Agricultural Business Development, B.B.A.
Major Code: 1914Agribusiness is the coordination of all activities that contribute to the production, processing, marketing, distribution, financing and development of agricultural commodities and resources. This includes food, fiber, wood products, natural resources, horticulture, and other plant and animal products and services. Agribusiness is a high-tech industry that uses satellite systems, computer databases and spreadsheets, biotechnology, and many other innovations to increase efficiency and profitability.
Students enrolled in the program will develop the management skills (both technical and soft) to make effective decisions relating to agricultural labor, finance and markets. The coursework includes a strong agriculture and business-based curriculum that emphasizes management application to large- and small-scale agribusiness as well as non-profit organizations. These business/organizations may include but are not limited to food production, distribution, value added, production agriculture, the United States Department of Agriculture, and non-governmental organizations.
According to the USDA 60,000 high-skilled agricultural job openings are expected annually in the U.S., yet only 35,000 graduates are available to fill the jobs. Expected strong employment opportunities exist for: technical sales representatives, food brokers, accountants, financial managers, market analysts, fruit and vegetable marketing representatives, sales managers, small animal health care distribution and international business specialists.
Program Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to:
- Create and successfully operate their own agricultural enterprise
- Seek financing and maintain positive relationships with creditors and financial institutions
- Identify market opportunities and successfully utilize the opportunities to improve profitability
- Form, create and maintain effective relationships with the non-agriculture community
- Develop, manage and maintain effective interpersonal skills in the corporate and family business setting
- Question, investigate, analyze, evaluate, and communicate in agribusiness
- Interact with peers toward the accomplishment of effectively collaborating with agribusiness peers
- Adapt to a constantly changing agribusiness environment, and identify realistic goals and inventions for short- and long-term business planning
- Assess the range of one’s abilities, accept responsibility for setting realistic goals, and implement a plan for personal and professional well-being
SUNY General Education Requirements: All SUNY Morrisville BBA degree programs require completion of at least 30 credits of SUNY GE, a minimum of seven (out of ten) knowledge and skills areas (including the four required knowledge and skills areas as indicated below), and completion of the two core competencies. The specific courses required within each knowledge and skills area/core competency for this degree program are outlined below.
Knowledge and Skills Areas:
| Field Name | Field Value |
|---|---|
| Communication Written & Oral (required) | as advised |
| Diversity: Equity, Inclusion, and Social Justice (required) | as advised |
| Mathematics (and Quantitative Reasoning) (required) | AGSC 137 or MATH 123 or MATH 141 |
| Natural Sciences (and Scientific Reasoning) (required) | as advised |
| Humanities | as advised |
| Social Sciences | as advised |
| The Arts | as advised |
| US History and Civic Engagement | as advised |
| World History and Global Awareness | as advised |
| World Languages | as advised |
Core Competencies:
| Field Name | Field Value |
|---|---|
| Information Literacy (required) | as advised |
| Critical Thinking and Reasoning (required) | as advised |
Curriculum Requirements
A minimum of 120 credits is required for degree completion. This degree program is approved to be completed 50% online. Please consult with your academic advisor on specific courses.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Major Requirements | ||
| AGBS 100 | Agricultural Economics | 3 |
| or AGBS 225 | Environmental Economics | |
| AGBS 110 | Intro to Food and Agribusiness 1 | 3 |
