Agriculture

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Students who like science and want to work with plants, land or animals should check out this career path. Farming and ranching technology is evolving. This means there is a need for trained workers. Our program trains you for a broad range of related careers. Potential careers include:

  • Farming and ranching
  • Conservation 
  • Equipment manufacturing 
  • Landscaping
  • Flower shops and greenhouses

Choose a focus based on your interests. Ozarks Tech offers degrees in plant science, animal science or general agriculture. After graduation, you can pursue a four-year degree or start working right away.

Robert Flatness
Department Chair for Agriculture
Richwood Valley Campus
417-447-8274

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Accreditation

OTC is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org), an accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Our current accreditation status with the HLC is displayed on the page linked below. Our next comprehensive evaluation will be in 2030-2031. View more information on OTC accreditation.

Program Outcomes

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General Admissions to Ozarks Tech

Admission to Ozarks Technical Community College is open to all individuals who can benefit from its educational programs. A focus of the college mission is on the academic, career and personal goals of the student. OTC may admit you as a First-Time student just completing their high school, GED or HiSET requirements or as a Transfer student coming from another institution finishing up a certificate or degree. For more information, visit OTC Admissions.

Wondering how you’re going to pay for college? At OTC, we believe that cost shouldn’t be a barrier to earning a degree. Our staff will work with you to make a financial plan. To browse the resources available to you, see paying for college.

At Ozarks Tech, we want your transfer process to be easy. We accomplish this goal through articulation agreements. These agreements are an official partnership to match coursework between schools. This gives you a more seamless transition from Ozarks Tech to a four-year institution.

We have established an agreement for this program. This will simplify the transfer of your credits to partner schools. To understand how this degree will transfer, review the current articulation agreements. Be sure to consult with your transfer school to ensure you’re on the right path toward completing your four-year degree.

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COSTS & OPTIONS

CREDENTIAL TYPE
PROGRAM
FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO:
LENGTH OF PROGRAM
COST*

Associate of Arts

Agriculture - General
  • Seek a four-year degree after graduation or immediately seek work in your chosen field
  • Learn about a variety of agricultural practices

63 credit hours
4 semesters

$12,258.00*
to
$16,185.00*

Associate of Arts

Agriculture - Animal Science
  • Seek a four year degree after graduation or immediately seek work in your chosen field
  • Specialize your studies around animal science
  • Find work in livestock management, livestock breeding, wildlife management or related field

63 credit hours
4 semesters

$12,258.00*
to
$16,185.00*

Associate of Arts

Agriculture - Plant Science
  • Seek a four-year degree after graduation or immediately seek work in your chosen field
  • Specialize your studies around plant science
  • Find work in flower shops, greenhouses, conservation groups or related field

63 credit hours
4 semesters

$12,258.00*
to
$16,185.00*

Certificate of Achievement

Agriculture
  • Gain technical skills needed to start working in the agribusiness industry
  • Seek employment immediately after graduation

32 credit hours
2 semesters

$6,551.00*
to
$8,439.00*

Short-Term Training

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Accelerate your career with OTC's short-term training courses. Gain valuable skills in as little as just weeks and unlock new opportunities for success. View courses. 

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Varies by course

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PROGRAM DETAILS

Clicking on the options below will provide overview information, course sequences (when applicable), and specific course descriptions. To see a full catalog of all the offerings at OTC, visit catalog.otc.edu.

Agriculture: General Agriculture (A.A.)

A.A. Degree: 63 Hours

The Associate of Arts degree in Agriculture allows students to develop academic abilities and skills associated with the agriculture industry. Students with long-term goals of obtaining a Bachelor of Science degree in any chosen field of Agriculture will benefit from these courses. 

CORE 42 is a statewide general education course of study intended to ensure that all graduates possess a common core of college-level skills and knowledge. CORE 42 specifies the basic competencies and knowledge areas that all students completing degrees at a Missouri public institution of higher education must complete. CORE 42 is comprised of dozens of courses distributed across five knowledge areas. These courses are designated with a Missouri Transfer (MOTR) course number, which guarantees the one-to-one transfer of these courses among all Missouri public institutions of higher education. Please refer to MDHE Core Transfer Curriculum for detailed information on CORE 42 courses.

