phd agricultural extension

Doctor of Philosophy in Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication

The PhD in agricultural leadership, agricultural and extension education, and science communication provides a wide range of educational and research experiences designed specifically to prepare graduates with the skills they need to address complex issues associated with agricultural production necessary to feed and clothe a growing population while sustaining the natural environment.  Candidates must complete an approved program of 45 semester hours of coursework beyond the master's degree ( see ALEC PhD Course Checklist ) , satisfactory performance on written and oral examinations, and a formal dissertation. The ALEC PhD degree program is available face-to-face on the Athens campus.

Candidates in the ALEC PhD program will focus in one of these tracks:

• Agriculture and Environmental Sciences Leadership
• Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Education
• Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Communication

Graduates of the ALEC PhD program will be equipped for:

• Faculty roles
• Leadership and communication positions within NGOs, government agencies, school districts, and teaching and Extension
• Careers in international agricultural development

More Information

• ALEC PhD on the Graduate School Website
• ALEC Graduate Student Handbook and Forms

What Can I Do with a Graduate Degree in Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communication?

Imagine PhD allows students to assess their interests, skill sets, and values and how they align with career paths. This is an online planning tool to help students strategize on ways to develop skill sets needed to pursue a career of choice.

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Agricultural and Extension Education, Ph.D.

A candidate for the Ph.D. degree in Agriculture and Extension Education must meet all University, College, Division, and Program requirements as outlined in the WVU Graduate catalog.

Program Requirements

All Ph.D. degree candidates are required to follow a planned program of study. The student develops the plan of study during their first year in the program in conjunction with the graduate committee. The plan must be approved by the candidate's graduate committee, Director of the School of Design and Community Development, and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs of the Davis College.

Agriculture and Extension Education Requirements 

The doctoral program in Agricultural and Extension Education (AGEE) is designed to develop scholars and researchers in philosophical areas of education and extension. To meet that broad goal, Doctoral Students build program a program of study coursework focusing on foundational AGEE philosophy, research and analysis, and at least one outside concentrate area or cognate. Foundational coursework includes topics related to the diverse areas of education, communication and extension within the context of agriculture. Research coursework includes methods, quantitative and qualitative analysis. Additional cognate courses should include teaching and learning theory, educational psychology, supervision, administration and leadership, and advanced data collection and analysis. The plan of study must include a minimum of 12 hours of research.

The AGEE faculty guiding the program believe that being a scholar includes more than consumption of knowledge. The program is also designed to develop researchers who explore and build an understanding of the world and profession. Student lead research is expected, as is engagement in teaching within the program. A Doctoral Student’s program of study will reflect those expectations with research and independent study hours.

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Ph.D. Program in Agricultural Education

Ph.d. in education with a focus in agricultural education.

If you have a passion for agricultural/natural resources education, youth leadership development, community and civic leadership and engagement, STEM education, or career and technical education- this is a great opportunity for you!

The Department of Agricultural Education and Agricultural Sciences works closely with the College of Education to offer a valuable degree program that allows our students to be well prepared for faculty and administrative positions in universities, cooperative extension, supervisory, and administrative positions in state departments of education; as well as numerous positions in government and related industries. The program takes 3 years on average for degree completion if entering the program with a master’s degree.

This Ph.D. in education, with an emphasis in agricultural education, was co-developed by both colleges and provides our Ph.D. students with an unique and diverse program. Our graduates are highly sought after and are high performers in their careers.

In addition to receiving a high-quality education, our graduate students are given ample opportunity to receive graduate assistantships to help support them financially throughout their academic journey. Our graduate students positively impact agriculture education nationwide through active involvement in professional organizations, hands-on teaching experiences, research endeavors, and industry engagement.

Graduate students also have multiple opportunities to attend regional and national conferences where they present original research, create professional networks, and seek out new opportunities to grow both personally and professionally.

Explore more information about our program and how to apply below! 

More About the Program

The Agricultural Education doctoral option has a primary focus of preparing candidates to assume faculty positions in colleges or university agricultural education programs. Candidates assemble an individual program of study that provides a comprehensive knowledge of the teaching and learning process with a strong theoretical foundation and practical research experience in agricultural education. This program combines rigorous education with instruction and advising duties, along with multiple opportunities for professional development. 

Assistantships

Qualified candidates will receive assistantship funding to teach graduate and undergraduate courses in agricultural education, leadership, agricultural communications, and agricultural sciences. Assistantships are 9-month, .49 FTE positions with the opportunity for summer teaching employment. Salary and benefits are competitive and funded assistantships include tuition waivers. 

Areas of Research and Interest in Agricultural Education:

• K-12 and Postsecondary Student Motivation
• Leadership assessment and development
• Teacher preparation and early career retention
• Teaching Methods
• Teacher recruitment, retention, and professional development
• Equitable and inclusive practices in agricultural education

Connect with us and tell us more about your research inquiries!

Learning Outcomes 

Agricultural Education Learning Outcomes

Three overarching Graduate Council-approved Learning Outcomes for the PhD program are:

• Produce and defend an original significant contribution to knowledge
• Demonstrate mastery of subject material
• Conduct scholarly activities in a responsible and ethical manner

In addition, the major aim of the Agricultural Education Ph.D. option is to develop students’ analytic skills, knowledge and sensibilities to:

• Use meaningful and relevant social science literature to better understand and investigate questions in agricultural education research
• Critically evaluate key social science research to construct arguments which further understanding of research in agricultural education
• Synthesize a coherent point of view using evidence-based and theoretical arguments relevant to questions in agricultural education research

Application Process/Requirements

The Agricultural Education program is a minimum of 108 credits which include: a core curriculum in quantitative and qualitative research, 13 credits in a specialty area, a practicum, and a dissertation. Additional research methods and elective courses as approved by the major professor (faculty advisor). 

Applicant Requirements:  

• Ability to pass the state of Oregon background check
• 3.0 GPA or better 
• Master’s degree in an appropriate field or equivalent professional experience (preferably in the areas of Agricultural Education, Extension Education, Agricultural Leadership, Agricultural Communications, or other related degrees)
• Demonstrated capability of working independently as well as in teams
• Willingness to collaborate in multi-disciplinary projects 

*Applicants are encouraged to contact KJ Joseph to discuss relevant prior experiences and education. 

Preferred qualifications include: 

• Demonstrated excellent teaching skills
• Demonstrated outstanding verbal and written communication skills

Application Materials: 

To apply, please send a current resume, unofficial transcript(s), contact information for three professional references, and a 2-page, double spaced personal statement describing your experience with teaching and desire to pursue a Ph.D. graduate degree to either KJ Joseph ( [email protected] ). After reviewing the application materials, qualified candidates will be invited for a video or on-campus interview.

Application Deadlines:  The Agricultural Education option has a rolling application process. Applicants are encouraged to contact KJ Joseph (541-737-5926) if interested. Upon departmental acceptance, applicants will then be asked to apply to the program through the College of Education . 

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Ph.D. Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications

The Ph.D. in Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications is a campus-based, research-oriented doctoral degree program. This specialized degree provides a wide range of educational and research experiences designed specifically to train scholars equipped to address complex issues relating to the food, agriculture, natural resources and human sciences. Students will graduate with a strong theoretical foundation and advanced research skillset necessary for careers in the public or private sector.

Graduates often pursue university faculty positions, public and corporate leadership roles in education, natural resource management, Extension education, international development and other professional careers in agriculture, life and social sciences.

Program Details

Coursework gives the candidate a thorough and comprehensive knowledge in the field of study and methods of research. The program requires a minimum of 64 semester hours, beyond the master’s degree, including dissertation research and 18 hours of research methods. Without the master’s degree, a student must complete a minimum of 96 semester hours.

Students pursuing the Ph.D. may choose to complete a maximum of 12 hours of coursework in supporting areas closely aligned to their research interests and professional goals. While a majority of the courses must be completed on campus, students are eligible to apply up to seven online courses toward the degree program. Students must successfully pass oral and written preliminary exams and complete a dissertation to fulfill program requirements.

• Degree: Ph.D. in Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications
• Credit Hours: 64 total credit hours

Core Curriculum

While students are allowed the flexibility to select support courses to tailor their graduate program to match their academic interests and career aspirations, students are encouraged to complete four core curriculum courses to gain content knowledge and skills. All students will be assessed on their performance in each of these four core courses: 

Identification of basic principles motivating adults to learn. Procedures to implement these principles in bringing about changes in adult behavior.

Historical and philosophical developments in education that brought about education in agriculture; ideas of individuals that culminated in agricultural education institutions and organizations.

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.

Basic concepts of quantitative and qualitative research; understanding the social science research process; using appropriate methods to address research problems; enabling students to effectively evaluate, consume, and communicate research findings.

Graduate Admissions

Texas A&M University is the premier choice to gain a graduate degree, thanks to our national academic ranking and high financial value. Joining the Aggie Family and gaining an advanced degree from Texas A&M puts you in the highest class of job candidates. If students interested in seeking financial assistance, applicants are highly encouraged to submit application materials by the  fall deadline dates .

What Do I Need to Apply?

• Application through the Texas A&M University GraduateCAS system
• Official transcripts and records, sent to the Office of Admissions
• Note: GRE Scores are not required
• If the GPA is verified as not obtaining the above GPAs, applicants are still eligible to apply. We are fundamentally interested in admitting the best students and recognize that several factors including work experience and life experiences can add to the value of an application. 
• Statement of purpose outlining intent and professional career goals*
• Resume or Curriculum Vitae
• Five letters of recommendation, submitted electronically with your application*
• Writing samples to demonstrate writing proficiency*
• Prior to and while in the process of applying, applicants are highly encouraged to meet with and have conversations with faculty in their desired research and interest area. Applicants must secure an ALEC faculty member to agree to support admission and serve as an interim faculty advisor.

