Applied Agriculture Certificate
College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
Institute of Applied Agriculture
2123 Jull Hall
301-405-4685
iaa-request@umd.edu
www.iaa.umd.edu
Director: Glori Hyman
Through the Institute of Applied Agriculture (IAA) students earn a UMD lower-division certificate in Applied Agriculture. Students may select one of the following concentration tracks: Agricultural Business Management, Agricultural Leadership and Communication, General Turfgrass Management, Golf Course Management, Landscape Management, Ornamental Horticulture, Sports Turf Management, and Sustainable Agriculture. The IAA provides students with the entrepreneurial and technical skills needed to manage and lead successful agricultural enterprises. Upon completion of the program, some students join the work force, while others pursue further education. Students who wish to earn a bachelor's degree may apply to transfer into University of Maryland undergraduate degree programs.
The IAA has a separate admission policy which can be found on its website; prospective students apply directly to the IAA.
Agriculture Forward at the University of Maryland (Ag Forward) is an accelerated program for first-time university students who are interested in earning dual credentials from the University of Maryland, College Park. Students begin their studies in the Institute of Applied Agriculture (IAA). After successfully completing 30 credits at the IAA, completing General Education requirements in English and Math and earning a GPA of at least 3.0, students are eligible to transfer into a bachelor's degree program within the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Students continue to earn their Certificate in Applied Agriculture while working on their bachelor's degree. Applications for Agriculture Forward, a competitive program, are accepted each spring until March 15.
A certificate in Applied Agriculture requires students to complete 60 credits and a 320-hour internship. Each concentration track requires courses specific to its focus and allows for elective courses so students may pursue their areas of interest. All concentration tracks include the following required elements:
- fundamental studies (math, English, and oral communication)
- fundamental agricultural science (plant, animal, or nutrition)
- applied agriculture and career readiness (soil science; pesticide use and safety; internship; and professional development)
- business management (courses selected from a list that includes agricultural entrepreneurship, marketing, human resources management, finance, business management, alternative enterprises, and business law).
All concentration tracks, aside from Agricultural Leadership and Communication, also require Fundamentals of Agricultural Mechanics. Please see more detailed requirements for each concentration track below. Complete curriculum guides, course descriptions, and two-year plans may be found on our website at iaa.umd.edu/programs.
Agricultural Business Management
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Fundamental Studies | ||
| ENGL101 | Academic Writing | 3 |
| INAG110 | Oral Communication | 3 |
| MATH113 | College Algebra and Trigonometry (Or INAG 104, Agricultural Mathematics, or other math course) | 3 |
| Fundamental Agricultural Science | ||
| INAG100 | Introduction to Plant Science | 4 |
| or PLSC110/111 | Introduction to Horticulture | |
| or PLSC112/113 | Introductory Crop Science | |
| or ANSC101 & ANSC103 | Principles of Animal Science and Principles of Animal Science Laboratory | |
| or NFSC100 | Elements of Nutrition | |
| Applied Agriculture | ||
| INAG105 | Soils and Fertilizers | 3 |
| INAG106 | Pesticide Use and Safety | 2 |
| INAG250 | Fundamentals of Agricultural Mechanics | 3 |
| INAG288 | Internship | 1 |
| INAG289 | Internship Experience & Professional Development | 3 |
| Business Management | ||
| INAG102 | Agricultural Entrepreneurship | 3 |
| INAG103 | Agricultural Marketing | 3 |
| INAG201 | Agricultural Human Resources Management | 3 |
| INAG203 | Agricultural Finance | 3 |
| INAG204 | Agricultural Business Management | 3 |
| INAG206 | Agricultural Business Law | 3 |
| Applied Agriculture Electives | ||
| Student will choose 17-18 credits of advisor-approved electives to complete a total of 60 credits for the certificate. | 17 | |
| Total Credits | 60 | |
Agricultural Leadership and Communication
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Fundamental Studies | ||
| MATH113 | College Algebra and Trigonometry (Or INAG 104, Agricultural Mathematics, or other math course) | 3 |
| ENGL101 | Academic Writing | 3 |
| INAG110 | Oral Communication | 3 |
| Fundamental Agricultural Science | ||
| INAG100 | Introduction to Plant Science | 4 |
| or PLSC110/111 | Introduction to Horticulture | |
