Crop Protection
Award Type: Certificate of Achievement
The Crop Protection certificate of achievement program is designed for students preparing for or advancing in careers in crop protection and pest control. It prepares students for a wide variety of entry-level positions related to pest identification, prevention, control methods and applications of crop protection materials. This first of two stackable certificates provides students with the foundational courses which, when built upon by completion of the second certificate in Pest Control Adviser Preparation, will meet the requirements to qualify to take the Pest Control Adviser licensing exam. The program emphasis is on local career opportunities such as pest management and control, agronomy, farm management, greenhouse and nursery operations, agricultural inspection, and crop advising. This program will adequately prepare students for advanced studies in many agricultural science fields including: Crop Protection, Crop Science, Agricultural Science, Fruit Science, Vegetable Science or Sustainable Agriculture.The graduate of the Certificate of Achievement in Crop Protection will:
- identify plant pathogens, insects and weed species and assess the economic impact of pest infestations to determine the proper course of action for treatment and control.
- utilize integrated pest management strategies and techniques to sustainably prevent and control pathogen, insect and weed populations.
- demonstrate working knowledge of plant physiological processes that affect crop production.
- demonstrate knowledge of pesticide modes of action and the biology of host-pest interactions in order to make effective and sustainable pest management decisions.
Program Requirements
A minimum of 24 units in the major is required for the certificate.
Required core courses 24 units:
| Course Number | Course Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| AG 130 | Integrated Pest Management | 4.0 |
| AG 161 | Introduction to Plant Science | 4.0 |
| AG 162 | Agricultural Plant Pathology | 4.0 |
| AG 163 | Economic Entomology | 4.0 |
| AG 164 | Weed Science | 4.0 |
| BIOL 100 | Introductory Biology | 4.0 |