Academic Programs Catalog

The Bachelor of Science Degree in Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources Education is designed to prepare students for careers as school-based agriculture, food and natural resources teachers at the secondary-level, careers in agricultural and natural resource education fields, or for professional or graduate studies.

Requirements for the Bachelor of Science Degree in Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources Education

1. The University requirements for bachelor’s degrees as described in the Undergraduate Education section of this catalog; 120 credits, including general elective credits, are required for the Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources Education.
   
   The University’s Tier II writing requirement for the Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources major is met by completing Community Sustainability 301. That course is referenced in item 3. below.
   
   Students who are enrolled in the Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources Education major leading to the Bachelor of Science degree in the Department of Community Sustainability may complete an alternative track to Integrative Studies in Biological and Physical Sciences that consists of the following courses: Biological Science 162 and 172, and Chemistry 141. The completion of Biological Science 172 satisfies the laboratory requirement. Biological Science 162 and 172, and Chemistry 141 may be counted toward both the alternative track and the requirements for the major referenced in item 3. below.
   
   The completion of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources mathematics requirements may also satisfy the University mathematics requirement.
2. The requirements of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources for the Bachelor of Science degree. Certain courses referenced in item 3. below may be counted toward College requirements as appropriate.
   1. The following requirements for the major:

      a.	All of the following courses (61 credits):
      	ANS	110	Introductory Animal Agriculture				3
      	BS	161	Cell and Molecular Biology				3
      	BS	162	Organismal and Population Biology				3
      	BS	172	Organismal and Population Biology Laboratory				2
      	CEM	141	General Chemistry				4
      	CEP	240	Diverse Learners in Multicultural Perspective				3
      	CSS	101	Introduction to Crop Science				3
      	CSS	210	Fundamentals of Soil Science				3
      	CSUS	200	Introduction to Sustainability				3
      	CSUS	222A	Seminar in Instructional Theory I - Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources Education				1
      	CSUS	222B	Seminar in Instructional Theory II - Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources Education				1
      	CSUS	222C	Seminar in Instructional Theory III - Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources Education				1
      	CSUS	300	Theoretical Foundations of Sustainability				3
      	CSUS	301	Community Engagement for Sustainability (W)				3
      	CSUS	316	Campus Apprenticeship in Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources Education				3
      	CSUS	317	Foundations of Teaching Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources				3
      	CSUS	343	Community Food and Agriculture Systems				3
      	CSUS	493	Professional Internship in Community Sustainability				6
      	FOR	202	Introduction to Forestry				3
      	HRT	203	Introduction to Horticulture				3
      	IBIO	355	Ecology				3
      	IBIO	355L	Ecology Laboratory (W)				1
      b.	One of the following courses (3 credits):
      	AFRE	100	Decision-making in the Agri-Food System				3
      	AFRE	130	Farm Management I				3
      c.	One of the following courses (3 credits):
      	CSUS	464	Environmental and Natural Resource Policy in Michigan				3
      	CSUS	465	Environmental and Natural Resource Law				3
      d.	All of the following courses for students admitted into the secondary teacher education program (12 credits):
      	CSUS	417	Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources Apprenticeship/Clinical Experience				3
      	CSUS	817	Instructional Design and Assessment in Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources Education				3
      	CSUS	818	Theory and Practice of Program Planning in Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources Education				3
      	CSUS	819	Instructional Theory and Practice in Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources Education				3
      e.	All of the following courses for students not pursuing secondary teacher education certification (12 credits):
      	CSUS	430	Non-Profit Organizational Management for Community Sustainability				3
      	CSUS	433	Grant Writing and Fund Development				3
      	An additional 6 credits of electives approved by the student’s academic advisor.