| or PLSC112/113 | Introductory Crop Science | |
| or ANSC101 & ANSC103 | Principles of Animal Science and Principles of Animal Science Laboratory | |
| or NFSC112 | Food: Science and Technology | |
| Applied Agriculture | ||
| INAG105 | Soils and Fertilizers (Students pursuing nutrition-related careers may substitute NFSC100 for INAG105) | 3 |
| INAG288 | Internship | 1 |
| INAG289 | Internship Experience & Professional Development | 3 |
| Business Management | ||
| INAG102 | Agricultural Entrepreneurship | 3 |
| INAG103 | Agricultural Marketing | 3 |
| INAG201 | Agricultural Human Resources Management | 3 |
| INAG203 | Agricultural Finance | 3 |
| INAG204 | Agricultural Business Management | 3 |
| INAG206 | Agricultural Business Law | 3 |
| Concentration Requirements | ||
| INAG131 | Introduction to Agricultural Policy and Communication | 3 |
| INAG132 | Agricultural Leadership and Teamwork | 3 |
| INAG252 | Agricultural Public Relations | 3 |
| INAG253 | Agricultural Strategic Communication | 3 |
| Applied Agriculture Electives | ||
| Student will choose 10-11 credits of advisor-approved electives to complete their 60 credits. | 10 | |
| Total Credits | 60 | |
Sustainable Agriculture
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Fundamental Studies | ||
| ENGL101 | Academic Writing | 3 |
| INAG110 | Oral Communication | 3 |
| MATH113 | College Algebra and Trigonometry (Or INAG 104, Agricultural Mathematics, or other math course) | 3 |
| Fundamental Agricultural Science | ||
| INAG100 | Introduction to Plant Science | 4 |
| or PLSC110/111 | Introduction to Horticulture | |
| or PLSC112/113 | Introductory Crop Science | |
| or ANSC101 & ANSC103 | Principles of Animal Science and Principles of Animal Science Laboratory | |
| Applied Agriculture | ||
| INAG105 | Soils and Fertilizers | 3 |
| INAG106 | Pesticide Use and Safety | 2 |
| INAG123 | People, Planet, and Profit: Digging Into Sustainable Agriculture | 3 |
| INAG248 | Topics in Sustainable Agriculture | 1 |
| INAG250 | Fundamentals of Agricultural Mechanics | 3 |
| INAG288 | Internship | 1 |
| INAG289 | Internship Experience & Professional Development | 3 |
| Business Management | ||
| INAG102 | Agricultural Entrepreneurship | 3 |
| INAG103 | Agricultural Marketing | 3 |
| INAG201 | Agricultural Human Resources Management | 3 |
| INAG203 | Agricultural Finance | 3 |
| INAG204 | Agricultural Business Management | 3 |
| INAG206 | Agricultural Business Law | 3 |
| Electives | ||
| Student will choose 13-14 credits of advisor-approved electives to complete the 60 credits for the certificate. Sustainable Agriculture students may choose to take INAG 099, Cooperative Education, in lieu of the electives; consult an advisor for details. | 13 | |
| Total Credits | 60 | |
Landscape Management
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Fundamental Studies | ||
| ENGL101 | Academic Writing | 3 |
| INAG110 | Oral Communication | 3 |
| MATH113 | College Algebra and Trigonometry (Or INAG 104, Agricultural Mathematics, or other math course) | 3 |
| Fundamental Agricultural Science | ||
| INAG100 | Introduction to Plant Science | 4 |
| or PLSC110/111 | Introduction to Horticulture | |
| Applied Agriculture | ||
| INAG105 | Soils and Fertilizers | 3 |
| INAG106 | Pesticide Use and Safety | 2 |
| LARC160 | Introduction to Landscape Architecture and Environmental Design | 3 |
| PLSC205 | Introduction to Turf Science and Management | 4 |
| INAG226 | Diseases of Ornamentals and Turf | 3 |
| INAG231 | Insects of Ornamentals and Turf | 3 |
| INAG244 | Herbaceous Plants | 3 |
| PLSC272 | Principles of Arboriculture | 3 |
| PLSC253 | Woody Plants for Mid-Atlantic Landscapes I | 3 |
| INAG250 | Fundamentals of Agricultural Mechanics | 3 |
| INAG251 | Landscape Construction | 3 |
| INAG288 | Internship | 1 |
| INAG289 | Internship Experience & Professional Development | 3 |
| Business Management | ||
| INAG201 | Agricultural Human Resources Management | 3 |
| INAG204 | Agricultural Business Management | 3 |
| INAG206 | Agricultural Business Law | 3 |
| Electives | ||
| Student will choose 1 or more credits of electives to complete 60 credits of coursework. | 1 | |
| Total Credits | 60 | |
Ornamental Horticulture
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Fundamental Studies | ||
| ENGL101 | Academic Writing | 3 |
| INAG110 | Oral Communication | 3 |
| MATH113 | College Algebra and Trigonometry (Or INAG 104, Agricultural Mathematics, or other math course) | 3 |
| Fundamental Agricultural Science | ||
| INAG100 | Introduction to Plant Science | 4 |
| or PLSC110/111 | Introduction to Horticulture | |
| Applied Agriculture | ||
| INAG105 | Soils and Fertilizers | 3 |
| INAG106 | Pesticide Use and Safety | 2 |
| INAG224 | Greenhouse and Plant Production Management | 3 |