Statement of Purpose

Applicants must indicate specific interest area and provide well-defined, focused academic and research objectives, why they wish to pursue the degree, and how the degree will assist them in obtaining your career goals. The statement needs to be very specific indicating what research has been completed and provide specific research objectives.

Letters of Recommendation

Students will provide email addresses of recommenders in the online application. Recommenders will be asked to submit their recommendation letter electronically. Only one letter may be from faculty, staff or student employee in the department. Other ideal recommenders might be an immediate or past supervisor; previous professors; a peer or another person from the above categories.

Writing Samples

Applicants must submit two writing samples. One critique of a department faculty member’s recent refereed publication. Journal article must be within the past five years. Additionally, applicants must write a position paper on a topic related to one’s research interests.

International Students

Official TOEFL scores are required for international applicants. Official scores must be sent by ETS directly to Texas A&M University using the school code: 6003. Exams must be taken within the last two years. Visit the Graduate and Professional School website for a list of requirements, exemptions and other useful information regarding the TOEFL/IELTS Exams. English proficiency can be demonstrated by one of the criteria below:

• a GRE Verbal Reasoning score of at least 146 (must be taken in last five years) or;
• a minimum TOEFL score of: 80 internet-based testing; 550 for paper-based testing (from a test date within two years) or;
• a minimum TOEFL Essentials score of at least 8.5 (from a test date within two years) or;
• a minimum IELTS score of 6.0 overall (from a test date within two years) or;
• a minimum PTE Academic score of 53 (from a test date within two years)

Admissions Decisions

Applicants will receive an admissions decision either in a letter from the Texas A&M University Office of Admissions and/or from the department. Candidates will receive a decision letter within a month after application submission.

Scholarships and Financial Aid

By submitting an application, all students are considered for scholarships and fellowships. To be considered for additional funding opportunities outside of the department, students are encouraged to submit the  financial aid application  and a  scholarship application , along with their graduate school application. This ensures students are reviewed for all the types of financial aid that you are eligible for. Remember: each student’s financial aid eligibility may vary. The types of financial aid you are offered is based on the data provided on your financial aid and/or scholarship application. If a student is an international or out-of-state resident and receives a competitive scholarship of at least $1,000, they may qualify for a  non-resident tuition waiver . Students interested in assistantships should visit guidelines for applying for a departmental assistantship.

Clarice Fulton

Program Coordinator

979-321-5753

[email protected]

Gary Wingenbach

Professor and Associate Department Head for Graduate Programs

979-321-5756

[email protected]

A member of Texas A&M AgriLife

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• College of Ag. & Life Sciences
• Experiment Station
• Graduate Studies

Agricultural and Extension Education

The Agricultural and Extension Education Program in the School of Human Sciences offers graduate courses leading to the following degrees:

• Master of Science in Agricultural and Extension Education with concentrations in:
• Community and Extension Education
• Agriculture Teacher Licensure
• Teaching and Learning

Doctor of Philosophy in Agricultural Sciences with a concentration in Agricultural and Extension Education

Master of science in agricultural and extension education (thesis and non-thesis).

A minimum of 30 hours of coursework in a planned program of study must be completed for the M.S. degree. A minimum of one-half the total credit hours on the program of study must be at the 8000 level. Students wishing to complete a thesis must take at least 6 credit hours of research/thesis (6 of these credit hours substitute for coursework hours) and an approved statistics course.

A written or oral final comprehensive examination is required for the student in the non-thesis option. A student in the thesis option must pass a final thesis defense and submit the thesis.

Community and Extension Education concentration

• AELC 6103 – Principles and Practices of Extension Education
• AELC 8203 – Advanced Communications in Agricultural and Extension Education
• AELC 8243 – Administration and Supervision in Agricultural and Extension Education
• AELC 8503 – Program Planning and Development
• AELC 8703 – Evaluation of Agricultural and Extension Education Programs
• AELC 8803 – Applying Research Methods to Agricultural and Extension Education
• AELC 8853 – Statistics for the Social and Life Sciences in Agriculture
• AELC 8000 – Research/Thesis (thesis option) OR AELC 8100 Creative Component Project (non-thesis option)
• Electives (6 hours)

Agriculture Teacher Licensure concentration

• AELC 6403 – Development of Youth Programs
• AELC 6613 – Teaching Agricultural Mechanics
• AELC 6723 – Pedagogy of Agriscience Programs
• AELC 6873 – Professional Seminar in Agricultural Education
• AELC 8403 – Directing Learning Experiences in Agricultural and Extension Education
• AELC 8603 – Teaching Internship in AEE I
• AELC 8613 – Teaching Internship in AEE II
• AELC 8693 – Philosophical Foundations of Agricultural and Extension Education
• EDX 8173 – Special Education in the Regular Classroom
• AELC 8000 Research/Thesis (thesis option) OR AELC 8100 Creative Component Project (non-thesis option)

Teaching and Learning concentration

• AELC or Education electives (6 hours)
• Agriculture Subject Area electives (6 hours)

The minimum requirement for the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree is the completion of 90 semester hours of graduate credit on an approved program of study above the bachelor’s degree. Required courses for the Ph.D. include 30–36 hours of graduate credit in Agricultural and Extension Education; 16 graduate credits in statistics, research, and evaluation; 12–18 graduate credits in a minor or supporting area, 0–12 graduate elective credits; and 20 credit hours of dissertation research. Students must pass a written and an oral comprehensive examination in both the major and minor/supporting area.

To be eligible for the preliminary/comprehensive examination, a graduate student must have a 3.00 GPA on all graduate courses taken after admission to the degree program. Students must also pass the final dissertation examination. The student’s graduate committee supervises the dissertation and examinations.

Doctor of Philosophy curriculum

• AELC 8413 – Methods of Planned Change
• COGNATE (Communications, Extension, Teaching/Learning, or Youth Development) or Minor in appropriate department, or disciplines (12 hours)
• RESEARCH, EVALUATION, AND STATISTICS
• AELC 8833 – Instrument and Data Collection Procedures in Social Science Research
• EPY 9453 – Introduction to Qualitative Research
• CHOOSE QUANTITATIVE SERIES OR QUALITATIVE SERIES
• Quantitative Series to include AELC 9103 (Applied Multivariate Analysis in Agricultural Science) or EPY 9213 (Multivariate Analysis) and AELC 9583 (Analysis of Data in AEE)
• Qualitative Series to include EDF 9463 (Qualitative Data Collection) and EDF 9473 (Qualitative Data Analysis)
• AELC 9000 Research/Dissertation

Health Promotion Emphasis

Ph.D. students in Agricultural and Extension Education may select an emphasis in health promotion by taking courses in the Food Science, Nutrition, and Health Promotion Department's Health Promotion curriculum. These courses must be approved by the Health Promotion graduate coordinator. This program is designed to equip students for careers as public health educators, health promotion specialists, and health scientists. Students in this emphasis may sit for the Certified Health Education Specialist exam offered by the National Commission on Health Education Credentialing when they have successfully completed at least 25 hours in the Health Promotion area.

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• College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences

Ph.D. in Agricultural and Environmental Sciences

The Ph.D. in agricultural and environmental sciences program at N.C. A&T teaches students about the complexities of our global food system and how to adapt to emerging challenges around food, energy and water. This program prepares individuals for successful careers as researchers, faculty and entrepreneurs and to be active and effective leaders in academia and the agriculture industry in both the public and private sectors. Our doctoral graduates will confront the grand challenges of providing and sustaining a safe and healthy supply of food, fiber and other products for a burgeoning global population.

To gain admission to this agricultural and environmental sciences Ph.D. program, students must have earned a master’s degree in a food, agricultural, biological science or environmental science discipline or in a closely related area of study with a cumulative GPA of 3.3. Doctoral candidates are required to take 65 post-baccalaureate credit hours, including 15 credit hours of core courses, 15 credit hours of electives and 18 credit hours within one of five concentrations. Doctoral candidates also must complete a dissertation.

Why choose N.C. A&T

Doctoral students in the agricultural and environmental sciences Ph.D. program will be taught and mentored by a dynamic faculty who are recognized nationally and internationally as leaders in the areas of discovery, learning and engagement. The program offers small class sizes that allow for more interaction with our professors.

At A&T, a land-grant high-research institution that ranks as the nation’s largest historically Black university, students will develop personal and professional relationships with fellow students and faculty that will last a lifetime. Graduates will use the knowledge and skills gained through this program to stay abreast of continuing changes in health and nutrition, consumer preferences, national security concerns, climate and many other vital issues that affect agriculture and the environment.

Concentrations

Food science, human nutrition and health.

The Food Science, Human Nutrition and Health concentration will provide students with opportunities for advanced study and research on ways to enhance human health by developing a safe, nutritious, accessible, affordable and sustainable food supply. Doctoral students in this innovative degree program will study basic and applied sciences and the complex nexus of food, nutrition and human health.

Sustainable Agriculture and Environmental Sciences

The Sustainable Agriculture and Environmental Sciences concentration focuses on an integrated system of plant and animal production practices that satisfy human needs for food and fiber while maintaining efficient use of natural resources, economic profitability, social and economic equity and a healthy and sustainable environment. This concentration will produce scientists, faculty and researchers who will integrate knowledge in numerous fields, including crop science, soil science, microbiology, biological engineering, economics and agronomy.

