XII. Course Descriptions
Agriculture
Ontario Agricultural College, Dean's Office
| AGR*1050 Communication Skills W (3-2) [0.50] | |
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| Students will develop written language skills, oral communication, and presentation skills. The development of practical skills includes writing business letters and other business correspondence, formal and informal reports, instructional writing, critical thinking and critical writing. Students will present and deliver a variety of information and persuasive oral presentations. | |
| Restriction(s): | Registered in B.B.R.M. |
| Location(s): | Ridgetown, Kemptville |
| AGR*1100 Introduction to the Agrifood Systems F (2-3) [0.50] | |
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| This course examines current events within various production and maintenance sectors in an effort to gain up-to-date knowledge and analytical skills when dealing with issues in agri-food, landscape and associated industries. | |
| Restriction(s): | AGR*1150, UNIV*1500, enrolment in the B.Sc. (Agr.), B.COMM. (Ag. Bus.), or B.A. (Ag. Ec.) program |
| AGR*1250 Agrifood System Trends & Issues W (3-2) [0.50] |
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| The course examines the complexities and contributing factors within the food system, production agriculture and landscapes management. From producer to consumer, students will examine ways in which each stage of a system process is empowered by various inputs as well as directed by various influences. |
| AGR*2030 Pasture Management F (3-2) [0.50] | |
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| This course focuses on forage and weed identification, establishing, maintaining and improving pasture for grazing or cropping, and environmental and conservation stewardship approaches to pasturelands. | |
| Prerequisite(s): | BIOL*1040, SOIL*2010 |
| Restriction(s): | Registered in B.B.R.M. Equine Management. |
| Location(s): | Kemptville |
| AGR*2100 Human Resource Management W (3-2) [0.50] | |
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| This course will introduce students to theoretical and practical skills of management and interacting with people. Topics will include recruiting, supervising, motivation, training employees, effective listening, dealing with difficult people, group dynamics and leadership skills. | |
| Restriction(s): | Registered in B.B.R.M. |
| Location(s): | Ridgetown, Kemptville |
| AGR*2320 Soils in Agroecosystems F (3-3) [0.50] | |
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| This course is an introduction to soil resources with emphasis on management practices that will sustain the productivity of these resources and enhance the quality of the ecosystems of which they are a part. Students will develop a management plan for a farm that will take into account the roles of geological, geomorphological, biological, climatic and temporal factors on the formation, properties and uses of soils. The management plans will be placed in the broader context of provincial policies related to soil, air and water resources and local zoning regulations. | |
| Prerequisite(s): | BIOL*1040, CHEM*1040, MATH*1080 |
| Restriction(s): | AGR*2301/2, SOIL*2010 |
| AGR*2350 Animal Production Systems, Health and Industry F (3-3) [0.50] | |
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| This course is designed to introduce the student to the Agri-food system in Ontario, national and international. All major animal industries will be covered starting from the grocery store and working back to the primary producer. Companion and exotic animals will also be covered. Topics include food, health and wellness (domestic animals and human), nutrition, housing, genetics, reproduction, husbandry practices and processing. Laboratories include product taste testing and evaluation, and animal production unit tours (including visits to major animal housing units generally on the second Saturday of the semester). | |
| Prerequisite(s): | BIOL*1030 |
| AGR*2400 Economics of the Canadian Food System F (3-1) [0.50] | |
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| This course introduces students to the major aspects of economics, business and resource use in the Canadian agrifood sector. Students will be exposed to the techniques used by agrifood firms to plan, invest and measure performance. Decision making under both certainty and uncertainty will be considered. Students will be shown how the market equilibrium model can be used to conduct welfare analysis and modified to account for imperfect competition and externalities. | |
| Prerequisite(s): | AGR*1250, ECON*1050 |
| Restriction(s): | AGR*2401/2 |
| AGR*2470 Introduction to Plant Agriculture F (3-3) [0.50] | |
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| The basic principles of plant morphology, nutrition, growth and development will be related to where and how agriculturally significant plants are grown. Agroecosystems and farming systems will be considered as frameworks for crop production analyses. The course uses examples from temperate, sub-tropical and tropical crops and cropping systems. Labs include problem-solving exercises in the context of plant production. | |
| Prerequisite(s): | BIOL*1030 |
| Restriction(s): | AGR*2451/2 |
| AGR*2500 Field Trip in International Agriculture W (3-0) [0.50] | |
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| A 2 week field study program to Costa Rica costing approximately $2000 per student in addition to regular tuition fees during winter semester reading week. Students will visit corporate and individual farms, university and government research stations and become familiar with agricultural production systems. Projects and/or assignments will be completed during the winter semester. Classes are scheduled to meet once a week in the evening during the winter semester. It is important that students identify their interest in taking this course by contacting the OAC Dean's Office in September of the previous year. A deposit of $875 in the form of a cheque made payable to the University of Guelph must be in the OAC Dean's Office by November in order to confirm a reservation for travel arrangements. Scholarship support is available to B.SC.(AGR.) students through the Cavers Memorial Scholarship and the Wolff International Scholarships. Applications are due in Student Financial Services, Office of Registrarial Services by April 1. This course must be recorded as part of your Winter course selection and tuition and compulsory fees will be calculated accordingly. | |
