Agricultural Systems Management
Agricultural Systems Management
The Agricultural Systems Management (ASM) program combines an understanding of the agricultural, biological, and physical sciences with economics, managerial, and technical skills. This understanding of science, systems management, and applications engineering can be applied to a career in the production and processing of food, feed, fiber, and fuel, and the marketing, sales, and distribution of agricultural products and services. Students focus on the application of engineering designs, the study of technology used in agriculture, and the integration of business management concepts in the agricultural, food, and closely related industries. Students complete courses in machinery principles, off-road power systems, precision agriculture, commodity handling and processing, natural resources management, electrical and electronic systems, and information and decision support technology.
Taking courses in accounting, economics, marketing, management, business law, sales, and finance develops a strong business background. Personal career objectives may be pursued through specialization in areas such as agribusiness and production agriculture. Students are encouraged to minor in agribusiness, business administration, communication, or another agricultural discipline.
Agricultural Systems Management graduates are often self-employed as owners/operators of commercial farms, ranches, and businesses. Others are employed in positions that provide the link between the consumer and people in fields such as research design, engineering, or manufacturing. They are often also employed as crop consultants or production specialists. Employers include:
- companies and agencies that provide inputs, products, and services for agricultural production;
- companies or agencies in the business of handling, storing, processing, and distributing agricultural products/commodities and processed food or non-food products; and
- companies and agencies that supply physical and business services to rural and urban communities.
This degree is ideal for those interested in careers in technical sales or management of an agriculture-related business involved in production, processing, or manufacturing. The flexibility of the program allows students the opportunity to tailor the curriculum to complement their career goals.
Students interested in the design, testing, manufacturing, and development aspects of products, processes, or systems for agricultural production, food, and value-added processing of commodities, or sustainable management of environmental resources should consider the Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering curriculum.
Curriculum Options
- Production Agriculture: Students select courses in agricultural sciences and supporting areas to achieve career goals in the technical and management aspects of production agriculture systems.
- Applied Business: Students select courses in agribusiness, business, and related areas to achieve career goals in agricultural and related areas to achieve career goals in agricultural and related business areas.
- Dealership Management: This option is designed for students who want careers as equipment dealership managers or with equipment manufacturers. Technology, agribusiness, and communication are emphasized. Requirements include a minor in business administration or agribusiness, two paid internships with equipment dealerships, and an additional communication course.
Agricultural Systems Management Minor
A minor in Agricultural Systems Management is available to students from other majors by working with department faculty to select 16-21 credits in Agricultural Systems Management. A minimum of eight credits must be completed at NDSU.
Major Requirements
Major: Agricultural Systems Management
Degree Type: B.S.
Minimum Degree Credits to Graduate: 129
General Education Requirements for Baccalaureate Degree
- A list of approved general education courses is available here .
- General education courses may be used to satisfy requirements for both general education and the major, minor, and program emphases, where applicable. Students should carefully review the major, minor, and program emphases requirements for minimum grade restrictions, should they apply.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Communication (C) | 12 | |
| College Composition I | ||
| College Composition II | ||
| Fundamentals of Public Speaking | ||
Upper Division Writing † | ||
| Quantitative Reasoning (R) † | 3 | |
| Science and Technology (S) † | 10 | |
| Humanities and Fine Arts (A) † | 6 | |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences (B) † | 6 | |
| Wellness (W) † | 2 | |
| Cultural Diversity (D) *† | ||
| Global Perspectives (G) *† | ||
| Total Credits | 39 | |
| * | May be satisfied by completing courses in another General Education category. |
| † | May be satisfied with courses required in the major. Review major requirements to determine if a specific upper division writing course is required. |
ASM Major Requirements
Students must maintain a 2.25 GPA in ASM prefix courses.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Agricultural Systems Management Core Requirements | ||
