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Graduate Certificate in Agronomy
A Graduate Certificate is formal recognition of focused graduate study in a specialized area, in this case, Agronomy. The Certificate is not a master’s degree; a certificate requires fewer credits than a master’s degree and has no creative component or thesis requirement.
Graduate Certificate in Agronomy
A Graduate Certificate is formal recognition of focused graduate study in a specialized area, in this case, Agronomy. The Certificate is not a master’s degree; a certificate requires fewer credits than a master’s degree and has no creative component or thesis requirement.
Learning Outcomes
Understand
- Understand the scientific principles underlying crop management and physiology, plant improvement, climatology, soil management and fertility, and integrated pest management.
- Understand group dynamics and facilitate the accomplishment
of individual and collective goals.
Communicate
- Communicate effectively with scientists, professionals, farmers, other professionals, and the general public for the purposes of learning and training.
- Communicate electronically and utilize various Internet information services.
Graduate Certificate Curriculum
The Graduate Certificate in Agronomy requires six courses/18 credits. Click on each course link below to review the catalog description
Course | Credits | Semester Offered |
|---|---|---|
AGRON 5010: Crop Growth and Development | 3 | Fall, Spring |
AGRON 5020: Chemistry, Physics, and Biology of Soils | 3 | Fall, (Spring in odd years) |
AGRON 5030: Climate and Crop Growth | 3 | Summer |
AGRON 5110: Crop Improvement | 3 | Fall, Spring |
AGRON 5120: Soil – Plant Environment | 3 | Spring |
AGRON 5440: Host-Pest Interactions | 3 | Fall, Spring |
Total Certificate Credits = 18
*Note: all six courses represent the first six courses in the Master of Science in Agronomy curriculum.
FAQs for Certificate
No, if you are a certificate student.
Yes, because the 18 credits for the certificate are the same as the first 18 credits of the MS Agronomy degree. Please contact msagron@iastate.edu for more information. Since the admission requirements for the MS degree are the same as the Certificate, no extra qualifications are necessary.
Academic Requirements – All Applicants
- A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
- Undergraduate GPA of 2.8 or higher on a 4.0 scale
- Successfully complete the following ISU courses or equivalent at another institution:
- Agronomy 1810: Introduction to Crop Science (3 credits)*
- Agronomy 1820: Introduction to Soil Science (3 credits)*
- Biology 1010: Introductory Biology (3 credits)
- Chemistry 1630: General Chemistry (4 credits)
- Math 1400: College Algebra (3 credits)
- Statistics 1040: Introduction to Statistics (3 credits)
* If you are a Certified Crop Adviser (CCA) the prerequisite crop and soil courses (1810 and 1820) will be waived. Please indicate in the application if you are seeking a waiver.
Meeting the requirements mentioned above does not guarantee admission. You will go through the standard admission process of the Agronomy Department and the Graduate College at Iowa State University. If you do not meet the requirements, we can advise you on preparing for the program.
English Proficiency Requirements
If your primary language is not English, you must meet the university’s English proficiency requirement in one of the following ways:
- Earn a bachelor’s or higher degree from a country where English is the only official language, or
- Submit official results from one of the following exams. The minimum score of one the following to qualify for Admission (scores must be within 2 years of application):
- Internet-Based TOEFL (iBT) 79
- Paper-Based TOEFL (PBT) 550
- IELTS 6.5
- Duolingo 105 (approved through Spring 2025)
Questions about the admissions process?
Application instructions
If you need assistance at any time during this process, contact the Agronomy Online program office
The Department of Agronomy does not offer a waiver for the application fee.
The Virgil K. Webster Award is for returning students pursuing a degree through the Agronomy Online Program who have financial need. The award is $1,500, which is split between two semesters in the academic year after the award is granted ($750 for any two terms – fall, spring, or summer). The award will be in the form of credit applied toward the student’s U-bill.
Students are required to submit a letter stating reasons the student is competitive for this scholarship, previous work experience, and goals once the degree is obtained. Application deadline is generally mid-June.