Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications (MS)
Learn to lead, teach and communicate techniques to a wide audience in the production and consumption of agricultural goods and services.
Cultivate Your Career in Agriculture
The MS in Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications will prepare students for entry or advancement as leaders in agricultural organizations, educators at the secondary, postsecondary or extension levels, and communicators within agricultural and food systems organizations and agencies. Additionally, students may earn Texas teacher certification in Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources through this program. Certified teachers may complete the requirements for principal certification while earning the master's in this program. Students interested in research may select the thesis option.
Is this Program a Good Fit for You?
Agricultural Leadership students are typically interested in:
- Increasing access to career and entrepreneurial opportunities in agriculture
- Leading change within the context of food, farming and communities
- Communicating agricultural principles and practices to consumers and policymakers
- Advocating for agriculture, food and natural resources to a broad audience
Careers
Nearly 60,000 agricultural job openings are expected annually in the U.S. and are on the rise, but only 35,000 graduates are available to fill these positions. Agricultural sciences students are provided on-the-job experience with internships in the rapidly growing agri-related areas of industry and business. All assignments are at an approved work situation under the supervision of a designated faculty member. Here, you will apply that in-depth knowledge gained in the classroom to face the day-to-day challenges found in the field.
Career Possibilities and Current Median Salaries
US DOL Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2022
See Yourself Succeed With a Degree in Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems
Grow Your Passion for Agriculture
East Texas A&M has one of the top hands-on agricultural programs in Texas. Explore horticulture, wildlife, livestock herds and more through exciting experiential learning and modern facilities.
Join the Family
The College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources is a growing family with a supportive student culture, including multiple student organizations and competitive judging and show teams.
Expert Faculty
Work with professors who have ambitious research agendas solving problems on the farm, increasing nursery efficiency and improving worker safety.
Career Readiness
The College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources puts you front and center to potential employers by fostering positive relationships and maintaining a strong public presence throughout the agricultural industry.
What You Will Learn
You will study agricultural economics, agricultural mechanization, leadership, animal science, plant and soil science or horticulture with graduate-level research on and off campus. This research and coursework will help you achieve advancement in an agricultural career or prepare you for a doctoral program.
An advanced degree in agricultural leadership will offer you the opportunity to:
- Study in-depth agricultural economics, agricultural mechanization, animal science, plant and soil science or horticulture.
- Participate in graduate-level research using on-campus instructional and research farm facilities or off-campus facilities with cooperating institutions.
- Prepare for further graduate study and doctoral degrees.
Student Organizations
The Agribusiness Club encourages fellowship among students in both agribusiness and agricultural and applied economics. We provide students with unique networking and professional opportunities and experiences.
Course Delivery and Resources
All required courses for this program are delivered in an online format. Students may select electives from online or face to face options. Thesis students are required to complete a field-based research project under the supervision of their thesis advisor.
Please check the schedule of classes for locations and times. Locations and times are subject to change.
PROGRAM COSTS
Tuition and fees for graduate students taking nine credit hours are $3,669 for Texas residents and $7,341 for non-residents.
Admission
Your Path to Becoming a Lion
Deadlines
Applications are accepted throughout the year.
Graduate Step 1 Part 1
- Create an account or login if you already have one
- Complete your profile section first once you log into your account
- Select “School Search” and select East Texas A&M
- Choose the semester you wish to begin
- Select “Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications, MS” as your “Program.”
Domestic Application Fee 395064
- Pay the $50 application fee.
Wait to receive an application confirmation email before proceeding to the next step.
- After you submit your application, the Graduate School will send a confirmation email within two business days to the personal email account you used for ApplyTexas.
Provisional Status
After you submit your application, you may be granted provisional status, which means you can enroll in one semester of courses. You will not be eligible for financial aid until you submit all of your documents and are accepted into the program.
Submit the following documents after you receive an application confirmation email.
- Upload your documents at myLeo > Apps > Check Admissions Application Status & Test Scores or email your documents to your graduate coordinator unless otherwise specified below.