Agribusiness and Applied Economics

The Agribusiness and Applied Economics concentration will combine training in agribusiness and/or economics to produce graduates who are experts in quantitative methods and have developed a rigorous background in economic theory and research. Doctoral students will study agricultural food systems, environmental economics and international trade and learn economic theory, research methods and quantitative techniques.

Sustainable Animal Production and Health

The Sustainable Animal Production and Health concentration is designed to give doctoral students an in-depth look at the many challenges facing the animal industry. Through interdisciplinary research in genetics, nutrition, physiology and other areas and with access to a diverse array of animal species, future professionals and scientists will gain the ability to conduct valid research and develop sound practices that facilitate sustainable food production and preventative animal health.

Agricultural and Extension Education

The Agricultural and Extension Education concentration is designed for doctoral students who want to learn more about leadership development and styles and educational methods for youth and adults in agricultural and related fields. Our graduates will gain a comprehensive knowledge of the teaching and learning process as well as a strong practical research experience in agricultural education. Our graduates will be prepared to lead in public and private colleges and universities, industry and state and federal governmental agencies.

For more information

For more information about the program, including admission and degree requirements and a detailed curriculum overview for each concentration, please contact

Antoine Alston, Ph.D. Associate dean of the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences [email protected] and (336) 285-4818. 

For more information about admissions and enrollment, please contact The Graduate College at N.C. A&T

The Ohio State University

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Department of Agricultural, Environmental, and Development Economics

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Phd program, breadcrumb menu.

The PhD program is a globally recognized leader in the disciplinary areas of agricultural, development, environmental and regional economic s and was previously ranked by the National Research Council as the top program in Agricultural and Resource Economics in the United States.

Students acquire rigorous training in economic theory and advanced quantitative methods and learn to apply these skills to a wide range of real-world economic problems. Degree recipients go on to assume teaching, research and managerial positions with universities and colleges, research institutions, government agencies, multilateral international institutions, nongovernmental organizations, and private companies and corporations.

An MS degree is not required for admission to apply to the PhD Program.  Students whose undergraduate degrees are not in economics or business are welcome to apply as well.

Learn more about the application criteria and process >>>>>

Fields of specialization

Students are required to take a total of 12 credit hours of frontiers courses that provide specialized training in the field of their choice. The AEDE frontiers courses cover topics relevant to agricultural economics, environmental and resource economics, regional economics and development economics. Graduate students are given wide latitude to design their own program of study and to choose a dissertation topic. In recent years, under the supervision of AEDE faculty members, doctoral students have conducted innovative theoretical and applied research on agricultural policy and trade, agricultural finance and risk management, consumption and marketing economics, food economics and agribusiness, environmental and natural resource economics, international and regional economic development, poverty and food security, climate change,  agricultural economics,  spatial and land-use economics, health economics, bioeconomics, and experimental and behavioral economics. Innovative research that addresses pressing social problems is encouraged, regardless of the sub-discipline of economics with which it may be identified.

Course requirements

Students must complete a minimum of 90 graduate semester credit hours and take the non-credit Math Camp offered by the Department of Economics in July and August, immediately preceding the start of classes in the first year. Students are required to take a minimum of 56 credit hours of in-class coursework. This is comprised of 44 credit hours of required courses that provide a strong foundation in microeconomic theory, econometric theory, applied econometrics and applied welfare as well as 12 credit hours of frontiers courses relevant to the student’s intended research topics to provide more specialized training. All additional credit hours cover departmental seminar requirements and dissertation research. Please refer to our curriculum sheets for the first year and second/third years in the PhD program for a more detailed understanding of the required coursework.

Examinations

In addition to required coursework, students must: Pass a microeconomics theory qualifying examination prior to the beginning of the second year; Pass the second year manuscript requirement prior to the beginning of their third year; Pass the candidacy examination and defend their doctoral dissertation proposal, typically before the beginning of their fifth year; Complete the doctoral dissertation and pass a final oral examination.  

Questions? We are here to help. Please email AEDE Graduation Admissions and Services below for more information about the PhD program.

AEDE Graduate Admissions and Services

[email protected]   | 614-292-7911

University Catalog 2023-2024

Agricultural and extension education.

Our graduate programs offer flexibility and enable graduates to pursue diverse career options. Prepare for a career teaching agricultural education to middle or high school students, or become an Extension agent helping farmers and families succeed in their communities. Pursue other rewarding positions such as agricultural museum curators, environmental educators, agricultural missionaries, agricultural public relations representatives, or congressional officers.

More information on our programs can be viewed on our website .

Admission Requirements

• A minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0; a minimum graduate GPA of 3.5 for Doctoral applicants
• Three letters of recommendation
• A statement of purpose: Prospective graduate students will draft a statement of purpose for graduate work. If the student intends to complete a thesis or dissertation, the statement should also indicate the nature of potential research work, including possible topics or questions, and minimally two professors from the Agricultural and Human Science department whose research areas potentially align with those possible research topics. Prospective students should plan to meet with faculty prior to submitting their applications to discuss the research with those professors and include those ideas in the statement.
• Relevant experience in extension, teaching, industry, leadership, or other closely related field

Master's Degree Requirements

The Department offers an M.S. degree, which requires a thesis for which the student receives six hours of credit, and a Master of Agricultural and Extension Education (M.R.) as a non-thesis track. The M.S. degree requires a total of 36 credit hours, whereas the M.R. degree requires 30 credit hours. The student’s advisory committee will meet with the student to determine the appropriate courses for their Plan of Work. M.S. students have the option of adding a minor which requires a minimum of 9 credit hours.

Graduate Certificate Requirements

The Department also offers a graduate certificate in agricultural and extension education. This certificate program involves completion of 15 credit hours divided into two focuses: Agricultural Education and Extension Education. 

Sixth-Year Certificate

The Department offers an array of courses that are recognized by the NC Department of Public Instruction as comprising a Sixth-Year Certificate. Students are required to complete 24 hours of advanced graduate work past the Master's degree. Contact the Director of Graduate Programs for details.

Doctoral Degree Requirements

A Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) degree in Agricultural and Extension Education is offered. A minimum of 72 hours past the Bachelor's degree is required. More hours may be required based upon the past degrees and experiences of the candidate. The student’s graduate committee will determine the specific courses needed. At least six hours of statistics is required. Twelve hours of credit is earned for writing the dissertation ( AEE 895 ). The student’s advisory committee will meet with the student to determine the appropriate courses for their Plan of Work.

Student Financial Support

A limited number of research and/or teaching assistantships are available on a competitive basis. Applications for open positions are due in January for the following academic year. Other financial aid is available from the Office of Financial Aid and on a competitive basis from the Graduate School.

• Agricultural and Extension Education (MR)
• Agricultural and Extension Education (MS)
• Agricultural and Extension Education (EdD)
• Agricultural and Extension Education (Certificate)
• Agricultural & Extension Education (Minor)

Department Head

• Ben Chapman
• Joseph Donaldson , Director of Undergraduate Programs
• Annie Hardison-Moody , Director of Graduate Programs

Full Professors

• Carolyn Bird
• Koralalage Sunil Upali Jayaratne
• Sarah Kirby
• Travis Park
• Michael Schulman

Associate Professors

• Jackie Bruce
• Joseph Donaldson
• Harriett Edwards
• Annie Hardison-Moody
• Wendy J. Warner

Assistant Professors

• Jamie Alexander
• Basheerah Enahora
• Maru Gonzalez
• Misty Lambert
• Katherine McKee
• Catherine Elizabeth Sanders
• Sudha Sankar
• Virginia Stage

Adjunct Faculty

• Amber Beseli
• Mitzi Downing
• Autumn Guin
• Rhonda Sutton

Development and organization of agricultural and extension education in America from colonial times to the present. Emphasis on role of societal and scientific changes, the federal government and philosophy on evolution of agricultural and extension education.

Typically offered in Fall and Summer

Research, theory and principles of youth organization management. Analysis of youth development models and application of leadership theory in a youth organization. Using evaluation models to assess the effectiveness of major youth organization. Web-based course.

Typically offered in Spring only

Trends and Issues in Agricultural and Extension Education. Analysis and appraisal of current trends, problems and issues in Agricultural and Extension Education. May include but not limited to scientific, political, demographic, social, educational, technological, and environmental trends and issues that will contribute to the future structure and operation of agricultural and extension education in the United States.

Organization and operation of formal and nonformal agricultural education and extension systems in the United States and in other countries. Field trip required - cost approx. $175.00.

Typically offered in Fall only

Consideration of the need for planning programs in education; objectives and evaluation of community programs; use of advisory group; organization and use of facilities.

Prerequisite: Graduate standing or PBS status

Designed to meet needs of leaders in adult education. Opportunity to study issues in working with adult groups. Attention given to the problem of fitting educational program for adults into public school and other educational programs and to methods of teaching adults.

Principles of program planning applied to educational programs about agriculture; theory and field experiences in planning, organizing, and evaluating secondary agricultural education programs; development of plans for conducting all aspects of the complete agricultural education programs.

Principles, theory and techniques of using information technologies to provide instruction to learners, both in person and at a distance, in formal and non formal educational settings.

This course is intended to prepare students to be effective managers of volunteer programs. Theory will be emphasized in the course because it is essential to be grounded in theory in order to apply it. Major topics of the course will include, but are not limited to: volunteer recruitment, training, evaluation and reward. Students will be required to be active in and outside of class sessions, including a 20-hour field experience. Students must provide their own transportation for field trips and outside of class activities. Cannot receive credit for both AEE 433 and 533 .

