Overview of Available Courses by Semester
Soil and Crop Sciences Courses
SCSC 304 Plant Breeding and Genetics – (3-0). Credit 3. Spring. Instructor: Steven Hague – Genetic improvement of crops by hybridization and selection; special breeding methods and techniques applicable to naturally self-pollinated, cross-pollinated and asexually reproduced plants. Prerequisite: SCSC 105.*
SCSC 311 Principles of Crop Production – (3-0). Credit 3. Fall. Instructor: Wayne Smith – Review of plant physiology and crop adaptation to mesoclimates; crop management factors of planting, pest control, plant nutrition, irrigation, GIS, and harvesting techniques; special units on organic farming, conservation agriculture, farming in low-rainfall climates, and bioenergy crops; influence of markets, government policies, and the global economy on cropping strategies. Prerequisites: SCSC 307, junior or senior classification, or approval of instructor.
SCSC 613 Ethical Aspects of International Agricultural Systems (3-0) Credit 3 Summer Instructor: Sakiko Okimoto – Diverse theories of morality; ethical dimensions of population growth, high yielding crop production systems, genetic engineering, and use of land, soil, and water. Prerequisites: Approval of Instructor.
SCSC 641 Plant Breeding I – (3-0) Credit 3 Spring Instructor: Wayne Smith – Theoretical and practical aspects of plant breeding including genetic basis; application of breeding methods and interdisciplinary considerations in breeding problems. Prerequisites: SCSC 304 or HORT 404; GENE 301; STAT 651.
SCSC 642 Plant Breeding II – (3-0) Credit 3 Fall Instructor: Bill Rooney – Expectations of genetic improvement for different plant breeding methods; relative efficiency for crops of different reproductive mechanisms; genetic variances, covariances and genotype-environment interaction components of variance used in planning selection procedures. Prerequisites: SCSC 641; GENE 613; STAT 619
SCSC 643 Quantitative Genetics and Plant Breeding – (3-0) Credit 3 Spring Instructor: Seth Murray Applied aspects of quantitative genetics in plant breeding; examination of methodologies to analyze quantitative variation in crop species; genetic phenomena (inbreeding, heterosis and epistasis); quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping and marker-assisted selection (MAS); genotype by environment interaction, heritability multiple traits and selection theory with implications in plant breeding. Prerequisites: SCSC 641; GENE 613; STAT 619 and 652. Cross-listed with GENE 643.
SCSC 654. Analysis of Complex Genomes (3-0). Credit 3. Spring. Instructor: Endang Septiningsih – Genome structure, organization and function of model organisms and higher eukaryotes; theory and methodology of genetic and physical mapping, comparative genomics, sequencing, sequence analysis and annotation; emphasis on understanding the function of complex genomes, genome-wide expression analysis, genetic and epigenetic mechanisms; X-inactivation, imprinting, gene silencing, transposons, genome duplication and evaluation. Prerequisite: GENE 603 or GENE 431. Cross-listed with GENE 654 and MEPS 654.
SCSC 660. Experimental Designs in Agriculture (3-0). Credit 3. Fall. Instructor: Amir Ibrahim – Teaches fundamental principles and procedures of experimental designs in agricultural sciences. Emphasis includes factorial designs, predicting outputs, use of covariance, balanced and unbalanced experimental designs as related to common agricultural research projects under field, greenhouse or growth chamber culture. Students will become familiarized with computer programming of common statistical software. Prerequisite: STAT 651.
MEPS 601. Physiology of Plants. (3-0). Credit 3. Fall. Instructor: Dirk Hays – Advanced physiology of higher plants, includes water relations, mineral metabolism, biochemistry, growth, development, hormones, environmental signals and stress physiology. Emphasis on current literature and research trends; cellular and sub-cellular mechanisms related to whole plant behavior. Prerequisites: BICH 410 and MEPS 313 or approval of instructor.
SCSC 681. Seminar. Credit 1 each semester. Spring. Fall. For graduate students and staff members in soils and crops; presentation and discussion of special topics and research data; participation required of all graduate students in agronomy.
SCSC 684. Professional Internship. Credit 1 or more each semester. Spring. Summer. Fall. Program planned to provide professional training in student’s particular field of interest. Faculty and employer will supervise the activity. Work-study will be planned as a part of the Master of Agriculture degree program in agricultural chemistry, crops and soils. Prerequisite: Approval of instructor.
