agriculture

The college’s Organic Farm is at the center of agricultural learning on campus. You'll learn to grow food for yourself and others in the broader community, using ecologically informed methods of farming while also learning management and business skills appropriate for small-scale production.

You’ll focus on Northwest crop and livestock species—including orchard fruit, potatoes, sheep, and poultry—and be able to study chemistry, microbiology, and anatomy in a highly practical and experiential context.

How to Choose Your Path

You’ll choose what you study to earn a Bachelor’s degree that’s meaningful to you. Some students decide their programs as they go, while others chart their course in advance.

Aim for both breadth and depth; explore fields that may be related or that may seem very distant. You'll be surprised at what you discover.

If you're new to college, look for programs where you can gain a foundation, build key skills, and broaden your knowledge (FR only, FR-SO, or FR-SR).

If you already have a foundation in this field, look for programs with intermediate or advanced material (SO-SR, JR-SR, or FR-SR). These programs may include community-based learning and in-depth research. Some of these programs have specific prerequisites; check the description for details.

Talk to an academic advisor to get help figuring out what coursework is best for you.

Planned offerings for 2018–19
Class Standing Quarters Offered Credits
Ecological Agriculture: The Science, Justice, and Policy of Food Systems SO-SR
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Spring
 16
Ecology of Grazing and Grasslands in the Pacific Northwest FR-SR
  • Spring
 16
Forests and Farms: The Systems that Sustain Us FR-SO
  • Fall
  • Winter
 16
Practice of Organic Farming FR-SR
  • Spring
 16
Practice of Organic Farming: Culture and Agriculture FR-SR
  • Summer
 16
Practice of Organic Farming: Culture and Agriculture (Fall) FR-SR
  • Fall
 16
Student-Originated Studies: Food and Agriculture SO-SR
  • Fall
 16
Student-Originated Studies: Food and Agriculture SO-SR
  • Winter
 16
Student-Originated Studies: Food and Agriculture SO-SR
  • Spring
 16
Student-Originated Studies: Mycology JR-SR
  • Winter
  • Spring
 16
Planned offerings for 2019–20
Class Standing Quarters Offered Credits
Analyzing Permaculture Systems FR-SR
  • Fall
  • Winter
 16
Comparative Eurasian Foodways: A Cultural, Agricultural, and Gastronomic Odyssey SO-SR
  • Winter
  • Spring
 16
Comparative Eurasian Foodways: Immigrant Experiences FR-SR
  • Spring
 16
Cooperatives, Direct Democracy, and Sustainable Business Enterprises SO-SR
  • Spring
 16
Eating in Translation FR-SR
  • Fall
 16
Entrepreneurship Food and Agriculture-Related Enterprises SO-SR
  • Winter
 16
Farm to Table SO-SR
  • Fall
 16
Flaming Eggplant Cafe: Cooperative Food Business Management SO-SR
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Spring
 16
From the Earth: The History, Stories, and Social Justice of Farming in the U.S. FR-SO
  • Fall
  • Winter
 16
History of Agriculture in Washington State: 1880 - 2020 SO-SR
  • Spring
 4
Permaculture Design FR-SR
  • Spring
 16
Practice of Organic Farming: Culture and Agriculture (Fall) FR-SR
  • Fall
 16
Practice of Organic Farming: Entrepreneurial Culture and Agriculture FR-SR
  • Spring
 16
Student-Originated Studies: Food and Agriculture SO-SR
  • Winter
 16