University Core Curriculum
The University Core Curriculum assures a breadth of understanding and a comprehensive
process of learning within the Agricultural Economics program. The specific requirements
are for courses in communications, mathematics, the natural sciences, the humanities, social
and behavioral sciences, the visual and performing arts, U.S. history, political science,
and kinesiology. A total of forty-three (43) credit hours are required for the University
Core Curriculum for all four options in the B.S. degree in Agricultural Economics. All
course work during the first two years of the B.S. degree in Agricultural Economics is
common across all four of the options. Although there is no formal gateway into the third
and fourth year "Upper-Level" courses, several of the courses identified as constituting
the first two years' course work are prerequisites for specific courses during the third
and fourth years. That is, successful, efficient, and timely progress through the curriculum
in all four options are contingent on students sequencing their semester schedules, in
particular during the first two years, according to the flow identified in the suggested
curriculums. In designing the semester-by-semester schedule of classes for Agricultural
Economics majors, attention was also directed towards emphasizing inclusion of those courses
considered to constitute the University Core requirements defined by the Faculty Senate of
Texas A&M University. There are a minimum of 43 hours of coursework required of all majors.
Students are encouraged to complete the University Core Curriculum during the first two years
of the B.S. degree in Agricultural Economics program. The first two years of college are an
important time for students to determine the direction and degree of emphasis they are interested
in when pursuing subsequent course work. Concentrating on the University Core Curriculum during
the first two years provides for a basic foundation which can be easily transferred to other majors
without loss of course credit in the event students decide other programs are more complementary
to their interests. Doing so also allows for efficient, timely progression into subsequent
courses which serve as prerequisites for upper-level course work in the Department. Delaying
of this course work, most notably AGEC 105 and the mathematics courses, can lengthen the time
required to complete a degree from one to three semesters.
| University Core Curriculum |
| Course | Credit |
| AMERICAN HISTORY ELECTIVES | 6 |
| COMMUNICATIONS (ENGL 104 - Composition & Rhetoric) | 3 |
| KINESIOLOGY (KINE 198 - Health and Fitness Activity)) | 1 |
| KINESIOLOGY (KINE 199 - Required Physical Activity) | 1 |
| MATHEMATICS (MATH 141 - Business Math I) | 3 |
| MATHEMATICS (MATH 142 - Business Math II) | 3 |
| NATURAL SCIENCE ELECTIVES | 8 |
| POLITICAL SCIENCE (POLS 206 - U.S. Government) | 3 |
| POLITICAL SCIENCE (POLS 207 - State & Local Govt.) | 3 |
| SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE* | 3 |
| HUMANITIES ELECTIVE** | 3 |
| VISUAL & PERFORMING ARTS ELECTIVE** | 3 |
| Sub-Total | 40** |
| * |
The B.S. degree in Agricultural Economics requires a total of 15 hours of courses that are
included in the approved list of Social and Behavioral Science requirements (University Catalog,
Edition #126): AGEC 105,
AGEC 429, ECON 202, ECON 203, and ECON 322 or 323.
By incorporating AGEC 105 into the degree plan as a required course in the University Core Curriculum, 3 hours
can be added to "Free Electives" in the Agricultural Economics Curriculum. Doing so provides
increased flexibility for students in selecting courses to meet career goals, minor and/or certificate
requirements, etc. |
| ** |
Six (6) hours of International and Cultural Diversity requirements are handled either with Humanities
and/or Visual Performing Arts course work taken to satisfy University Core Curriculum and/or using
elective hours in the Agricultural Economics degree core. |
The two three-hour communication requirements are satisfied with ENGL 104, "Composition and Rhetoric,"
and COMM 203, "Public Speaking." The two three-hour mathematics requirements are satisfied by MATH 141,
"Business Math I," and MATH 142, "Business Math II." The three-hour social and behavioral science
requirement is satisfied with AGEC 105, "Introduction to Agricultural Economics" (refer to the first
footnote on the prior page). The remaining University Core Curriculum courses are either as specified
(i.e., KINE 198, KINE 199, POLS 206, and POLS 207) or disciplinary-specified electives to be selected
from among courses explicitly identified in the University Catalog (i.e., the two three-hour American
history electives, the three-hour humanities elective, the two four-hour natural science electives, the
three-hour visual & performing arts elective, and the 6 hours of international and cultural diversity
electives).
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