Agricultural Technology Management
Faculty—Clark, Hutchinson, Koelliker, Maghirang, Mankin, Schrock, Slocombe, Steichen, and Zhang.
Agricultural technology management
Bachelor of science in agriculture
127 semester hours
Agricultural technology management emphasizes the application and integration of agricultural/biological sciences, agricultural engineered systems, and business to manage human and natural resources in the production and processing of food and agricultural products. It prepares men and women for technical management positions in food and agricultural industries that require an understanding of both technology and management. Agricultural technology management graduates are typically employed in technical sales, service, and management in agricultural production operations, agribusiness and food and feed processing industries, government agencies, and companies.
Courses are designed to apply physical science concepts and problem solving to food and agricultural systems. Supporting courses provide a foundation of mathematics, chemistry, business, and computer and communication skills. Technical electives are available to develop a degree program that meets personal career objectives.
The curriculum is administered by the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering and leads to the bachelor of science degree in agriculture with a major in agricultural technology management.
Students must complete the university general education requirements specified by the College of Agriculture. See the College of Agriculture General Requirements section.
Engineering equipment fee
Students enrolling in ATM courses will be assessed the engineering fee plus any universitywide technology fee.
John Deere Dealership Management Program
John Deere Company and the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering have teamed to develop and offer a program that results in a degree in agricultural technology management with a business management emphasis. In addition to a formal education at K-State, students in this program receive hands-on experiences in approved John Deere dealerships.
Agricultural technology management curriculum
| General requirements | 42 | |
| ENGL 100 | Expository Writing I | 3 |
| ENGL 200 | Expository Writing II | 3 |
| SPCH 105 | Public Speaking IA | 2 |
| GENAG 101 | Ag Orientation (freshmen only) | 1 |
| MATH 150 | Plane Trigonometry | 3 |
| **MATH 205 | General Calculus and Linear Algebra | 3 |
 CHM 210 | Chemistry I | 4 |
| BIOL 198 | Principles of Biology | 4 |
| PHYS 113 | General Physics I | 4 |
| Communication electives (List 2) | 6 | |
| Humanities and/or social sciences electives (List 3) | 9 | |
| ATM / BAE courses | 29 | |
| BAE 200 | Introduction to Biological and Agricultural Engineering Technology | 2 |
| BAE 350 | Agricultural Machinery Systems | 2 |
| BAE 351 | Agricultural Machinery Systems Lab | 1 |
| ATM 160 | Engineered Systems and Technology in Agriculture | 3 |
| ATM 450 | Sensors and Controls of Agricultural and Biological Systems | 3 |
| ATM 511 | Agricultural Building Systems | 3 |
| ATM 558 | Soil Erosion and Sediment Pollution Control | 3 |
| ATM/BAE | Electives (minimum of 12 hrs from List 4; 9 of the hours must be ATM or BAE courses) | 12 |
| Agricultural science courses | 10 | |
| AGRON 305 | Soils | 4 |
| Agricultural science electives | 6 | |
| (minimum of 6 hrs. from List 6, 7, or 8; all 6 hrs. must be College of Agriculture courses) | ||
| Restricted electives | 12 | |
| (Choose a minimum of 12 hours all from the same list; 6 of the 12 hours must be 400 level or higher; may use Lists 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8) | ||
