International Programs - Academics - International Agriculture and Rural Development Major and International Studies Minor for CALS Undergraduates

For undergraduate students who wish to focus on/or explore the possibilities in International Agriculture and Rural Development, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell has two options. Students may choose a major in International Agriculture and Rural Development or minor in International Studies while majoring in any other field of study in CALS.

The IARD major leads to a B.S. in Agriculture: This B.S. in international agriculture and rural development provides students with an understanding of the special problems of applying basic knowledge to the processes of agricultural and rural development in low-income countries. The student chooses an area of concentration within the major and works with an advisor to plan an individualized program of study. Areas of concentration include 1) social development and livelihoods, 2) food systems, and 3) environment and ecosystems. The core curriculum and areas of concentration are designed to acquaint students with relevant socioeconomic factors, the physical and biological aspects of tropical crops and animal production, and issues of resource management and sustainability in low-income countries.

The program provides a broad introduction to the issues of international development and is offered primarily for those students whose plans may include:

Some graduates volunteer with non-governmental organizations or Peace Corps immediately upon graduation, gaining field experience prior to entering the job market or graduate school.

In addition to the college distribution requirements, students in international agriculture and rural development must take a minimum of 50 credits toward the major. A minimum of 18 credits from a core curriculum (in addition to foreign language) are required, eight of which should be in international agriculture and rural development (IARD). The foreign language requirement for the IARD major is identical to that of the College of Arts and Sciences (see language requirments). Other coursework is drawn from a wide range of disciplines, consistent with the student’s chosen concentration. Students are expected to complete an overseas field study experience (minimum of six weeks); Approved Exchange Program, Study Abroad, Internship Activity or other pre-approved international activities*. The objective is to familiarize students with the many facets of agricultural and rural development in low-income countries.

Required International Agriculture Courses (minimum of 7 credits): B.S. - International Agriculture and Rural Development - Program Guidelines

Core Curriculum
The following 18 credit hour core curriculum is required of all IARD majors. This interdisciplinary set of courses provides a broad overview of issues related to socio-economic development, food security and environmental sustainability in developing countries. Students typically take CSS 190, D SOC 205 and IARD 202 during the freshman year, AEM 200 and IARD 403 during the sophomore or junior year, and IARD 401/601 or IARD 402/602 during the senior year.

AEM 200* – Contemporary Controversies in the Global Economy
(3 credits)
CSS 190 – Sustainable Agriculture: Food, Farming and the Future (3 credits)
D SOC 205 – International Development (3 credits)
IARD 202 – Perspectives in Int’l Agriculture and Rural Development (3 credits)
IARD 401 – Experience Latin America I (2 credits)
or
IARD 402 – Agriculture in Developing Nations I (2 credits)
IARD 403 – Traditional Agriculture in Developing Nations (1 credit)
IARD 601 – Experience Latin America II (3 credits)
or
IARD 602 – Agriculture in Developing Nations II (3 credits)
Foreign Language Requirement (see College of Arts and Sciences requirement)

*Econ 101 is a prerequisite for this and other AEM courses. It is recommended that it be taken in the first semester.

Foreign Language Requirement
Cornell offers a wide range of languages relevant to the IARD major, including many Asian and African languages. The IARD major has adopted the foreign language requirement of the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS). A detailed description of the requirement and options for satisfying it can be found on the CAS website.

Some students choose to continue in the language studied in high school to an intermediate or advanced level of competency. Others elect to learn a new language, typically taking three or four semesters of coursework to achieve the required level of competency.

International Learning Requirement
Students are expected to complete an approved overseas field study experience at least six weeks in length. The objective is for students to gain some experience working with rural people, food systems, development institutions and practitioners in low-income countries. Some summer or semester-long study abroad and exchange programs will satisfy this requirement. Students may also propose and develop individualized internships with a wide range of relevant organizations.

Concentrations
All IARD majors choose one of the three concentrations described below. Concentrations provide opportunity for more in-depth study in one aspect of this broad, interdisciplinary field.

Social Development and Livelihoods Concentration
Intermediate-level coursework in economics and development sociology serves as a foundation for upper-level study in the social sciences. Students considering future graduate study in economics, development sociology or development studies should consult their advisors concerning more advanced coursework in those and other fields, including mathematics.

Required Courses: (23 credits)
ECON 102 and 313 (or PAM 200)
AEM 230, 445 and 464
D SOC 201, 305 and 410

Recommended Courses:
AEM 250 and 430
D SOC 438, 275 and 430
NTRES 331 and 431
CRP 309 and 477

Food Systems Concentration
The science-intensive Food Systems concentration is built around courses in the applied biological and physical sciences relevant to crop and food animal production, protection and improvement, post-harvest food handling and value addition, and human nutrition. Students work with their advisors to develop a concentration from the following diverse set of courses. Students considering future graduate study in any of the applied sciences represented below should consult faculty advisors concerning more advanced coursework in the relevant field(s), as well as in chemistry and biology.