| ASM 115 | Fundamentals of Agricultural Systems Management (Students transferring in or changing major to ASM with 32+ credits do not need to take ASM 115) | 3 |
| ASM 125 | Fabrication & Construction Technology (Students transferring in or changing major to ASM with 32+ credits do not need to take ASM 125) | 3 |
| ASM 225 | Computer Applications in Agricultural Systems Management | 3 |
| ASM 264 | Natural Resource Management Systems | 3 |
| ASM 264L | Natural Resource Management Systems Laboratory | 1 |
| ASM 323 | Post-Harvest Technology | 3 |
| ASM 354 | Electricity and Electronic Applications | 3 |
| ASM 373 | Tractors & Power Units | 3 |
| ASM 374 | Power Units Laboratory | 1 |
| ASM 378 | Machinery Principles and Management | 3 |
| ASM 429 | Hydraulic Power Principles and Applications | 3 |
| ASM 454 | Principles and Application of Precision Agriculture | 3 |
| ASM 475 | Management of Agricultural Systems (Capstone Course) | 2 |
| ASM 491 | Seminar | 1 |
| ASM 496 | Field Experience (Expo) | 1 |
| Supporting Courses | ||
| ABEN 189 | Skills for Academic Success 1 | 1 |
| AGRI 150 | Agriculture Orientation (Students transferring in 24 or more credits do not need to take AGRI 150.) | 1 |
| CHEM 121 | General Chemistry I (May satisfy general education category S) | 3 |
| CHEM 122 | General Chemistry II (May satisfy general education category S) | 3 |
| CSCI 114 | Microcomputer Packages (May satisfy general education category S) | 3 |
| or MIS 116 | Business Use of Computers | |
| ECON 201 | Principles of Microeconomics (May satisfy general education category B) | 3 |
| ECON 202 | Principles of Macroeconomics (May satisfy general education category B) | 3 |
| MATH 103 | College Algebra (or higher - May not be required based on math placement.) | 3 |
| MATH 105 | Trigonometry (or higher) | 3 |
| PHYS 211 | College Physics I (May satisfy general education category S) | 3 |
| PHYS 211L | College Physics I Laboratory (Either course may satisfy general education category S) | 1 |
| or CHEM 121L | General Chemistry I Laboratory | |
| STAT 330 | Introductory Statistics (May satisfy general education category R) | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 or 6 | |
| Fundamentals of Accounting | ||
| Elements of Accounting I and Elements of Accounting II | ||
| Specialized Options - Select from one of the specialized options listed below. A minor program of study may be completed in place of an option. | 30-38 | |
| Total Credits | 96-107 | |
| 1 | AGRI189 is only required for first-time, first-year students--A first-time, first-year student is defined as a student who has not yet completed a college course as a college student. Students that are not first-time, first-year students that either transfer into the university or change their major are not required to take AGRI 189. |
specialized options
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Applied Business Option: Minimum 30 Credits | ||
| This is the standard option for this major; students can declare another option or the minor option with the Office of Registration and Records. | ||
| Complete any course from the College of Ag, including Ag Econ as well as the BIO dept, and those listed under Program/Option Electives. | ||
| Select courses in agriculture science or supporting areas to enhance careers in Agribusiness. Select courses in consultation with an advisor. Courses not on the list will require a substitution form to be submitted to the Office of Registration and Records. | ||
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Production Agriculture Option: Minimum of 30 Credits | ||
| Complete any course from the College of Ag, including Ag Econ as well as the BIO dept, and those listed under Program/Option Electives | ||
| Select courses in consultation with an advisor. Courses not on the list will require substitution form to be submitted to the Office of Registration and Records. | ||
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Dealership Management Option: Minimum 32-38 | ||
| Minor in either Business Administration (24 credits) or Agribusiness (18 credits) required. | 18-24 | |
| ACCT 200 & ACCT 201 | Elements of Accounting I and Elements of Accounting II | 6 |
| ASM 496 | Field Experience | 2 |
| Elective | Complete any course from the College of Ag, including Ag Econ as well as the BIO dept, and those listed under Program/Option Electives | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Persuasive Speaking | ||
| Listening and Nonverbal Communication | ||
| Business and Professional Speaking | ||
| Small Group Communication | ||
Degree Requirements and Notes:
- Students must register for an ASM internship in the semester it is be completed. This includes internships arranged with the NDSU Career Center.
- Transfer grades must be ‘C’ or higher to count towards major requirements.
- The completion of a minor program of study is suggested but not required.
- Option suggestions are: Accounting, Agribusiness, Animal Sciences, Business Administration, Construction Management, Crop & Weed Sciences, Industrial Engineering & Management, Public Relations & Advertising, or Range Science.