SCSC 685. Directed Studies. Credit 1 to 4 each semester. Advanced problems in some phase of agronomy not directly related to thesis or dissertation.
SCSC 689. Special Topics in Intellectual Property. Credit 3. Spring. Instructor: Russ Jessup. Selected topics in intellectual properties in the plant sciences.
SCSC 691. Research. Credit 1 or more each semester. Spring. Summer. Fall. Investigations leading to thesis or dissertation.
Other Classes
Agricultural Economics
AGEC 314. Marketing Agricultural and Food Products. (3-0). Credit 3. Spring. Summer. Fall. Instructor: Kalu Arachchillage. General introductory course covering operations involved in movement of agricultural commodities from farmer to consumer, essential marketing functions of buying, selling, transportation, storage, financing, standardization, pricing, and risk bearing. Prerequisites: AGEC 105 or 3 hours of economics; and junior or senior classification.
AGEC 344. Food and Agricultural Law. (3-0). Credit 3. Spring. Legal problems relevant to agribusiness; torts, fencing laws, liability for agricultural pollution, irrigation water rights, corporations and partnerships. Prerequisite: Junior or senior classification.
AGEC 689. Special Topics. Credit 1 to 4 each semester. Selected topics in an identified area of agricultural economics. May be repeated for credit.
Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications
ALEC 617. Leadership in Organizational Culture and Ethics. (3-0). Credit 3. Summer. Instructor: Jennifer Williams. Integration of organizational culture and ethical theories; implications and role of leaders in organizational culture and ethical situations; critical analysis of organizational culture and ethics in agricultural organizations. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.
ALEC 625. Program Evaluation and Organizational Accountability. (3-0). Credit 3. Spring. Summer. Instructor: Chanda Elbert. Examines the philosophy, methods, and issues of accountability and evaluation necessary to meet expectations of institutional mandates. Special emphasis on analytical tools and performance measures. Prerequisite: Professional experience or approval of department head.
ALEC 640. Methods of Technological Change. (3-0). Credit 3. Spring. Summer. Fall. Instructors: Theresa Murphrey; Robert Strong. Dynamics of cultural change as theoretical framework for planned technological change; methods of planning and implementing change, its effects and how it can be predicted.
Educational Human Resources Development
EHRD 602. Critical Issues in Human Resource Development. (3-0). Credit 3. Spring. Critical issues in human resource development; development of workforce through training and development activities. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.
EHRD 603. Applied Theoretical Foundations of Human Resource Development. (3-0). Credit 3. Spring. Fall. Instructor: Larry Dooley. Challenges of supervision associated with human resource development settings; how to apply theoretical foundations of human resource development to ensure employees obtain the necessary skills for current and future job demands. Prerequisite: Master’s classification only.
EHRD 605. Principles and Practices of Leadership in Human Resource Development. (3-0). Credit 3. Spring. Fall. Development and application of leadership models for human resource development settings; introduce and examine historical, philosophical and theoretical aspects of leadership; explore and evaluate the ethical and influence dimensions of leadership; critically examine the contemporary research characteristics of effective leadership. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.
EHRD 612. Training and Development in Human Resource Development. (3-0). Credit 3. Spring. Fall. Instructor: Larry Dooley. Overview of the process of planning, implementing and evaluation training and development in a variety of settings; includes conceptual tools needed to develop and design training. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.
EHRD 613. Career Development in Human Resource Development. (3-0). Credit 3. Summer. Fall. Instructor: Matthew Upton. Foundations for developing expertise in the area of career development; content to serve to expand knowledge and prepare individuals for optimizing human resources in human resource development organizations; focusing on programs, methods, practices, and techniques by combining personal and organizational factors. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.
EHRD 614. Strategic Planning for Human Resource Development. (3-0). Credit 3. Spring. Instructor: Michael Beyerlein. Strategic planning in Human Resource Development (HRD); elements for training, career and organizational development; mission, values and culture, vision, audit analysis and modeling. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.
EHRD 622. Training Task Analysis. (3-0). Credit 3. Summer. Instructor: Jia Wang. Developing an understanding of the theory and practice of performance and needs analysis as applied in the public and private employment sectors; reviewing of the current issues related to job task analysis. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.
EHRD 624. Change Theory. (3-0). Credit 3. Spring. Summer. Instructor: Matthew Upton. Conceptual tools needed to understand theories of change and to develop ways of operationalizing change for education and research. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.