Graduate Coordinator DeRene Sutton 395159
Your Graduate Coordinator
Contact your previous institution(s) and request that they send your official transcripts to your graduate coordinator.
- We recommend that you request transcripts for all of your academic work.
All international transcripts must be evaluated and the evaluation submitted to the Graduate School.
We accepts evaluations sent directly from the following Agencies.
- If a normal evaluation is submitted, official original transcripts with all marksheets will still need to be submitted.
- If a WES ICAP or equivalent is submitted, we will not need the official transcripts to be submitted separately.
If your institution is unable to submit a digital copy, hard copies may be mailed to:
East Texas A&M University
Attn: Graduate School
PO Box 3011
Commerce, Texas 75429-3011
Submit a statement of educational and professional goals of 500 words or less on the following prompt:
- Discuss your educational and professional goals and how you believe this graduate degree will help you achieve them.
Submit a resume or curriculum vitae (CV) which includes your academic and professional history and achievements.
Look for application updates in myLeo > Apps > Check Application Status
- Once an admission decision has been made, you will receive an email to your student email account at myLeo > Apps > Leomail.
- Not seeking teacher or principal certification? No problem! Move on to Step 4.
Once your application to the Graduate School is complete, you can submit your Alternative Certification Program Application right away using TK20. If you have any questions, please email the Alternative Certification Coordinator.
Alternative Certification Coordinator
Your Alternative Certification Coordinator
- Go to the Educator Certification page on MarketPlace
- Click PBTCC Application Fee
- Click the shopping cart plus icon
- Fill in your personal information to be associated with the fee and click “Continue”
- Go back to the Educator Certification page on MarketPlace
- Click TEA Assessment Fee
- Click the shopping cart plus icon
- Complete your payment
- Download and save your receipts to upload to TK20
You will need to have the following documents ready for upload in order to submit the application:
- Alternative Certification Application fee receipt
- TEA Assessment fee receipt
- TX PACT Scores
- You will upload a copy of your passing score report in TK20 as part of your admissions application
- Resume
- Statement of Qualification form
- Only submitted if applying for a Career and Technical Education Certification (Trades and Industry, Marketing or Health Science)
- Official transcripts from the Graduate Office will be reviewed by the certification office.
- Official transcripts from all institutions must be submitted to the Graduate School in order to satisfy TEA certification admission requirements.
- A minimum GPA of 2.75 on a conferred bachelor's degree or on the most recent 60 credit hours is required for certification admission. Please note that certification admission requirements may differ from those of the Graduate School and are separate requirements.
If applicable:
- TEA Transfers
- If you have previously been admitted to another educator preparation program for alternative certification.
- Request that a completed TEA transfer form be sent from your previous program to [email protected].
- Transcripts from outside the United States
- Contact [email protected] for any questions about TEA requirements for transcripts from outside the United States.
- If you received a bachelor’s degree from outside of the United States, then a Foreign Credential Evaluation with a course-by-course summary will be required. This is to remain in compliance with TEA to verify a bachelor’s degree and to compute a core GPA.
- A course-by-course evaluation must be from TEA and ETAMU approved agency.
- English Proficiency
- Educators who apply for certification are required to demonstrate English language proficiency by fulfilling one of the following requirements:
- Completion of an undergraduate or graduate degree at an accredited institution of higher education in the United States or one of its territories; or
- Completion of an undergraduate or graduate degree earned at an institution of higher education in a country outside of the United States approved by the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC); or
- A standard certificate issued by the department of education in another state where examinations for the certificate were taken and passed.
- Educators who apply for certification are required to demonstrate English language proficiency by fulfilling one of the following requirements:
If these requirements are not met, then a passing score on the Test of English as a Foreign Language internet-Based Test (TOEFL-iBT) exam must be submitted. You are required to score within the High-Intermediate level in each section.
- Go to tamuc.tk20.com
- Scroll down and click “Admissions”
- Select “Click here to create your account.”
- Complete the “Create Applicant Account” form.
- Note: You will be creating a password for this account.
- Store the password you create in a secure location so you can refer to it later.
- After completing the “Create Applicant Account” form, TK20 will provide your username.
