Graduate Programs

Master of Agriculture--Agricultural Extension Education
Colorado State University

The Master of Agriculture in this specialty is a professional degree administered by the College of Agricultural Sciences at Colorado State University in cooperation with several departments, both within and outside the College. Interdisciplinary in nature, this program provides maximum flexibility in curriculum design.

Programs are individually designed to meet students’ professional needs and specific goals. Students may select Plan A in pursuit of the Master of Agriculture degree, which involves applied research and a formal thesis; or they may select Plan B, which requires more coursework and/or a scholarly paper.

This specialization is intended for students preparing for agricultural extension-type careers or individuals in extension or educational positions who are seeking an advanced degree to update their general technical expertise in the agricultural sciences. The curriculum is designed to meet the individual needs of each student. Students have the option of concentrating course work in a number of disciplines, including youth development, adult education, natural resources, and many others.

Programs of study are individually designed to meet the needs of each student admitted to the Master of Agriculture program. At least 30 upper-division credits are required for the degree. The following conditions must be fulfilled for those 30 credits:

• 24 credits earned at CSU
• 16 credits agricultural science, at least 6 credits from each of two areas
• 16 credits formal upper-division (300 and above) excluding seminars, independent or group studies, internships, college teaching, research, and thesis
• 16 credits graduate-level with:
• 12 credits formal courses (500 and above)

General Graduate School admission requirements and procedures are outlined in the Graduate and Professional Bulletin which is available online at (www.graduateschool.colostate.edu).

The following criteria are used when admitting students to the degree program:

• Three letters of reference
• Leadership potential
• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) if English is not a native tongue
• Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution, with a Minimum of a 3.0 grade point average on undergraduate course work*.

A major focal point of the Ag Extension Education graduate program is the summer internship. Although the internship may be completed during spring or fall semesters, summer is the most traditional semester for this activity. As an intern, graduate students have the opportunity to work with a county or state extension office in Colorado or elsewhere.

The College of Agricultural Sciences is an integral part of Colorado State University, which is committed to the land-grant mission of serving the people of Colorado. The College is committed to providing students with quality graduate experiences that are recognized by peer institutions as a national standard of excellence. The role of the College is to improve the welfare of the agricultural industry and the consuming public through education and research.

To learn more about this program, please contact Dr. Dennis Lamm, Director, Master of Agriculture – Ag Extension Education by e-mail at (Dennis.Lamm @colostate.edu) or by phone (970) 491-2074.

*A person with a GPA lower than 3.0 could still be considered if they present evidence acceptable to the College of their ability to complete advanced degree requirements.