Basic Courses: (select a minimum of 23 credits in consultation with advisor)
ANSC 100, 150, 212 and 400
BIOPL 242
CSS 260 and 414
FDSC 200 and 321
HORT 101 and 425
NS 115, 222 and 306
PLBR 201 and 403

Recommended Courses:
ANSC management courses
BIOPL 444
CSS 372, 410, 412, 420 and 444
HORT 220 and 400
NS 457

Environment and Ecosystems Concentration
IARD students who elect this concentration examine in greater depth the science, policy and institutions relevant to environmental conservation and management in developing countries. Students considering future graduate study in this area should consult faculty advisors regarding additional coursework in the biological and physical sciences.

Required Courses: (22 credits)
BIOEE 261
NTRES 201,322,331 (or 431) and 434 (or 480)
A minimum of 6 additional credits in NTRES, EAS, BEE or BIOEE.

Minor in International Studies

The minor in International Studies can be pursued by undergraduates majoring in any CALS field other than IARD. This minor is designed to enrich students' preparation for leadership in an increasingly interconnected and dynamic world. The minor combines relevant coursework, language instruction and overseas study to enhance the undergraduate experience.

Requirements
In addition to fulfilling all of the requirements of any chosen major in CALS, students may complete the following requirements for the minor.

Four courses with significant international content, as recommended by students’ major departments (two should be from CALS).
One semester of IARD 480 Global Seminar or NTRES 434.

Highly recommended

Foreign language course work.
An approved overseas experience (exchange, study abroad program, internship, or faculty-led short course).

For more information, contact the academic programs coordinator in the CALS International Programs Office, 255-3811.

Agricultural & Biological Engineering
Watershed Management (BEE 754)

Applied Economics & Management
International Trade and Finance (AEM 230)
International Agribusiness Study Trip
International Trade Policy (AEM 430)
*Food Marketing Colloquium (AEM 446/447)
Global Marketing Strategy (AEM 449)
Seminar on Agricultural Trade Policy (AEM 730)

Agriculture & Life Sciences
*Agriculture Study Tour to Burgundy, France (ALS 402)
*Internship Opportunities in Burgundy, France (ALS 403)

Animal Science
Tropical Livestock Production (AN SC 400)
Tropical Forages (AN SC 403)

Asian Studies
Southeast Asia Seminar: Philippines (ASIAN 601)

Biology
Biology of the Neotropics (BIOEE 405)
Food, Agriculture, and Society (BIOEE 469)
The Healing Forest (BIO PL 348)

Communication
Communication in the Developing Nations (COMM 424)

City & Regional Planning
Seminar in International Planning (CRP 671)
Seminar in Project Planning in Developing Countries (CRP 675)

Crop & Soil Science
Properties and Appraisal of Soils of the Tropics (CSS 471) ( )
Ecology of Agricultural Systems (CSS 473)
Tropical Cropping Systems (CSS/IARD 314)

Education
Comparative Studies in Adult Education (EDUC 483)
Farmer-Centered Research & Extension (EDUC/IARD 783)

Food Science
International Post harvest Food Systems (FOOD 447)

Nutritional Science
Nutritional Problems in Developing Nations (NS 306)
Integrating Food Systems and Human Needs (NS 380)
Economics of Hunger and Malnutrition

Natural Resources
Global Ecology and Management (NTRES 350)
International Environmental Issues (NTRES 400)
Religion, Ethics, and the Environment (NTRES 407)
Principles and Practices of Agroforestry (NTRES/HORT 415)

Plant Breeding
Plants, Genes and Global Food Production (PL BR 201)
Genetic Improvement of Crop Plants (PL BR 403)
Crop Evolution, Domestication & Diversity (PL BR 404)

Plant Pathology
Integrated Pest Management (PL PA 655/ 444)

Rural Sociology
Population Dynamics (DSOC 201)
International Development (DSOC 205)
Social Indicators, Data Management and Analysis (DSOC 213)
Sociology and Sustainable Development (DSOC 261)
Education, Inequality and Development (DSOC 305)
Comparative Issues in Social Stratification (DSOC 370)
Population Policy (DSOC 418)
Human Migration: Internal and International R(SOC 430)
Social Impact of Resource Development (DSOC 440)
Population, Environment, and Development in Sub-Saharan Africa (DSOC 495)
Sociological Theories of Development (DSOC 606)
Theories of State, State of Theories (DSOC 725)
* includes international travel component