Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources Communications – Online Minor

If applying as a postbaccalaureate student for summer 2024, the deadline to apply is May 1, and classes start June 24.

Be a leading voice of change in agriculture

To create positive change in the fields of agriculture and natural resources, you need to learn how to bring people together and communicate effectively about complex issues. Gain those highly transferable skills and position yourself to make a real-world impact by enrolling in Oregon State University’s online minor in agricultural sciences and natural resources communications.

Offered by Oregon State’s world-renowned College of Agricultural Sciences, this program will prepare you to work in leadership, public service and communications roles in the agricultural, natural resources, forestry and environmental sciences industries. Your student experience will involve practicing how to communicate about research, production methods, policy, products and regulations with precision.

Create a multidimensional career

Agricultural companies, nonprofit organizations, NGOs and agencies such as the USDA, NRCS and U.S. Forest Service are often in search of knowledgeable, articulate people who can fill communication and leadership positions. When paired with a relevant, life sciences-focused major, this program delivers the blend of technical knowledge and professional polish you need to step into these types of roles.

This minor can also help those who have their own agricultural or natural resources business learn how to effectively communicate about their products and services.

If you’re interested in pursuing a Master of Natural Resources degree online for the purpose of becoming a natural resources educator or extension agent, incorporating this minor into your undergraduate studies will help prepare you for a career that requires engaging and effective communication about technical subjects.

Coursework

The program’s interdisciplinary online coursework combines instruction in various natural resource sciences, the social sciences, speech communication, new media communication and writing. 

Minor requirements and curriculum details are available on Oregon State’s academic catalog.

Sample course topics

  • Communicating global agricultural issues
  • Professional presentations in agriculture
  • Social media advocacy
  • Media storytelling
  • Critical thinking for natural resource challenges
  • Risk and crisis communications
  • Science writing
  • Digital photography

Additional program features

Internship

A 6-credit, experiential learning internship is required as part of this 29-credit program. The work internship is designed to give you practical, on-the-job preparation in any of the main facets of agriculture or related industries.

Benefits of learning online with Oregon State

  • All classes are developed by OSU's world-class faculty, who are renowned for their research, expertise and innovation.
  • Oregon State is institutionally accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
  • OSU Ecampus is consistently ranked among the nation’s 10 best providers of online education according to U.S. News & World Report.
  • All Ecampus students receive the same transcript as on-campus students.
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