EHRD 625. Organization Development and Performance in Human Resource Development. (3-0). Credit 3. Spring. Fall. Instructors: Pauline Silva; Michael Beyerlein. Introduction to major theories, concepts, skills, and techniques for the practice and management of organization change and development in various organizational performance contexts and human resource development settings. Prerequisite: EHRD 601 or 603 or equivalent.
EHRD 627. Research and Development in Educational Human Resource Development. (3-0). Credit 3. Fall. Instructor: Matthew Upton. Methods of conducting research programs in educational human resource development; defining the research problem and overview of quantitative, qualitative, action research, and mixed methods.
Entomology
ENTO 320. Honey Bee Biology. (3-0). Credit 3. Spring. Summer. Fall. Instructor: Bradley Metz. Introduction of honey bee biology and beekeeping practices to science and non-science majors; honey bees as the model insect to introduce general principles of biology and entomology. Prerequisite: Junior or senior classification or approval of instructor.
ENTO 322. Insects and Human Society. (3-0). Credit 3. Spring. Summer. Fall. Instructor: Roger Gold. Emphasis on the role insects have played in the development of human cultures; aspects include health, food production and storage, art, music and architecture; overview of historic, present day, and future roles insects will have on environmental movements (green societies), and in underdeveloped, developing and developed societies. Prerequisite: Junior or senior classification.
Ecosystem Science & Management
ESSM 406. Natural Resources Policy. (3-0). Credit 3. Fall. Instructor: Forrest Fleischman. Natural resources and forest policy development in the United States and review of current issues in forest and related natural resource policy. Prerequisite: Junior or senior classification or approval of instructor.
ESSM 610. Rangeland Resource Management. (3-0). Credit 3. Spring. Instructor: Wayne Hamilton. Basic concepts and theories of rangeland resource management; trends in range classification, grazing management and improvement practices. Prerequisite: Graduate classification in agriculture or related subject matter areas.*
ESSM 611. Grazing Management and Range Nutrition. (3-0). Credit 3. Spring. Summer. Instructor: Merwyn Kothmann. Nutritional ecology of domestic and wild herbivores on rangelands; vegetation and animal response to various grazing management practices; diet selection, quality, intake and supplementation of herbivores.*
ESSM 612. Rangeland Vegetation Management. (3-0). Credit 3. Fall. Instructor: Wayne Hamilton. Principles of rangeland brush and weed control with mechanical, chemical, burning and biological methods; interrelationships of brush management with grazing, wildlife and watershed management; planning and economic analysis of range improvement practices.*
ESSM 630. Restoration Ecology. (3-0). Credit 3. Summer. Instructor: Steven Whisenant. Review and discuss fundamental concepts, current literature, and contemporary topics relating to ecological restoration. This includes the theoretical development of restoration ecology and its application. The relationship with conservation biology will be explored. The goal is to inform, exchange views, and develop critical thinking skills through case studies. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.*
ESSM 636. Range and Forest Watershed Management. (3-0). Credit 3. Summer. Instructor: Robert Knight. Management of range and forest watersheds; influence of range and forest practices on runoff, interception, infiltration, erosion and water quality; current literature and research advances.*
ESSM 651. Geographic Information Systems. (2-2). Credit 3. Spring. Fall. Instructor: Russell Feagin. Design, planning and implementation of geographic information systems; computer hardware and software evaluation; practical experience in data entry, analysis and update of spatial and characteristic data; linkages of GIS and artificial intelligence; use of maps and remotely sensed data as data inputs. Prerequisites: GEOG 398 and RENR 444 or approval of instructor. Cross-listed with BAEN 651.
ESSM 660. Landscape Analysis and Modeling. (2-2). Credit 3. Spring. Instructor: Xinyuan Wu. Introduction to quantitative methods of landscape analysis and modeling for applications in natural resource conservation and management; quantification of landscape composition and configuration; spatial statistical methods for characterizing landscape pattern; methods for hypothesis testing with spatial data; landscape modeling approaches and applications; current literature and software. Prerequisite: Approval of instructor.*
ESSM 675. International Sustainable Community Development. (3-0). Credit 3. Spring. Fall. Instructor: Steven Whisenant. Depicting global trends, paradigms and a comparative framework on sustainable community development; visioning, design, planning and developmental processes; leadership and management skills; marketing and promotion of sustainability concepts and practices; efficacies, indicators, analytic methods and case analyses; platforms for international cooperation; opportunities and careers in pertinent fields.