| Business and management courses | 18 | |
| ECON 110 | Principles of Macroeconomics | 3 |
| ACCTG 231 | Accounting for Business Operations | 3 |
| Statistics requirement | 3 | |
| Choose one of the following courses: | ||
| STAT 320 | Elements of Statistics | |
| or | ||
| STAT 340 | Biometrics I | |
| or | ||
| STAT 350 | Business and Economic Statistics I | |
Management requirement 3
| IMSE 501 | Industrial Management | |
| or | ||
| MANGT 421 | Introduction to Management Operations | |
| Business and management elective | 6 | |
| (choose a minimum of 6 hrs from List 5) | ||
| Technical courses | 10-11 | |
| ME 212 | Engineering Graphics | 2 |
| IMSE 250 | Production Processes | 2 |
| IMSE 251 | Production Processes Lab | 1 |
| Computer technical elective | 2-3 | |
| (2-3 hours from List 1) | ||
| General technical elective | 3 | |
| (any course from the College of Engineering) | ||
| Free electives | 5-6 | |
Total credits for graduation 127
| Approved UGE course. | ||
| **MATH 220 with a grade of C or better may be substituted for MATH 150 and MATH 205. Remaining two math credit hours shall be used as technical or restricted electives. |
Lists of recommended courses
List 1: Computer technology electives
| Any CIS course | ||
| AGEC 490 | Computer Application in Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness | 2 |
| *AGRON 655 | GIS and Site Specific Agriculture | 3 |
| CIS 101, 102, and 104 are recommended for students with limited proficiency in computer applications. Other computer technology courses may be selected with advisor consent. | ||
| List 2: Communications electives | ||
| *AGCOM 400 | Agricultural Business Communications | 3 |
| AGCOM 410 | Agricultural Student Magazine | 2 |
| ENGL 300 | Expository Writing III | 3 |
| *ENGL 516 | Written Communications for the Sciences | 3 |
| *SPCH 311 | Business and Professional Speaking | 3 |
| *SPCH 321 | Public Speaking II | 2 |
| SPCH 325 | Argumentation and Debate | 3 |
| SPCH 326 | Small Group Discussion Methods | 3 |
| SPCH 726 | Seminar in Persuasion | 3 |
| MC400 | News and Feature Writing | 3 |
| *MKTG 542 | Professional Selling and Sales Management | 3 |
| EDSEC 503 | Teaching Adults in Agriculture | 3 |
| GENAG 450 | Citizenship and Ethics in Agriculture | 3 |
| List 3: Humanities and/or social science electives | ||
| American ethnic studies—any course | ||
| Architecture, planning, and design—any course in history or appreciation of architecture or environmental design | ||
| Anthropology—any course | ||
| Art—course in appreciation and theory | ||
| Dance—any course | ||
| Economics—above ECON 110 Principles of Macroeconomics | ||
| English—any except courses in composition | ||
| Geography—any except GEOG220 Environmental Geography I and GEOG 221 Environmental Geography II | ||
| History—any course | ||
| Family studies and human services—any course | ||
| Modern languages—any course | ||
| Music—any course in theory or appreciation of music | ||
| Philosophy—any course | ||
| Political science—any course | ||
| Psychology—any course | ||
| Sociology, anthropology, and social work—any course | ||
| Theatre—any course | ||
| Women's studies—any course | ||
| *PSYCH 560 | Industrial Psychology | 3 |
| *DEN275 | Introduction to Personal and Professional Development | 1 |
| List 4: ATM electives | ||
| *ATM 460 | Internship in Agricultural Technology Management | 1-3 |
| *ATM 500 | Chemical Application Systems | 3 |
| ATM 540 | Introduction to Food Engineering | 3 |
| ATM 541 | Introduction to Food Engineering Laboratory Exercises | 1 |
| *ATM 550 | Precision Agriculture Technologies | 3 |
