Applied Agriculture Certificate

College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
Institute of Applied Agriculture
3300 Symons Hall
Phone: 301-405-4685
iaa-request@umd.edu
http://iaa.umd.edu

Director: Heather McHale

Through the Institute of Applied Agriculture (IAA) students earn a UMD lower-division certificate in Applied Agriculture.  Students may select one of the following concentration tracks:  Agricultural Business Management, Agricultural Leadership and Communication, Environmental Stewardship, General Turfgrass Management, Golf Course Management, Landscape Management, Ornamental Horticulture, Sports Turf Management, and Sustainable Agriculture. The IAA provides students with the entrepreneurial and technical skills needed to lead successful agricultural enterprises and manage natural resources responsibly.   Upon completion of the program, some students join the workforce, while others pursue further education. Students who wish to earn a bachelor's degree may apply to transfer into University of Maryland undergraduate degree programs. 

The IAA has a separate admission policy which can be found on its website; prospective students apply directly to the IAA. 

Agriculture Forward at the University of Maryland (Ag Forward) is an accelerated program for first-time university students who are interested in earning dual credentials from the University of Maryland, College Park. Students begin their studies in the Institute of Applied Agriculture (IAA). After successfully completing 30 credits at the IAA, completing General Education requirements in English and Math and earning a GPA of at least 3.0, students are eligible to transfer into a bachelor's degree program within the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Students continue to earn their Certificate in Applied Agriculture while working on their bachelor's degree. Applications for Agriculture Forward, a competitive program, are accepted each spring until March 15. 

Program Learning Outcomes

1. Demonstrate the ability to communicate clearly and appropriately with a range of audiences, both in writing and orally; demonstrate proficiency in professional presentation skills.
2. Analyze, apply, and create financial statements; identify and analyze potential markets; create effective business plans.
3. Demonstrate understanding of plant health care principles and best practices, including integrated pest management strategies.
4. Demonstrate understanding of inequities and cultural biases in the field of agriculture across dimensions such as race, gender, citizenship status, disability status, economic class, and others; display cultural competence and sensitivity in communicating with a variety of stakeholders.

A certificate in Applied Agriculture requires students to complete 60 credits and a 320-hour internship.  Each concentration track requires courses specific to its focus and allows for elective courses so students may pursue their areas of interest.  All concentration tracks include the following required elements:

• fundamental studies (math, English, and oral communication)
• fundamental agricultural science (plant, animal, or nutrition)
• applied agriculture and career readiness (soil science; pesticide use and safety;  internship; and professional development)
• business management and leadership (courses selected for each track from a list that includes agricultural entrepreneurship, marketing, human resources management, finance, business management, alternative enterprises, business law, leadership and communication, public relations, and agricultural policy).

All concentration tracks, aside from Agricultural Leadership and Communication, also require Fundamentals of Agricultural Mechanics. Please see more detailed requirements for each concentration track below. Complete curriculum guides, course descriptions, and two-year plans may be found on our website at go.umd.edu/program-plans. 

Agricultural Business Management

Agricultural Leadership and Communication

Sustainable FOOD SYSTEMS

 Environmental Stewardship

​Landscape Management

Ornamental Horticulture

Golf Course Management

Sports Turf Management 

General Turfgrass Management