XII. Course Descriptions

PDFPDF Icon

Agriculture

Ontario Agricultural College, Dean's Office

AGR*1050 Communication Skills W (3-2) [0.50]
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 BBRM
Location(s): Ridgetown
AGR*1110 Introduction to the Agrifood Systems F (6-0) [1.00]
This introductory course provides an overview of Canadian and global agri-food systems. Students will be introduced to many different facets of agriculture, including primary production (conventional and organic) of commodity, mid-value and high-value crops, and livestock. Students will explore the agri-food system by tracing consumer end-products back to primary production. Modern, industrial agri-food systems as well as subsistence farming will be discussed. The course incorporates an experiential learning component in which students will explore a new agri-food opportunity for Ontario by designing and assessing the value chain. Department of Plant Agriculture and Department of Animal and Poultry Science.
Restriction(s): AGR*1100, AGR*1250, BSC(Agr) Minor in Agriculture
Location(s): Guelph
AGR*2030 Pasture Management F (3-2) [0.50]
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, (ENVS*2060 or SOIL*2010)
Restriction(s): Registered in BBRM.EQM
Location(s): Kemptville
AGR*2050 Agroecology W (3-0) [0.50]
Agroecology uses ecological theory to study, design, manage and evaluate agricultural systems. This course considers the interactions of all important biophysical, technical and socioeconomic components of farming systems and examines these systems as the fundamental units of study. Mineral cycles, energy transformations, biological processes and socioeconomic relationships are analyzed as a whole in an interdisciplinary fashion. Department of Plant Agriculture and Department of Animal and Poultry Science.
Prerequisite(s): (BIOL*1050 or BIOL*1070) CHEM*1040
Restriction(s): CROP*2110
AGR*2100 Human Resource Management W (3-2) [0.50]
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 BBRM
Location(s): Ridgetown, Kemptville
AGR*2150 Plant Agriculture for International Development F (3-0) [0.50]
This course will provide students interested in international development with an introductory mechanistic understanding of the biology underlying crop production in developing nations. Emphasis will be placed on simple, low-cost solutions from biology that have the potential to aid efforts in international development. This course is accessible to science and non-science students. Department of Plant Agricuture.
Prerequisite(s): 4.00 credits
Restriction(s): AGR*2470
AGR*2320 Soils in Agroecosystems F (3-2) [0.50]
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. School of Environmental Sciences.
Prerequisite(s): CHEM*1040, MATH*1080, (BIOL*1050 or BIOL*1070), BIOL*1090
Restriction(s): ENVS*2060, SOIL*2010
AGR*2350 Animal Production Systems, Health and Industry F (3-3) [0.50]
This course is designed to introduce the student to the Agri-food system in Ontario, nationally and internationally. 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 or (2 of BIOL*1050, BIOL*1070, BIOL*1080, BIOL*1090)
AGR*2470 Introduction to Plant Agriculture F (3-3) [0.50]
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. Department of Plant Agriculture.
Prerequisite(s): 1 of BIOL*1030, BIOL*1050, BIOL*1070
Restriction(s): AGR*2150
AGR*2500 Field Course in International Agriculture W (3-0) [0.50]
This course introduces students to a wide range of tropical and subtropical agricultural production systems and issues. The course is comprised of a weekly 3 hour evening lecture and a two week field trip to Costa Rica where students will visit corporate and individual farms, university and government research stations. The field trip occurs during Reading Week in February. This course must be recorded as part of your Winter course selection. The cost of the course is approximately $2500.00 per student, in addition to tuition and compulsory fees. Students must identify their interest in taking this course by contacting the OAC Dean's Office before the October course selection period of the previous year. In order to confirm reservations for travel arrangements a deposit of $300 in the form of a cheque, made payable to the University of Guelph, must be submitted to the OAC Dean's Office by November. Some scholarship support is available to B.Sc.(AGR.) students. Applications for scholarship support are due in Student Financial Services, Office of Registrarial Services by December 1st.
Prerequisite(s): AGR*1250 or registration in International Development
Restriction(s): Registration in BSC(Agr) or BA.ID or Minor in Agriculture. Instructor consent required.
AGR*3010 Special Studies in Agricultural Science I S,F,W (3-0) [0.50]
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. Department of Plant Agriculture and Department of Animal & Poultry Science.
Prerequisite(s): 10.00 credits
Restriction(s): Instructor consent required.
AGR*3450 Research Methods in Agricultural Science F (3-2) [0.50]
This course provides students with an opportunity to enhance their understanding of the principles and processes of agricultural research. The course will provide students with a foundation in critical thinking, experimental design and data analysis that will be applicable to independent research projects and graduate studies. Students will also explore the practical requirements and limitations of scientific research. Laboratory and field safety, animal care, intellectual property and research ethics will be reviewed. Students will be required to practice both oral presentation and writing skills as core components of their evaluation. Department of Plant Agriculture and Department of Animal and Poultry Science.
Prerequisite(s): Completion of 7.50 credits including (1 of GEOG*2460, STAT*2040 , STAT*2060, STAT*2080)
Restriction(s): Enrollment in the BSC(Agr), BBRM, BSC.ABIO or Minor in Agriculture
AGR*3500 Experiential Education I F (3-0) [0.50]
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 BSC(Agr.), BBRM and Agricultural Business students. Department of Plant Agriculture.
Prerequisite(s): 5.00 credits
Restriction(s): Instructor consent required.
AGR*3510 Experiential Education II F (3-0) [0.50]
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. Department of Animal and Poultry Science.
Prerequisite(s): AGR*3500
Restriction(s): Instructor consent required.
AGR*4010 Special Studies in Agricultural Science II S,F,W (3-0) [0.50]
This special study option 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 a faculty member and the individual student. Students are responsible for making appropriate arrangements with faculty member prior to registration for the course. Department of Plant Agriculture and Department of Plant Agriculture and Animal & Poultry Science.
Prerequisite(s): 15.00 credits
Restriction(s): Instructor consent required.
AGR*4450 Research Project I S,F,W (0-12) [1.00]
This course provides for the 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. This course will normally be followed by AGR*4460 to provide 2 semesters to complete the research project.
Prerequisite(s): 10.00 credits
Restriction(s): Permission of the course coordinator (contingent on the availability and agreement of a faculty advisor) BSC(Agr) or BSC or BBRM, 70% cumulative average.
AGR*4460 Research Project II S,F,W (0-12) [1.00]
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]
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. (Last offering - Winter 2015)
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.
AGR*4600 Agriculture and Food Issues Problem Solving W (3-0) [1.00]
The issues facing the agriculture and food sector are many and varied and relate to the economy, the environment and society. Within these issues there are problems which require thoughtful solutions. Working in teams, with guidance from faculty advisors, students will have an opportunity to develop solutions to real-world problems facing the agriculture and food sector. In the process students will have an opportunity to develop their research, communication, presentation, writing and group work skills. (First offering - Winter 2016)
Prerequisite(s): 12.50 credits
Restriction(s): Registration in BSC(Agr), BBRM, BCOMM.FAB, B.COMM.FAB:C or BA.FARE program.
University of Guelph
50 Stone Road East
Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1
Canada
519-824-4120