| *ATM 571 | Mechanisms for Power Transfer and Material Handling | 3 |
| ATM 651 | Grain and Forage Handling Systems | 3 |
| *ATM 653 | Water Management and Irrigation Systems | 2 |
| *ATM 654 | Water Management and Irrigation Systems Lab | 1 |
| ATM 661 | Water and Waste in the Environment | 3 |
| BAE 533 | Applied Hydrology | 3 |
| Any College of Engineering course | ||
| List 5: Agribusiness and management electives | ||
| *ACCTG 241 | Accounting for Investment and Financing | 3 |
| *AGEC 120 | Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness | 3 |
| AGEC 525 | Natural Resource and Environmental Economics | 3 |
| Any other agricultural economics course(s) | ||
| ECON 520 | Intermediate Macroeconomics | 3 |
| ECON 530 | Money and Banking | 3 |
| ECON 681 | International Trade | 3 |
| *FINAN 450 | Introduction to Finance | 3 |
| IMSE 501 | Industrial Management | 3 |
| *MANGT 390 | Business Law I | 3 |
| *MANGT 420 | Management Concepts | 3 |
| *MANGT 421 | Introduction to Operations Management | 3 |
| *MKTG 400 | Marketing | 3 |
| *MKTG 450 | Consumer Behavior | 3 |
| GRSC 630 | Management Applications in the Grain Processing Industries | 3 |
| List 6: Biological, natural resource, and environmental sciences electives | ||
| *AGRON 220 | Crop Science | 4 |
| AGRON 330 | Weed Science | 3 |
| AGRON 335 | Environmental Quality | 3 |
| AGRON 360 | Crop Growth and Development | 3 |
| AGRON 375 | Soil Fertility | 3 |
| AGRON 385 | Soil Fertility Laboratory | 2 |
| AGRON 501 | Range Management | 3 |
| AGRON 550 | Forage Management and Utilization | 3 |
| AGRON 551 | Forage Management and Utilization Laboratory | 1 |
| AGRON 630 | Crop Improvement and Biotechnology | 3 |
| *AGRON 635 | Soil Conservation and Management | 3 |
| *AGRON 655 | Site Specific Agriculture | 3 |
| ASI 500 | Genetics | 3 |
| BIOL 455 | General Microbiology | 4 |
| BIOL 500 | Plant Physiology | 4 |
| BIOL 529 | Fundamentals of Ecology | 3 |
| BIOL 513 | Physiological Adaptations of Animals | 3 |
| BIOL 612 | Introductory Limnology | 4 |
| BIOL 303 | Ecology of Environmental Problems | 3 |
| BIOL 330 | Public Health Biology | 3 |
| CHM215 | Environmental Science: A Chemistry Perspective | 3 |
| ENTOM 300 | Economic Entomology | 3 |
| ENTOM 301 | Insects and People | 3 |
| GEOG 100 | World Regional Geography | 3 |
| GEOG220 | Environmental Geography I | 4 |
| GEOG 508 | Geographic Information Systems I | 3 |
| GEOL 115 | Environmental Geology | 3 |
| GEOL 305 | Earth Resources | 3 |
| GEOL 506 | Geology and Environment | 3 |
| HORT 201 | Principles of Horticultural Science | 4 |
| PLPTH 300 | Microbes, Plants, and the Human Perspective | 3 |
| PLPTH 500 | Principles of Plant Pathology | 3 |
| GENAG 582 | NRES Capstone | 3 |
| Horticulture, forestry, and recreation resources courses with consent of advisor. | ||
| List 7: Animal sciences electives | ||
| ASI 102 | Principles of Animal Science | 3 |
| ASI 300 | Principles of Livestock Feeding | 3 |
| ASI 315 | Livestock and Meat Evaluation | 3 |
| ASI 318 | Fundamentals of Nutrition | 3 |
| ASI 320 | Principles of Feeding | 3 |
| (cannot take 300 and 320) | ||
| ASI 400 | Farm Animal Reproduction | |
| ASI 422 | Livestock Sales Management | 1 |
| ASI 450 | Principles of Livestock Selection | 2 |
| ASI 470 | Form and Function in Livestock | 2 |
| ASI 510 | Animal Breeding Principles | 3 |
| ASI 512 | Bovine Reproductive Technologies | 2 |
| ASI 515 | Beef Science | 3 |
| ASI 521 | Horse Science | 3 |
| ASI 524 | Sheep Science | 3 |
| ASI 533 | Anatomy and Physiology | 4 |
| ASI 534 | Introduction to Pharmacology of Farm Animals | 2 |
