The graduate program is designed to provide advanced professional education for extension agents, for teachers of agricultural education and for individuals in agricultural service areas where the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and experiences essential to working with people are desirable attributes. The areas of study in animal science include nutrition, breeding and genetics, physiology, and production. Research problems may involve beef cattle, sheep, swine, laboratory animals, biochemical or other properties of agricultural products. The primary purpose of the graduate program in applied economics is to help the student develop an understanding of and capability to use the tools of economic analysis in solving a broad spectrum of problems in agricultural economics and economics. Current research focuses on insect pests of agricultural importance, biological control of insects and weeds, integrated pest management, and basic studies in ecology, physiology, behavior, and evolution.
Field work is an integral part of most programs.
The interdisciplinary degree offers advanced study in rehabilitation of disturbed lands. Site revegetation, soil remediation, riparian zone restoration, stream channel restoration, investigation of impacted geologic resources and remediation of contaminated sites are included in areas of study. Current programs focus on advanced study in agricultural systems, environmental sciences, land rehabilitation and watershed management with the goal of generating objective, scientifically-based knowledge about natural and managed land resources and land use. Many research projects are problem-oriented and pertain to major plant pathological problems in the State. Currently active research projects involve soil-borne diseases of cereals, genetic bases for disease resistance in field crops, cereal leaf spots, virus diseases of cereals and potatoes, bacterial diseases, and the biochemistry and molecular genetics of plant disease.