All knowledge areas below, designated with the CORE 42 logo indicate all courses in that area have been evaluated and provided a MOTR number for transfer to all Missouri public institutions of higher education.

Credit received from an OTC course may be greater than the MOTR transfer equivalency. The additional credit provided from OTC for a MOTR approved course will move the additional credit to the Core electives (e.g. CHM 160 at OTC = 4 credit hours. MOTR equivalency = 3 credit hours; additional 1 hour moved to Core electives). Any course with an approved MOTR number or additional hours from a MOTR approved course can be utilized to fulfill the Core electives requirement.

Agriculture: Animal Science (A.A.)

A.A. Degree: 63 Hours

The Associate of Arts degree in Agriculture allows students to develop academic abilities and skills associated with the agriculture industry. Students with long-term goals of obtaining a Bachelor of Science degree in any chosen field of Agriculture will benefit from these courses.

CORE 42 is a statewide general education course of study intended to ensure that all graduates possess a common core of college-level skills and knowledge. CORE 42 specifies the basic competencies and knowledge areas that all students completing degrees at a Missouri public institution of higher education must complete. CORE 42 is comprised of dozens of courses distributed across five knowledge areas. These courses are designated with a Missouri Transfer (MOTR) course number, which guarantees the one-to-one transfer of these courses among all Missouri public institutions of higher education. Please refer to MDHE Core Transfer Curriculum for detailed information on CORE 42 courses.

All knowledge areas below, designated with the CORE 42 logo indicate all courses in that area have been evaluated and provided a MOTR number for transfer to all Missouri public institutions of higher education.

Credit received from an OTC course may be greater than the MOTR transfer equivalency. The additional credit provided from OTC for a MOTR approved course will move the additional credit to the Core electives (e.g. CHM 160 at OTC = 4 credit hours. MOTR equivalency = 3 credit hours; additional 1 hour moved to Core electives). Any course with an approved MOTR number or additional hours from a MOTR approved course can be utilized to fulfill the Core electives requirement.

Agriculture: Plant Science (A.A.)

A.A. Degree: 63 Hours

The Associate of Arts degree in Agriculture allows students to develop academic abilities and skills associated with the agriculture industry. Students with long-term goals of obtaining a Bachelor of Science degree in any chosen field of Agriculture will benefit from these courses.

CORE 42 is a statewide general education course of study intended to ensure that all graduates possess a common core of college-level skills and knowledge. CORE 42 specifies the basic competencies and knowledge areas that all students completing degrees at a Missouri public institution of higher education must complete. CORE 42 is comprised of dozens of courses distributed across five knowledge areas. These courses are designated with a Missouri Transfer (MOTR) course number, which guarantees the one-to-one transfer of these courses among all Missouri public institutions of higher education. Please refer to MDHE Core Transfer Curriculum for detailed information on CORE 42 courses.

All knowledge areas below, designated with the CORE 42 logo indicate all courses in that area have been evaluated and provided a MOTR number for transfer to all Missouri public institutions of higher education.

Credit received from an OTC course may be greater than the MOTR transfer equivalency. The additional credit provided from OTC for a MOTR approved course will move the additional credit to the Core electives (e.g. CHM 160 at OTC = 4 credit hours. MOTR equivalency = 3 credit hours; additional 1 hour moved to Core electives). Any course with an approved MOTR number or additional hours from a MOTR approved course can be utilized to fulfill the Core electives requirement.

Agriculture Certificate

Certificate: 32 Hours

The Certificate of Achievement in Agriculture allows students to develop academic abilities and skills associated with the agriculture industry. Students with long-term goals of working in any chosen field of agriculture will benefit from these courses. 

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*Notices and Disclaimers

*Costs displayed are based on current tuition and fee rates for the program’s required credit hours, as approved by the OTC Board of Trustees, and are subject to change without notice. Estimates reflect both in-district and out-of-district residency rates. Actual costs, degree completion time, and credit requirements may vary based on residency, prior credits, elective courses, program updates, and enrollment factors. For additional information on attendance costs, visit Cost of Attendance, tuition and fees or contact us at 417-447-6900.

**Graduation rates vary by individual. For details on program enrollment, retention, exam/certification, and employment rates, visit Student Outcomes / Student Right-to-Know. Some careers on this list may require additional education and training. For program-specific accreditation visit OTC Accreditation.