College Administration

• Jayson L. Lusk, PhD—Vice President and Dean
• Cynda R. Clary, PhD—Associate Dean, Academic Programs
• Danielle Bellmer, PhD—Assistant Dean, Academic Programs
• Karen Hickman, PhD—Director, Undergraduate Research, Honors and Assessment

Campus Address and Phone

Address: 136 Agricultural Hall, Stillwater, OK 74078
Phone: 405.744.5395
Fax: 405.744.5339
Website: http://agriculture.okstate.edu
E-mail: fergusoninfo@okstate.edu

The Ferguson College of Agriculture is the academic unit of the Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources and offers outstanding undergraduate and graduate programs that are recognized at the state, regional, national and international levels. In collaboration with the OSU Extension and OSU Ag Research, the Ferguson College of Agriculture faculty provides great breadth and exceptional quality in teaching, advising, research, extension, and service.

The Ferguson College of Agriculture values hands-on instruction and a well-rounded student experience. The college’s award-winning faculty members are dedicated to developing students and passionate about adding value to the total educational experience. The college's academic programs not only teach the technical skills needed in their chosen field, but also prepares students to analyze information, communicate effectively, think critically, solve problems, and assume leadership roles in their respective fields of study. Students also receive a solid general education in communications, humanities, and social sciences.

Students in our college have a broad set of non-agricultural and traditional agricultural backgrounds and experiences. They come from urban cities and rural communities. Our students may be first-generation, legacy, in-state, out-of-state or international students. This diversity of perspective and background adds strength to the college experience for all students.

Career opportunities in agricultural sciences and natural resources are also diverse. The college’s majors include traditional agricultural and natural resource disciplines such as animal and food sciences, agricultural business, soil science, range science, horticulture, entomology, and agricultural education, in addition to distinctive areas such as plant and animal biotechnology, food safety, natural resource management, agricultural communications, and agricultural systems technology. Programs in the Ferguson College of Agriculture also include many fields not commonly associated with agriculture such as landscape architecture, turf management, biochemistry and molecular biology, environmental science, leadership, pre-law, and pre-medical sciences. Active international programs, including study abroad opportunities, are available to students in every Ferguson College of Agriculture major and add a unique dimension to the college experience.

Accreditation

Agricultural sciences and natural resources include broad and diverse professions and do not have a single accrediting society as do some other professions. Programs in agricultural education, biochemistry, and molecular biology, biosystems engineering, forest ecology and management, and landscape architecture are accredited by their professional organizations.

Academic Programs

Undergraduate Programs

The Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources degree is offered in the following major fields of study: agribusiness, agricultural communications, agricultural economics, agricultural education, agricultural leadership, agricultural systems technology, animal science, biochemistry and molecular biology, entomology, environmental sciences, food science, horticulture, natural resource ecology and management, and plant and soil sciences. The Bachelor of Landscape Architecture is also offered in the Ferguson College of Agriculture. The biosystems engineering degree program is jointly administered by the Ferguson College of Agriculture and the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology (Bachelor of Science in Biosystems Engineering). Every major must meet the College/Departmental requirements for the Ferguson College of Agriculture. In addition to undergraduate majors, most of the college's departments offer one or more minors. The requirements for the minors are available from the department offering the specified minor. The college also offers undergraduate certificate programs in equine enterprise management, food safety, and ethical leadership.

Graduate Programs

Graduate study is available in all Ferguson College of Agriculture academic departments and in the multidisciplinary international agriculture and food science programs. In addition to the Master of Agriculture and Master of Science degrees that may be obtained through several departments, the Doctor of Philosophy degree (PhD) may be earned in the following areas:  agricultural economics, agricultural education, biosystems engineering, animal science, biochemistry and molecular biology, crop science, entomology, food science, plant pathology, soil science, natural resource ecology and management and in horticulture through multidisciplinary programs in crop science, and plant science.

High School Preparation and Admission Requirements

The high school preparation and admission requirements for the College are the same as the general University requirements. Additional online information can be found at https://go.okstate.edu/admissions/.

Transfer Students

Students who transfer from an accredited college or two-year college must meet the general University admission requirements. All transferred courses are recorded on the OSU transcript; however, a minimum of 60 credit hours must be earned at a senior college (baccalaureate degree-granting institution) to meet the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education requirements. Credits will be accepted by transfer from a community college to meet lower-division (i.e., 1000- and 2000-level courses) requirements only. Specific departmental requirements needed for graduation are determined by the department in which the student plans to earn his or her degree.

Scholarships

Students enrolled in and entering the Ferguson College of Agriculture are annually awarded over 1.8 million dollars in scholarships by the College and its departments. When awarding scholarships, the Ferguson College of Agriculture looks at several areas of a student's background, including (but not limited to) scholastic standing in high school or college, organization and community involvement, financial need, and sincere interest in the various agriculture and natural resource disciplines.

Additional information may be obtained from the office of the associate dean, Ferguson College of Agriculture, Oklahoma State University, 136 Agricultural Hall, Stillwater, OK 74078 (https://agriculture.okstate.edu/students/undergraduate-students/scholarships.html).

Student Success Center

The Ferguson College of Agriculture Student Success Center (SSC) helps students with educational, career and personal goals. The SSC provides important services, programs and student support including Student Success Leaders, Living and Learning Communities, Study and Snacks, Freshmen in Transition, Career Services, Prospective Student Services, and Multicultural Programs, and assistance with tutoring and other campus services.

Special Academic Programs

Honors Program

The Honors Program through the Ferguson College of Agriculture is designed to provide students with opportunities to pursue new challenges and academic excellence. Honors courses, seminars and special honors contracts provide for discussions and independent study by students who have the desire and ability to explore academic subjects beyond the normal classwork material. The OSU Honors College oversees the following Honors Award Recognitions: 

1. General Honors.
2. College or Department Honors.
3. The Honor's College Degree.

Award descriptions and Honors College eligibility requirements can be found in the Honors College section of the catalog. Online information is available at http://honors.okstate.edu.

Pre-Professional Programs 

Pre-law, pre-medical, and pre-veterinary are not majors, but rather statements of intention that indicate a career goal you are working toward while obtaining your bachelor's degree. The Ferguson College of Agriculture offers several pathways to help achieve your goal of pursuing an advanced degree. 

Pre-Law 

The Ferguson College of Agriculture Animal Science and Agribusiness majors have specific degree options for students interested in pre-law that promote the development of problem-solving abilities and exceptional writing skills.  

Pre-Medical 

The Ferguson College of Agriculture offers degree tracks within several majors that can lead you to a career in the medical field.  Majors with a pre-medical option include Animal Science, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biosystems Engineering, and Entomology.   

Pre-Veterinary Medicine Curriculum 

Specific pre-veterinary science options in agribusiness, animal science, biochemistry and molecular biology, entomology, and natural resource ecology and management as offered in the Ferguson College of Agriculture, include courses required for admission to the College of Veterinary Medicine. 

Graduation Requirements

General University requirements for graduation are stated elsewhere in the Catalog. In addition, specific requirements must be met for the Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources and Bachelor of Landscape Architecture degrees. For the BSAG degree, the required total semester credit hours vary by department, major and option. A minimum of 40 semester credit hours and 100 grade-points must be earned in courses numbered 3000 or above. The Bachelor of Landscape Architecture is a four-year program requiring 126 credit hours.

College and Departmental Organizations, Competitive Teams and Honor Societies

• There are more than 60 student organizations and competitive teams within the Ferguson College of Agriculture providing students with leadership, social, and career opportunities. Online information about student involvement is available at (https://agriculture.okstate.edu/students/student-involvement/index.html).