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Agricultural Systems Technology

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The Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering offers a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Systems Technology (AST). Students majoring in AST choose between two options: Agricultural and Biosystems Management or Machine Systems. The department also offers a minor in Agricultural Systems Technology.

Successful AST graduates gain knowledge, skills, and abilities in solving technical problems, understanding the design process, excelling in authentic leadership, being aware of safety issues, having a quality orientation, effectively managing projects, and having a systems-thinking perspective. This translates to a holistic approach where AST graduates apply science, technology and engineering principles to manage complex agricultural and other production systems, including how the constituent sub-systems are interrelated and the broader impact of these systems. 

Graduates find careers within a variety of agricultural industries, businesses, and organizations in the fields of agricultural machinery; off-road equipment; food, feed and grain processing; water quality; biorenewable resources; precision agriculture; or livestock production systems.

Common job duties of AST Agricultural and Biosystems Management graduates include:

  • Technical support
  • Operations management
  • Production supervision
  • Grain elevator management

Common job duties of AST Machine Systems graduates include:

  • Precision agriculture support
  • Testing or sales management
  • Technical support
  • Maintenance supervision

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon graduation, all AST students should be able to:

  1. Apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and applied engineering to identify and solve applied science and technology problems.
  2. Develop and conduct experiments and analyze and interpret resulting data.
  3. Evaluate and adapt systems, components, processes to meet specified needs.
  4. Function effectively on multi-disciplinary teams.
  5. Communicate effectively, ethically, and professionally in written, oral, and other formats to technical and non-technical audiences.
  6. Understand the potential impacts and limitations of solutions in global and societal contexts.
  7. Recognize the need for, and demonstrate an ability to, engage in life-long learning.
  8. Effectively apply modern scientific and technical tools necessary for professional practice to address contemporary issues in applied engineering and technology.

Upon graduation, AST students in the agricultural and biosystems management (ABM) option should be able to:

  1. Design, implement, and evaluate best practices for the management of global and natural resource systems.
  2. Integrate and utilize agricultural and biosystems applied engineering and technology to address contemporary issues in bio-based industries.
  3. Evaluate the factors impacting the complex systems that sustain water, air, soils, food, and feed.

Upon graduation, AST students in the machine systems (M.S.) option should be able to:

  1. Specify, manage, and test machine systems in the context of a complete agricultural, biological production or processing system.
  2. Use and apply the technology of machine systems including power and information flows, function and interaction with biological materials.
  3. Perform an energy and cost analyses of complete machine systems to ensure the success and sustainability of an enterprise.

For more information about the AST degree: http://www.abe.iastate.edu/undergraduate-students/agricultural-systems-technology

Total Degree Requirement: 120 cr.

Only 65 cr. from a two-year institution may apply which may include up to 16 technical cr.; 9 P-NP cr. of free electives; 2.00 minimum GPA.

Communications Proficiency:

6 cr. of English composition with a C or better and 3 cr. of speech fundamentals with a C or better.

Communication/Library: 13 cr.
ENGL 1500Critical Thinking and Communication3
ENGL 2500Written, Oral, Visual, and Electronic Composition3
One of the following:3
Business Communication
Proposal and Report Writing
Technical Communication
Survey of Agriculture and Life Sciences Communication
One of the following:3
Fundamentals of Public Speaking
Professional Communication
Presentation and Sales Strategies for Agricultural Audiences
LIB 1600Introduction to College Level Research1
Total Credits13
Mathematical, Physical, and Life Sciences: 25 cr.
MATH 1450Applied Trigonometry3
MATH 1510Calculus for Business and Social Sciences3
STAT 1040Introduction to Statistics3
CHEM 1630College Chemistry4
PHYS 1310General Physics I4
PHYS 1310LGeneral Physics I Laboratory1
CHEM 1630LLaboratory in College Chemistry1
One of the following: 3
Introductory Biology
Principles of Biology I
Principles of Biology II
Biological Processes in the Environment
Life Sciences Elective from approved College of Agriculture and Life Sciences list3
Total Credits25
Business, Humanities, Ethics, and Social Sciences: 18 cr.
ACCT 2840Financial Accounting3
ECON 1010Principles of Microeconomics3
TSM 3700Occupational Safety (Ethics)3
Humanities course from College of Agriculture and Life Sciences list3
International Perspectives course from University list3
U.S. Diversity course from University list3
Total Credits18
Technical Core: 28 cr.
TSM 1100Introduction to Technology1
TSM 1110Experiencing Technology1
TSM 1150Solving Technology Problems3
TSM 1160Introduction to Design in Technology3
TSM 2010Preparing for Workplace Seminar1
TSM 2100Fundamentals of Technology3
TSM 2140Managing Technology Projects1
TSM 2700Principles of Injury Prevention and Safety3
TSM 3100Total Quality Improvement3
TSM 3630Electrical Power and Control Systems for Agriculture and Industry4
Summer Internship in Technology
Internship in Technology
TSM 4150Applied Project Management in Technology2
TSM 4160Technology Capstone3
Total Credits28
TSM 3970 or 399 may count toward graduation
Agricultural and Biosystems Management Option: 36 cr.
TSM 3220Preservation of Grain Quality3
TSM 3220LPreservation of Grain Quality Laboratory1
TSM 3240Soil and Water Conservation Management3
TSM 3250Biorenewable Systems3
TSM 3270Livestock and Poultry Production: Facilities, Technology, and Management3
TSM 3300Agricultural Machinery and Power Management3
TSM 4330Precision Agriculture3
TSM 4550Feed Processing and Technology3
ECON 2300Farm Business Management3
11 credits of free electives11
Total Credits36
Machine Systems option: 36 cr.
TSM 2160Advanced Technical Graphics, Interpretation, and CAD2
ABE 2710, ABE 2720, or ABE 27301
TSM 2400Introduction to Advanced Manufacturing and Metals Processing3
TSM 3300Agricultural Machinery and Power Management3
TSM 3350Tractor Power4
TSM 3370Fluid Power Systems Technology3
TSM 4330Precision Agriculture3
TSM 4430Statics and Strength of Materials for Technology3
TSM 4650Automation Systems3
11 credits of free electives11
Total Credits36

