the department of agricultural and biosystems engineering offers a bachelor of science degree in agricultural systems technology (ast). students majoring in ast choose between two options: agricultural and biosystems management or machine systems. 

successful ast graduates gain knowledge, skills, and abilities in solving technical problems, understanding the design process, excelling in authentic leadership, being aware of a safety issues, having a quality orientation, effectively managing projects, and having a systems-thinking perspective. this translates to a holistic approach where ast graduates apply science, technology and engineering principles to manage complex agricultural and other production systems, including how the constituent sub-systems are interrelated and the broader impact of these systems. 

graduates find careers within a variety of agricultural industries, businesses, and organizations in the fields of agricultural machinery; off-road equipment; food, feed and grain processing; water quality; biorenewable resources; precision agriculture; or livestock production systems.