- Store your TK20 username and password in a secure location so you can refer to them later.
- You will use the username to log in to review your admission application once submitted.
- Log into your TK20 account
- Click on the “back to login” link.
- Enter your username and password.
- Click the green “Log Into Your Account” button.
- Click on the “Create New Application” button.
- Select “Alternative Certification” application
- Click the “Next” button.
- Complete the application.
- Upload documents by clicking on the “+ Select File(s)” button for the item you are uploading.
- Once you have completed all fields in the application, click the “Submit” button.
- Look for an email from TK20 confirming your submission.
To check your application status:
- Log in to your TK20 Student Admissions account
- On the “Home” tab, locate your application under “Recent Messages”
- Click on the application.
- If you are admitted, the message will indicate your application was “Admitted”
- If you lack admission requirements, the message will indicate “Denied.”
- Click on “Review Document” to view your deficiencies and reason(s) for denial.
Once accepted, please sign and return the “letter of invitation” that will be sent to you via email from the Alternative Certification Coordinator.
Once your application to the Graduate School is complete, you can submit your Principal Certification Program Application right away using TK20. If you have any questions, please email [email protected].
- Go to the Educator Certification page on MarketPlace
- Click Educator Professional Fee
- Click the shopping cart plus icon
- Fill in your personal information to be associated with the fee and click “Continue”
- Go back to the Educator Certification page on MarketPlace
- Click TEA Assessment Fee
- Click the shopping cart plus icon
- Complete your payment
- Download and save your receipts to upload to TK20
You will need to have the following documents ready for upload in order to submit the application:
- Certification fee receipt
- TEA Assessment fee receipt
- Teaching service record
- A minimum of one year of experience is required for admission to the master's degree-seeking path for principal certification.
- Standard Texas Teaching Certificate
- Note: Candidates on emergency permits, intern or probationary certificates will not be admitted.
- Official transcripts from the Graduate Office will be reviewed by the certification office.
- Official transcripts from all institutions must be submitted to the Graduate School in order to satisfy TEA certification admission requirements.
- Two written screening activities will be completed as part of the application in TK20. Please write your essay and answer the short-answer questions carefully, as these screening activities will be used in determining admission to the program.
If applicable:
- TEA Transfers
- If you have previously been admitted to another educator preparation program for principal certification.
- Request that a completed TEA transfer form be sent from your previous program to [email protected].
- Transcripts from outside the United States
- Contact [email protected] for any questions about TEA requirements for transcripts from outside the United States.
- If your official transcripts are from institutions outside the United States and the country of origin is not exempt by TEA, send the following documentation to [email protected]:
- A course-by-course evaluation from a TEA-approved Foreign Credential Evaluation Service
- Minimum scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL iBT). Please note that TOEFL scores are only valid for a period of two years. Required minimum scores are 24 for Speaking, 22 for Listening, 22 for Reading and 21 for Writing.
- As of 3/4/2022, a valid standard Texas educator certificate will be accepted in lieu of TOEFL iBT scores.
- Go to tamuc.tk20.com
- Scroll down and click “Admissions”
- Select “Click here to create your account.”
- Complete the “Create Applicant Account” form.
- Note: You will be creating a password for this account.
- Store the password you create in a secure location so you can refer to it later.
- After completing the “Create Applicant Account” form, TK20 will provide your username.
- Store your TK20 username and password in a secure location so you can refer to them later.
- You will use the username to log in to review your admission application once submitted.
- Log into your TK20 account
- Click on the “back to login” link.
- Enter your username and password.
- Click the green “Log Into Your Account” button.
- Click on the “Create New Application” button.
- Select “Principal” application
- Click the “Next” button.
- Complete the application.
- Upload documents by clicking on the “+ Select File(s)” button for the item you are uploading.
- Once you have completed all fields in the application, click the “Submit” button.
- Look for an email from TK20 confirming your submission.
To check your application status:
- Log in to your TK20 Student Admissions account
- On the “Home” tab, locate your application under “Recent Messages”
- Click on the application.
- If you are admitted, the message will indicate your application was “Admitted”
- If you lack admission requirements, the message will indicate “Denied.”