Agricultural Systems Technology, B.S. - Machine Systems

First Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits 
TSM 11001TSM 11101 
TSM 11603TSM 11503 
ENGL 15003MATH 15103 
LIB 16001PHYS 13104 
MATH 14503PHYS 1310L1 
CHEM 16304US Diversity - see list13 
CHEM 1630L1  
 16 15
Second Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits 
TSM 20101TSM 21602 
TSM 21003ABE 2710, 2720, or 27301 
TSM 21401TSM 24003 
TSM 27003STAT 10403 
ACCT 28403BIOL 1010 or 21103 
ENGL 25003ECON 10103 
 14 15
Third Year
FallCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
TSM 33504TSM 31003TSM 3970 or 3990R
TSM 36304TSM 33003 
TSM 43303TSM 33703 
ENGL 3020, 3090, 3140, or AGEDS 32703Humanities - See list23 
 Life Science - See list33 
 14 15 0
Fourth Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits 
TSM 41502TSM 37003 
Elective6TSM 41603 
International Perspectives - see list13TSM 44303 
SPCM 2120, COMST 2140, or AGEDS 31103TSM 46503 
 Elective5 
 14 17
1

U.S. Diversity and International Perspectives

2

Humanities Course List

3

Life Sciences Course List

4

Ethics Course List

Agricultural Systems Technology, B.S. - Agricultural & Biosystems Management

First Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits 
TSM 11001TSM 11101 
TSM 11603TSM 11503 
ENGL 15003MATH 15103 
LIB 16001PHYS 13104 
MATH 14503PHYS 1310L1 
CHEM 16304ECON 10103 
CHEM 1630L1  
 16 15
Second Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits 
TSM 20101TSM 32203 
TSM 21003TSM 3220L1 
TSM 21401BIOL 1010 or 21103 
TSM 27003ECON 23003 
ACCT 28403STAT 10403 
ENGL 25003SPCM 2120, COMST 2140, or AGEDS 31103 
 14 16
Third Year
FallCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
TSM 32503TSM 31003TSM 3970 or 3990R
TSM 32703TSM 32403 
TSM 36304TSM 37003 
ENGL 3020, 3090, 3140, or AGEDS 32703Life Science - see list33 
US Diversity - see list13Elective3 
 16 15 0
Fourth Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits 
TSM 41502TSM 41603 
TSM 43303TSM 33003 
TSM 45503International Perspectives - see list13 
Humanities - see list23Elective3 
Elective5  
 16 12
1

U.S. Diversity and International Perspectives

2

Humanities Course List

3

Life Science Course List

4

Ethics Course List

Minor in agricultural systems technology

The Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering offers a minor in agricultural systems technology which may be earned by completing a minimum of 15 credits of technology systems management courses, which includes:

TSM 1150Solving Technology Problems3
TSM 2100Fundamentals of Technology3
9 credits from:9
Total Quality Improvement
Preservation of Grain Quality
Preservation of Grain Quality Laboratory
Soil and Water Conservation Management
TSM 3250Biorenewable Systems3
Livestock and Poultry Production: Facilities, Technology, and Management
Agricultural Machinery and Power Management
Tractor Power
Fluid Power Systems Technology
Electrical Power and Control Systems for Agriculture and Industry
Topics in Technology: Chemical Application Systems
Topics in Technology: Agricultural Safety and Health
Precision Agriculture
Feed Processing and Technology
Feed Safety, Ingredient Quality and Analytics
• At least six (6) credits of 3000-level or higher TSM classes (from the classes listed above)
• At least nine (9) credits that are not used to meet any other department, college, or university requirement.