The Department of Community Sustainability offers a Bachelor of Science degree program with a major in Environmental Studies and Sustainability. This program of study is concerned with who uses natural resources, how they use them, and how positive outcomes of use can be enhanced and negative impacts can be mitigated. It examines resource use and allocation through the lenses of community engagement, sustainability and environmental justice. Students benefit from a broad range of interdisciplinary courses, as well as disciplinary and methods courses carefully selected to enhance students’ technical knowledge. Professional internship, and education abroad experiences are encouraged to provide students with experiences beyond the classroom and the university campus. Graduates of this program will be prepared to enter professions in environmental, natural resource, agricultural and community development fields through careers in education, government, private industry, non-profit organizations, and public relations and communications or enter a professional or graduate school program.

Requirements for the Bachelor of Science Degree in Environmental Studies and Sustainability

1. The University requirements for bachelor’s degrees as described in the Undergraduate Education section of this catalog: 120 credits, including general elective credits, are required for the Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Studies and Sustainability.
   
   The University’s Tier II writing requirement for the Environmental Studies and Sustainability major is met by completing Community Sustainability 301. That course is referenced in item 3. below.
   
   Students who are enrolled in the Environmental Studies and Sustainability major leading to the Bachelor of Science degree in the Department of Community Sustainability may complete an alternative track to Integrative Studies in Biological and Physical Sciences that consists of the following courses: Biological Science 162 and 172, and Chemistry 141. The completion of Biological Science 172 satisfies the laboratory requirement. Biological Science 162 and 172, and Chemistry 141 may be counted toward both the alternative track and the requirements for the major referenced in item 3. below.
   
   The completion of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources mathematics requirement may also satisfy the University mathematics requirement.
2. The requirements for the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources for the Bachelor of Science degree.
   
   Certain courses referenced in requirement 3. below may be counted toward College requirements as appropriate.
3. The following requirements for the major (64 to 66 credits):

   a.	All of the following Science Foundations courses (15 credits):
   	BS	161	Cell and Molecular Biology						3
   	BS	162	Organismal and Population Biology						3
   	BS	172	Organismal and Population Biology Laboratory						2
   	CEM	141	General Chemistry						4
   	IBIO	355	Ecology						3
   b.	One of the following Applied Earth Sciences courses (3 or 4 credits):
   	CSS	210	Fundamentals of Soil Science						3
   	GEO	206	Physical Geography						3
   	GLG	201	The Dynamic Earth						4
   c.	All of the following Community Sustainability Core courses (16 credits):
   	CSUS	200	Introduction to Sustainability						3
   	CSUS	221	Seminar in Environmental and Sustainability Careers						1
   	CSUS	300	Theoretical Foundations of Sustainability						3
   	CSUS	301	Community Engagement for Sustainability (W)						3
   	CSUS	310	History of Environmental Thought and Sustainability						3
   	CSUS	400	Topics in Environmental Justice						3
   d.	One of the following Intermediate Energy, Water, Land courses (3 credits):
   	CSUS	259	Sustainable Energy and Society						3
   	CSUS	320	Environmental Planning and Management						3
   	CSUS	354	Water Resources Management						3
   e.	One of the following Advanced Energy, Water, Land courses (3 credits):
   	CSUS	426	Conservation Planning and Adaptive Management						3
   	CSUS	453	Watershed Planning and Management						3
   	CSUS	459	Clean Energy System Policy						3
   f.	Two of the following Community Sustainability Intermediate Electives (6 credits):
   	CSUS	215	International Development and Sustainability						3
   	CSUS	265	Exploring Environmental and Sustainability Issues and Policy Using Film						3
   	CSUS	273	Introduction to Travel and Tourism						3
   	CSUS	276	Sustaining our National Parks and Recreation Lands						3
   	GEO	221	Introduction to Geographic Information						3
   g.	Two of the following Community Sustainability Advanced Electives (6 or 7 credits):
   	CSUS	343	Community Food and Agricultural Systems						3
   	CSUS	431	Interpretation and Visitor Information Systems						3
   	CSUS	445	Community-Based Environmental and Sustainability Education						3
   	CSUS	473	Social Entrepreneurship for Community Sustainability						3
   	CSUS	476	Natural Resource Recreation Management						4
   h.	Two of the following Administration and Leadership courses (6 credits):
   	CSUS	322	Leadership for Community Sustainability						3
   	CSUS	429	Program Evaluation for Community Sustainability						3
   	CSUS	430	Non-Profit Organizational Management for Community Sustainability						3
   	CSUS	433	Grant Writing and Fund Development						3
   i.	One of the following Policy and Law courses: (3 credits)
   	CSUS	464	Environmental and Natural Resource Policy in Michigan						3
   	CSUS	465	Environmental and Natural Resource Law						3
   j.	A minimum of 3 credits in one of the following courses:
   	CSUS	418	Community Sustainability Study Abroad						3 to 6
   	CSUS	419	International Studies in Community Sustainability						3 to 12
   	CSUS	493	Professional Internship in Community Sustainability						3 to 6
   	Students may substitute another appropriate course with approval of the department.

