AGROECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS: WORKING TOWARDS SUSTAINABILITY
Explores in-depth agriculture systems as coupled ecological and social complexities. Examines the components of agricultural systems and analyzes how different ecological and social contexts influence and are influenced by the agricultural system. Explores and analyzes how management decisions (crop breeding, in-crop management, landscape-level, etc.) ramify to influence processes and outcomes at different levels of complexity (e.g., ecosystem, landscape, social well-being, human health, economic) and the socio-ecological tradeoffs that ensue. Develops skills to analyze how the design and implementation of integrated agricultural systems can contribute to solutions for pressing societal challenges such as climate change, biodiversity declines, unsustainable resource use and social inequality.
Prerequisites & course information
Requisites: ENVIR ST/AGROECOL/C&E SOC/ENTOM 103 (or AGRONOMY 103 prior to Fall 2025) Course Designation: Core GenEd - Natural Science & Wellness + Lab Breadth - Biological Science Level - Intermediate L&S Credit - L&S Liberal Arts and Science Repeatable for Credit: No Last Taught: Fall 2026 Learning Outcomes: 1. Identify ecological biotic and abiotic aspects of agricultural systems as stocks and flows of energy and matter within and between organizational levels (e.g. cellular, organismal, ecosystem, landscape, and global) Audience: Undergraduate 2. Describe the social dimensions of agricultural systems as stocks and flows of knowledge, information, and beliefs at organizational levels within agroecosystems Audience: Undergraduate 3. Explain and analyze how the management of agroecosystems influences ecological and social processes Audience: Undergraduate 4. Evaluate how agriculture can be designed and managed to be a solution for modern ecological and social challenges of today (e.g.climate change, unsustainable resources use, biodiversity declines, social inequality) in different socio-ecological contexts Audience: Undergraduate 5. Compare and contrast careers in agroecology through interactions with a wide variety of persons working in the field, from practitioners to industry professionals Audience: Undergraduate 6. Solve problems individually and as part of teams using the scientific method, logic, and reasoning by identifying and differentiating the strength and value of information, evidence, and approaches related to the management and sustainability of agroecosystems Audience: Undergraduate 7. Reflect on one's participation in food systems from local to global scales Audience: Undergraduate Learning Outcomes: 1. Identify ecological biotic and abiotic aspects of agricultural systems as stocks and flows of energy and matter within and between organizational levels (e.g. cellular, organismal, ecosystem, landscape, and global) Audience: Undergraduate 2. Describe the social dimensions of agricultural systems as stocks and flows of knowledge, information, and beliefs at organizational levels within agroecosystems Audience: Undergraduate 3. Explain and analyze how the management of agroecosystems influences ecological and social processes Audience: Undergraduate 4. Evaluate how agriculture can be designed and managed to be a solution for modern ecological and social challenges of today (e.g.climate change, unsustainable resources use, biodiversity declines, social inequality) in different socio-ecological contexts Audience: Undergraduate 5. Compare and contrast careers in agroecology through interactions with a wide variety of persons working in the field, from practitioners to industry professionals Audience: Undergraduate 6. Solve problems individually and as part of teams using the scientific method, logic, and reasoning by identifying and differentiating the strength and value of information, evidence, and approaches related to the management and sustainability of agroecosystems Audience: Undergraduate 7. Reflect on one's participation in food systems from local to global scales Audience: Undergraduate
Sources
- Course catalogue ↗2026-2027