Agricultural Sciences

This course provides an overview of food preservation by thermal processing, drying, freezing, and fermentation. The principles of preservation by controlling microbial and enzyme activity will also be studied. Topics include causes of spoilage of stored foods, such as the action of microorganisms; the action of enzymes; the oxidation reactions of food components; and the principles and techniques of food storage through refrigeration, freezing, drying, canning, and irradiation. The course emphasizes the manufacturing principles of fermented foods as well as characteristics of food packaging materials and the principles of food packaging. 

This course is an introduction to meat science. The course covers meat in the context of the human diet, the structure and composition of meat, and meat quality attributes. The impact of pre-slaughter factors on carcass and meat composition and on the sensory and nutritional quality of meat are explored. The impact of post-mortem factors, including aging and packaging of meat, on meat quality attributes, particularly color, flavor and texture, are studied. Students learn how selected meat products are manufactured.

This course focuses on the processes associated with knowledge sharing and decisions for change by farmers. It explores the link between agricultural research, farm advisory services, and agricultural education as part of the Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System (AKIS). It examines agricultural extension and education approaches for working with farmers/farm households to support learning, the adoption of innovation and behavior change. This is critically important for farm productivity, profitability, and sustainability. 

The course familiarizes students with core concepts and techniques used in farm financial management. It teaches students concepts that assist with appraisal of farm financial management performance and enable informed business decision making. Students study techniques and principles of farm business financial analysis, planning, and strategic decision-making. Topics include operational and strategic principles of farm business management; preparation and analysis of basic farm management accounts; application of farm planning techniques: enterprise, partial and whole farm budgets; farm financial control and cash flow budgeting; and assessment and management of risk in farm decision-making.

This course examines different farm management and agribusiness management practices and approaches in the agricultural and horticultural sectors. Drawing from multidisciplinary perspectives, the course provides students with understanding of the key approaches, issues and themes relating to strategic management in agribusiness (theories, planning), organization theory (explanatory approaches, design principles), interorganizational coordination (cooperation, chain management), fundamentals of innovation and knowledge management, basics of information and knowledge management, and business ethics and corporate social responsibility.

This course explores key concepts in agricultural and food supply chain management such as forecasting, inventory management, sourcing and procurement, and logistics within the agrifood industry. The course provides an overview of agrifood supply chain management for students interested in the agrifood industry. 

Topics include understanding the supply chain, inventory management, cycle inventory, distribution networks, transportation, sourcing, sustainability, managing economies of scale, and case studies.  

This course is an integrated introduction to fruit, vegetable, cereal, dairy, and seafood and meat science and technology. It provides an overview of the traditional and innovative techniques that are used to protect the quality and assure the safety of these foods. 

The course introduces carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, vitamins, and minerals that are components of food, and examines basic science applied to food processing and storage (gelatinization, aging, denaturation, rancidity, flavor change, color change).  

This is a special studies course involving an internship with a corporate, public, governmental, or private organization, arranged with the Study Center Director or Liaison Officer. Specific internships vary each term and are described on a special study project form for each student. A substantial paper or series of reports is required. Units vary depending on the contact hours and method of assessment. The internship may be taken during one or more terms but the units cannot exceed a total of 12.0 for the year.

This course targets students specializing in animal science and animal production. The specific components addressed include the dairy enterprise/industry at farm, national, and international level - current position and future trends; sustainable production systems and environmental constraints on production; seasonality of production, product quality, and implications for processing and marketing; principles of dairy production and management practices as they relate to sustainable production systems, especially in relation to nutrition/feeding, breeding, reproduction; principles of disease control in dairy production systems with the main emphasis being on good practice in relation to disinfection, immunology, and animal care and welfare; and costs and returns and factors affecting profitability.

This course examines suitable nutrition to animals in order to obtain good animal health management. It covers estimating the nutritive value of feeds; estimating the nutrient requirements of animals and diet formulation. The focus is on building up knowledge on animal nutrition by assessments of nutritional adequacy and solving of nutritional problems, with a particular emphasis on wildlife and animals used in agricultural production systems.