| INAG226 | Diseases of Ornamentals and Turf | 3 |
| INAG231 | Insects of Ornamentals and Turf | 3 |
| INAG250 | Fundamentals of Agricultural Mechanics | 3 |
| INAG288 | Internship | 1 |
| INAG289 | Internship Experience & Professional Development | 3 |
| PLSC253 | Woody Plants for Mid-Atlantic Landscapes I | 3 |
| Business Management | ||
| INAG102 | Agricultural Entrepreneurship | 3 |
| INAG201 | Agricultural Human Resources Management | 3 |
| INAG204 | Agricultural Business Management | 3 |
| INAG206 | Agricultural Business Law | 3 |
| Electives | ||
| Student will choose 11 credits of advisor-approved electives to total 60 credits for the certificate. | 11 | |
| Total Credits | 60 | |
Golf Course Management
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Fundamental Studies | ||
| ENGL101 | Academic Writing | 3 |
| INAG110 | Oral Communication | 3 |
| MATH113 | College Algebra and Trigonometry (Or INAG 104, Agricultural Mathematics, or other math course) | 3 |
| Fundamental Agricultural Science | ||
| INAG100 | Introduction to Plant Science | 4 |
| PLSC205 | Introduction to Turf Science and Management | 4 |
| Applied Agriculture | ||
| INAG105 | Soils and Fertilizers | 3 |
| INAG106 | Pesticide Use and Safety | 2 |
| INAG207 | Power and Machinery | 3 |
| INAG214 | Agronomic Principles of Golf Turf Management | 3 |
| INAG226 | Diseases of Ornamentals and Turf | 3 |
| INAG231 | Insects of Ornamentals and Turf | 3 |
| INAG235 | Irrigation and Drainage | 3 |
| INAG237 | Surveying and GPS Applications in Agriculture | 3 |
| INAG250 | Fundamentals of Agricultural Mechanics | 3 |
| INAG242 | Golf Course Design and Construction | 3 |
| or PLSC253 | Woody Plants for Mid-Atlantic Landscapes I | |
| INAG288 | Internship | 1 |
| INAG289 | Internship Experience & Professional Development | 3 |
| Business Management | ||
| INAG201 | Agricultural Human Resources Management | 3 |
| INAG206 | Agricultural Business Law | 3 |
| INAG215 | Business Management Principles for Turf Facilities | 3 |
| Electives | ||
| Student will choose at least 1 credit of electives to complete 60 credits of coursework. | 1 | |
| Total Credits | 60 | |
Sports Turf Management
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Fundamental Studies | ||
| ENGL101 | Academic Writing | 3 |
| INAG110 | Oral Communication | 3 |
| MATH113 | College Algebra and Trigonometry (Or INAG 104, Agricultural Mathematics, or other math course) | 3 |
| Fundamental Agricultural Science | ||
| INAG100 | Introduction to Plant Science | 4 |
| PLSC205 | Introduction to Turf Science and Management | 4 |
| Applied Agriculture | ||
| INAG105 | Soils and Fertilizers | 3 |
| INAG106 | Pesticide Use and Safety | 2 |
| INAG207 | Power and Machinery | 3 |
| INAG214 | Agronomic Principles of Golf Turf Management | 3 |
| INAG226 | Diseases of Ornamentals and Turf | 3 |
| INAG231 | Insects of Ornamentals and Turf | 3 |
| INAG235 | Irrigation and Drainage | 3 |
| INAG237 | Surveying and GPS Applications in Agriculture | 3 |
| INAG250 | Fundamentals of Agricultural Mechanics | 3 |
| INAG288 | Internship | 1 |
| INAG289 | Internship Experience & Professional Development | 3 |
| Business Management | ||
| INAG102 | Agricultural Entrepreneurship | 3 |
| INAG201 | Agricultural Human Resources Management | 3 |
| INAG206 | Agricultural Business Law | 3 |
| INAG215 | Business Management Principles for Turf Facilities | 3 |
| Electives | ||
| Student will choose at least 1 credits of advisor-approved electives to reach 60 credit hours for the certificate. | 1 | |
| Total Credits | 60 | |
General Turfgrass Management
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Fundamental Studies | ||
| ENGL101 | Academic Writing | 3 |
| INAG110 | Oral Communication | 3 |
| MATH113 | College Algebra and Trigonometry (Or INAG 104, Agricultural Mathematics, or other math course) | 3 |
| Fundamental Agricultural Science | ||
| INAG100 | Introduction to Plant Science | 4 |
| PLSC205 | Introduction to Turf Science and Management | 4 |
| Applied Agriculture | ||
| INAG105 | Soils and Fertilizers | 3 |
| INAG106 | Pesticide Use and Safety | 2 |
| INAG207 | Power and Machinery | 3 |
| INAG235 | Irrigation and Drainage | 3 |
| INAG237 | Surveying and GPS Applications in Agriculture | 3 |
| INAG250 | Fundamentals of Agricultural Mechanics | 3 |
| INAG288 | Internship | 1 |
| INAG289 | Internship Experience & Professional Development | 3 |
| Business Management | ||
| INAG102 | Agricultural Entrepreneurship | 3 |
| INAG201 | Agricultural Human Resources Management | 3 |
| INAG204 | Agricultural Business Management | 3 |
| INAG206 | Agricultural Business Law | 3 |
| Electives | ||
| Student will choose 10 credits of advisor-approved electives to reach 60 credits for the certificate. | 10 | |
| Total Credits | 60 | |