The course of study is intense, and a substantial amount of material is covered in a short period of time. The curriculum is comprised of classes that cover the basic fundamentals of a range of concerns, from physical labor to the complexity of professional management. Basic vocational skills are taught that require physical mobility and manual dexterity. Classroom time is dedicated to management principles that will enable the graduate to appraise representative situations and decide what needs to be done, how it needs to be done, and who is going to get it done. Guest lecturers who are experts in a particular field bring additional information to the students.
Field trips are an important part of ranch management education.
These trips include numerous short excursions to local agricultural operations as well as five week-long trips to operations in different geographic locations. The visits are chosen to give the best possible cross section of different kinds of country, livestock, and operations that are representative of the ranching industry in each particular area. The students learn climatic information, and natural resource information pertaining to soils, water, plants, wildlife, livestock, and equipment needs for the area where the operation is located. On-site study gives the student the opportunity to learn, first hand, of the management policy currently used in breeding programs, animal health, feeding, crop production and harvesting, grazing systems, record systems, and marketing of production. One of the more valuable aspects of field trips is the broadening of knowledge students receive from meeting successful ranchers and drawing upon their extensive skills, abilities, and experiences.