Agricultural Education and Communication
This major prepares students for careers in teaching, communication organizations, community and government agencies and the Cooperative Extension Service.
About This Major
- College: Agricultural and Life Sciences
- Degree: Bachelor of Science
- Hours for Degree: 120
- Specializations: Agricultural Education, Communication and Leadership Development
- Minors: Agricultural Communication, Extension Education, Leadership
- Combined-Degree Program: Yes
- Website: www.aec.ifas.ufl.edu/
Overview
Two specializations are offered: agricultural education, and communication and leadership development. Each requires core technical agriculture courses and preprofessional education. Department advisers help students in selecting appropriate electives.
Specialization: Agricultural Education
Specialization: Communication and Leadership Development
Agricultural Education
The agricultural education specialization provides the basic courses for agricultural teacher certification in Florida. Students must have a minimum GPA of 2.5 to enter the teacher education specialization and, during their first semester, attain a passing score on the general knowledge portion of the FTCE. An internship is required for this specialization. In addition, graduates must apply to the Florida Department of Education for certification.
This major is also offered at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center in Plant City, Fla.
To graduate with this major, students must complete all university, college and major requirements.
Critical Tracking and Recommended Semester Plan
Equivalent critical tracking courses as determined by the State of Florida Common Course Prerequisites may be used for transfer students
Semester 1
- 2.5 UF GPA required for semesters 1-4
- 2.5 GPA on all critical-tracking coursework for semesters 1-4
- Complete 1 of 3 critical-tracking courses, excluding labs: MAC 1140 (or equivalent), BSC 2007, BSC 2009L (or any GE-B or P laboratory), AEC 3030C (or equivalent)
Semester 2
- Complete 1 additional critical-tracking course, excluding labs
Semester 3
- Complete 1 additional critical-tracking course, excluding labs
Semester 4
- Complete all critical-tracking courses, including labs
To remain on track, students must complete the appropriate critical-tracking courses, which appear in bold.
Recommended semester plan
| Semester 1 | Credits |
| AEB 2014 Economic Issues, Food and You (3) or ECO 2013 Principles of Macroeconomics (3) or ECO 2023 Principles of Microeconomics (3) or AEB 3103 Principles of Food and Resource Economics (4) (GE-S) | 3-4 |
| BSC 2007 Biological Sciences: Cells, Organisms and Genetics (GE-B) | 3 |
| BSC 2009L Laboratory in Biological Sciences (GE-B) or any GE-B or GE-P laboratory | 1 |
| EDF 3110 Human Growth and Development or EDF 3210 Educational Psychology (GE-S) or EDF 3132 The Young Adolescent or EDF 3135 The Adolescent (GE-S) | 3 |
| Composition (GE-C, WR) | 3 |
| Elective | 2 |
| Total | 15-16 |
| Semester 2 | Credits |
| AEC 3030C Effective Oral Communication | 3 |
| MAC 1140 Precalculus: Algebra (GE-M) | 3 |
| Elective | 3 |
| Humanities (GE-H) | 3 |
| Science elective (GE-B or P) | 3 |
| Total | 15 |
| Semester 3 | Credits |
| EDF 2085 Teaching Diverse Populations | 3 |
| RED 3312 Classroom Reading | 3 |
| Elective | 3 |
| Humanities (GE-H, N) | 3 |
| Mathematics (STA 2023 Introduction to Statistics or STA 2122 Statistics for Social Science recommended) (GE-M) | 3 |
| Total | 15 |
| Semester 4 | Credits |
| AEC 3033C Research and Business Writing in Agricultural and Life Sciences (WR) | 3 |
| CHM 1083 Consumer Chemistry (or higher) or ALS 3133 Agricultural and Environmental Quality or EES 3008 Energy and the Environment or GLY 3163 Geology of American National Parks or PHY 1033C Discovering Physics or SWS 2007 The World of Water (all are GE-P) | 3 |
| Electives | 6 |
| Humanities (GE-H) | 3 |
| Total | 15 |
| Semester 5 | Credits |
| AEB 3133 Principles of Agribusiness Management | 3 |
| AEC 3323 Development and Philosophy of Agricultural Education | 3 |
| AEC 4504 Curriculum and Program Planning for Agricultural Education | 3 |
| ANS 3006C Introduction to Animal Science | 4 |
| TSL 4324 ESOL Strategies for Content Area Teachers | 3 |
| Total | 16 |
| Semester 6 | Credits |
| AEC 4202 Curriculum Development and Assessment Techniques in Emerging Agricultural Technologies | 3 |
| ENY 3005 and 3005L Principles of Entomology (2) and Principles of Entomology Laboratory (1) or IPM 3022 Fundamentals of Pest Management or ENY 3030C Insect Field Biology or ENY 3007C Life Science or ENY 4161 Insect Classification | 3 |
| SWS 3022 and 3022L Introduction to Soils in the Environment (3) and Introduction to Soils in the Environment Laboratory (1) | 4 |
| Agricultural or life sciences elective | 3 |
| Horticulture or plant science elective | 3 |
| Total | 16 |
| Semester 7 | Credits |
| AEC 3200 Instructional Techniques in Agricultural Education | 3 |
| AOM 3220 Agricultural Construction and Maintenance | 3 |
| Agricultural or life sciences electives | 10 |
| Total | 16 |
| Semester 8 | Credits |
| AEC 4224 Special Methods in Teaching Agricultural Education | 3 |
| AEC 4228 Laboratory Practices in Teaching Agricultural Education | 3 |
| AEC 4942 Agricultural Education Internship | 6 |
| Total | 12 |
Total agricultural or life sciences course required: 30 credit hours in at least four areas.