| ASI 535 | Swine Science | 3 |
| ASI 620 | Livestock Production and Management | 2 |
| ASI 655 | Behavior of Domestic Animals | 3 |
| AGRON 501 | Range Management | 3 |
| AGRON 550 | Forage Management and Utilization | 3 |
| AGRON 551 | Forage Management and Utilization Laboratory | 1 |
| BIOCH 265 | Introduction to Organic and Biochemistry | 5 |
| ENTOM 305 | Livestock Entomology | 2 |
| ENTOM 306 | Livestock Entomology Laboratory | 1 |
| List 8: Food and feed processing electives | ||
| ASI 350 | Meat Science | 3 |
| ASI 361 | Meat Animal Processing | 2 |
| ASI 370 | Principles of Meat Evaluation | 2 |
| ASI 395 | Meat Grading, Specifications, and Evaluation | 2 |
| ASI 405 | Fundamentals of Milk Processing | 3 |
| ASI605 | Fresh Meat Operations | 2 |
| ASI606 | Inst. Anal. Food and Agricultural Products | 2 |
| ASI 608 | Dairy Food Processing and Technology | 3 |
| ASI 610 | Processed Meat Operations | 2 |
| FDSCI 302 | Introduction to Food Science | 3 |
| FDSCI 305 | Fundamentals of Food Processing | 3 |
| FDSCI 430 | Food Products Evaluation | 3 |
| FDSCI 607 | Food Microbiology | 4 |
| FDSCI 694 | Food Plant Management | 2 |
| FDSCI 695 | Quality Assurance of Food Products | 3 |
| GRSC 110 | Flow Sheets | 2 |
| GRSC 150 | Principles of Milling | 3 |
| GRSC 500 | Milling Science I | 4 |
| GRSC 510 | Feed Technology I | 4 |
| GRSC 602 | Cereal Science | 3 |
| GRSC 610 | Electricity and its Control for the Grain Process Industry | 3 |
| GRSC 651 | Food and Feed Production Protection | 4 |
| GRSC 655 | Cereal Food Plant Design and Construction | 3 |
| *Recommended for students in the John Deere Dealership Management Program (advisor approval needed for other courses). | ||
| Denotes UGE courses | ||
Agricultural technology management minor
Students enrolled in any undergraduate major will be admitted as a candidate for the ATM minor program upon filing a notice of intent with the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering office.
| Complete a minimum of 15 credit hours including | ||
| ATM 160 | Engineered Systems and Technology in Agriculture | 3 |
| ATM electives | 12 | |
| An additional 12 hours of agricultural technology management and/or biological and agricultural engineering courses with at least 6 hours 400 or greater selected by the student in consultation with the ATM advisor. | ||
Agricultural technology management courses
ATM 160. Engineered Systems and Technology in Agriculture. (3) I. An introductory course designed for non-engineering majors. This course introduces engineering principles and problem solving associated with energy resources and power systems for agriculture, machinery systems, natural resources and environmental management, and food and fiber processing and storage. Three hours rec. a week. Not open to seniors. Pr.: MATH 100.
ATM 450. Sensors and Controls for Agricultural and Biological Systems. (3). II. Applications of instrumentation. Sensors used in agricultural machines and processes for measurement of voltage, force, torque, pressure, displacement, velocity, acceleration, flow, temperature, humidity, etc. Analog and digital signal conditioning and processing. Feedback controls concept. Computer interface. Two hours lecture and three hours lab per week. Pr.: PHYS 113 or PHYS 115, ATM 160 or MATH 100.
ATM 460. Internship in Agricultural Technology Management. (1-3) I. Intern programs in agricultural technology management. One hour of credit for each four weeks of supervised and evaluated off-campus work experience with cooperating employers. A maximum of 3 hours may be applied to a BS in agricultural technology management. Pr.: Junior standing.