ESSM 676. Leadership, Development and Management of Environmental NGOs. (3-0). Credit 3. Spring. Fall. Steven Whisenant. Trends and increasing power of NGOs in environment and sustainable development; understanding of the organizational structures, functions, planning and management processes of environmental NGOs; technical skills and leadership qualities for careers with environmental NGOs. Prerequisite: Graduate Classification. Cross-listed with RENR 650.
Genetics
GENE 310. Principles of Heredity. (3-0). Credit 3. Spring. Fall. Instructor: Clint Magill. Basic principles of classical genetics, molecular genetics, mutation theory and genetic engineering; emphasis on humans and society. Not open to biochemistry and genetics majors. Prerequisite: Junior classification.
GENE 603. Genetics. (4-0). Credit 4. Fall. Instructor: Clint Magill. Development of fundamental concepts related to the structure, function, organization, transmission and distribution of genetic material. Prerequisite: GENE 301.
Molecular and Environmental Plant Sciences
MEPS 601. Physiology of Plants. (3-0). Credit 3. Fall. Instructor: Dirk Hays. Advanced physiology of higher plants, includes water relations, mineral metabolism, biochemistry, growth, development, hormones, environmental signals and stress physiology. Emphasis on current literature and research trends; cellular and sub-cellular mechanisms related to whole plant behavior. Prerequisites: BICH 410 and MEPS 313 or approval of instructor.
Urban Planning
PLAN 625. Geographical Information Systems in Landscape and Urban Planning. (2-3). Credit 3. Spring. Summer. Fall. Instructor: Douglas Wunneburger. Provides students an understanding of GIS fundamentals; basic concepts, principles and functions; essential skills for applying GIS in various fields such as urban planning, landscape architecture, land development, environment studies, transportation and hazard management; based on learning through class projects. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.
Plant Pathology
PLPA 603. Plant Disease Management. (3-0). Credit 3. Summer. Instructor: James Starr. On-line course designed to provide a strong foundation in the principles and practices of management of plant diseases; analysis of disease cycles and epidemiological parameters to develop and evaluate efficient control strategies and forecasting models. Prerequisites: PLPA 301 or equivalent, permission from instructor.
PLPA 689. Special Topics in Genome Informatics. (3-0). Credit 3. Fall. Instructor: Joshua Yuan. Cover various computational and informatics resources available for biological and biomedical research in the post-genome age; basic computational strategies for biological database, sequence analysis, transcriptome profiling, proteomics, metabolomics, and systems biology will be introduced; common software used in these analyses will be introduced and demonstrated; students are required to be able to employ this software to perform the preliminary data analysis.
Public Service & Administration
PSAA 603. International Non-Governmental Organizations. (3-0). Credit 3. Spring. Fall. Instructor: Khaldoun AbouAssi. Explores how philanthropy, nonprofit, and NGO sectors operate, with special attention to their niche alongside private and public sectors, revenue sources, impact on society, and converse effects of society and its institutions. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.
PSAA 630. Program Evaluation in Public and Nonprofit Organizations. (3-0). Credit 3. Summer. Instructor: Leonard Bright. Organizations today are responding to increasing demands for accountability. These demands come from an increasingly sophisticated public, clientele, and from funding sources including government, foundations, and corporations. This course is designed to introduce theories, research, and practice for program evaluation and systems that support the organization’s information needs. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.
PSAA 633. Philanthropy: Fundraising in Nonprofit Organizations. (3-0). Credit 3. Spring. Fall. Instructor: Kelly Zuniga. This course examines the theory and practice of fundraising in nonprofit organizations. It provides students with an overview of fundraising strategies and techniques, and of how they relate to the achievement of organizational goals. It also focuses on ways of integrating various fundraising activities into an effective fundraising program. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.
PSAA 635. Social Welfare and Health Policy. (3-0). Credit 3. Spring. Instructor: Edwina Dorch. Course explores the historical development and impact of US public welfare, child welfare, employment, and health social service programs. Course analyzes values and assumptions that formed the foundations of social welfare policy and explores the social, economic, political, and cultural context in which these policies developed and their potential future. Prerequisite: Graduate Classification.