Prerequisite: Junior standing

Typically offered in Fall and Spring

Application of theoretical models and research on effective teaching in secondary agricultural education programs. teaching strategies, planning required, and instructional management for students with varying backgrounds. Evaluation of student learning and teacher evaluation of instruction.

Evaluation is an important part of many social science disciplines and grant projects. The intent of this course is to teach students how to plan and conduct a meaningful and useful evaluation. Students will gain knowledge and skills in planning evaluations; designing evaluation studies and evaluation instruments; collecting and analyzing data; and using evaluation results. Students will learn evaluation theoretical concepts and their application in real-life situations.

Restriction: Graduate Standing or PBS

For students in non-thesis master's programs who have completed all other requirements of the degree except preparing for and taking the final master's exam.

Prerequisite: Master's student

Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer

For graduate students whose programs of work specify no formal course work during a summer session and who will be devoting full time to thesis research.

Typically offered in Summer only

This course provides an opportunity to learn about global agricultural and extension education issues, challenges and opportunities relating to agricultural development. The course emphasis is on building necessary knowledge and skills for analyzing global agricultural and extension education issues and formulating alternatives for agricultural development. This course has been designed to help graduate students understand agriculture and extension education with a global perspective.

Prerequisite: Graduate standing

Exploration of topics of special interest not covered by existing courses by individual students under faculty member's directions. Readings and independent study, problems or research not related to a thesis.

Faculty-supervised practicum in an educational, extension or agricultural industry setting.

Teaching experience under the mentorship of faculty who assist the student in planning for the teaching assignment, observe and provide feedback to the student during the teaching assignment, and evaluate the student upon completion of the assignment.

Prerequisite: Doctoral student

Instruction in research and research under the mentorship of a member of the Graduate faculty.

Dissertation research.

For students who have completed all credit hours, full-time enrollment, preliminary examination, and residency requirements for the doctoral degree, and are writing and defending their dissertations.

Agricultural Education and Human Sciences

The role and structure of modern agricultural education within the overall educational system. School organization and governance, curriculum, teacher roles and responsibilities, educational philosophy and history, multiculturalism, special need students, impact of technology, professionalism, and current educational trends and issues.

This course will critically compare and evaluate the major human development theories and their application to family life and youth development and examine the usefulness of theory in describing, explaining, predicting, or changing behavior.

In preparation for professional positions in family life & youth development, students will work with a faculty member or organizations to design a Masters capstone study project that aligns with their professional goals. Faculty supervision required.

A major and critical element in all programs of vocational education is provision for appropriate student learning experiences in a real and simulated employment environment. Due to recent developments in education and agriculture, new and expanded concepts of occupational experience devised. Current research substantiates need and desire of teachers of agriculture for assistance in implementing new concepts. Also designed to develop depth of understanding of theoretical foundations underlying new developments in occupational experiences to stimulate individual growth and creativity in implementing further developments.

Applications of theories and research about interpersonal relationships and family dynamics to issues facing families over the life course, emphasizing the interplay of social, developmental and health factors in affecting change, continuity and well-being.

Design and development of data based curriculum and curriculum evaluation procedures in agricultural and extension education. Critique of curriculum development models, contemporary trends and issues, curriculum resources and accountability tools.Analysis of the use of national and state standards as well as local community needs in curriculum development.

Family resource management theory is used to examine personal financial management concepts. Family systems and stress theories will be employed to emphasize the interconnections between families, communities, resources through topics such as personal management (decision-making, time & organizational management, stress management); human and social capital (education, skill building, health, employability, relationships); physical capital (transportation, real estate, and housing); financial management (credit and debt, budgeting, retirement issues, bankruptcy).

Prerequisite: Graduate student status or any PBS student.

This course will examine educational intervention strategies for family issues that pose particular difficulty for Family Life and Parenting Educators. Topics include: addictions/substance abuse; child abuse and neglect; domestic abuse; Illness, death and dying; divorce/mediation; step-families & single parenting; gang memberships, suicidal ideation, sexuality/teen pregnancy; and rape and other acts of violence. The course will include a discussion of evidence-based prevention and treatment options for referring clients, and a debate of the role of educators in this process.

R: Graduate Standing or Permission of Instructor

This course will provide students with an advanced understanding of the physiological, psychological, social and cultural aspects of sexual development throughout the lifespan. This includes, but is not limited to, emotional and psychological aspects of sexuality; gender and sexuality; reproductive health and family planning, and the intersections of sexuality and interpersonal relationships. While some cross-cultural information will be included, the main focus will be sexuality in the United States.

AEHS 538 focuses on issues of social and cultural diversity, social identity, and societal manifestations of power, privilege, and oppression within the context of youth and family sciences. Using a social justice education framework, this course will critically examine and analyze social identity development, social group differences, socialization, intergroup relations, and levels and types of oppression in the United States as they relate to youth and families. Students will reflect on their own identities and learn how to work collaboratively toward inclusion, equity, and social change with youth and families.

The course will include an examination of social, economic, and behavioral housing theory, historical and current housing policy and its relationship to the housing, neighborhoods and community development and an investigation of diverse populations and their housing/neighborhood concerns.

Theoretical and empirical literature in lifespan, family life, and parent education will be explored along with implications for issues affecting families including content, delivery, and evaluation of parent education programs. Offered either face-to-face or in person via Distance Education.

This course examines communication in families and integrates the coach approach to communication including identifying individual and family issues; appreciating differences; discovering purpose; practicing forgiveness; resolving conflict; conducting successful critical conversations; mending relationships; effective communication; direct and indirect communication; the art of saying no; the power of words; powerful questions; work/life balance; identifying values; stress management.

YFCS 547: Family Life Coaching prepares family science practitioners to meet the growing demands of improving family life through family life and parent Coaching. This graduate-level course examines family life coaching as an approach to services for families and youth. Students will be introduced to coaching as a vital service for helping families better communicate and reach goals and will explore theoretical and empirical literature in coaching. Through practice and skill building exercises, students will learn to coach and will examine the implications for future coaching practice.

Leadership is ubiquitous in our society. It remains one of the world's favorite buzz words. However, just because it's everywhere, doesn't mean everything labeled so, is leadership. This graduate course in leadership theory will require you to critically examine your ideas of leadership, and reflect on your own (and society's) notions of "what is leadership". In this class we will separate the skills you gain from going out and doing leadership (the do) and the theories that provide the foundations for leadership (the think). Many successful leaders learn their skills via practice; that is important. AEE 550, however, is a leadership education course where we study leadership theory. We will take those theories, long associated with the academic study of leadership, and deconstruct them using critical theory as our lens. Then, using the text as guide, reconstruct them in new ways to meet today's pressing challenges.

This course examines the application of classic and contemporary theories and models of leadership to the work of community-based organizations. Students will examine leadership from diverse perspectives; then analyze the strengths and weaknesses of leadership theories and models when applied to organizational development of community-based systems.

Historical and contemporary foundations of program development and evaluation in non-formal, community-based family life and youth development settings are examined including theory, research, and three holistic program development constructs: 1) planning; 2) design and implementation; 3) impact evaluation and accountability.

This course explores the fundamental concepts of child and youth development (including early childhood through adolescence) as applied to programmatic and organizational contexts. A special focus is placed upon the concepts as applied to Community Youth theories & practice.

This course will cover local food systems history, terminology, research, and model projects in North Carolina. It also includes the economics of local food systems, from basic business plans and structures to the triple bottom line, and a focus on local food value chains, including market channel assessments and value-added ventures. Emphasis is placed throughout on providing existing and aspiring Extension professionals with resources to support translation of research into practice using interdisciplinary, systems approaches.

R: Admission to the Graduate School or approval of instructor. Non-degree students (NDS PBS) are included.

Preparation for current and future community-based youth and family professionals to better manage volunteers in local program service delivery. Specific foci include: volunteerism as a social phenomenon; volunteer resource management; new forms of volunteerism; and future trends in volunteerism. Restricted to graduate and post-baccalaureate students only.

In-depth examination of current and emerging issues and trends impacting volunteer involvement in community-based youth and family organizations to prepare current and future youth and family professionals to manage volunteers in local program delivery; examining contemporary research related to trends and issues, and evaluating historical and current social phenomena so as to understand their impact upon volunteer involvement and consider future challenges for volunteer administrators. Restricted to graduate and post-baccalaureate students only.

This course is intended to prepare students to be effective members of organizations, both as team members and team leaders. Theories of organizational behavior will be emphasized in the course; in so much as it is essential to be grounded in theory in order to apply it. Major topics include: motivation, job design, managing diversity, decision making, power, ethics, and organizational design.

The Community Leadership course will prepare graduate students for leadership roles within an array of community settings. The three core competencies for community leadership will be shared which include farming ideas, building and using social capital, and mobilizing resources. Tools associated with each of these competencies will be examined as well as the ways in which to apply these tools to various community situations. Leadership theories that have been learned in AEE 550 will also be discussed to show how to move from theory to practice. This is a course that will require student participation both during class sessions and outside of class where students will be engaged in a team project. The course will be offered in the spring of odd years.

Prerequisite: Graduate student status and AEE 550: Leadership Theory

Processes by which professional change agents in agricultural and extension education influence the introduction, adoption, and diffusion of planned change. This course requires admission to any program of the NC State University Graduate School such as full graduate status, graduate unclassified status, post-baccalaureate studies, evening degree programs, etc. It has no other prerequisites, requisites, or restrictions.

