Agricultural Communication
Degree: BS
Campus: Columbus
College: Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
Agricultural communicators are important in society because they provide essential information to consumers and producers. The agricultural communication major provides students the opportunity to study journalism, marketing, public relations and graphic design within the applied context of the agricultural industry. Students in this major enjoy persuading, writing and designing. Students gain real-world experience as they prepare to enter careers in communications, public relations, marketing or journalism both within and outside agriculture.
Upon admission to the university, students are directly admitted into the College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and can declare a major in agricultural communication.
Students majoring in agricultural communication complete course work in magazine writing, layout and design, communication ethics, public speaking, news writing, web technologies and new media, and photography.
Additionally, students choose a minor in an area of agriculture or natural resources that provides scientific and technical expertise in agriculture.
As they complete assignments and courses in the major, students compile a portfolio that includes news clippings, feature stories, design work and campaign plans.
Students can participate in a variety of education abroad programs, including the agricultural and environmental communications program that travels to England and Scotland. During the program, students will have the opportunity to meet with many English and Scottish communicators and visit various livestock farms, as well as the oldest agricultural college in the U.K., Royal Agricultural College. Students also will also have the chance to visit Windsor Castle (the largest occupied castle in the world), the famous prehistoric monument of Stonehenge and various other famous historical sites in both England and Scotland.
All agricultural communication students will complete two required internships of their choice in a communication area. Internships can be completed locally, nationally or globally.
Student organizations such as Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow and Citation Needed provide opportunities for professional growth and leadership development, while the Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Learning Community allows students to interact with others who share their professional interests by living in a residence hall with other students in the College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
Graduates of the agricultural communication program are well prepared for a variety of exciting careers in agriculture, science and business. They pursue careers with agricultural magazines and other publications, advertising and public relations agencies, farm radio and television organizations, agricultural commodity groups, and government agencies.
Graduates' agricultural communication background helps them organize and disseminate scientific and technical information to farm and non-farm audiences, which proves useful for those who work as lobbyists or pursue law school.
Graduates of the agricultural communication program may find work in any of the following positions:
- communications director
- public relations director
- media relations coordinator
- graphic designer
- magazine writer
- news reporter
- sales and advertising associate
- event planner
- television/radio broadcaster
- marketing manager