- Click on “Review Document” to view your deficiencies and reason(s) for denial.
Once accepted, please sign and return the “letter of invitation.” It will be returned to [email protected] and [email protected].
- Apply for scholarships and graduate assistantships once you are admitted.
- Apply for financial aid by submitting a FAFSA and sending it to school code 003565.
- Contact your financial aid advisor with any questions.
Once registration opens and you are eligible to enroll, your graduate enrollment specialist will contact you to complete registration.
- View your degree plan in DegreeWorks.
- To register for classes, go to myLeo > Student Resources > Registration Menu.
Contact your graduate enrollment specialist if you have any questions regarding your degree plan and registration.
Graduate Enrollment Specialist Lydia Carrascosa 395115
Your Graduate Enrollment Specialist
Deadlines
- Fall admission consideration: May 15
- Spring admission consideration: October 15
- Summer admission consideration: March 15
Graduate Step 1 Part 1
- Create an account or login if you already have one
- Complete your profile section first once you log into your account
- Select “School Search” and select East Texas A&M
- Choose the semester you wish to begin
- Select “Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications, MS” as your “Program.”
International Application Fee
- Pay the $75 application fee
Wait to receive an application confirmation email before proceeding to the next step.
- After you submit your application, the Graduate School will send a confirmation email within two business days to the personal email account you used for ApplyTexas.
Provisional Status
After you submit your application, you may be granted provisional status, which means you can enroll in one semester of courses. You will not be eligible for financial aid until you submit all of your documents and are accepted into the program.
Submit the following documents after you receive an application confirmation email.
- Upload your documents at myLeo > Apps > Check Admissions Application Status & Test Scores or email your documents to your graduate coordinator unless otherwise specified below.
Graduate Coordinator DeRene Sutton 395159
Your Graduate Coordinator
- Contact your previous institution(s) and request that they send your official transcripts to:
East Texas A&M University
Attn: Graduate School
2600 S. Neal St.
Commerce, Texas 75428
All international transcripts must be evaluated and the evaluation submitted to the Graduate School.
We accepts evaluations sent directly from the following Agencies.
- If a normal evaluation is submitted, official original transcripts with all marksheets will still need to be submitted.
- If a WES ICAP or equivalent is submitted, we will not need the official transcripts to be submitted separately.
Describe your preparation for graduate work, your academic interests and goals in no more than 500 words.
Submit a resume or curriculum vitae (CV) which includes your academic and professional history and achievements.
You do not need to submit test scores if you have completed (all years) of a bachelor's or higher degree from a regionally accredited university in the United States.
Request that your scores from one of the following be sent to East Texas A&M University:
- TOEFL (Minimum Scores: IBT 79, or CBT 213, or PBT 550)
- IELTS (Minimum Score: 6.00 band overall)
- PTE (Minimum Score: 53 overall or higher)
- Duo Lingo (Minimum Score: 105)
*Scores must be less than two years old.
Submit these documents to the Office of International Programs once you have been admitted
- Official sponsor statement
- Bank statement from the sponsor with a balance of at least $26,025 USD which is less than 1 year old
See the Office of International Program’s “Confirmation of Financial Resource” for more details.
Look for application updates in myLeo > Apps > Check Application Status
- Once an admission decision has been made, you will receive an email to your student email account at myLeo > Apps > Leomail.
- Apply for scholarships and graduate assistantships once you are admitted.
- Apply for financial aid by submitting a FAFSA and sending it to school code 003565.
- Contact your financial aid advisor with any questions.
Once registration opens and you are eligible to enroll, your graduate enrollment specialist will contact you to complete registration.
- View your degree plan in DegreeWorks.
- To register for classes, go to myLeo > Student Resources > Registration Menu.
Contact your graduate enrollment specialist if you have any questions regarding your degree plan and registration.
Graduate Enrollment Specialist Lydia Carrascosa 395115
Your Graduate Enrollment Specialist
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We Are Here To Help!
Our faculty and staff are excited to guide you through the admission process and answer questions or concerns. Give us a call or email and we will get back to you right away.