Restriction: Graduate Standing or PBS status.

Philosophy, design, interpretation and practice of scientific research in agricultural and extension education, with a particular focus on the skills necessary to be an effective and critical "consumer" of research that is practiced within the field. Web based course.

The course emphasis is on designing research and development of research proposals for graduate research or competitive grants in agricultural and human sciences. This course involves critical analysis of research in agricultural and human sciences and proposed research. In consultation with the students' academic advisors, this research proposal may become the basis for either the graduate thesis or a graduate research article (for the non-thesis option). Students are encouraged to discuss this course with their academic advisor and the instructor to fully understand how the course fits into their graduate course of study.

P: AEHS 578 - Research Methods in Agricultural and Human Sciences; R: Students must be MS or EdD students in the Agricultural and Human Sciences Department, and they must have the permission of their advisor to enroll in this course

Typically offered in Spring and Summer

This course explores contemporary issues facing youth, family, and community professionals in the United States. Students will explore respective social, cultural, political, and/or organizational underpinnings of issues as focused in two major domains: (1) professional ethics and practice and (2) family law and public policy. Emphasis will be placed on issues affecting family life educators and their understanding of the legal issues, policies, and laws influencing the well-being of families, along with understanding the character and quality of human social conduct. This includes the ability to critically examine ethical questions and issues as they relate to professional family life education practice.

Special Topics Family Life and Youth Development

Presentation of material not normally available in regular graduate course offerings or for offerings of new 500 level courses on a trial basis.

Current topics and issues in agricultural and extension education. Selection and research of topics, presentation of seminars, and leading group discussions.

Instruction in research and research under the mentorship of a member of the Graduate Faculty.

Thesis research

For students who have completed all credit hour requirements and full-time enrollment for the master's degree and are writing and defending their thesis.

Theory and practice of effective teaching in agricultural and life sciences. Emphasis on course planning, teaching and learning styles, instructional techniques, laboratory instruction, text construction, student evaluation, instructional technology, and faculty roles and responsibilities.

Qualitative research methods continue to gain popularity in the disciplines of agricultural & life sciences. It is becoming increasingly important for graduates to have a practical working knowledge of the development, implementation, and evaluation of these methodologies. Topics in the course will include but not be limited to: the foundation of qualitative research, data collection and analysis techniques, and review of qualitative research. Students are encouraged to have completed an introductory research methods course prior to enrolling. Introductory Research Methods course taken at the graduate level.

This course will examine the richness and diversity of scholarship in agricultural and human sciences and its applications to professional practice in a colloquium setting. A primary purpose is to build capacities for individual, professional, and civic work as students apply their learning to develop scholarship and professionalism. The course explores advanced topics and research methods and supports students in presenting and defending their research and research proposals. In successive fall semesters, graduate students participate in three, one-credit colloquia that engage faculty and students from across the Department of Agricultural and Human Sciences. This course requires admission to any program of the NC State University Graduate School such as full graduate status, graduate unclassified status, post-baccalaureate studies, evening degree programs, etc.

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2023-2024 Undergraduate Catalog

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Agricultural Sciences (Ph.D.)

Why pursue a Ph.D. in agricultural sciences at UNH?

A Ph.D. in a gricultural s ciences will help you advance your career in an agriculture-related field, whether you are working in agricultural production, agribusiness, policy areas in government or nonprofit sectors, education and/or research. As a graduate student in the department of agriculture, nutrition and food systems , you will part of an interdisciplinary department focusing on the farm to fork wellness continuum and a holistic approach to solving problems. You will also develop independent and team research experience and graduate prepared to pursue a wide range of caree rs .

Program highlights

UNH is among the nation’s highest-performing research universities, having earned a Carnegie Classification R1. Our research portfolio brings in more than $110 million in competitive external funding each year. Federal and state funding is available for research on diverse aspects of sustainable agriculture, foods and agricultural sciences. You’ll have the opportunity to partner with state and regional growers and producers and collaborate with leading researchers worldwide. As a graduate student at UNH, you’ll have the opportunity to work in several top-notch teaching and research facilities, including the New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station, one of the university’s largest research organizations.

Potential career areas

• Agribusiness
• Commercial plant/animal production
• Private consulting
• Education  and Extension
• Government/regulatory
• Policy making
• Nonprofit sector

Contact Information

Curriculum & Requirements

Program description.

The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Agricultural Sciences graduate program offered by the Department of Agriculture, Nutrition, and Food Systems (ANFS) offers a flexible course of study that provides education and research experience plant and animal agriculture, aquaculture, food systems, and related fields. As a graduate student in ANFS, you will be engaged in an interdisciplinary department focusing on the farm to fork wellness continuum and a holistic approach to solving problems. You will also develop independent and team research experience.

As an Agricultural Sciences student, you will have the opportunity to optimize your graduate course work to suit your interests and career goals. Our faculty offer education and research opportunities in the diverse components of food systems and plant and animal agricultural systems including breeding and genetics, physiology, environmental interactions, organismal health, agroecology, and pathology. Student are exposed to diverse production systems, including field based, hydroponics, and aquaculture, as well as post-harvest practices. Beyond the classroom and the lab, you will hone communication skills that essential for professional scientists through teaching, extension, and outreach opportunities with stakeholders and constituents.

With a Ph.D. in Agricultural Sciences, students are prepared to pursue careers in college teaching and research positions in industry and government. Students may work in plant and animal agriculture, aquaculture, food production and distribution systems, teaching, public service, research in federal, state, nonprofit, private organizations, or related fields.

The Ph.D. program is thesis-based, with the expectation of generating and publishing substantial new knowledge in the field of interest.

Requirements for the Program

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) graduate students work with their advisor and Doctoral Guidance Committee to plan a program of study including the required core courses, competencies, and develop a research proposal. To complete the degree, students must complete a research proposal, pass a qualifying exam, conduct dissertation research, and complete and defend a dissertation.

Guidance and Dissertation Committees : During the first semester, the student and advisor jointly select members of a guidance committee. A nomination form must be sent to the graduate school to officially appoint the committee membership. The Guidance Committee consists of 5 members and is responsible for approving the proposal and oversees the qualifying examination. Once the student has advanced to candidacy, the Doctoral Dissertation Committee is formed. The Dissertation Committee is responsible for administering the dissertation exam.

Dissertation Proposal and Defense: All Ph.D. students are required to develop a formally approved research proposal typically by the end of the third semester and no later than the fourth semester. Proposals are approved by the dissertation committee and the major advisor. In addition to the written proposal, students are expected to present a proposal defense presentation. This proposal should consist of the following:

• comprehensive review of the literature related to the student’s research topic.
• statement of need/justification.
• research goal with a list of research objectives with stated hypotheses that address the major research questions.
• plan of work describing the experimental approaches or methods to be used in answering the thesis questions.
• Expected outcomes and potential pitfalls for each objective.
• Timeline for completion of the work.
• preliminary research where appropriate.

Candidacy: Following approval of the research proposal and completion of coursework, doctoral students should advance to candidacy. Candidacy is reached after passing a formal qualifying examination that assesses both broad basic knowledge of the student’s field, and topics central to the research project. The purpose of the exam is to measure of the student’s likelihood of successfully completing a doctoral program. The qualifying exam comprises written and oral components.

• Written exam: Student choose three areas of specialization in consultation with their Doctoral Guidance Committee. The advisor solicits questions from Committee members and administers the exam. Once completed, Committee members evaluate the responses. The student is expected to demonstrate competence in each of the chosen areas, reflected in clear, concise, well-organized synthetic essays. The exam may be “closed book” or “open book” at the discretion of the advisor.
• Oral exam: An oral exam is conducted by the Doctoral Guidance Committee and chaired by the advisor. The student should demonstrate mastery of fundamental concepts in the designated areas of specialization, draw upon a broad spectrum of information to answer theoretical and practical questions. There may be focus on any area that was deemed weak in the written exam.

When the student has passed both parts of the qualifying exam, the advisor will inform the Graduate School and recommend that the student be advanced to candidacy in the Ph.D. degree program.

Dissertation and Oral Defense: All students must complete a dissertation reporting original research. After completion of the research, the candidate must provide a copy of the dissertation to the Doctoral Dissertation committee at least two weeks prior to the final oral examination. The final thesis defense consists of two parts: an oral presentation of the research in a public seminar, and an oral defense of the dissertation conducted by the Doctoral Dissertation Committee. Final approval of the dissertation will be determined by a majority vote of the committee.

Number of Credits Required:  There is no specific credit requirement for the Ph.D., though students must take the required core courses and fulfill the competences outlined below. Up to 8 credits of graduate credit from another institution may be transferred, provided the credits were not counted toward another degree, and the course grade was a B or higher. Petitions requesting transfer credit must be supported by the advisor and graduate committee and approved by the UNH Graduate School.

1. Core Course Requirements:

To be taken at the earliest opportunity, typically in the initial fall semester of the program.

All students are required to register and participate for a minimum of 3 credits.

All students are required to register and participate at least twice, and must be taken after candidacy.

2. Competency Requirements:  In addition to the core required courses, students will be expected to demonstrate competency in areas of experimental design and analysis, and in scientific writing and communication. Students must take at least one course from each competency. The competencies may be fulfilled by courses chosen in consultation with the advisor and committee. Depending on the student, one or both of these competency requirements may have been fulfilled through other course work or professional experience as approved by the committee and ANFS graduate coordinator.

