ALAMOSA — Adams State University and Colorado State University today launched a new degree program in agriculture. The partnership allows Adams State to offer San Luis Valley-area students the opportunity to study agriculture without leaving their home community by offering agriculture-related courses from CSU, a leading national research university. This program will prepare students for careers on a farm or ranch, or in an agriculture-related business.

“We are very excited about this program and for the opportunity to further serve the educational needs of the San Luis Valley. Our new program will give students a well-built foundation in agricultural sciences,” said Adams State President Beverlee J. McClure.

The program combines face-to-face courses on the Adams State campus with online courses offered through CSU Online. CSU coursework will transfer to Adams State toward a Bachelor of Arts degree in Interdisciplinary Studies: General Agriculture. Students may select from two concentrations, biology and business.

“As the state’s land-grant university, Colorado State has a strong commitment to agricultural research and education focused on feeding our planet,” said Colorado State University President Tony Frank. “Adams State, with its rich regional university tradition, is located in one of the state’s most important agricultural regions. We’re enormously proud to bring these campuses together to leverage our strengths and provide the opportunity of agricultural education to a greater number of talented Colorado students.”

Courses offered by CSU include soil & crop science, horticulture, weed and pest management, irrigation, water conservation, and greenhouse management. Business and biology courses, as well as general education requirements, will be offered at Adams State.

Requirements for the biology concentration include plant physiology, genetics, and evolution. The business concentration includes courses in agribusiness, natural resources/water law, and farm & ranch management.

Students will be advised by Adams State faculty Dr. Zena Buser, professor of business administration, and Dr. Kristy Duran, associate professor of biology.

Adams State Guaranteed Tuition (the same rate for four years) applies to ASU courses, tuition for CSU Online courses will be discounted for ASU students.

For more information and to apply for the General Agriculture program, contact Meagan Long, 719-587-8146, or email [email protected]. Details are also available online.