| Prerequisite(s): | AGR*1250 or registration in International Development |
| Restriction(s): | Registration in B.Sc.(Agr.) or B.A.(I.D.). Instructor consent required. |
| AGR*3010 Special Studies in Agricultural Science I S,F,W (3-0) [0.50] | |
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| A special study option that enables undergraduate students in semesters 5 through 8 to undertake specific projects in agricultural sciences. The topic of the special study will be determined in consultation with an faculty member and the individual student. Students are responsible for making appropriate arrangements with faculty at the departmental and/or college level prior to registration for the course. | |
| Prerequisite(s): | 10.00 credits |
| Restriction(s): | Instructor consent required. |
| AGR*3500 Experiential Education I F (3-0) [0.50] | |
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| Student initiated experiential learning opportunities can be developed as a credit course in consultation with a supervising faculty member. Details of the activities included in the program will be outlined in a learning contract initiated by the student and agreed by the faculty supervisor in the April prior to the commencement of the work experience. The employer will also provide a description of the project and/or the work experience. The course is designed to meet the needs of B.SC.(Agr.), B.B.R.M. and Agricultural Business students. | |
| Prerequisite(s): | 5.00 credits |
| Restriction(s): | Instructor consent required. |
| AGR*3510 Experiential Education II F,S (3-0) [0.50] | |
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| The purpose of this course is to enable students to gain generic career skills by actively reflecting on their own skills in the context of their own summer employment. Students conduct a self-assessment, and work to improve skills they themselves select as goals. They also undertake a major project that is probably, but not necessarily, related to their summer employment. This project is done with the assistance of a faculty advisor. Fall classes of poster presentations to share experiences. | |
| Prerequisite(s): | AGR*3500 |
| Restriction(s): | Instructor consent required. |
| AGR*4010 Special Studies in Agricultural Science II S,F,W (3-0) [0.50] | |
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| A special study option that enables undergraduate students in semesters 5 through 8 to undertake specific projects in agricultural science. The topic of the special study will be determined in consultation with an OAC faculty member and the individual student. Students are responsible for making appropriate arrangements with faculty member prior to registration for the course. | |
| Prerequisite(s): | 15.00 credits |
| Restriction(s): | Instructor consent required. |
| AGR*4450 Research Project I S,F,W (0-12) [1.00] | |
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| Independent study of a current topic in agricultural or environmental science designed to encourage senior undergraduates to conduct research. The course includes participation in meetings organized by the coordinator, work with a faculty advisor to develop a research project, formulate hypotheses, design and carry out preliminary experiments to test the hypotheses. Students will carry out independent library research, begin experimental work, prepare a written report and make a presentation to other students in the course of the research plan and preliminary results. Students must make arrangements with both the faculty supervisor and the course coordinator at least one semester before starting the course. Open to students in semesters 5, 6, 7, and 8 of the B.SC. (Agr.) or B.Sc. degree program. This course will normally be followed by AGR*4460 to provide 2 semesters to complete the research project. | |
| Prerequisite(s): | Completion of semester 4 in any relevant major of the B.Sc. (Agr.) or B.Sc. program, 70% cumulative average. |
| Restriction(s): | Permission of the course coordinator (contingent on the availability and agreement of a faculty advisor) |
| AGR*4460 Research Project II S,F,W (0-12) [1.00] | |
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| Independent study of a current topic in agricultural or environmental science designed to encourage senior undergraduates to conduct research. The focus of this course will be the completion of the research plan developed in AGR*4450 by the student in consultation with a faculty advisor. The course includes participation in meetings organized by the coordinator and meetings with a faculty advisor to review research progress. Students will carry out independent research, prepare a written report of the research findings in a scholarly style and make a presentation to other students in the course of the research results. Open to students in semesters 6, 7 and 8 of the B.SC. (Agr.) or B.Sc. degree program. | |
| Prerequisite(s): | AGR*4450 |
| Restriction(s): | Permission of the course coordinator and faculty advisor |
| AGR*4500 Agrifood Industry Problem-Solving W (3-0) [0.50] | |
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| This course will provide senior level students in agricultural and related sciences with experience in working as a team to propose solutions to agrifood industry problems. The perspective of the best solution will be the agrifood system rather than any individual stakeholder group. Attention will be given to integrating material from different disciplines, further refining skills in problem-solving, and communication. Students and faculty will meet prior to the conclusion of the preceding semester to identify industry projects, student expertise, and to develop a preliminary strategy. | |
| Prerequisite(s): | 3.50 credits at the 3000 level or 1.50 credits at the 4000 level in any agricultural science area or agricultural business area. |