The Department of Community Sustainability offers a Bachelor of Science degree in Sustainable Parks, Recreation and Tourism. By combining a body of specialized professional knowledge with the study of natural, social, management and behavioral sciences, the program provides an opportunity for students to obtain a broad, interdisciplinary education which emphasizes a professional area of knowledge integrated with the tenets of sustainability. The major is designed to prepare students for professional positions related to the management and enjoyment of the outdoors. Such positions include management of public parks, forests and protected areas, non-profit lands and facilities such as camps, and commercial enterprises that provide goods and services to outdoor enthusiasts. Meeting people’s outdoor leisure needs, enhancing the quality of life, and providing sustainable economic and social development are hallmarks of the major.

Students in the Sustainable Parks, Recreation and Tourism major will acquire an understanding of natural resource recreation and tourism that integrates sustainability and effectively links theory with practice while engaging the community. This includes the concepts of leisure, tourism, recreation and sustainability, as well as operation of recreation delivery systems, policy, administration, management, planning and evaluation.

Government, non-profit and for-profit entities offer a variety of career opportunities in the parks, recreation and tourism field. These opportunities include careers in park and land management, recreation and conservation law enforcement, nature and cultural interpretation, non-profit camp and adventure organization management, commercial recreation enterprise management of cruise ships, resorts, marinas, adventure travel firms, outfitting and guiding services and in coordinating and promoting tourism systems at from the local, state and federal levels through convention and visitor bureaus, chambers of commerce, economic development organizations and industry associations. Graduates are also well prepared for graduate studies relating to the park, recreation and tourism field, as well as a broad range of social and natural science disciplines.

Requirements for the Bachelor of Science Degree in Sustainable Parks, Recreation and Tourism

1. The University requirements for bachelor's degrees as described in the Undergraduate Education section of this catalog; 120 credits, including general elective credits, are required for the Bachelor of Science degree in Sustainable Parks, Recreation and Tourism.
   
   The University's Tier II writing requirement for the Sustainable Parks, Recreation and Tourism major is met by completing Community Sustainability 301. That course is referenced in item 3. below.
   
   The completion of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources mathematics requirement may also satisfy the University mathematics requirement.
2. The requirements of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources for the Bachelor of Science degree.
   
   Certain courses referenced in requirement 3. below may be counted toward College requirements as appropriate.
3. The following requirements for the major:

