The sustainable agriculture minor has been designed to train students to hone the kinds of systems thinking skills that will be needed for a transition towards more sustainable agricultural systems. This approach is critical due to the multiple and conflicting dimensions underpinning the implementation of sustainable solutions (economic, social and environmental). The identity of the program is rooted in the need for a holistic and integrated view of the challenges facing agricultural systems as a prerequisite for implementing more environmentally sustainable, yet socioeconomically viable agricultural systems.
Students enrolled in the minor are expected to take courses and enroll in an internship that explicitly addresses the learning goals described above. The internship, specifically, has to address a sustainability challenge that is facing a particular agricultural system. In their internship, students are expected to develop a diagnostic of the sustainability problem, and propose a realistic solution that navigates the trade-offs between the social, economical and environmental dimensions of the sustainability problem. Both the diagnostic and solution aspects of the internship have to recruit scientific literature and observational data (e.g., field data and interviews).
Enrolling in an internship
Enrollment process
For assistance identifying an internship host, students can utilize the resources offered by the Minnesota Institute of Sustainable Agriculture (MISA).
After identifying an internship host and defining the project with that host, the student should prepare a 2.5 page proposal for their internship project (See Internship Proposal Guidelines below). The student will need to meet with their internship host and agree on meeting specific work responsibilities, educational objectives and details such as hours of work, products required by the host and wages (if provided).
Then students should meet with Helene Murray ([email protected]) and present their internship proposal for approval or changes that need to be made for the internship to fulfill the requirements for the minor. The proposal is then sent to the minor coordinator (Walid Sadok) for final approval.
To receive credit for the internship students should register for through PLSC 4096W: Professional Experience Internship for 2 credits. Students must have their internship proposal approved prior to initiating the enrollment process for PLSC 4096W. This means that you must have your internship proposal approved early enough to meet the deadlines for that course:
- You must submit your Handshake request for Fall semester (for a summer internship) by May 23rd.
- You must submit your Handshake request for Spring semester (for a late winter/spring internship) by January 10th.
The internship approval process for PLSC 4096W can be complicated. Please review the directions to ensure that you understand the process.
If needed, any of the CFANS PEP 4096 courses could count for the sustainable agriculture minor, however those courses may have additional requirements that would also need to be fulfilled.
Internship proposal requirements
Please use a standard 12-pt. font (Times New Roman) and 1.5-line spacing, numbering all pages (right hand side, bottom of the page).
1. Problem statement (1 page)
Provide a description of the internship host's operation and activities. Then present the sustainability challenge they are facing. Lay out the rationale for your internship as a means to better diagnose the problem and/ or identify potential solutions.
2. Action plan (1 page)
Goals - List two or three goals that you have for your internship (the goals should be fairly broad in scope).
Objectives - List one or two objectives for each goal. For each objective, lay out an action plan. What are the methods and approaches that you will use to address these objectives? Describe any final product that your internship host expects upon completion of the internship.
Timeline - list the dates by which each one of the objectives will be completed and the expected deliverable.
3. Work Specifications (½ page)
Give the beginning and ending dates of the internship, and work schedule (days/ hours). Describe any benefits such as a wage, stipend, living accommodations, travel expenses, etc. that the internship host will provide. Describe any other special conditions that the internship host has requested.