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Studies & Degrees in Agriculture

Agriculture is the study of how crops and livestock are produced, and of the soil, water, machinery, economics and regulation that production depends on. A degree combines natural sciences such as biology, chemistry and soil science with technology and business. Students learn how plants and animals grow, how to protect them from pests and disease, how to manage land and water, and how a farm or a food company is run.

The field has several branches. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) groups agricultural scientists into animal scientists, who research livestock; plant and soil scientists, who work to improve crop yields and the productivity of soil; and food scientists and technologists, who study the basic elements of food and how it is processed. Most degree programmes let students specialise in one of these directions, or in agribusiness, horticulture, forestry or agricultural engineering.

Qualifications and levels

  • Bachelor's degrees. In the United States, every state has at least one land-grant college that offers agricultural science degrees, according to the BLS. Students choose a major inside a college of agriculture: the College of Agricultural Sciences of The Pennsylvania State University, for example, offers 17 majors, among them Agribusiness Management, Agricultural Science, Animal Science, Food Science and Plant Sciences.
  • Diplomas and certificates. Shorter, practical routes exist in many countries. The University of the Fraser Valley in Canada offers an Agriculture Technology diploma and certificates in Livestock Production and in Horticulture Crop Production and Protection next to its bachelor's degrees, with three-week practicums in industry.
  • Spain: university. A bachelor's degree (grado) has 240 ECTS credits and a master's degree 60, 90 or 120. Agricultural engineering is a regulated profession. Under Orden CIN/323/2009, a bachelor's degree that gives access to the profession of Ingeniero Técnico Agrícola has 240 credits, including a 48-credit block in one specific technology: agricultural and livestock holdings, horticulture and gardening, agri-food industries, or mechanisation and rural construction. The profession of Ingeniero Agrónomo requires a master's degree on top, so that bachelor's and master's together add up to at least 300 credits (Orden CIN/325/2009).
  • Spain: vocational training (FP). The Agraria professional family includes intermediate and higher cycles. The Técnico en Producción Agropecuaria is an intermediate cycle of 2,000 hours that includes a training period in a company; higher cycles include the Técnico Superior en Ganadería y Asistencia en Sanidad Animal and the Técnico Superior en Paisajismo y Medio Rural.
  • Master's degrees and doctorates. Research and specialist posts often ask for more than a first degree. The BLS notes that a PhD may be required for some research positions.

Where to study agriculture

This directory lists 139 active schools that teach agriculture. The United States has the most, with 44 schools, followed by Canada, the United Kingdom and Algeria with four each, and Germany, Zimbabwe, Argentina, Brazil and Greece with three each.

In the United States, several of the schools listed are land-grant universities. The Ohio State University in Columbus was founded in 1870 as a land-grant university, and Alabama A&M University is an 1890 land-grant institution. Outside North America, examples include the Royal University of Agriculture in Phnom Penh, which specialises in agriculture and related fields, and Perrotis College in Thessaloniki, part of the American Farm School, which has taught agriculture, business and the environment since 1996.

Teaching is normally in the language of the country. Students who want an English-taught programme outside the English-speaking countries can look at schools such as Perrotis College, whose courses are taught in English and which offers a B.Sc. and an M.Sc. in Sustainable Agriculture and Management.

Careers

Graduates work on farms and ranches, in the food industry, in input and machinery companies, in advisory and inspection services, in banks that finance agriculture, and in research. The BLS points out that many people with a bachelor's degree in agricultural science work in related jobs rather than as scientists: the degree is a useful background for farming, ranching, agricultural inspection and farm credit institutions.

For the scientific occupations, the BLS counted about 37,400 agricultural and food scientists in the United States in 2025, with food manufacturing as the largest employer (18%). It projects employment to grow 6 percent from 2025 to 2035, faster than the average for all occupations. Agricultural and food scientists typically need at least a bachelor's degree. These figures describe the United States only; prospects elsewhere depend on the national farm and food sector.

Frequently asked questions

Is agriculture a science degree or a practical training?

It can be either. University degrees are science-based, with biology, chemistry, soil science and economics, while diplomas, certificates and vocational cycles focus on running production. Many programmes of both kinds include work placements.

How many credits does an agriculture degree have in Spain?

A bachelor's degree that gives access to the profession of Ingeniero Técnico Agrícola has 240 ECTS credits. Becoming an Ingeniero Agrónomo requires an additional master's degree, for a total of at least 300 credits.

Can I study agriculture without going to university?

Yes. In Spain, vocational training in the Agraria family leads to titles such as Técnico en Producción Agropecuaria (2,000 hours). Other countries have similar diplomas and certificates, such as those of the University of the Fraser Valley in Canada.

What jobs can I get with an agriculture degree?

Typical roles are farm or ranch manager, agronomist or crop adviser, livestock specialist, food technologist, agricultural inspector and researcher. Research positions may require a master's degree or a PhD.