3. Electives: Each student, in consultation with their graduate committee, will define one or more areas of informal specialization, and will take additional courses appropriate for their area(s) of specialization.

4. Additional Information: 

• All students in the Agricultural Sciences Ph.D. Program are expected to present their research in ANFS departmental seminar at least three times (including the defense seminar). Students are also encouraged to present at professional conferences and acquire teaching and/or mentoring experience.

Annual Evaluation:  The annual evaluation of graduate students ensures that students receive the mentorship they deserve and are making progress toward completion of their degrees. The annual evaluation of graduate students consists of a collaborative effort between faculty adviser and student to:

• Complete a self-assessment;
• Present a professional quality CV suitable for awards, job applications, and internships;
• Produce a narrative of service or other activities not captured on a CV;
• Develop annual goals.

Student Learning Outcomes

Students graduating with a Ph.D. in Agricultural Sciences will meet objectives in the following areas:

Discipline specific knowledge

• Identify and explain discipline specific research methods
• Build knowledge and understanding in key areas of agricultural sciences including food systems, and animal and plant-based agricultural production systems

Research design and analysis

• Identify the strengths and weaknesses of study designs utilized in agriculture or food systems research
• Apply appropriate research design to answer a question
• Identify and apply appropriate statistical methods to analyze and interpret research results

Scientific method

• Independently develop, defend, and execute a research idea to advance knowledge in the student’s specific field of study

Critical thinking

• Ability to collect and critically evaluate information from the primary research literature to expand knowledge of agricultural and food systems
• Draw conclusions from the literature and make recommendations based on an understanding of the system, scientific evidence, related factors, and desired outcomes
• Develop skills to critically evaluate and analyze their research data

Communication

• Communicate effectively in writing through the development of an argument supported by evidence
• Communicate effectively in oral formats when addressing project-specific research and complex agriculture and food related issues
• Contribute written works to the scientific community in the form of peer-reviewed publications and presentation at scientific conferences

Professionalism

• Conduct research in an ethical manner
• Deliver professional oral and written communications
• Demonstrate collaboration and leadership skills

Application Requirements & Deadlines

Applications must be completed by the following deadlines in order to be reviewed for admission:

• Fall : Jan. 15 (priority*), Aug. 1 (final) *Applications completed by Jan. 15 will be given priority consideration for admission and financial support. Applications completed after Jan. 15 will be considered based on openings and funding.
• Spring : Oct. 15 (final)
• Summer : N/A
• Special : N/A

Application fee : $65

Campus : Durham

New England Regional : MA RI

Accelerated Masters Eligible : No

New Hampshire Residents

Students claiming in-state residency must also submit a Proof of Residence Form . This form is not required to complete your application, but you will need to submit it after you are offered admission or you will not be able to register for classes.

Transcripts

If you attended UNH or Granite State College (GSC) after September 1, 1991, and have indicated so on your online application, we will retrieve your transcript internally; this includes UNH-Durham, UNH-Manchester, UNH Non-Degree work and GSC. 

If you did not attend UNH, or attended prior to September 1, 1991, then you must upload a copy (PDF) of your transcript in the application form. International transcripts must be translated into English.

If admitted , you must then request an official transcript be sent directly to our office from the Registrar's Office of each college/university attended. We accept transcripts both electronically and in hard copy:

• Electronic Transcripts : Please have your institution send the transcript directly to [email protected] . Please note that we can only accept copies sent directly from the institution.
• Paper Transcripts : Please send hard copies of transcripts to: UNH Graduate School, Thompson Hall- 105 Main Street, Durham, NH 03824. You may request transcripts be sent to us directly from the institution or you may send them yourself as long as they remain sealed in the original university envelope.

Transcripts from all previous post-secondary institutions must be submitted and applicants must disclose any previous academic or disciplinary sanctions that resulted in their temporary or permanent separation from a previous post-secondary institution. If it is found that previous academic or disciplinary separations were not disclosed, applicants may face denial and admitted students may face dismissal from their academic program.

Letters of recommendation: 3 required

Recommendation letters submitted by relatives or friends, as well as letters older than one year, will not be accepted.

Personal Statement/Essay Questions

Prepare a brief but careful statement regarding:

• Reasons you wish to do graduate work in this field, including your immediate and long-range objectives.
• Your specific research or professional interest and experiences in this field.

Important Notes

Applicants should visit the  Agricultural Sciences program website  and review the list of faculty in their area of interest. The applicant should contact potential faculty advisors to discuss their interests and determine whether the faculty member(s) may be willing and able to serve as the student’s advisor before applying to the program. See the  Agricultural Sciences Faculty List  for a current list of faculty.

All applicants are encouraged to contact programs directly to discuss program specific application questions.

International Applicants

Prospective international students are required to submit TOEFL, IELTS, or equivalent examination scores. English Language Exams may be waived if English is your first language. If you wish to request a waiver, then please visit our Test Scores webpage for more information.

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College of Life Sciences and Agriculture

Agriculture, nutrition, and food systems.

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College of Agriculture & Natural Resources Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics

Ph.d. degree.

• Ph.D. students establish competency in the fields of microeconomic theory and econometric methods (courses taught in the  Department of Economics ), applied microeconomics, and a major field in Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics.
• Major fields are offered in Development Economics, Environmental and Resource Economics, and Food and Agricultural Economics . Students with an interest in  regional economics and/or state and local government policy select a major field based on their area of specific interest. Each student works with their guidance committee to develop a course program that supports the student’s long-term career goals and meets degree requirements.
• Students must meet grade requirements in microeconomic theory, econometric methods, and applied microeconomics to be qualified to proceed in the Ph.D. program.
• By the end of their third year, students are required to produce and present an original paper. The original research component, which must go beyond a literature review, should be sufficiently well-developed to convince the student’s research paper committee that the paper is publishable. Evaluation of the written paper and oral presentation constitutes the student’s comprehensive exam for the Ph.D.
• After passing the comprehensive exam, students proceed to defend a dissertation research proposal, complete the dissertation, and defend it at a final oral examination.

Students typically complete the Ph.D. degree in four to five years. Full details on Ph.D. degree requirements are available in the Department’s Graduate Policy and Program Handbook.

Completed Dissertations

View the dissertations written by AFRE Ph.D. graduates since 1990.

Graduate Research Symposium Papers

View a list of authors and titles of research papers presented at Graduate Research Symposiums to date.

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PhD Agricultural Extension

Home > Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources And Design > SCHOOL_DESIGN > AGEXTED > Agriculture & Extension Education Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Agriculture & Extension Education Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Theses/dissertations from 2023 2023.

Examining the use of social media applications by West Virginia agriculture producers , Mikayla Rae Hargis

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

What is the perceived self-efficacy of defined job competencies for West Virginia University Extension faculty? , Lacey Dawn Seckman

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

Perceptions and Instructional Practices used by West Virginian Secondary Agricultural Teachers in Meat Science Education , Kindra D. Carr

Identifying the Technical and Teacher Skills Needed by In-Service Teachers to Effectively Teach an Agricultural Mechanics Course in West Virginia , Coleton Todd Payne

When Face-to-Face Communication Fails: A Case Study of WVU Extension Agents Utilizing Innovative Social Media Practices , Madison Brooke Quinn

Level of adoption of West Virginia agriculture teachers' usage of internet-based educational technology in the classroom , Travis Daniel Veach

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

An Assessment of the Methods Used to Teach Content Skill Sets Required for the Introduction to Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resource Course , Lee I. Wright

Stockmanship Education and Evaluation , John K. Yost

Theses/Dissertations from 2017 2017

Challenges Perceived by Cooperating Teachers when Supervising Student Teachers in Agricultural Education , Samantha L. Cogle

Current Issues of Highbush Blueberry Producers with Pick-Your-Own Operations in the Northeastern United States , Brian T. Gould

Theses/Dissertations from 2016 2016

Impact of being a West Virginia State FFA President on Career and Personal Accomplishments as Perceived by Past State FFA Presidents 1955 to 2005 , Jada M. Bennett

Directing the Total Program of Agricultural Education as Perceived by Retired Secondary Agriculture Instructors in West Virginia , Dylan Demosthenes Johnson

Educational Opportunities for Dressage Participants as Perceived by Members of the United States Dressage Federation , Dawn E. Mackenzie

Theses/Dissertations from 2015 2015

A Delphi Study of Challenges Perceived by West Virginia University Extension Agents , Caleb N. Smith

Factors Affecting Turnover as Perceived by County Agents who Voluntarily Left the West Virginia University Extension Service , Michael B. Withrow

Theses/Dissertations from 2014 2014

The Influence of 4-H Judging Team Participation on Career Life Skills Development , Evan H. Anderson

Grazing Management Practices among West Virginia Beef Producers , Marcus T. McCartney

The Current Status of Meat Processing Facilities in Agricultural Education Programs in West Virginia , Eleanor Nicole Porter

Motivational Factors Contributing to the Choice of Agriculturally Related Careers , Lacey J. Sims

Theses/Dissertations from 2013 2013

Management Structure Impact on Economic Success of Farmers Markets , H. R. Scott

West Virginia High School Guidance Counselors Perceptions and Interactions with Agricultural Education Programs in Their Schools , Nicole Riggle Shipman

Mechanisms of Intracellular Calcium Homeostasis in the Developing and Mature Bovine Corpora Lutea An In-Depth Study to Promote Scientific Literacy through the Use of Primary Literature in an Introductory Biology Course , Marietta Felicidad Wright

Project Knowledge of 4-H Members Who Participated in the Equine Skillathon at the West Virginia State Fair , Kolby Denae Wyant

