Program Details

• Major Name: Sustainable Agriculture Entrepreneurship
• Degree Program: Agriculture Applied Science
• Degree Designation: AAS
• College / School: Applied Sciences

Potomac State College is the only college in West Virginia offering a two-year associate of applied science in agriculture production. There are no similar programs within the neighboring states of Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania. The Associate of Applied Science in Sustainable Agriculture Entrepreneurship (SAGE) will provide the basic training workers will need to enter various production related industries such as support personnel to private producers.

Graduates will be able to:

• effectively use technical and learned knowledge to collaborate and develop team-based problem solving proficiency to be a productive worker
• demonstrate appropriate soil, water and crop management plans that follow sustainable agricultural practices
• demonstrate marketing skills for sustainable agricultural commodities.
• apply the foundational skills for developing a small-scale sustainable farm or agricultural business
• use appropriate state-of-the-art technology and software applications for record keeping and accounting to support a successful farming enterprise
• communicate effectively to a variety of audiences
• work effectively on teams and competently apply teamwork skills in management groups

Career Outcomes

Interested in entering the work force dealing with food, agricultural and forestry products? Graduates of the AAS SAGE degree program will be able to develop enterprises to address the expanding micro–scale production of wine/beer, craft food industries and food desert concerns within our region, and the farm to school and farm to table movements. The level of regional production for all agricultural and forestry crops will need to increase to meet these changing markets. The SAGE degree is aimed at those who are driven to learn the production and business skills to successfully meet this demand with safe and healthy products.

While the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a decrease in these positions between now and 2022, the world’s population is now above 7 billion and increasing. Combining this increase in world population with the instability of the world security issues, graduating well-trained food production individuals will be a constant need.