PSAA 636. Contract and Grant Management in the Public and Nonprofit Sectors. (3-0). Credit 3. Spring. Summer. Fall. Instructors: Jason Lum; Khaldoun AbouAssi. Course examines the use of contracts and grants in providing social services. Explores the theoretical background of government contracts and grants; the management of third-party services from the perspectives of government agencies, private sector contractors, and nonprofit organizations; and the skills needed to write effective grant and contract proposals. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.
PSAA 643. Foundations of the Nonprofit Sector. (3-0). Credit 3. Spring. Summer. Fall. Instructors: Jason Lum; Alicia Schortgen. Overview of the origins, size, scope and composition of the nonprofit and voluntary sector in American society today; introduction to the historical, political and religious foundations of the nonprofit sector; examines theoretical and conceptual framework in this course. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.
PSAA 644. Management and Leadership of Nonprofit Organizations. (3-0). Credit 3. Spring. Summer. Fall. Instructors: Veronica Hagerty; William Brown; Charles Little. Introduction and overview of nonprofit organizations and the environment they operate in; examination of the distinctiveness of these organizations and the special skills required for effective management of them; empirical and normative issues surrounding nonprofit management and leadership. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.
Renewable Natural Resources
RENR 375. Conservation of Natural Resources. (3-0). Credit 3. Spring. Summer. Fall. Instructor: Ronald Kaiser. Principles and philosophies associated with the development, management and use of natural resources; ecological and social implications inherent in management alternatives involving the natural environment and use of renewable natural resources.
RENR 405. GIS for Environmental Problem Solving. (2-2). Credit 3. Spring. Summer. Fall. Instructors: Russell Feagin; Koushen Loh. Interdisciplinary approach to train students to integrate GIS and relevant technologies for environmental problem solving; helps students relate learning to real world situations; students conceptualize, develop and manage projects using real data; one term project required. Prerequisite: RENR 201 or equivalent or approval of instructor.
Statistics
STAT 651. Statistics in Research I. (3-0). Credit 3. Spring. Summer. Fall. Instructors: Derya Akleman; Frederick Lombard; Michael Longnecker. For graduate students in other disciplines; non-calculus exposition of the concepts, methods and usage of statistical data analysis; T-tests, analysis of variance and linear regression. Prerequisite: MATH 102 or equivalent.
STAT 652. Statistics in Research II. (3-0). Credit 3. Spring. Summer. Fall. Instructors: Derya Akleman; Samiran Sinha. Continuation of STAT 651. Concepts of experimental design, individual treatment comparisons, randomized blocks and factorial experiments, multiple regression, Chi-squared tests and a brief introduction to covariance, non-parametric methods and sample surveys. Prerequisite: STAT 651.
STAT 653. Statistics in Research III. (3-0). Credit 3. Spring. Instructor: Derya Akleman. Advanced topics in ANOVA; analysis of covariance; and regression analysis including analysis of messy data; non-linear regression; logistic and weighted regression; diagnostics and model building; emphasis on concepts; computing and interpretation. Prerequisite: STAT 652.
STAT 656. Applied Analytics Using SAS Enterprise Miner. (3-0). Credit 3. Spring. Instructor: Elizabeth Kolodziej. Introduction to data mining and will demonstrate the procedures; Optimal prediction decisions; comparing and deploying predictive models; neural networks; constructing and adjusting tree models; the construction and evaluation of multi-stage models. Prerequisite: STAT 657.
STAT 657. Advanced Programming Using SAS. (3-0). Credit 3. Spring. Instructor: Faron Kincheloe. Programming with SAS/IML, programming in SAS Data step, advanced use of various SAS procedures. Prerequisites: STAT 604 and STAT 642.
STAT 659. Applied Categorical Data Analysis. (3-0). Credit 3. Spring. Summer. Instructor: Thomas Wehrly. Introduction to analysis and interpretation of categorical data using ANOVA/regression analogs; includes contingency tables, loglinear models, logistic regression; use of computer software such as SAS, GLIM, SPSSX. Prerequisite: STAT 601, STAT 641 or STAT 652 or equivalent.
Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences
WFSC 630. Ecology and Society. (3-0). Credit 3. Fall. Instructor: Clark Adams. Students study and compare human and natural ecosystems using diversity, interrelateions, cycles, and energy as the conceptional organization; central themes of the course are sustainability, stewardship and science. Prerequisite: Graduate classification or approval of instructor.