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Basic business literacy can benefit all graduates, whatever their field or intended career may be. When entering the professional world, CALS students increasingly encounter situations that require an understanding of basic business and management concepts. The Certificate in Business Management for Agricultural and Life Sciences can provide students the business skills that employers value.

The certificate offers students in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) the opportunity to gain business knowledge and have it recorded on their transcript. The certificate is designed specifically for students intending to pursue careers in agriculture and life sciences, and enrollment is open only to undergraduates currently enrolled in CALS. This professional credential is offered by the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, the Department of Life Sciences Communication, and the Renk Agribusiness Institute. 

To declare this certificate, students must be admitted to UW–Madison and the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS). For information about becoming a CALS first-year or transfer student, see Entering the College. Contact the advisor listed under the Advising and Careers tab for more information or to declare the certificate.

Students may not earn this certificate in conjunction with a BS in Agricultural Business Management.

Completion of the certificate requires a total of six courses.
The following four courses are required:
A A E 215 Introduction to Agricultural and Applied Economics4
LSC 270 Marketing Communication for the Sciences3
GEN BUS 310 Fundamentals of Accounting and Finance for Non-Business Majors3
GEN BUS 311 Fundamentals of Management and Marketing for Non-Business Majors3
Select two courses from the following:5-6
The International Agricultural Economy
Agricultural Systems Management
Commodity Markets
Cooperatives and Alternative Forms of Enterprise Ownership
Introduction to Data Analysis using Spreadsheets
Agricultural Finance
Economic Decision Analysis
Food Systems and Supply Chains
Quantitative Methods in Agricultural and Applied Economics
Intellectual Property Rights, Innovation and Technology
Dairy Herd Management I
Dairy Herd Management II
Dairy Farm Management Practicum
Research Methods in the Communication Industry
Science, Media and Society
Social Media for the Life Sciences
Brand Strategy for the Sciences
Total Credits18-19
  • No substitutions are allowed for the core courses.
  • Students may count no more than two courses toward both their major requirements and these certificate requirements.
  • Minimum average 2.000 GPA in all certificate courses.
  • 12 credits in the certificate must be taken in residence.

Certificate COMPLETION REQUIREMENT

This undergraduate certificate must be completed concurrently with the student’s undergraduate degree. Students cannot delay degree completion to complete the certificate.

  1. Understand general business concepts.
  2. Understand business management fundamentals in an agricultural and life sciences context.
  3. Understand economics, marketing and communication as they relate to business management in agricultural and life science industries.

For more information or to declare the Certificate in Business Management for Agricultural and Life Sciences, contact:

Michaela Thaw
Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics      
424 Taylor Hall
608-262-9488
pthaw@wisc.edu
Schedule an appointment using Starfish.

Careers

Students pursing the Certificate in Business Management for Agricultural and Life Sciences are often interested in careers such as running a research lab, managing the books on their family farm, banking, business analysis, marketing, or management and sales, depending on their major. When combined with their major, the certificate can provide a basic background in business management that many employers find valuable.

Students can use the services provided by the CALS Career Services Office, which include help with creating a resume or cover letter and mock interviews. CALS students also have access to Handshake, an online job/internship posting tool that provides students with hundreds of job and internship listings.

FACULTY

Conroy, Tessa
Du, Sheldon
Mitchell, Paul
Nicholson, Charles
Shi, Guanming (Chair)
Stevens, Andrew

Faculty Associates

Beach, Jeremy
Berner, Courtney

Lecturer

van Rijn, Jordan

UNDERGRADUATE ADVISOR

Thaw, Michaela

INTERNSHIPS

Students declared in the Certificate in Business Management for Agricultural and Life Sciences may choose to do an internship to get some experience in their field of interest. They can use the services provided by the CALS Career Services Office to help find an internship, including Handshake, an online job/internship posting tool that provides students with hundreds of job and internship listings.

RENK SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

Students declared in the Certificate in Business Management for Agricultural and Life Sciences are eligible to apply for the Renk Scholarship Program, which can provide scholarships for up to three years. The Renk Scholarship Program is part of the Renk Agribusiness Institute and emphasizes leadership in contemporary agricultural issues and activities linked to agribusiness.

RENK SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

Students declared in the Certificate in Business Management for Agricultural and Life Sciences are eligible to apply for the Renk Scholarship Program, which can provide  scholarships for up to three years. The Renk Scholarship Program is part of the Renk Agribusiness Institute and emphasizes leadership in contemporary agricultural issues and activities linked to agribusiness.