ATM 500. Chemical Application Systems. (3) I. Operational characteristics of chemical application systems and components used in the agricultural and turf industries. Includes hydraulic principles, pumps, valves, nozzles, drift, homeowner and research plot procedures and technology, calibration principles, aerial technology, commercial agriculture and turf technology, applicator laws and regulations, and safe handling and storage of crop protection products. Two hours lec. and two hours lab a week. Pr.: ATM 160 or MATH 100.
ATM 511. Agricultural Building Systems. (3) II. Concepts and fundamentals related to agricultural building systems including structural materials, beam and column strength, environmental control for plants and animals, farmstead layouts, crop storage, and livestock and plant production facilities. Three hours rec. a week. Pr.: ATM 160 or PHYS 113 or 115.
ATM 515. Problems in Agricultural Technology Management. (Var.) I, II, S. Problems in the application of technical principles to agricultural technology management. Pr.: Approval of instructor.
ATM 540. Introduction to Food Engineering. (3 ) I. Material and energy balances with application to food processing. Fluid flow and heat transfer in food processing. Thermodynamic properties and laws. Conc. enrollment in ATM 541 is urged. Three hours rec. a week. Pr.: PHYS 113 or 115, BIOCH120 or CHM190, MATH 210 or 205.
ATM 541. Introduction to Food Engineering Laboratory Exercises. (1) I. Laboratory experiments supplementing ATM 540. Three hours lab a week. Pr. or conc.: ATM 540.
ATM 550. Precision Agriculture Technologies. (3) I. Application of precision technologies for gathering information to assist decision making for production systems. Topics will include global positioning systems, vehicle guidance systems, crop yield monitors, variable rate control systems for applicators, and the communication between these devices. Two hours rec. and two hours lab. a week. Pr.: MATH 150 or equiv., PHYS 113 or 115, and STAT 320 or 340 or 350.
ATM 558. Soil Erosion and Sediment Pollution Control. (3) II. Planning and analysis of production systems with respect to regulatory, environmental, and resource management. Water and wind erosion; estimating soil loss; estimating runoff rate and volume; laying out and checking terraces, waterways and farm ponds; agricultural surveying; and conservation planning. Two hours rec. and three hours lab a week. Pr.: AGRON 305.
ATM 571. Mechanisms for Power Transfer and Material Handling. (3) II. Selection, operation, and performance analysis of electric motors, mechanical mechanisms (belt drives, chain drives, gear drives, conveyors), and fluid power components and systems used to transfer power in agricultural and materials handling systems. Three hours rec. a week. Pr.: BAE 350.
ATM 651. Grain and Forage Handling Systems. (3) I. Principles of grain and forage conditioning and storage. Structures and equipment for quality preservation. Two hours rec. and three hours lab a week. Pr.: ATM 160 or PHYS 113 or 115 and senior standing.
ATM 653. Water Management and Irrigation Systems. (2) II. Management of water in crop production systems, crop water use, and irrigation scheduling. Fundamentals of water flow in pipe networks, pumping plants, and irrigation systems. Two hours rec.a week. Pr.: ATM 160 or PHYS 113, CIS 102 and CIS 104 or AGRON 455, AGRON 305, and junior standing or higher.
ATM 654. Water Management and Irrigation Systems Lab. (1) II. Laboratory and hands-on activities on soil water balance characteristics, crop water use, water flow in pipe networks, pump hydraulics, sprinkler nozzles, drip irrigation systems, water filtration systems, and chemigation systems. Three hour lab each week. Pr.: Must be taken conc. with ATM 653; and junior standing or higher.
ATM 661. Water and Waste in the Environment. (3). I. Principles and practices surrounding: water sources and quality; wastewater microbiology; animal, food processing plant, and domestic waste handling, treatment, and utilization; surface and groundwater contamination, protection, and treatment. Three hours rec. a week. Pr.: CHM 110 or 210 and BIOL 198.