Administrative Officers

Vice Chancellor and Dean	-	Edward A. Hiler, B.S., M.S., Ph.D.
Associate Vice Chancellor and Executive Associate Dean	-	Fuller Bazer, B.S., M.S., Ph.D.
Associate Vice Chancellor and Associate Dean for Continuing Education	-	Charles Scifres, B.S., M.S., Ph.D.
Associate Vice Chancellor and Associate Dean	-	Clarence R. Creger, B.S., M.S., Ph.D.
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs	-	Karen S. Kubena, B.S., M.S., Ph.D.
Associate Dean for Student Development	-	Joe D. Townsend, B.S., M.S., Ph.D.

General Statement

The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University works with the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station and Texas Cooperative Extension to improve the quality of life in Texas and beyond its borders through teaching, research, extension, outreach and service programs. This mission of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences is as follows:

The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences offers exceptional academic programs that have their foundation in basic and applied biological science, social science, technology and business. A total of 26 majors and 16 minors in 14 academic departments offer a wide range of opportunities from which students can select to prepare for a future that fits their interests and abilities. Students with an interest in the agricultural industry can choose animal, poultry, plant or food sciences; agronomy; engineering; business or management; and education. While almost all disciplines include life sciences, majors that focus on this area include biochemistry, genetics, nutritional sciences and entomology. Studies in natural resources include bioenvironmental sciences, wildlife science, forestry, rangeland ecology, and recreation and tourism. Leadership has a home in agricultural development but is located in majors and other experiences across the college.

All degree programs are designed to allow students to obtain technical expertise within the major and to be educated broadly so that they can meet the challenge of a rapidly changing world. Abilities of thinking critically, solving problems, making decisions and communicating effectively are developed, along with learning how to work with and appreciate people from a variety of backgrounds. Faculty members who teach undergraduate classes include many who are recognized internationally for research and other accomplishments in their disciplines. This means that students may gain new knowledge from those who played a role in its discovery. Interested undergraduates also have a chance to be a part of research projects themselves.

Student organizations that are sponsored by departments or the college include the Agricultural and Life Sciences Student Council, Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS) and more than 30 others. They promote interaction among students who share interests in the field, such as wildlife biology, master gardening, biochemistry and genetics, agricultural engineering, conservation and the environment, human nutrition, recreation and parks, horsemanship, and agrimarketing, while developing leadership skills.

The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and its departments offer a variety of scholarships to students on a competitive basis. Many are reserved for incoming freshmen or transfer students. Additional information and application forms for college-level scholarships for current students can be obtained from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Academic Office, 109 Kleberg Center. Information about departmental scholarships can be obtained from the departments directly.

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Baccalaureate Degree Programs

Each major can be planned to prepare students for graduate study or admission to professional schools in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, other health professions and law. Students in programs such as biochemistry and nutritional sciences, are highly recruited for medicine and other health professions. Animal science and wildlife and fisheries sciences are among several excellent choices for students interested in veterinary medicine. Students with a background in natural resources, the agricultural industry, or life sciences can use that knowledge well if they choose to enter law school. An environmental lawyer with a degree in a natural resource area understands the science and the law.

Career opportunities are plentiful in the international agricultural industry. Study abroad courses, offered through several departments in the College, allow students to travel to another country with a faculty member for course work in contemporary agricultural sciences. Programs in recent years have been based in countries such as Australia, Dominica, South Africa, Mexico, Russia, France and Vietnam. The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences participates in the University Honors Program, and honors courses are offered across the College. Because of the opportunities to participate in basic and applied research in most majors, many students in the College are University Undergraduate Research Fellows.

Advising is provided for each student in the college through offices in the individual academic departments. The departmental advisor provides assistance on course selection and other academic issues and serves as a mentor for career planning and admission to graduate or professional school. Advisors serve as professional consultants for students in the College with the objective of avoiding problems if possible and solving problems if needed.

Minors in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Minors consist of a group of specified courses totaling between 15 and 18 credit hours. Students who are eligible to enroll in a minor should contact an advisor in the department offering the minor. Minors available in the college are listed below.

Internships and Cooperative Education

Internships provide real-world experience in industries related to agriculture, life sciences or natural resources. Students return to campus with an interest in the curriculum from the perspective of knowledge and skills needed to succeed in the discipline. The experiences are so valuable that many students complete more than one internship. Most departments in the College offer academic credit for the satisfactory completion of an internship course. In fact, an internship is required for graduation in some degree programs.

The Agriculture and Natural Resources Congressional Internship Program places students from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences in Washington, D.C., or Austin in the office of a legislator or government agency for a semester or summer. Selection for the program is based upon academic performance, leadership and other factors.

Cooperative education is an alternating semester program of work and study that allows students to gain practical experience in their chosen field while pursuing a degree. Students interested in information should write the Texas A&M University Office of Cooperative Education.

Graduate Study

All departments in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences offer graduate degrees at the master's and doctoral levels. The Master of Science usually includes a research component while original research is required for the Doctor of Philosophy degree. Professional studies in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences lead to the master of agriculture in several areas, the master of education in agricultural education, and the master of agribusiness in that major. The Master of Agriculture degree generally requires an internship experience in an industry or agency. Students receiving one of these degrees may continue study for the doctor of philosophy degree.

Students are encouraged to contact the department in which they wish to major to obtain information about graduate study. Information on admission, programs avail-able, etc., can be found in the Texas A&M University Graduate Catalog .

Environmental Sciences

Professional development in the environmental sciences should consist of education and training in a diverse array of interdisciplinary subjects. These may include environmental planning; environmental education and communications; management of land, water, and air, as well as fisheries and wildlife management; solid and hazardous waste management; parks and outdoor recreation; and forestry. The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences sponsors curricula that address the scientific and engineering components of each of these subjects. Programs and emphases, such as Bioenvironmental Sciences, Plant and Environmental Soil Science and Environmental and Natural Resources Engineering, have evolved. In addition, traditional environmental fields, including Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences; Rangeland Ecology and Management; Forestry; and Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences, provide environmental policy, technology and management. Further, environmental stewardship and conservation of natural resources are the focus of the Institute of Renewable Natural Resources. For a listing of these programs and career emphases, refer to the index of this catalog or obtain further information from the Office of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, or visit the website coals.tamu.edu.

Teacher Certification

Students may be recommended for certification as teachers in Texas while majoring in an academic discipline in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Students seeking teacher certification in Texas public schools receive their professional preparation for teaching through the College of Education. Students in the program for secondary school certification may select any undergraduate major; however, it is anticipated that most students will select a major closely associated with one of the secondary teaching fields authorized by the State of Texas. To qualify for certification, students will complete 23-24 semester hours of course work offered by the College of Education. Students interested in teacher certification should contact the Office of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

International and Cultural Diversity Requirement

Texas A&M University requires its students to meet an International and Cultural Diversity requirement as part of the University's Core Curriculum. Meeting this requirement will require the careful selection of courses. The student is directed here for detailed information regarding this requirement and also is encouraged to seek the advice of the student's academic advisor.