Student Handbook

Majors

The College of Agriculture offers 16 majors across seven departments. Majors are students' primary bachelor's degree program(s) of study. To declare (or drop) a College of Agriculture major, students should:

Email your current academic advisor and discuss your desire to change your curriculum
Email the Ag Student Records Office at agrecords@ksu.edu (or your desired college's Student Services office, if you wish to switch out of the College of Agriculture) from your official K-State student email address and include the following information:

Full name
Wildcat ID#
Changing from:
Changing to/adding/dropping (as applicable):

Click here to view all College of Agriculture majors

Student Services Contacts across campus:

College of Arts & Sciences: artsci@ksu.edu
College of Architecture, Planning, and Design: capdss@ksu.edu
College of Business Administration: businessadvising@ksu.edu
College of Education: cssps@ksu.edu
College of Engineering: enggss@ksu.edu
College of Health & Human Sciences: hhs@ksu.edu
College of Technology & Aviation (Salina Campus): SalinaAdvising@ksu.edu

Dual degrees and dual majors

Dual Degrees

Students may elect to earn two degrees at the same time (eg. a Bachelor of Science [B.S.] in Agriculture [majoring in Agricultural Economics] and a Bachelor of Arts [B.A.] in Arts & Sciences [majoring in Spanish]). The requirements for both degrees must be satisfied. Students should confer with each college/major department as early as possible to determine appropriate programs of study.

Dual Majors

Students may pursue a dual major by completing degree requirements for two majors (Agricultural Economics and Animal Sciences & Industry) that fall under the same degree type (Bachelor of Science, B.S.). The degree requirements for both majors must be satisfied. Notation of a dual major will be made on the student's transcript, but only one B.S. degree will be awarded.

Students in the College of Agriculture may not earn more than one sub-plan (option) within a major.

Minors

The College of Agriculture currently offers 15 minor programs. Minors provide students an opportunity to emphasize study in an area outside their bachelor's degree curriculum. Courses forming a minor may also be used to satisfy the general requirements of their bachelor's degree curriculum, including free electives. Minors are optional - students are not required to complete a minor to graduate. To declare (or drop) a College of Agriculture minor, students should:

Determine which academic department owns the minor and identify the department contact
Email the department contact using your official K-State student email adress the following information:

Full name
Wildcat ID#
Request to add/drop (as applicable) the following minor: [enter minor title]

Click here to view all College of Agriculture minors

Secondary majors

Several College of Agriculture courses have been approved for credit towards the secondary majors listed below. Secondary majors are typically interdisciplinary programs that must be completed along with a primary major course of study - they are not "standalone." Secondary majors cannot be earned outside of completion of a bachelor's degree program. Like minors and certificates, secondary majors are optional. (*Secondary Majors should not be confused with "double majors" - pursuing multiple majors at one time in the same degree type [B.S & B.S] - or "dual degrees" - pursuing multiple majors in multiple degree types [B.S. & B.F.A].) To declare (or drop) a secondary major, students should:

Determine which academic department owns the secondary major and identify the department contact
Email the department contact using your official K-State student email address, the following information:

Full name
Wildcat ID#
Request to add/drop (as applicable) the following secondary major: [enter certificate title]

Gerontology

Global Food Systems Leadership

International Studies

Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences

Certificates

The College of Agriculture currently offers five undergraduate certificate programs. Certificates emphasize a focused specialty area of study as part of, or beyond, the requirements of a bachelor's degree. To declare (or drop) a certificate, students should:

Determine which academic department owns the certificate and identify the department contact
Email the department contact the following information using your official K-State student email address:

Full name
Wildcat ID#
Request to add/drop (as applicable) the following certificate: [enter certificate title]

Click here to view all College of Agriculture certificates

Enrollment status and student classification

Adding or dropping courses

Credit/no credit policy

Course credit by exam

Attendance policy

Class absence

Instructor drop for non-attendance

Retake policy

Course drops and withdrawals

Withdrawing from K-State can have a number of consequences beyond leaving your courses. There are several items for students to consider. Prior to withdrawing, please review the academic calendar for withdrawal and refund deadlines.