Theses/Dissertations from 2012 2012

State Supervisors' Perceptions of Teacher Efficacy Regarding Alternatively Certified/Licensed Secondary Agriculture Teachers , Joshua E. Rice

A Case Study: How Students in a Small Rural West Virginia County Spend Their Out of School Time , Veronica R. Wilcox

Theses/Dissertations from 2011 2011

Training Techniques Used to Prepare National FFA Officer Candidates for the National FFA Officer Selection Process , Becky L. Berkebile

West Virginia 4-H Camp Songs and Music Traditions , Jason A. Burnside

Issues in the Care of Farm Animals: Current History of the Movement in Selected States , Jennifer N. Dunn

Factors Influencing 4-H Leader Volunteer Recruitment and Retention in Lincoln County , Rachael L. Payne

Theses/Dissertations from 2010 2010

Evaluation of information transfer between beef producers and Extension Agents in West Virginia , Travis J. Cullen

Veterinary anatomy laboratory impact study , Bess Catherine Hammill

Motivations, factors and issues concerning students at West Virginia University , Jeremy L. Kelly

Perceptions of West Virginia Beef Cattle Producers on Preparedness for an Agroterrorism Attack , Rebecca Laura Ours

Satisfaction of contract poultry producers in Virginia and West Virginia , Christina L. Richmond

The emphasis on Supervised Agricultural Experience programs by high school agricultural education teachers , John A. Workman

Theses/Dissertations from 2009 2009

Factors associated with international students' motivations to study at West Virginia University , Abimbola Akintounde

Perceptions of ethical practices in youth livestock shows , Sharon J. Ankrom

Perceptions of the Farmland Preservation Program by West Virginia farmers , Jamey Allen Murray

State supervisors roles in agricultural education curriculum: A national study , Becky L. Ridgeway

Adoption levels of integrated pest management among corn producers in West Virginia , Hari K. Vommi

Theses/Dissertations from 2008 2008

Current practices utilized by independent garden centers to extend the profitable season by returning customers, raising profit margins and implementing new practices , Nona Kay Hunt

Evaluation of information transfer between Extension Agents and dairy producers in Pennsylvania , Carrie B. Nelson

Agricultural awareness and perceptions of freshmen at West Virginia University , Laura L. Pfeifer

Theses/Dissertations from 2007 2007

Factors that influence an individual's decision to teach agricultural education , Lee Ann Hall

Attitudes of 4-H club leaders toward volunteer training in West Virginia , Jennifer Post

Perceptions of calf pool participants toward West Virginia calf pool organizations , Carrie M. Stemple

Theses/Dissertations from 2006 2006

Livestock and dairy producers' knowledge of quality assurance issues , Andrea L. Flanagan

Knowledge and attitudes of West Virginia Extension agents and high school agricultural educators with regard to meat goats and the meat goat industry , Angela L. Kirk

Teaching leadership development at the secondary level: A national study , Nathan Taylor

Attitudes of county commissioners toward farmland preservation in West Virginia , Tina M. Wickline

Theses/Dissertations from 2005 2005

Non-technical skills and traits needed to be career-ready graduates as perceived by agribusiness employers and recruiters , Thomas H. Brand III

Factors that influence 4-H club membership retention in West Virginia , David C. Hartley

Mass communication delivery methods used and possessed by Extension agents in West Virginia , Lisa Michelle Neehouse

Theses/Dissertations from 2004 2004

Types of hardware and software in use and problems associated with their use in secondary agricultural education programs in West Virginia , David T. Aberegg

Characteristics of West Virginia secondary agricultural educators , James C. Beatty

Assessment of the learning styles of students at the Eastern Caribbean Institute of Agriculture and Forestry, Centeno, Trinidad and Tobago and identification of teaching methods used by instructors , Cynthia Marie Burskey

Assessment of tractor and all-terrain vehicle safety programs available to youth in West Virginia , Renee D. Chambers

Learning styles of extension agents responsible for pesticide re-certification training programs in West Virginia , Anne M. Custer-Walker

Recruitment strategies used by high school agriculture education teachers in West Virginia , Danny R. Dewhurst

Employment opportunities and skills necessary for entry-level employment in the timber industry , Robert E. Driscole

Knowledge and dissemination of sustainable agriculture practices by county extension agents in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia , Erin M. Hersman

Influence of a three-week wildlife education curriculum on knowledge and attitudes of South Carolina's Marlboro County High School ninth and tenth-grade biology students , Diane M. Krishon

Attitudes of extension agents and program assistants in West Virginia towards involvement of special needs populations in 4-H programs , Christina L. Reed

Needed communication skills during initial employment as perceived by graduates of the West Virginia University Davis College of Agriculture, Forestry and Consumer Sciences , Jessica R. Rollins

Theses/Dissertations from 2003 2003

Factors influencing participation in the beef quality assurance program of the West Virginia Cooperative Extension Service , Sara D. Peacock

Evaluating runoff water quality and ammonia volatilization in three turkey litter application methods , Michael Dale Shamblin

Theses/Dissertations from 2002 2002

Opportunities and occupations in animal and veterinary sciences based on the current careers of West Virginia University alumni , Stacey Michelle Hawkins

Impact of student teaching experiences, personal demographics, and selected factors on the decisions of pre-service agricultural education teachers to enter into teaching , Gene Allen Hovatter

How farmers in West Virginia are using value-added processing to increase annual income , Jennifer Leigh Lewis

Evaluation of marketing methods used to promote extension programs as perceived by Master Gardeners in West Virginia , Tiffany Dale Rexroad

Theses/Dissertations from 2001 2001

Attitudes, knowledge, and implementation of biotechnology and agriscience by West Virginia agricultural education teachers , Jason E. Hughes

Unethical practices in exhibiting animals as observed by West Virginia extension agents and high school agriculture teachers , Jared Nathaniel Nestor

Perceptions of benefits/problems of part-time employment on the job performance of secondary teachers of agricultural education , Connie McClung Scarbrough

Major problems associated with the West Virginia forest sector as perceived by West Virginia Division of Forestry Service foresters , Michael Allen Westfall II

Pest management practices used by West Virginia corn growers , Leasa Dianne Wilkerson

Theses/Dissertations from 2000 2000

Philosophies of adult education as practiced by agricultural education teachers in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Virginia , Crystal R. Buckingham

Heavy metal redistribution in soils using compost as a soil amendment , Jason Thomas Morrison

Evaluation of the International 4-H Youth Exchange (IFYE) Program , Mary Elizabeth Williams

Theses/Dissertations from 1999 1999

Econometric analysis of household expenditures , Samuel Berhanu

Perceptions of students and teachers regarding agriculture in Leflore County, Mississippi , Ronald L. Howard

Physiological and genetic mechanism(s) of cold acclimation in Rhododendron , Chon Chong Lim

Experiences of selected West Virginia agriculture teachers who have established aquaculture units in their schools and have taught aquaculture classes for two years or more , Paul A. Lovett

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The Graduate Certificate in Agricultural and Extension Education is a 15-credit-hour program. It can be completed entirely online. Pursuing a graduate certificate requires a high level of commitment. This graduate certificate program is particularly appropriate for individuals who:

• Want advanced training in agricultural and extension education but don’t plan to pursue a master’s degree;
• Have a master’s degree in another discipline but would like to gain expertise in cooperative extension education;
• Are earning certification to teach in agriculture and desire additional credentials;
• Work as extension agents and are taking courses for the required professional development hours.

Twelve credit hours (four courses) from the certificate may be applied to the Master of Agricultural and Extension Education. Other students earn the certificate while pursuing the Licensure in Education for Agricultural Professionals (LEAP) . Note: AG*IDEA courses cannot be covered by tuition waivers. Students are required to prepare a professional portfolio of artifacts and evidence of their set objectives.

Career Prospects

From animal agriculture to field crops, and from food safety and processing to farm health and pest management, extension agents are a crucial part of the agribusiness industry and community development. Typically employed by land-grant universities to serve as an expert or educator, extension professionals educate and coordinate efforts between key players in the community. They facilitate understanding and collaboration between farmers, ranchers, agribusinesses and local businesses. These networks are primarily established through education about topics such as economics, community development, agriculture, family, animal production, diet and nutrition.

Graduates of the Graduate Certificate in Agricultural and Extension Education are well equipped to serve producers, communities and agribusinesses as extension professionals. In addition to work as extension agents, graduates are equipped to teach at the secondary level.

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Battle for the belt: season 2 episode 7- soybean & weed competition, breadcrumb menu.

Episode 7 of Battle for the Belt is now available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1FZlpe_QK8   In Episode 7, Dr. Eugene Law, a new Assistant Professor of Weed Ecology in the Department of Horticulture and Crop Science at Ohio State, discusses early season weed competition in soybean.

Early season ragweed competition In the video from April 25, we are in the field at the Western Agricultural Research Station in an early planting weed control study observing seedling giant ragweed (Ambrosia trifida) establishment in March 25th planted soybeans. The ragweed at this point is outgrowing the soybean crop (Figure 1). Ragweed is resistant to many herbicides including ALS inhibitors, which are some of the best residual pre-emergence herbicides. The issue here is that ragweed seedlings have a greater tolerance to environmental stress compared to the soybean seedlings, and ragweed seedlings are coming up at the same time as the ultra-early planted soybeans. The resilience of ragweed is showcased by the frost conditions a few weeks ago (April 22), where the soybeans were heavily damaged in this field and the ragweed exhibited no injury. Early emerging weeds are generally adapted to colder and wetter conditions than crops, giving issues with early-season weed control if the weeds are resistant to or otherwise escape the herbicide programs being used. 

