School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences

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The School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences (SANS) has three academic departments: Agriculture, Food and Resource Sciences; Human Ecology; and Natural Sciences. Undergraduate programs in pre-veterinary medicine, plant and soil science, animal and poultry science, agribusiness, agricultural studies, nutrition, dietetics, fashion merchandising, early child development, family and consumer sciences, biology, chemistry, and environmental science are representative of the School’s varied curricula. Graduate programs, at both the masters and doctoral levels, are offered in marine estuarine and environmental sciences (M.S., Ph.D.) food and agricultural sciences (M.S.), food science and technology (Ph.D.), and toxicology (Ph.D.). Strong research and extension programs are integrated with the school’s academic programming.

Departments:

The Department of Agriculture, Food, and Resource Sciences provides experiential learning opportunities through state-of-the-art research, education, and farm facilities. Consequently, students are prepared for careers in veterinary medicine, animal management and production, agricultural education, plant breeding and biotechnology, greenhouse and nursery management, landscape design, water quality, nutrient management, food and fiber processing, natural resource sciences, food safety, marketing and management, international trade and development, urban forestry, and economic research. The department offers two undergraduate degrees in agribusiness and general agriculture. Graduate degree programs are offered at the master’s level for food and agricultural sciences and at the doctoral level for food science and technology.

The Department of Human Ecology provides exemplary education, outreach, and research programs that are integrative and ecologically focused. Faculty are actively involved in professional organizations, ensuring that the curricula are progressive and applicable. State-of-the-art labs provide hands-on experiences for students in textiles, apparel construction, nutrition and dietetics, and child development. The department offers an undergraduate degree program in human ecology with options in the following areas: child development, dietetics, nutrition, family and consumer sciences, family and consumer sciences education, and fashion merchandising.

The Department of Natural Sciences offers programs designed to provide students majoring in biology, biochemistry, chemistry, and environmental science with a thorough preparation in the sciences and opportunities to develop the soft skills required for success in today’s economy. The undergraduate chemistry program is approved to certify degrees by the American Chemical Society. Minors in biology, chemistry, environmental science and physics are offered. Teaching programs are offered in biology and chemistry. The department also provides a two-year pre-pharmacy curriculum which does not award degrees, but qualifies students to apply to PharmD programs. In cooperation with the Maryland Center for Environmental and Estuarine Studies (CEES), combined five-year bachelor/master of science degree programs in marine sciences and environmental chemistry are available. The department offers masters degrees in chemistry and masters and doctoral degrees in toxicology. DNS is an active partner in the university system-wide graduate program in marine-estuarine-environmental sciences, which offers both masters and doctoral degrees in four distinct concentrations.

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