Withdrawing from Classes Before the Semester Begins
- Students may drop themselves from all classes in KSIS prior to the first day of each academic term.
Withdrawing from Classes After the Semester has Begun
- To drop all classes after the semester has begun, students must complete the university’s withdrawal form and email the completed form to the Academic Dean’s Office (agrecords@ksu.edu).
Appeal for Late Drop/Withdrawal After Deadline
- Appeal for Late Withdrawal After Deadline Students requesting to withdraw from a class or classes for which the withdrawal deadline has passed are required to fill out the late drop/withdrawal appeal form and work with their academic adviser and College Dean's Office (agrecords@ksu.edu) for signatures and submission to the University Late Drop/Withdrawal Committee.

Students are strongly encouraged to review the university’s guidance for writing an effective appeal letter.

Applying for readmission

Course credit requirements

In order to be awarded a Kansas State University bachelor's degree, a student must have earned a K-State cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher.

At least 5/6 of a student's K-State course credits applied towards their degree program must be graded credits.

A minimum of 45 hours of upper-division (300 level and above) courses are required to earn an undergraduate degree.

Each student must complete at least 30 resident (K-State) credits to be considered for a degree from Kansas State University.

No more than 1/2 of the credit hours required for an undergraduate degree may be completed at an accredited two-year college.

Students must complete 20 of the last 30 undergraduate hours of resident* undergraduate credit at K-State. *Courses taken through the K-State Global Campus, K-State Polytechnic or K-State Olathe are considered resident credit.

General education requirements

Curriculum variances and substitutions

Awarding of a degree requires completion of all courses and total credits listed in the prescribed curriculum for the specific major and option declared by the student. Requirement substitutions (or exceptions) are allowed under special conditions. Any change to the prescribed curriculum must be made through submission of a Curriculum Variance Form. Variances should be discussed between the student and their advisor and must be approved by the department and the college.

Degree requirements

The degree requirements in effect at the time the student first entered the major must be followed unless: 1) a request to use a more recent curriculum is submitted by the department to Ag Student Records or 2) more than six years have elapsed from the time of entrance.

College of Agriculture policy states that students shall have the opportunity to graduate under the curriculum (course and total credit requirements) in effect at the time they entered the major provided they graduate within six years. If studies are interrupted and more than six years elapse between the time of entrance and graduation, students will need to complete the curriculum requirements in existence at the time they re-enter the University for the final, uninterrupted phase of their program. (The term “uninterrupted” refers to attendance during successive fall and spring semesters.)

A/Pass/F grading policy

Academic fresh start and academic forgiveness policies

Grade release/reports

Transcript requests

Scholastic honors

Academic registration hold

The Office of the Registrar assigns Academic Registration Holds (KSIS enrollment holds) to students who earn a semester cumulative grade point average less than 1.000. Prior to conducting any academic transaction such as adds, drops, or enrollment in a future semester at K-State, students with ARH must obtain clearance from their academic advisor. To do so, students should complete the petition process outlined on the Petition for Removal of Academic Registration Hold form.

*Students that initiated a change of major beginning in a future semester should contact the Student Services office in their desired college to ascertain their Academic Registration Hold procedures.

Academic standing - warning/dismissal

Reinstatement

COA Reinstatment home page
A student who has been dismissed from Kansas State University will be permitted to enroll in the College of Agriculture only when approved for reinstatement by the college's academic standards committee. *If you desire to request reinstatement in one of the other colleges at K-State, you will need to contact the Academic Dean's office in that college to ascertain their reinstatement procedures.

Reinstatement Procedure Instructions, Dates and Petition forms

Important Information to Consider Before Applying:

For questions regarding the application, committee meeting times, or the reinstatement process in general, please contact:

Ag Student Services
agacademic@ksu.edu
785-532-6151
229 Waters Hall, Manhattan Campus

Applying for graduation

Students must complete all courses listed on their degree audit (including approved substitutions) and submit an application for graduation. Applications for graduation are submitted through the KSIS student center. The application must be submitted before the end of the fourth week of the semester in which the student plans to graduate. Detailed instructions for completing the online application may be found here.

Transfer coursework policy for graduating seniors

College of Agriculture undergraduate students must complete external coursework (coursework taken at an institution other than Kansas State University) the semester prior to the start of their final semester at K-State. All official transcripts must be received in the Office of Recruitment and Admissions no later than the graduation application deadline (for fall and spring terms, this is the end of the 4th week of the semester; for summer terms, this is the second week of June). Transfer coursework not received by the aforementioned deadlines will result in denial of the student's initial application and omission of the student's name from the commencement program.