Minor Requirements
Agricultural Systems Management
Minor Requirements
Required Credits: 16
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| ASM 264 | Natural Resource Management Systems | 3 |
| ASM 354 | Electricity and Electronic Applications | 3 |
| ASM 373 | Tractors & Power Units | 3 |
| or ASM 378 | Machinery Principles and Management | |
| Remaining Credits: Select 7 credits from the following: | 7 | |
| Computer Applications in Agricultural Systems Management | ||
| Post-Harvest Technology | ||
| Power Units Laboratory | ||
| Hydraulic Power Principles and Applications | ||
| Principles and Application of Precision Agriculture | ||
| Management of Agricultural Systems (Capstone) | ||
| Seminar | ||
| Field Experience (Expo) | ||
| Field Experience | ||
| Total Credits | 16 | |
Minor Requirements and Notes:
- A minimum of 8 credits must be taken at NDSU.
- Students must earn a minimum 2.00 GPA for the minor requirements.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Option Electives | ||
| May select any courses offered in the College of Ag, including Ag Econ, as well as the Biology department, and those curses listed here. | ||
| Elements of Accounting II | ||
AGEC 3XX - 4XX | ||
ANSC 1XX - 4XX | ||
| International Business | ||
| Managerial Economics | ||
BUSN 3XX -4XX | ||
| Human Communication | ||
| Interpersonal Communication | ||
| Intercultural Communication | ||
| Introduction to Web Design | ||
| Business and Professional Speaking | ||
| Editorial Processes | ||
| Principles of Design For Print | ||
| Communication Law | ||
| Organizational Advocacy and Issue Management | ||
| Risk and Crisis Communication | ||
| Elements of Economics | ||
| Intermediate Microeconomics | ||
| Intermediate Macroeconomics | ||
ECON 3XX - 4XX | ||
ENT 3XX - 4XX | ||
| Principles of Finance | ||
FIN 3XX - 4XX | ||
| Introduction to Geographic Information Systems | ||
| Advanced Geographic Information Systems | ||
| Remote Sensing | ||
| Geographic Information Systems Pattern Analysis and Modeling | ||
| Welding Technology | ||
| Foundations of Management | ||
MGMT 3XX - 4XX | ||
| Foundations of Marketing | ||
MRKT 3XX - 4XX | ||
| Introduction To Aviation | ||
| Introduction to Flight | ||
| Commercial Instrument Ground School | ||
PLSC 1XX - 4XX | ||
SOIL 2XX - 4XX | ||
| Freshman | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| ASM 115 | 3 | ASM 496 (Field Exp./Ag Tech Expo) | 1 |
| ASM 125 | 3 | COMM 110 | 3 |
| ABEN 189 | 1 | CSCI 114 or MIS 116 | 3 |
| AGRI 150 | 1 | ENGL 120 | 3 |
| ENGL 110 | 4 | MATH 105 | 3 |
| MATH 103 | 3 | HUM/FINE ARTS | 3 |
| 15 | 16 | ||
| Sophomore | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| ASM 225 | 3 | ASM 264 | 3 |
| ACCT 102 | 3 | ASM 264L | 1 |
| ECON 201 | 3 | ECON 202 | 3 |
| PHYS 211 | 3 | PSYC 111 | 3 |
| PHYS 211L | 1 | Elective (Option) | 3 |
| Elective (Free) | 3 | Elective (Free) | 3 |
| 16 | 16 | ||
| Junior | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| ASM 323 | 3 | ASM 373 | 3 |
| CHEM 121 | 3 | ASM 374 | 1 |
| STAT 330 | 3 | CHEM 122 | 3 |
| WELLNESS | 2 | ENGL 320, 321, 324, or 459 | 3 |
| Elective (Option) | 6 | Elective (Option) | 3 |
| Elective (Free) | 3 | ||
| 17 | 16 | ||
| Senior | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| ASM 354 | 3 | ASM 429 | 3 |
| ASM 378 | 3 | ASM 475 | 2 |
| ASM 491 | 1 | ASM 454 | 3 |
| HUM/FINE ARTS | 3 | Elective (Option) | 9 |
| Elective (Option) | 6 | ||
| 16 | 17 | ||
| Total Credits: 129 | |||