| AGBS 200 | Marketing Agricultural Prodcts | 3 |
| AGBS 240 | Farm Management and Finance | 4 |
| AGBS 305 | Ag Financial Decision Making | 3 |
| AGBS 350 | Ag Business Development | 3 |
| AGBS 400 | Distribution/Mkt Ag Products | 4 |
| AGBS 405 | Farm & Rural Mngt Capstone | 3 |
| AGBS 450 | Ag Policy & Development | 3 |
| AGBS 480 | Retailing Agriculture Products | 3 |
| AGBS 440 | Ag Business Intern Orientation | 1 |
| AGBS 470 | Internship in Ag Business Dev | 15 |
| ACCT - Accounting as Advised | 3 | |
| Select one of the following Options: | 2-3 | |
| Option 1: | ||
| Principles Computer Apps | ||
| Option 2: | ||
| Introduction to Precision Farming | ||
| Option 3: | ||
| Introduction to MS Excel | ||
| Introduction to MS Word | ||
or OFFT 106 | Personal Computer Keyboarding | |
or OFFT 109 | Introduction to MS PowerPoint | |
| 300-400 Upper Level Elective Credits as Advised 2 | 10 | |
| Upper or Lower Level Elective Credits as Advised 2 | 26 | |
| Required SUNY General Education Coursework | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Agricultural Statistics | ||
| Elementary Statistics | ||
| Statistics | ||
| SUNY General Education Communication Written and Oral as Advised | 3 | |
| SUNY General Education Diversity: Equity, Inclusion, and Social Justice as Advised | 3 | |
| SUNY General Education World Languages as Advised | 3 | |
| SUNY General Education Natural Sciences (and Scientific Reasoning) as Advised | 3-4 | |
| Additional SUNY General Education Coursework as Advised | 17-18 | |
| Total Credits | 121-124 | |
- 1
Students who have completed AGBS 240 Farm Management and Finance are not required to enroll in AGBS 110 Intro to Food and Agribusiness.
- 2
Additional Electives selected from any course with the following subject codes: AGBS/AGEN/AGNR/AGRO/AGSC/ANSC/BIOL/BREW/BSAD/CANA/CHEM/CITA/COMM310/DANS/DTEC/ECON/EDU/ENSC/ERID/ESCI/ESTB/FSAD/HORT/NATR/NURS/NUTR/RENG/RREN/RRMT/SPPR
Sample Course Sequence
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| AGBS 100 | Agricultural Economics | 3 |
| AGBS 110 | Intro to Food and Agribusiness | 3 |
| SUNY General Education Mathematics (and Quantitative Reasoning) as Advised | 3 | |
| SUNY General Education Communication Written and Oral as Advised | 3 | |
| Additional Electives as Advised | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| AGBS 200 | Marketing Agricultural Prodcts | 3 |
| SUNY General Education Diversity: Equity, Inclusion, and Social Justice as Advised | 3 | |
| OFFT 110 | Introduction to MS Excel | 1 |
| OFFT 100 | Introduction to MS Word | 1 |
| Additional Electives as Advised | 3 | |
| SUNY General Education World Languages or Natural Science as Advised | 3-4 | |
| Credits | 14-15 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall | ||
| AGBS 240 | Farm Management and Finance | 4 |
| ACCT - Accounting as Advised | 3 | |
| Additional Electives as Advised | 3 | |
| SUNY General Education World Languages or Natural Science as Advised | 3-4 | |
| Credits | 13-14 | |
| Spring | ||
| AGBS 350 | Ag Business Development | 3 |
| Additional Electives as Advised | 9 | |
| SUNY General Education as Advised | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Fall | ||
| AGBS 400 | Distribution/Mkt Ag Products | 4 |
| AGBS 305 | Ag Financial Decision Making | 3 |
| Additional Electives as Advised | 3 | |
| 300-400 Upper Level Elective as Advised | 3 | |
| SUNY General Education as Advised | 3 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| AGBS 450 | Ag Policy & Development | 3 |
| AGBS 480 | Retailing Agriculture Products | 3 |
| Additional Electives as Advised | 2 | |
| 300-400 Upper Level Electives as Advised | 6 | |
| SUNY General Education or Liberal Arts and Sciences as Advised | 3 | |
| Credits | 17 | |
| Year 4 | ||
| Fall | ||
| AGBS 405 | Farm & Rural Mngt Capstone | 3 |
| AGBS 440 | Ag Business Intern Orientation | 1 |
| Additional Electives as Advised | 3 | |
| 300-400 Upper Level Elective as Advised | 1-3 | |
| SUNY General Education or Electives as Advised | 6 | |
| Credits | 14-16 | |
| Spring | ||
| AGBS 470 | Internship in Ag Business Dev | 15 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Total Credits | 119-123 | |