Policy example: A student planning to graduate in Spring 2020 would need to complete transfer coursework no later than Fall 2019 AND transfer it in to K-State no later than January 2020 to ensure that it is received prior to the beginning of graduation application review.

Students that plan to take external coursework their junior or senior year should plan accordingly to ensure that transfer coursework is received prior to their final semester. Directions on how to submit transfer coursework may be found at the bottom of this page.

Students with extenuating circumstances that require them to complete transfer coursework their final semester at K-State should submit a formal request to the Ag Student Records Office PRIOR to enrolling in said transfer course(s).

Policy example: If a student plan to graduate Spring 2020 and knows that a required course is not offered at K-State that term (but is offered at another institution), he/she/they will need to obtain an exception form from their Student Services Coordinator, requesting approval to transfer in external coursework in their final semester.

The exception form should be completed PRIOR to enrolling at the transfer institution. If approved, the student will be asked to show proof of enrollment prior to the start of graduation application review. Students who submit the form late, or who do not submit the form at all, and complete transfer coursework in their final semester will have their application for graduation moved to the following semester.

Students should work closely with their academic advisor when considering enrollment in external coursework. Only half of the total course credits applying towards a K-State degree may come from a 2-year institution. 20 of the last 30 credits must be taken from K-State. Students should refer to the transfer equivalency page to confirm that courses will transfer in and complete the intended degree requirements.

How to submit transfer coursework to K-State:

External coursework must be submitted to K-State via an official transcript prior to the graduation application deadline for each semester. Please have your transcript faxed to the Admissions Office at 785-532-6393 or, if the transfer institution uses an electronic transcript provider, you may ask them to send your transcript to k-state@k-state.edu (we highly recommend you use the electronic transcript option to expedite this process).

Participating in a commencement ceremony in a term other than the term of graduation

Procedures for Participating in an Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony in a Term Other than the Term of Degree Completion

Commencement exercises are a public ceremony recognizing the achievement of students who have or will soon complete the requirements to be awarded a degree by Kansas State University. These exercises are held twice a year – in May and December, and are not held during the summer term. Undergraduate students within a semester of graduating are eligible to participate in commencement exercises if extenuating circumstances will prevent their participation in the ceremony held the semester they expect to graduate. Extenuating circumstances include, but are not limited to: study abroad trip, out-of-state internship, military deployment, serious documented illness, or significant documented family emergency. Choosing to complete your degree remotely is not an approved extenuating circumstance and should not be used as justification for participation in an alternative commencement ceremony. With prior approval by the College of Agriculture Academic Programs Office, students who will complete degree requirements in the Fall or Spring term may participate in a commencement ceremony one semester prior to their term of degree completion OR one semester after their term of degree completion. Requests using the Alternative Commencement form are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Please note that students who complete degree requirements in the summer term need not complete this request as these students are allowed to elect to participate in either the Spring commencement prior to their degree completion or the Fall commencement after their degree completion. (Example: A student graduating in Summer 2023 does not need to complete the form to participate in Spring 2023 commencement.)

Request Deadlines Applications for participation in a commencement ceremony prior to or after degree completion must be submitted by November 15^th for Fall commencement or April 15^th for Spring commencement.

Students participating in a commencement ceremony alternative to their graduation ceremony will not have their names printed in the commencement program. Names are printed only during the term that students will complete their degrees and have applied for graduation by the deadline.

Note: Participating in commencement is NOT the same as graduating. A student who participates in commencement will receive a diploma cover, but will not actually graduate from Kansas State University until all course requirements are met and such requirements have been verified by the College of Agriculture Student Records Office staff. For questions regarding graduation and degree completion requirements, please contact Mishelle Hay-McCammant (mhay@ksu.edu). For questions regarding commencement exercises, please contact Mikey Hughes (mikeyh@ksu.edu).

Student Handbook

Majors, Minors, Secondary Majors, and Certificates

Enrollment and Progress Toward Degree

Grading and Transcripts

Academic Standing

Graduation and Commencement