Online Bachelor of Science Degree Requirements

Sustainable Food and Farming ONLINE Bachelor of Science Degree Requirements

(Revised for all students entering in September 2023 and thereafter) 

The Bachelor of Science degree in Sustainable Food and Farming requires 120 credits.  If applicable to these requirements, you may transfer up to 75 credits of prior college course work towards this degree.  Students must take courses in four categories:

  1. University General Education Requirements (39 credits)
  2. Sustainable Food and Farming Core Classes (28 credits)
  3. Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems Electives (27 credits)
  4. Additional Credits to Reach 120 (as needed)
  • At least 60 credits must be “science” credits from the College of Natural Sciences or the equivalent
  • At least 30 credits must be taken in the Stockbridge School of Agriculture 

 

University General Education Requirements (39 credits)

The General Education Program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst offers students a unique opportunity to develop critical thinking, communication, and learning skills that will benefit them for a lifetime.  University GenEd requirements are: 

  • College Writing (CW) 3 credits
  • General Mathematics (R1) 3 credits
  • Analytical Reasoning (R2) 3 credits
  • Biological Sciences (BS) 4 credits
  • Physical Sciences (PS ) 4 credits
  • Arts or Literature (AT or AL) 4 credits
  • Historical Studies (HS) 4 credits
  • Social & Behavioral Sciences (SB) 4 credits
  • Social World (AT, AL, I, SI, SB) 4 credits
  • U.S. Diversity (DU) 3 credits (may be combined with another GenED)
  • Global Diversity (DG) 3 credits (may be combined with another GenED) 

 

Sustainable Food and Farming Core Classes (28 credits) 

The core of the Sustainable Food & Farming degree requires the completion of courses in 8 categories:

 
Plant and Soil Sciences (7 cr) 

STOCKSCH 106 – Soil Science (3)

and STOCKSCH 108 – Intro Botany (4)

 
Chemistry (3-4 cr)

STOCKSCH 117 – Agricultural Chemistry (3)

or  CHEM 111 – General Chemistry (4)

or  Chemistry at a community college with prior approval 

 

Junior Writing (3 cr)                                              

STOCKSCH 382 – Professional Development in Sustainable Food & Farming (3)

 

Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems (3 cr)

STOCKSCH 165 – Intro to Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems (3) 

 

Ecological Systems (3 cr)

STOCKSCH 186 - Intro to Permaculture (3)

or STOCKSCH 270 – Sustainable Soil and Crop Management (3)

or STOCKSCH 378 – Introductory Agroecology (3)

 

Social and Community Systems (3 cr) 

STOCKSCH 263 – Agricultural Leadership and Community-based Education (3)

or STOCKSCH 288 – Global Food Systems (3)

or STOCKSCH 355 – Community Food Systems (3)

or STOCKSCH 358 – Social Permaculture (3)

 
Economic and Business issues (3 cr) 

STOCKSCH 266 – Farm Management, Planning and Marketing (3)

or STOCKSCH 354 – Non-profit Mgmnt. of Community-based Farming Progs. (3)

or ACCNT 221 – Principles of Financial Accounting (3)

or MKTG 301 – Fundamentals of Marketing (3)

 

Integrative Experience (3 cr)

STOCKSCH 379 – Agricultural Systems Thinking (3)

 

Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems Electives (27 cr) 

 The electives section allows you to shape your degree to your interests, while ensuring that you take an appropriate number of lower-level, mid-level, and upper-level electives from our catalog.  Select courses from each level below.

Lower-level Electives (Up to 9 cr can be applied towards requirements) 
  • STOCKSCH 200 – Plant Propagation (3)
  • STOCKSCH 209 – Holistic Fruit Production (3)
  • STOCKSCH 211 – Pasture Management (3)
  • STOCKSCH 255 – Herbaceous Plants (3)
  • STOCKSCH 258 – Urban Agriculture (3)
  • STOCKSCH 266 – Farm Management, Planning and Marketing (3)
  • STOCKSCH 268 – Small Farm Husbandry I – Meat Animals (4)
  • STOCKSCH 269 – Small Farm Husbandry II – Poultry & Pigs (4)
  • STOCKSCH 270 – Sustainable Crop and Soil Management (3)
  • STOCKSCH 280 – Herbs, Spices and Medicinal Plants (4)
  • STOCKSCH 281 – Topics in Herbalism I (2)
  • STOCKSCH 282 – Topics in Herbalism II (2)
  • STOCKSCH 290B – Cultivation of Edible Mushrooms (3)
  • STOCKSCH 290N – Native Food Systems (3)
  • STOCKSCH 390P – Sustainably Raising Poultry (3)
  • STOCKSCH 263 – Agricultural Leadership & Community Education (3)
  • STOCKSCH 297 L – Intro to Food and Agricultural Law (3) 