Figure 1 . Ragweed seedling and frost-injured soybeans on April 25 th at the Western Agricultural Research Station three days after initial frost.

What can we do to manage weed competition?

When soybeans are planted early, the normal burn down is applied even earlier and may not control the initial emergence of ragweed. Early planted soybeans can also have a reduced plant population due to frost, water damage, disease, or a combination of abiotic and biotic factors. Over time, the soybean can compensate for a low plant population with branching and does not always cause yield decline (depending on how severe stand loss is) but canopy closure takes longer and that is a major factor in the weed vs crop competition. Cultural practices that can be used to combat these issues include narrow row spacing or increasing seeding rate, to increase the speed of canopy closure to shade out the weeds. Another option is cover cropping, which provides a mulch that can slow down or prevent germination of weeds giving the soybean a head start if cover crops are managed properly.

What’s happening in the field?

Last week at the Western location, bean leaf beetle damage was found in the soybeans planted on March 25, but minimal damage was observed for the soybeans planted on April 16. Bean leaf beetle is common early in the growing season. For more information about bean leaf beetle in Ohio, please see this FactSheet: https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/ENT-23#:~:text=The%20bean%20leaf%20beetle%20(BLB,found%20feeding%20on%20soybean%20nodules . The Western location received rain after planting the third date on Monday, May 6 (Table 1). Corn is at the V3/V4 growth stage and V2 growth stage for planting date 1 (March 25) and planting date 2 (April 16), respectively. Soybean is at V1 and VC for the first and second planting date, respectively. The fourth planting date is expected to occur in about 1-2 weeks.

Figure 2. Bean leaf beetle at the Western location in March 25 th planted soybeans.

The Wooster location had a little over two inches of rain last week. The stages for planting date one (April 22) were V1 for corn and VC for soybean. Planting date two (May 3) was germinated but has not yet emerged ( https://www.youtube.com/shorts/IWS-309H-sw ). Planting date three in Wooster will happen in the next 5-10 days.

At the Northwest location, no planting has occurred due to wet conditions. We will plant when soil conditions become adequate, hopefully very soon. A summary of all planted sites and weather is presented in Table 2.

 Table 1. The planting date conditions for planting date three at the Western Location, 2024.

Table 2 . Weekly weather conditions for planting dates one, two, and three at the Western location and planting date one and two at the Wooster Campus, with day of planting, soil, air temperature averages, and growing degree days (GDDS) from May 6 to May 12. Information from CFAES Weather System ( https://weather.cfaes.osu.edu/ ).

Crop Observation and Recommendation Network

C.O.R.N. Newsletter is a summary of crop observations, related information, and appropriate recommendations for Ohio crop producers and industry. C.O.R.N. Newsletter is produced by the Ohio State University Extension Agronomy Team, state specialists at The Ohio State University and the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC). C.O.R.N. Newsletter questions are directed to Extension and OARDC state specialists and associates at Ohio State.

Funding endowed chair in agricultural economics reflects couple’s global vision brought home: “Purdue is special in our lives”

• Story by Nancy Alexander
• Photos by Bosch Studios Photography
• May 13, 2024

B ob and Karen Thompson have operated as a team, both throughout their 55-year marriage and in their long-standing commitment to sending Purdue Agriculture students abroad and welcoming international students to their home.

Now the Thompsons are strengthening the international focus of Bob’s former department by endowing the Robert and Karen Thompson Chair in International Agricultural Economics. The couple hopes the position will ensure a leading scholar in an international aspect of the discipline such as trade, development or comparative agricultural policy “to help solidify the commitment to the international focus in the offerings of the department,” he says.

The Thompson Chair is open-ended by design. “As a former dean, I understand that the college has to have the flexibility to respond to greatest needs and opportunities that come along that you never see coming,” Bob says.

Thompson knows about unanticipated opportunities. He grew up in New York state, so close to the Canadian border that the news source in his home was the Canadian Broadcasting Company, which he credits with “more of an international perspective than the average American community would get.”

Despite his emerging interest in international affairs, his options for study abroad were limited. Some local high schools sent students overseas through American Field Service (AFS) programs. “I really wished my little rural high school — I was in a graduating class of 20 — would get an AFS program, but it never did,” he recalls.

Thompson’s focus on agricultural policy emerged as an undergraduate at Cornell University, where he became intrigued by international food issues such as hunger and poverty. He applied for the university’s two study abroad scholarships — and ended up as first runner-up for each of them. Based on his interest, however, officials told him that if he was accepted to another program, Cornell would support him with additional scholarship funds.

Thompson wasn’t selective about his destination. “My first choice was ‘wherever,’” he says.

“Wherever” turned out to be Denmark for his junior year, where he met Karen, then a student in elementary education who grew up on a small farm on the Danish island of Bornholm. The couple maintained a long-distance romance for two years after Bob returned to Cornell and then completed a master’s degree at Purdue.

Shortly after they married in August 1968, the Thompsons went to Laos with International Voluntary Service, a Peace Corps-type program that allowed the two citizens of different countries to serve together, working with local agriculture and home economics extension agents.

Karen immigrated to the U.S. when they returned from Laos in 1970. That summer, they came to Purdue for her to complete her elementary education degree and Bob to begin a PhD program in agricultural economics. After earning her teaching degree in 1971, Karen started a master’s degree in special education.

In summer 1972, the Thompsons went abroad again, this time to Brazil, where Purdue had an institutional strengthening program with the Federal University of Viçosa dating to the 1950s. Bob collected data for his thesis and taught agricultural production economics in Portuguese, while Karen taught the elementary school-age children of Purdue professors on the Viçosa project.

Now a family of three — their daughter, Kristina, was born in Brazil — the Thompsons returned to Purdue in January 1974. At the May commencement, Karen received her master’s degree, and Bob received his PhD and joined the agricultural economics faculty. Their second child, Eric, arrived a year later. As a faculty member, Bob developed a nationally recognized program in international trade and agricultural development.

In 1983, the family moved to Washington, D.C. for a one-year leave that extended to four. There Bob served as a senior staff economist for the President’s Council on Economic Advisers, and later, assistant secretary for economics for the U.S. Department of Agriculture.  

Thompson returned to Purdue as dean of the College of Agriculture in 1987 and was a strong advocate for study abroad.  At the beginning of his tenure, only one student in the College of Agriculture was studying overseas. When he left six-and-a-half years later, 10 percent of agriculture students graduated having had an international experience.

Thompson equates his one year in Denmark, two in Laos and two in Brazil, all within a nine-year time frame, to “a second PhD program.”

Having on-the-ground international experience made me much more effective as a professional doing research in other countries. Agriculture is such a global industry. To be a well-prepared professional in any agricultural occupation requires having a global vision or perspective.” - Bob Thompson

In 1993 Thompson left the dean’s position to return to his passion for developing agriculture and reducing hunger in low-income countries. He became president and chief executive officer of the Winrock International Institute for Agricultural Development; and later moved back to Washington, D.C. to become director of rural development for the World Bank.

In Washington, Karen became volunteer curator of the Smithsonian Institution’s lace collection in its American History Museum. Her mother had taught her the basics of bobbin lace, and over time she honed her skills through training courses in several European countries. In addition to research and writing on lace made in colonial Ipswich, Massachusetts, the only U.S. site of a commercial bobbin lace industry, Karen continues to teach online courses on the technique. 

Thompson’s commitment to study abroad laid the groundwork for the nearly 40 percent of Agriculture students who now graduate having studied abroad in hundreds of wide-ranging programs the college offers through International Programs in Agriculture  (IPIA).

The Thompsons were so passionate about providing international opportunities to undergraduates that they endowed the Robert L. and Karen H. Thompson Scholarship to support students who participate in international study programs in agriculture.

IPIA asks the scholarship recipients to send the couple a postcard from their overseas institution. “Those are so nice to receive,” Bob says. “The comment that you hear most often is that it’s ‘a life-changing experience.’ It certainly was for me.”

Ensuring that agriculture students experience different cultures firsthand is good for Indiana agriculture, Karen adds. “It’s great for the ones who go back on the farms, but for the ones who are hired by agribusiness, the firms want international experience.”

Bob credits Karen for managing family and hosting responsibilities while he taught, conducted research and served in administrative positions. In addition to raising bicultural and bilingual children, the Thompsons regularly welcomed international students and friends to their home. Karen recalls learning to prepare an American Thanksgiving dinner before she had ever had one herself.

“Our children grew up with the American part of the family, the Danish part of the family, but also the international students at Purdue, because they really became our third family, to us and our children,” she says. “And it’s so important for the international students to get to know an American home and family.”

Not surprisingly, the travel bug also bit the Thompsons’ children. Kristina studied in Denmark in high school and college before volunteering with the Peace Corps in Benin and later, in Rwanda with her husband, Tom. The couple currently is assigned to Cotonou, Benin, where she is the Peace Corps’ country program and training director, and Tom teaches in the international school.

Both Eric and his wife, Amy, are Purdue graduates. Eric spent his junior year in Purdue Engineering at a German university and completed graduate study at the Danish Technical University. He now works in human hearing research for the Air Force. Their son is a high school senior, and their two daughters both studied abroad as college students.

“You detect a pattern here?” Bob asks, smiling.

The international perspective that the Thompsons cultivated in their own home has over time changed the College of Agriculture, by broadening student horizons through study abroad, and now, in a new chair in agricultural economics that promises to impact teaching and research.

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