People  3 (Spring)

RES-ECON 262 Environmental Economics  4 (Spring)

RES-ECON 263 Natural Resource Economics  4 (Fall)

Pests & Pest Management (Must take one course)

STOCKSCH 326 Insect Biology  3 (Fall)

STOCKSCH 581 Integrated Pest Management  4 (Fall)

Plant & Animal Systems (Must take two courses)

ANIMLSCI 103 Introductory Animal Management  4 (Spring)

ANIMLSCI 260 Animal Care & Welfare  4 (Fall)

STOCKSCH 165 Intro to Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems  3 (Fall)

Practica and Related Experiences (Must take one course)

ANIMLSCI 238 Dairy Calf Management  2 (Fall)

ANIMLSCI 239 Livestock Classic  1 (Spring)

ANIMLSCI 251 Dorset Sheep Management II  2 (Spring)

ANIMLSCI 252 Belted Galloway (aka “Oreo cow”) Management II  2 (Spring)

ANIMLSCI 253 Boer Goat Management II  2 (Spring)

ANIMLSCI 298 Animal Science Practicum  1+ (Both)

STOCKSCH 170 Pesticide Certification  1 (Both)

STOCKSCH 196 Independent Study  1+ (Both)

STOCKSCH 298 Stockbridge Practicum  1+ (Both)

STOCKSCH 398G Greenhouse Practicum  1+ (Both)

Production Systems (Must take one course)

ANIMLSCI 103 Introductory Animal Management  4 (Spring)

ANIMLSCI 332 Basic Animal Nutrition & Feeding  4 (Spring)

STOCKSCH 370 Tropical Agriculture  3 (Spring)

GENERAL ED COURSES (ONLY FOR STUDENTS TRANSFERRING TO BS PROGRAM)

CHEM 111 General Chemistry (PS)  4

MATH 104 Algebra, Analytic Geometry, and Trigonometry (R1)  3

NRC 100 Environment and Society (SI)  4

RES-ECON 102 Introduction to Resource Economics (SB)  4

STOCKSCH 172 Plants in Our World (SI)  4