Agricultural Studies and Rural Life

The study of food, agriculture, and rural life brings together faculty and students interested in the central intellectual, political, scientific, and cultural issues that dominate contemporary discussion of food and agriculture.

The program combines a diverse academic curriculum with practical experience at the Hampshire College Farm Center, an organic working farm, and workshops with visiting writers, artists, and scholars. Students gain experience with the complex issues of sustainability through internships and apprenticeships with farms and advocacy groups.

• Ecology, Agriculture, and Society
• Advanced Topics in Terrestrial Ecology
• Agriculture, Ecology, and Society
• Agriculture, Food, and Human Health
• Biomass Energy
• Change in the Valley
• Colloquy on Sustainable Living
• The Contested American Countryside
• Ecology of New England Old Growth Forests
• Farming in America
• From Generation to Generation:
• Seed-Saving in Sustainable Agriculture
• Intro to American Studies
• Kitchen Ecology
• The Microbial Farm
• Pesticide Alternatives
• Seminar in Rural Studies
• Soil: Science and Society
• Sustainable Agriculture and Organic Farming
• Sustainable Agriculture: Local, Organic Food Production and the Urban/Ex- Urban Interface
• Sustainable Agriculture Seminar
• Sustainable Living
• The Unknown Microbial Majority
• groecology (MHC)
• Horticulture (SC)
• Plant Biology (SC)
• Plant Ecology (UMass)
• Soil Chemistry (UMass)
• Sustainable Agriculture (UMass)
• Tropical Agriculture (UMass)

Requirements

• Common Application
• An academic paper in English
• Supplemental essay responses
• Current transcripts
• School report, including guidance counselor recommendation
• At least one letter of recommendation from a teacher
• Certification of Finances form
• TOEFL or IELTS score (Minimum TOEFL score of 91 or a minimum IELTS score of 6.5. Predicted grades for IB English A1 or A2, or for A-level English, will also be considered.
• Additional letters of recommendation, up to three

Scholarships

• MacArthur Foundation Grant Making Programs
• American Association of University Women
• Fulbright International Scholarship Program for non-US students