 

Mid-level Electives (Must take minimum of 6 cr) 
  • STOCKSCH 315 – Greenhouse Management (4)
  • STOCKSCH 320 – Organic Vegetable Production (3)
  • STOCKSCH 350 – Sustainable Soil and Crop Management
  • STOCKSCH 354 – Non-profit Management for Community Food Programs (3)
  • STOCKSCH 358 – Social Permaculture for Food Justice (3)
  • STOCKSCH 365 – Hydroponics (4)
  • STOCKSCH 378 – Intro Agroecology (3)
  • STOCKSCH 386 – Sustainable Site Design and Planning (3)
  • STOCKSCH 387 – Global Food Systems (3) 

 

Upper-level Electives (Must take minimum of 6 cr) 
  • STOCKSCH 510 – Management and Ecology of Plant Diseases (3)
  • STOCKSCH 580 – Soil Fertility (3)
  • STOCKSCH 581 – Integrated Pest Management (4-5)
  • STOCKSCH 587 – Phyto/bioremediation (3) 

 

Practica and Independent Study (May take a maximum of 9 cr) 
  • STOCKSCH 396 or 496 – Independent Study (1-6)
  • STOCKSCH 398 or 498 – Practicum (1-9) 

 

Additional Credits to Reach 120 (as needed)

Courses from other majors, other institutions, or from study abroad may count toward the total.  Talk to your advisor for options.   

Credits in excess of the 9 credits of 200 level classes required for the major may be applied here towards the total requirement of 120 credits.

In addition, 100 level STOCKBRIDGE courses may be used to satisfy this requirement, including: 

  • STOCKSCH 100 – Botany for Gardeners (4)
  • STOCKSCH 101 – Insects and Related Forms (2)
  • STOCKSCH 104 – Plant Nutrients (2)
  • STOCKSCH 110 – Sustainable Horticulture (3) (Online only)
  • STOCKSCH 111 – Intro Plant Pathology (2)
  • STOCKSCH 119 – Designing a Backyard Homestead (3)
  • STOCKSCH 120 - Organic Gardening & Farming (4)   
  • STOCKSCH 166 – Practical Beekeeping (3)
  • STOCKSCH 171 – Plagues, Food and People (4)
  • STOCKSCH 172 – Plants in Our World (4)
  • STOCKSCH 184 – Raising Dairy Goats (3)
  • STOCKSCH 186 - Introduction to Permaculture (3)   

 

Post-Baccalaureate Degree Requirements (for Students Already Holding a Bachelor's Degree)

Anyone who has already earned a bachelor's degree in any subject may apply for the post-baccalaureate degree program.  This program does not require General Education classes and requires only 45 credits to graduate with a second bachelors degree.  At least 30 of these credits must be from the Stockbridge School of Agriculture. 

See the Requrements for Students Already Holding a Bachelor's Degree

 

if you have questions about graduation requirements, please contact one of the two advisors. 

Renee Ciulla -@email

John Gerber -@email

 

Internships or Practicum

Students are encouraged to take up to the maximum of 18 credits (max of 9 may count toward core requrements) as Internships or Practicum. These may be farm internships, working with non-profits or businesses, or study abroad. Stockbridge is committed to helping students gain practical experience as part of their major area of study. By combining your classroom education with experience in the field, your practicum/internship should be a highlight of your Stockbridge education. Every internship is different and one size does not fit all! The requirements have flexibility. If you are working to establish your own farm and your life situation is such that you are not able to complete an independent study away from home, we can find a “residential solution.”

For more information, talk with our SFF Internship Coordinator, Renee Ciulla at @email.

And see: Internships