We encourage our students to take advantage of the tremendous flexibility our college allows in choosing courses. However, we also encourage them to consider the national Certification Program of the American Society of Agronomy. To qualify as a Professional Crop Scientist, one must have a total of 30 semester hours of credit in: crop management (at least 15), pest management and plant protection (at least 6), and soil science (at least 6). A certified Professional Soil Scientist must have a total of 24 credit hours in: soil science (at least 15) and plant and soil biology (at least 6). A certified Professional Agronomist must have a total of 30 credit hours in: crop management (at least 6), soil science (at least 6), and pest management and plant protection (at least 6). Additional courses are required in basic science, mathematics, and communication, and the current standards can be found at the Certification Web Page. The college requires that students meet the distribution requirements of the college (39 credits, see CALS requirements), the requirements of their major, and have a total of 120 credits for graduation.

The CSS Director of Undergraduate Studies, Dr. Toni DiTommaso, or an advisor in our department can provide you with a list of specific courses at Cornell that meet these requirements.