The UMass Stockbridge School of Agriculture has offered Associate of Science degrees in “practical agriculture” since 1918. Beginning in September 2016, we will welcome our first online class to Stockbridge by offering a fully online 60-credit Associate of Science degree in Sustainable Food and Farming!
This program will expand upon the successful 15-credit Certificate Program in Sustainable Food and Farming which currently has more than 750 students from all over the world. Unlike other agricultural certificate programs, students in the Stockbridge School of Agriculture may select from a diverse array of online classes from the “basics” of Soil Science and Botany to more specialized courses in Backyard Homesteading, Global Food Systems, and Urban Agriculture, just to name a few. The full list of courses currently offered online may be found here:
Online Sustainable Food and Farming Classes
The requirements for the online degree will be comparable to the on campus A.S. program in Sustainable Food and Farming. Students will earn academic credit toward their degree by taking high quality academic courses as well as gaining experience farming and marketing, working for non-profit organizations in food advocacy and community development, or agricultural education for example.
Applications will be available in January 2016. To be put on a mailing list to be kept informed, sign up here: ONLINE CLASSES.
Overview
Sustainable farming and marketing is a rapidly growing sector of the U.S. economy. Opportunities for new farmers as well as affiliated careers in public policy, advocacy, community development and education continue to grow.
The increasing demand for local and sustainably grown food has created opportunities for college graduates who understand the unique production, processing, and marketing approaches used in sustainable agriculture today. Some people entering the field will go back to their family farms. Many pursue specific interest in local or organic agriculture. Others will create their own opportunities in food marketing, processing, non-profit organizations, food and agricultural associations, or cooperative businesses. Some graduates plan on homesteading while pursuing employment in other fields.
The University of Massachusetts Stockbridge School of Agriculture has been at the heart of training and education in this broad network of food and farming systems since the establishment of “Mass Aggie” over 150 years ago. More recently, Stockbridge has experienced an increased demand among residential students at UMass in the Bachelor of Science degree in Sustainable Food and Farming.
Increasing numbers of mid-career professionals and returning Veterans have found the 15-credit Certificate Program in Sustainable Food and Farming to be an attractive means of gaining education while earning a college credential. These students have turned to the online environment to develop knowledge and skills applicable to the diverse array of work experiences that are part of the food chain – from production, processing, and delivery to policy, regulation, and education.
The Online Associate of Science Degree in Sustainable Food and Farming Certificate provides a reasonable option for those who wish to study sustainable food and farming but are not ready or able to make a commitment to an on campus degree program. Students will acquire a basic knowledge of plant and soil sciences along with training in agricultural techniques, community development, public policy, and education. The major offers flexibility in designing a personal program of study, allowing students to focus on specific career objectives.
Admission
The Online Associate of Science Degree in Sustainable Food and Farming is an academic program of the UMass Division of Continuing and Professional Education and the Stockbridge School of Agriculture. All students pursuing the degree must be admitted to the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Information on the application process will be released in January 2016. Students interested in pursuing the online certificate, but not a degree may simply register with a simple form here: Register for the Online Certificate.
Tuition and Fees
All online classes are offered through the University of Massachusetts Division of Continuing and Professional Education. Most classes cost $472 per credit. In addition, there is a $45 per semester registration fee.
Financial Aid and Scholarships
Investing in your education is a significant financial decision. Our Continuing and Professional Education Financial Aid Office can help make that investment a little easier through:
For more information, please contact our CPE Financial Aid Office here: Financial Aid.
And if you have question about using veterans benefits, please contact UMass Office of Veteran’s Services at vetbenefits@umass.edu or 413-545-5792 or see: http://www.umass.edu/veterans/
Advising
Online Associate of Science students will be assigned an adviser to help select courses and make progress toward graduation. If you have questions in advance, you may contact the A.S. Online Program Coordinator, Renee Ciulla.
Online Course Delivery
Courses taken online are equivalent to the same courses taken at the UMass campus in almost every way including: assignments, learning objectives, discussions, projects, exams, and the degree of rigor. The online learning environment provides opportunities to interact with other students from around the world as well as the course instructor. The “classroom” environment is engaging and dynamic and a community of learners often emerges during the class. Technical support for online education is available “24/7”, when you need it! As an online student you can “go to class” anytime, check out the course readings, chat with fellow classmates post comments to a threaded discussion board, submit assignments, and work on projects. Instructors make every effort to provide a meaningful educational experience using the online format and do so in a way that works for busy adults.