   a.	All of the following courses (12 to 15 credits):
   	CSUS	200	Introduction to Sustainability				3
   	CSUS	300	Theoretical Foundations of Sustainability				3
   	CSUS	301	Community Engagement for Sustainability (W)				3
   	CSUS	493	Professional Internship in Community Sustainability				3 to 6
   b.	Six of the following courses (18 or 19 credits):
   	CSUS	273	Introduction to Travel and Tourism				3
   	CSUS	276	Sustaining Our National Parks and Recreation Lands				3
   	CSUS	430	Non-Profit Organizational Management for Community Sustainability				3
   	CSUS	433	Grant Writing and Fund Development				3
   	CSUS	473	Social Entrepreneurship for Community Sustainability				3
   	CSUS	474	Advanced Topics in Tourism Management				3
   	CSUS	476	Natural Resource Recreation Management				4
   c.	One of the following courses (3 or 4 credits):
   	FOR	419	Applications of Geographic Information Systems to Natural Resources Management				4
   	GEO	221	Introduction to Geographic Information				3
   d.	Five of the following courses (14 or 15 credits):
   	ACC	230	Survey of Accounting Concepts				3
   	CSS	210	Fundamentals of Soil Science				3
   	CSUS	310	History of Environmental Thought and Sustainability				3
   	CSUS	354	Water Resources Management				3
   	CSUS	429	Program Evaluation for Community Sustainability				3
   	CSUS	431	Interpretation and Visitor Information Systems				3
   	CSUS	445	Community-Based Environmental and Sustainability Education				3
   	CSUS	464	Environmental and Natural Resource Policy in Michigan				3
   	CSUS	465	Environmental and Natural Resource Law				3
   	EEM	255	Ecological Economics				3
   	FI	320	Introduction to Finance				3
   	FOR	215	Introduction to Wildland Fire				2
   	GBL	323	Introduction to Business Law				3
   	HB	100	Introduction to Hospitality Business				2
   	HB	237	Hospitality Lodging Systems				3
   	HB	267	Management of Food and Beverage Systems				3
   	MGT	325	Management Skills and Processes				3
   	MKT	327	Introduction to Marketing				3

The Minor in Sustainable Natural Resource Recreation Management is available as an elective to students who are enrolled in bachelor’s degree programs at Michigan State University. Focusing on the management of people, facilities, natural resources and organizations that provide natural resource recreation opportunities, it targets students considering careers in public land management, commercial recreation enterprises, non-profit resource based camps and educational facilities, rural community development, forestry, fisheries, wildlife, criminal justice (conservation/recreation law enforcement), landscape architecture, environmental policy or agriculture. The minor offers students the opportunity to integrate knowledge of social, biological and physical sciences, natural resources and ecosystems to sustainably manage for outcomes that include outdoor recreation.

With the approval of the department that administers the student’s degree program, courses that are used to satisfy the requirements for the minor may also be used to satisfy the requirements for the bachelor’s degree.

Requirements for the Minor in Sustainable Natural Resource Recreation Management

The student must meet the requirements specified below:

The Master of Arts in Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources Education is designed for persons who seek to acquire advanced professional knowledge related to agriculture, food and natural resources in educational settings. This master’s program consists of practice-centered inquiry in professional, interdisciplinary, and foundational studies of agriculture, food and natural resources, and inquiry in educational settings. This program is designed for certified teachers and other educators who wish to continue their professional studies in agriculture, food and natural resources education.

In addition to meeting the requirements of the university and of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, students must meet the requirements specified below.

Admission

Applications for admission to the master's program are reviewed by faculty who look for evidence of appropriate preparation for advanced interdisciplinary and professional study at the master's level and the likelihood of academic success, as indicated by an applicant's prior educational record, work experience, statement of professional goals, and letters of recommendation. Collateral courses may be required to overcome deficiencies in addition to the requirements for the master’s degree. Collateral course work will not count towards the master’s degree.

Requirements for the Master of Arts Degree in Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources Education

A minimum of 30 credits is required for the degree under Plan B (without thesis). The student’s program of study must be developed in cooperation with and approved by the student’s guidance committee and must include the requirements specified below.
 

The Master of Science in Community Sustainability provides students with opportunities to engage in integrated and applied research and acquire professional skills.