Communication and Leadership Development
Communication and leadership development prepares students for entry into agribusiness and communication positions related to human resource development, corporate training, political interests and agricultural literacy. Coursework focuses on a core of leadership and communication courses that include digital media, campaign strategies, interpersonal skills and presentation development.
To graduate, students must make a C or higher in AEC 3073 Intercultural Communication, AEC 3070C Digital Media Production in Agricultural and Life Sciences, AEC 3414 Leadership Development, AEC 4031 The Communication Process in Agricultural and Life Sciences and AEC 4930 Communication and Leadership Development Capstone Experience. Students must complete MMC 2100 Writing for Mass Communication prior to their senior year.
Critical Tracking and Recommended Semester Plan
Equivalent critical tracking courses as determined by the State of Florida Common Course Prerequisites may be used for transfer students
Semester 1
- 2.0 UF GPA required for semesters 1-4
- 2.5 GPA on all critical-tracking coursework for semesters 1-4
- Complete 1 of 3 critical-tracking courses, excluding lab: AEC 3030C (or equivalent), BSC 2007, BSC 2009L (or any GE-B or P laboratory), MAC 1140 (or equivalent)
Semester 2
- Complete 1 additional critical-tracking course, excluding labs
Semester 3
- Complete 1 additional critical-tracking course, excluding labs
Semester 4
- Complete all critical-tracking courses, including labs
To remain on track, students must complete the appropriate critical-tracking courses, which appear in bold.
Recommended semester plan
| Semester 1 | Credits |
| AEB 2014 Economic Issues, Food and You (3) or ECO 2013 Principles of Macroeconomics (4) or ECO 2023 Principles of Microeconomics (4) or AEB 3103 Principles of Food and Resource Economics (4) (GE-S) | 3-4 |
| BSC 2007 Biological Sciences: Cells, Organisms and Genetics (GE-B) | 3 |
| BSC 2009L Laboratory in Biological Sciences (GE-B) or any GE-B or GE-P laboratory | 1 |
| Composition (GE-C, WR) | 3 |
| Elective | 2 |
| Humanities (GE-H) | 3 |
| Total | 15-16 |
| Semester 2 | Credits |
| AEC 3030C Effective Oral Communication | 3 |
| MAC 1140 Precalculus: Algebra (GE-M) | 3 |
| Elective | 3 |
| Humanities (GE-H) | 3 |
| Science elective (GE-B or P) | 3 |
| Total | 15 |
| Semester 3 | Credits |
| AEC 3033C Research and Business Writing in Agricultural and Life Sciences (WR) | 3 |
| Electives | 6 |
| Electives with international or diversity focus (GE-N or D) | 3 |
| Mathematics (STA 2023 or STA 2122 recommended; GE-M) | 3 |
| Total | 15 |
| Semester 4 | Credits |
| CHM 1083 Consumer Chemistry or ALS 3133 Agricultural and Environmental Quality or EES 3008 Energy and the Environment or GLY 3163 Geology of American National Parks or PHY 1033C Discovering Physics or SWS 2007 The World of Water or SWS 3022 Introduction to Soils in the Environment (all are GE-P) | 3 |
| MMC 2100 Writing for Mass Communication (WR) | 3 |
| American history or political science elective (GE-S) | 3 |
| Electives | 6 |
| Total | 15 |
| Semester 5 | Credits |
| AEC 3070C Digital Media Production in Agricultural and Life Sciences | 3 |
| AEC 3073 Intercultural Communication (GE-S, D or N) | 3 |
| AEC 3414 Leadership Development | 3 |
| AEC 4031 The Communication Process in Agricultural and Life Sciences | 3 |
| Approved elective | 3 |
| Total | 15 |
| Semester 6 | Credits |
| AEC 3413 Working with People: Interpersonal Leadership Skills | 3 |
| Choose three of six courses (9 total hours): AEC 4035 Advanced Agricultural Communication Writing (WR) or AEC 4036 Advanced Agricultural Communication Production or AEC 4434 Communication and Leadership in Groups and Teams or AEC 4465 Global Leadership or FYC 4408 Organizational Leadership for Nonprofits or PUR 3000 Principles of Public Relations | 9 |
| Approved elective | 3 |
| Total | 15 |
| Summer | Credits |
| AEC 4948 Agricultural Communication Internship or Approved elective | 3 |
| Total | 3 |
| Semester 7 | Credits |
| AEB 3133 Principles of Agribusiness Management | 3 |
| AEC 4052 Communication Campaign Strategies in Agricultural and Life Sciences | 3 |
| AEC 4506 Nonformal Teaching Methods and Delivery Strategies | 3 |
| AEB 4085 Agricultural Risk Management and the Law (fall) or AEB 4123 Agricultural and Natural Resource Law (spring) | 3 |
| Approved elective | 3 |
| Total | 15 |
| Semester 8 | Credits |
| AEB 4126 Agriculture and Natural Resource Ethics or Similar ethics course | 3 |
| AEC 4930 Communication and Leadership Development Capstone Experience | 3 |
| Approved electives | 6 |
| Total | 12 |