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Jul. 15, 2024 by Elizabeth Hodges, Staff Writer, Nebraska Farmer magazine The school year is approaching, and this might cause college students to start to panic. Picking out a college major is a big decision with a big question: What major will get me a job? Colleges across the Midwest -- including the University of Minnesota, South Dakota State University, North Dakota State University, the University of Missouri and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln -- were surveyed to see which majors had the best graduation and job placement rates. These schools are located in ag country and can provide valuable experiences for students. "What makes these majors so hirable is the fact they are applied and hands-on. Also, at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, 25 of the Fortune 1,000 companies are located here in Minnesota, many of which are in the agricultural industry," says Ben Hansen, associate director for employer relations at the University of Minnesota. "We are fortunate to have both highly-skilled students and a strong demand for talent from our employer partners." If you are a college student who does not know what major to pick, or know of a college student who wants to make an impact in the agriculture industry, these five majors have been found to be in demand: 1. Animal science/veterinary science. It might be a misconception that if a student is an animal science major, they are going to be a veterinarian. That is not always the case. Careers within the animal science industry are many, but some examples provided by UNL include nutritionist, meat scientist, livestock production, Extension educator, livestock geneticist and many more. 2. Ag business and economics. At Mizzou, there was an impressive number -- 165 students -- enrolled in agribusiness management, with an 87.5% graduation rate and 100% career success rate, according to Bryan Garton, senior associate dean and director of academic programs. This major shows up on the top 5 majors list at all the schools surveyed. So, whether a student is looking to be a commodity merchandiser, credit analyst, loan officer, sales manager or many other career options, they are in good company. 3. Crop sciences. Studying plants might be called different names, depending on where students go to school. But whether it is called crop production at NDSU, agronomy and crop sciences at SDSU, plant sciences at Mizzou or plant science at Minnesota, the need for plant specialists is crucial to the industry. "We have future food scientists, seed analysts and plant pathologists addressing the global food challenge," Hansen says. 4. General agriculture. If a student is looking to keep their options open and explore all areas of agriculture, general agriculture might be the major to pursue. Classes a student might take with this major include agricultural sales, plant science, farm management, environmental science and agricultural communications. 5. Biochemistry. While biochemistry might not come first to mind when thinking about agriculture, it is in many agriculture and natural resources programs across the Midwest. Different careers that are pursued with this major are science writer, plant research biologist, research lab technician, pharmaceutical research, medical school, veterinary school and many more. Evolving industry To read the entire article click here. Tweet |
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