Lethbridge College will start offering a bachelor of agriculture science degree program this fall. 

The degree program works in conjunction with the current agriculture sciences diploma program. Students in the two-year diploma program have a common first-year curriculum, before choosing to major in agriculture business, agronomy or animal science in their second year. Students may then choose to earn an additional diploma with an extra year of study or can pursue the bachelor of agriculture science degree with two more years of study. 

Both programs have a strong focus on applied learning, the college said in a release, citing its Alberta Irrigation Technology Centre and research collaborations with Farming Smarter as examples. 

“Industry is asking for a new graduate,” School of Agriculture chair Byrne Cook said in the release. “There is a demand for fundamentals in plant and soil science combined with a strong understanding of data-driven agriculture. Every year there is new smart agriculture technology and opportunity.”