Technical Requirements
In general, to be successful accessing an online class you must:
- have access to a personal computer (Mac or Windows) with at least 128MB RAM (256MB preferred)
- be familiar with basic computer skills
- be connected to the internet
- have an e-mail program and account (provided)
- have at least a 56 kbps modem (DSL or Broadband Cable recommended)
- have a Java capable browser (Internet Explorer, Firefox or Safari)
- have an up to date antivirus program
For details on accessibility and software suggestions, see: Technical Requirements
Proposed Graduation Requirements
| Sustainable Food and Farming – A.S. Degree Proposal | ||||||||
| A. | General Requirements | |||||||
| MATH 104 (3) or MATH 101/102 (4) | ||||||||
| ENGLWRIT 111 or 112 (3) | ||||||||
| STOCKSCH 105 – Soils (4) | ||||||||
| STOCKSCH 108 – Botany (4) | ||||||||
| B. | Agriculture Requirements | |||||||
| Two Plant and Animal Production Systems Courses (6-8)* | ||||||||
| Two Economic and Social Systems Courses (6-8)* | ||||||||
| Three from either category (9-11) | ||||||||
| No more than 6 credits at the 100 level | ||||||||
| *Must be at 200 level or higher | ||||||||
| STOCKSCH 198F – Sustainable Food & Farming Internship (3) | ||||||||
| C. | Professional Electives | |||||||
| Select from the approved lists below or request alternatives | ||||||||
| Minimum of four Plant & Animal Production Classes | ||||||||
| with at least one of the four being a pest course | ||||||||
| Mimimum of one Economic & Social Systems Course | ||||||||
| Minimum total = additional credits to total 60 | ||||||||
Approved Courses |
||||||||
| Plant & Animal Production Systems | ||||||||
| STOCKSCH 117 – Agricultural Chemistry (3) | ||||||||
| STOCKSCH 119 – Homesteading (3) | ||||||||
| STOCKSCH 120 – Organic Gardening & Farming (4) | ||||||||
| STOCKSCH 186 – Introduction to Permaculture (3) | ||||||||
| STOCKSCH 265 – Sustainable Agriculture (3) | ||||||||
| STOCKSCH 286 – Permaculture Design and Practice (3) | ||||||||
| STOCKSCH 297R – Raising Dairy Goats Sustainably (3) | ||||||||
| STOCKSCH 320 – Organic Vegetable Production (3) | ||||||||
| STOCKSCH 397 ES – Exploring Sustainability (3) | ||||||||
| STOCKSCH – Integrated Pest Managment (3) to be developed | ||||||||
| Economic & Social Systems | ||||||||
| ACCOUNTG 221 – Intro to Accounting (3) | ||||||||
| MANAGMNT 301 – Intro to Management (3) | ||||||||
| MARKETNG 301 – Fundamentals of Marketing (3) | ||||||||
| STOCKSCH 258 – Urban Agriculture (3) | ||||||||
| STOCKSCH 288 – Land Use Policies and Sustaianble Farming (3) | ||||||||
| STOCKSCH 287 – Farm Planning, Marketing & Mgt. (3) | ||||||||
| STOCKSCH 355 – Community Food Systems (3) | ||||||||
| STOCKSCH 386 – Sustainable Site Planning and Design (3) | ||||||||
| STOCKSCH 387 – Global Food Systems (3) | ||||||||
| STOCKSCH 397 NP – Nonprofit Mgt of Comm. Food Programs (3) | ||||||||
| STOCKSCH 397 SP – Social Permaculture for Food Justice (3) | ||||||||
| STOCKSCH 397 FV – Postharvest Handling Fruits/Vegetables (3) | ||||||||
| Practica and Related Experiences | ||||||||
| STOCKSCH 196 – Independent Study (1-6) | ||||||||
| STOCKSCH 298 – Practicum (1-6) | ||||||||
| STOCKSCH 397 ES – Exploring Success (3) | ||||||||
| STOCKSCH 398B – Agricultural Practicum (1-6) | ||||||||
UMass Sustainable Food and Farming 
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