Applied Science - B.S.

The Bachelor of Science in Applied Science degree program provides an opportunity for students to complete their bachelor's degree online. 

Applied Science is one of the most flexible majors on campus or online - students choose almost half of the courses that they take in the degree. Students can use the course choices to broaden their studies or combine them with the free electives to add a minor in agricultural or environmental subject areas.

Faculty from several colleges and many departments offer online courses that apply to the B.S. in Applied Science. You will work with a faculty adviser to choose courses that meet your goals while helping you to complete your degree.

If you have some college credits, an interest in agriculture and/or natural resources, and would like to complete your Bachelor’s degree, the Applied Science program could be a good choice for you.

The distance degree completion option allows you to take courses at home, at the pace that works best for you. Most of our students hold a full-time job while completing the degree in their spare time.

The curriculum is very flexible. After completing the required courses you’ll choose almost half of the remaining courses in many agricultural and natural resource areas, allowing you to tailor what you study to what your career interests are. Students can use their course choices to broaden their studies or combine them with free elective courses to add a minor in an agricultural or environmental discipline, or take advantage of the entrepreneurship minor at UNL.

You will have the opportunity to work with award-winning professors in many different departments, helping you to define your personal and career goals as a part of this degree. 

As a student and as one of our graduates, you’ll be eligible to work with Career Services at UNL for assistance in writing resumes and cover letters, attending UNL career fairs, accessing job listings, and scheduling job interviews. 

Employment of Recent Applied Science Graduates:

• Answer Plot Trainee, Windfield Solutions LLC
• Crop Consultant, Self-Employed
• Director of Product Management, Cook's Ham
• Farm / Ranch Operator, Self- Employed
• Farm Loan Officer Trainee, USDA Farm Service Agency
• Farmer/Rancher, Family Farm
• Field Sales Trainee, Monsanto
• Foreman (Manager in Training), Lanoha Nurseries
• Grain Merchandiser, Gordon - Hemingford Co - Op
• Sales Representative, Dow Agro Sciences
• Service Tech 3, Syngenta
• Welder, IntoMetal Manufacturing

Additional Education of Recent Graduates:

• Masters degree in Leadership Education, University of Nebraska
• Masters degree in Ag Ed & 4H Communication, University of Nebraska
• Masters degree in Agronomy, University of Nebraska
• Masters degree in Agronomy, South Dakota State University

Academic Year 2012-2013

Tuition rates are effective for the academic year listed. Tuition is subject to change in August of each year.

UNL tuition is determined by a variety of factors. It is recommended that students visit the UNL Tuition and Fee Schedule for the most up-to-date information.

STUDENTS ENROLLED IN ONLINE/DISTANCE EDUCATION COURSES ONLY

Nebraska Resident:

Non-Resident:

Note: Students will be charged a $20 registration fee per semester.

Nebraska Resident:

Non-Resident:  

Fees for Students Enrolled in a Combination of On-Campus & Distance Education Courses:
In addition to the above tuition and fees, all students enrolled in distance education courses will be assessed $25 per credit hour and all enrolled students (except students enrolled only in Distance Education courses) must pay University Program and Facilities Fees based on their total hours of enrollment each semester. The rates are as listed below:

                                                                Hours of Enrollment        Rate

                                                                1 to 6 hours                    $279.00

                                                                7 or more hours              $518.00

Note: Students will be charged a $20 registration fee per semester.

The Bachelor of Science in Applied Science is a foundational degree for students interested in agricultural and environmental sciences. The goal of the online degree is to provide you with the science and leadership skills necessary to expand your career options, encourage life-long learning, and enrich your personal and civic life.

Core Course Categories for the Degree:

Required Core Courses for the Degree (or equivalent transfer academic credits):

AGRO 153 Soil Resources	4 credit hours
ENTO/BIOS 115 Insect Science	3 credit hours
AGRI 115 Biotechnology: Food, Health, & Environment	3 credit hours
FDST/CHEM/NUTR 131 The Science of Food	3 credit hours
NRES 108 Earth's Natural Resource Systems Laboratory	3 credit hours
NRES 422 Laboratory Earth: Earth’s Changing Systems	3 credit hours
AECN 265 Resource and Environmental Economics I	3 credit hours
Total Required Course credits	22 credit hours

 

Within the degree there are four concentration areas requiring 30 credit hours.  Students choose the courses they take within each area.  A minimum of 30 hours must be completed at the 200 level or above and a minimum of 15 hours must be completed at the 300 level or above.

Concentration Areas required for the Degree:

Elective Courses for the Degree:

There are also 20 – 22 free elective credit hours that can be used for additional university courses of the student’s choice or to include transfer credits that don’t apply directly to the degree. 

Admission Requirements

To participate in this program the student must have the following.

A recommended minimum of 32 accepted semester hours of college credit from an accredited four-year or two-year college, including:

• Five credit hours of math above college algebra
• Two semesters of general chemistry 
• One semester of biology with laboratory 
• Minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.00 (on a 4.00 scale)
• Minimum C average in the last semester of college enrollment
NOTE: If you have fewer than 32 credit hours or you do not have the specific courses listed above, we will work with you to find the appropriate courses you need to complete the requirements.

Application Requirements

1. Fill out the Applied Science Inquiry form. The information you send is for our use only, and will not be forwarded or sold in any way.
   
   
2. Send a copy of your college transcript(s) to our degree coordinator at:

      Online Degree Program Coordinator
      103 Agriculture Hall
      College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources
      University of Nebraska–Lincoln
      Lincoln, NE 68583-0702

Once we've received your transcripts and inquiry form, your transcripts will be evaluated and we will contact you to discuss your options for the online degree completion program.

For more information about the online degree completion option, visit the following: 
Applied Science Online Degree Completion Information webpage. 

Faculty from several colleges and many departments offer online courses that apply to the Bachelor of Science in Applied Science degree program. You will work with a faculty adviser to choose courses that meet your goals while helping you to complete your bachelor's degree.

These faculty are members of an advisory committee that provides guidance for this degree program.

David Aiken, J.D., Professor, Department of Agricultural Economics

Mark Balschweid, Ph.D., Professor and Department Head, Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication

Steve Danielson, Ph.D., Director, Applied Science Degree Program and Associate Professor, Department of Entomology

Dave Gosselin, Ph.D., Professor, School of Natural Resources

Tiffany Heng-Moss, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Entomology

Dennis McCallister, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture

Bryan Reiling, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Animal Science

Randy Wehling, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Food Science and Technology