In addition to meeting the requirements of the university and of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, students must meet the requirements specified below. Students may not be admitted to both the Master of Science degree in Community Sustainability and the Master of Science degree in Sustainable Tourism and Protected Area Management.

Admission

Applicants must have completed a bachelor’s degree or comparable degree requirements from an educational institution. Relevant experience and strong academic backgrounds in the natural, physical, or social sciences are encouraged for applicants to the Master of Science in Community Sustainability. All applicants for admission are required to submit scores from the General Test of the Graduate Record Examination. Collateral courses may be required to overcome deficiencies in addition to the requirements for the master’s degree. Collateral course work will not count toward the master’s degree.

Requirements for the Master of Science Degree in Community Sustainability

The student may elect either Plan A (with thesis) or Plan B (without thesis). Plan A emphasizes integrated and applied research and is designed as the foundation for doctoral study. Plan B focuses on the acquisition of well-defined professional skills, appropriate for a terminal degree and for professional employment.

A minimum of 30 credits is required for the degree under Plan A and Plan B. The student’s program of study must be developed in cooperation with and approved by the student’s guidance committee and must include the requirements specified below.

The Doctor of Philosophy in Community Sustainability is designed to enable students to generate new knowledge in complementary fields responsive to rapidly changing conditions in our natural environment and agricultural systems.

In addition to meeting the requirements of the university and of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, students must meet the requirements specified below.

Admission

To be admitted to the Doctor of Philosophy degree program in Community Sustainability a student must have completed a master’s degree. Relevant experience and strong academic backgrounds in the natural, physical, or social sciences, including independent research experience, are strongly encouraged. All applicants are required to submit scores from the General Test of the Graduate Record Examination. Collateral courses may be required to overcome deficiencies in addition to the requirements for the doctoral degree. Collateral course work will not count towards the doctoral degree.

Requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Community Sustainability

The Master of Science degree in Sustainable Tourism and Protected Area Management provides students with opportunities to engage in integrated and applied research and to acquire professional skills for the study, management, administration and planning of tourism and protected areas under the overarching concept of community sustainability.

In addition to meeting the requirements of the university and of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, students must meet the requirements specified below. Students may not be admitted to both the Master of Science degree in Community Sustainability and the Master of Science degree in Sustainable Tourism and Protected Area Management.

Admission

Applicants must have completed a bachelor’s degree or comparable degree requirements from an educational institution. Relevant experience and strong academic background in the natural, physical, or social sciences are encouraged. Applicants are required to submit scores from the General Test of the Graduate Record Examination. Collateral courses may be required to overcome deficiencies in addition to the requirements for the master’s degree. Collateral course work will not count towards the master’s degree.

Requirements for the Master of Science Degree in Sustainable Tourism and Protected Area Management
  
The student may elect either Plan A (with thesis) or Plan B (without thesis). Plan A emphasizes integrated and applied research and is designed as the foundation for doctoral study. Plan B focuses on the acquisition of well-defined professional skills, appropriate for a terminal degree and for professional employment and development. A minimum of 30 credits is required for the degree under Plan A or Plan B. The student’s program of study must be developed in cooperation with and approved by the student’s guidance committee and must include the requirements specified below.

The Doctor of Philosophy degree in Sustainable Tourism and Protected Area Management is designed to enable students to generate new knowledge in the complementary fields of tourism and protected area management under the overarching concept of community sustainability.

In addition to meeting the requirements of the university and of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, students must meet the requirements specified below.

Admission

To be admitted to the Doctor of Philosophy degree program in Sustainable Tourism and Protected Area Management, a student must have completed a master’s degree in any field. Relevant experience and strong academic backgrounds in the natural, physical, or social sciences, including independent research experience, are strongly encouraged. All applicants are required to submit scores from the General Test of the Graduate Record Examination.

Requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Sustainable Tourism and Protected Area Management

The student’s program of study must be developed in cooperation with and approved by the student’s guidance committee and must include the requirements specified below: