Undergraduate Program - Course Descriptions

Students majoring in the Department of Agricultural Education and Communications will take many core classes taught directly in the department. Descriptions of all undergraduate courses at Texas Tech University can be found by accessing the online course catalog at http://www.depts.ttu.edu/officialpublications/courses/.

Courses taught within the department are listed below with a brief description.

Agricultural Education

AGED 2300 Introduction to Agricultural Education. History and principles of vocational education, community assessment of agricultural programs planning, and development of agricultural youth organization. Fulfills multicultural requirement.

AGED 2302 Principles of Effective Technology Use in Teaching Agricultural Science. Computer hardware and software used in the modern teaching environment. Teaching and learning theory in relation to multimedia presentations and their effective construction.

AGED 3313 Management of Supervised Agricultural Experience Programs. Provide students with the theory and application for working with youth in the selection, management, and record keeping procedures used with supervised agricultural experience programs and youth projects.

AGED 3314 Team Leadership Development in Agriculture and Natural Resources. Prerequisite: AGSC 3301. Exploration of strategies and techniques for successful teams, including conflict management, facilitation, and negotiation, skill building, and experimental activities in agriculture and natural resources.

AGED 3315 Personal Leadership Development in Agriculture Sciences and Natural Resources. Prerequisite: AGSC 3301. Principles, theories and application of interpersonal skills required to develop strong leadership in the agricultural and natural resource context.

AGED 3330 Interrelationships of Agricultural Agency Information Systems. Utilization of agricultural service systems to disseminate information to traditional and nontraditional agricultural clientele. Emphasis on USDA organizations.

AGED 3331 Agricultural Youth Leadership Organizations. Principles and application of leadership skills commonly taught in youth agricultural organizations. Emphasis on youth leadership development events and seamlessly integrating activities and curriculum.

AGED 4000 Internship in Agricultural Education.

AGED 4301 Agricultural Education Problems. Prerequisite: Senior standing and approval of department chairperson. Individual investigation. May be repeated for credit.

AGED 4302 Transfer of Agricultural Technology. Examination of processes by which professional agriculturalists influence the introduction, adoption, and diffusion of technological change. Fulfills Core Technology and Applied Science requirement.

AGED 4304 Methods of Teaching Agriscience in the Secondary School. Writing intensive course.

Agricultural Communications

ACOM 1300 Introduction to Agricultural Communications. An overview of information systems and media associated with the agricultural industry.

ACOM 2302 Scientific Communications in Agriculture and Natural Resources. Improve written, visual, and oral communications. Development of press releases, scientific papers, popular press articles, poster presentations, technical presentations, and grant applications. Writing intensive course.

ACOM 2305 Digital Communications in Agriculture. Examination of the use of computers in agricultural communications with emphasis on graphic art production, photo manipulation, and elements of design.

ACOM 3300 Communicating Agriculture to the Public. Principles and procedures in communicating agricultural news and information to general and specialized audiences through presentations and various media. Writing intensive course.

ACOM 3301 Video Production in Agriculture. Basics in producing an agricultural video. Students learn scripting, shooting, and digital video editing.

ACOM 3305 Layout and Design in Agricultural Sciences. Prerequisite: ACOM 2305. Examination of design principles and desktop publishing in the agricultural industry.

ACOM 3311 Web Design in Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. Prerequisite: ACOM 2305. Promote basic understanding of Web design principles and experiential learning through a project requiring students to develop a Web site for a client in the agriculture industry.

ACOM 4000 Internship in Agricultural Communications.

ACOM 4001 Agricultural Communications Problems. Individual study of advanced application of principles of agricultural communications.

ACOM 4100 Seminar in Agricultural Communications. Overview and analysis of the history, development, issues, and trends of traditional agricultural and related information outlets. May be repeated once for credit.

ACOM 4305. Agricultural Communication Campaigns. Prerequisite: Junior or senior standing and ACOM majors only. Principles, practices, and applications of social marketing as they pertain to developing communication campaigns for the food and fiber industry.

ACOM 4310. Development of Agricultural Publications. Prerequisite: JOUR 2310. Students integrate various skills including writing, editing, and layout in producing agricultural publications. Emphasis upon computer software applications in agricultural publishing. Writing intensive.

ACOM 4311. Convergence in Agricultural Media. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor and ACOM majors only. Intensive application of communication skills to produce a multimedia Web site focused on agricultural topics.

Agricultural Systems Management

AGSM 2303 Welding and Metalwork. Metal fabrication and repair using hand tools, power tools, and welding equipment. Includes metallurgy pertaining to welding processes and heat treating.

AGSM 3303 Internal Combustion Engine Theory and Operation. Fundamentals of internal combustion engines, principally small gasoline engines. Emphasis on adjustments, repair, and routine maintenance to include tractors and other power units.

AGSM 4301 Agricultural Mechanization Problems. Individual study of an advanced phase of agricultural mechanization. Research report required.

AGSM 4302 Agricultural Buildings and Environmental Control. Determining agricultural building requirements, materials, design, and construction. Includes construction, tools and equipment, framing, environmental control, and necessary utilities.