Honors Food, Agricultural, Natural Resource, and Human Sciences Minor

A coursework and experiential program is offered by the Herbert College of Agriculture leading to an Honors Food, Agricultural, Natural Resource, and Human Sciences (FANHS) minor. The program is designed to develop future leaders through a student-centered program in research, leadership, international programming, and/or Extension that includes co-curricular programming emphasizing soft skill refinement. Students will be able to articulate inter-connection among FANHS disciplines and demonstrate skills necessary to do independent research in FANHS. This minor is restricted to HCA students that qualify for University Honors Programs or HCA students that have a 3.5 GPA after the first year. Students wishing to declare the minor must contact the HCA Honors Coordinator.

Minor Requirements

The minor is restricted to HCA students who meet the University of Tennessee requirements for the Volunteer Scholarship or have achieved a 3.5 GPA at the end of their freshman year. Students wishing to declare the minor must contact the HCA Honors Coordinator.

The minor requires 21 honors credit hours, up to 12 of which may be in the student’s major. Students must take AGNR 117 by the fall semester of the second year.

Complete the following (3 hours):

Choose one (3 hours):

AGNR 480 - How to Feed the World (taken for graduate credit)
AGNR 497 - Honors Research
FWF 420 - International Natural Resource Issues

Choose one (3 hours):

Complete one of the following (9 hours):

Research (at least 9 credit hours in major taken for honors credit)
Leadership (at least 9 credit hours of courses approved for the Agricultural Leadership minor taken for honors credit)
International (at least 9 credit hours courses approved for the International minor taken for honors credit)
Extension (at least 9 credit hours of courses in Extension Education taken for honors credit)
Honors courses in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (at least 9 credit hours, can be Honors-by-Contract upon approval)

Complete (3 hours):

Any course approved for honors credit by the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Honors and Scholars office

Complete (4 points or more):

Global Enrichment Challenges and Opportunities (GECO) requirements, designed to challenge and provide opportunities for HCA Honors students to address global issues in FANHS. Each student will be required to earn at least four points in GECO activities and must do activities in at least two of the five GECO Areas. Each box in Table 1 represents a separate activity; more detailed information is available on the GECO credit form available at the HCA Honors website (https://ag.tennessee.edu/casnr/Pages/CASNR%20Honors/CASNR-Honors.aspx). GECO experiences indicated with an asterisk require prior permission from the HCA Honor Coordinator.

TABLE 1. Point Values for Global Challenges and Opportunities

GECO Area	Level 1 (1 point)	Level 2 (2 points)	Level 3 (3 points)
Research	1-semester mentored undergraduate research experience (does not include experiences used for AGNR 497 or AGNR 488 credit) + mentor-approved presentation to University, stakeholder group, or professional society*	2-semester mentored undergraduate research experience including one semester of AGNR 497 (at least 3 credit hours) or equivalent + mentor-approved presentation to University or professional society*	3-semester mentored undergraduate research experience including one semester of AGNR 497 (at least 3 credit hours) or equivalent + mentor-approved presentation to University or professional society*
Research	Co-author on refereed, peer- reviewed research publication (submitted to professional journal)	Short-term research, typically summer, internship (at least 8 weeks full time) + mentor-approved presentation to University or professional society*
International	Volunteer in local multicultural communities (Honors and Scholars Program-approved Study Abroad alternative for 1 semester)	Study abroad (1-semester)*	International Agriculture and Natural Resources minor (at least two courses taken for honors credit)
	1-semester mentored independent study addressing global food or environmental challenges (does not include experiences used for AGNR 497 or AGNR 488 credit) + mentor-approved presentation to University, stakeholder group, or professional society*	2-semester mentored independent study addressing global food or environmental challenges + mentor-approved presentation to University, stakeholder group, or professional society*	3-semester mentored independent study addressing global food or environmental challenges + mentor-approved presentation to University or professional society*
	AGNR 491 International Experience in Agriculture and Natural Resources
	Summer or mini-term faculty-led international trips.	3 courses from International Agriculture and Natural Resources minor (2 of which are taken for honors credit)	Extended study abroad (>1 semester) + presentation to University, stakeholders, or professional society*
		Foreign language minor (honors courses not required)
Leadership	1-semester mentored leadership experience (does not include experiences used for AGNR 497 or AGNR 488 credit) + mentor-approved presentation to University, stakeholder group, or professional society*	2-semester mentored leadership experience + mentor-approved presentation to University, stakeholder group, or professional society*	3-semester mentored leadership experience + presentation to stakeholders + mentor-approved presentation to University or professional society*
		3 courses from Agricultural Leadership minor (at least 2 of which must be taken for honors credit)	Agricultural Leadership minor (at least 2 of which must be taken for honors credit)
	University of Tennessee Leadership (HCA Honors Council; student government)	Intensive University of Tennessee Leadership (HCA Ambassadors or Student Government elected positions)	Honors Engineering Leadership minor
			Honors Leadership Program
Extension	1-semester mentored Extension experience (does not include experiences used for AGNR 497 or AGNR 488 credit) + mentor-approved presentation to University, stakeholder group, or professional society.*	2-semester mentored Extension experience + mentor-approved presentation to University, stakeholder group, or professional society.*	3-semester mentored Extension experience + presentation to stakeholders + presentation to University or professional society.*
	Co-author on peer-reviewed Extension publication	Short-term internship, typically summer (at least 8 weeks full time) with county Extension office or Extension Specialist + presentation to University or professional society.*	Intensive Extension experience with deliverable (developed and approved prior to experience by both Extension Leadership and Honors Coordinator)*
		ALEC 211 , ALEC 345 , and ALEC 434 (2 courses must be for honors credit).
Service	HCA Honors Service Projects (2 projects)	1-semester service learning project related to major*	2-semester service learning project related to major*
		ALEC 450 Servant Leadership in Agriculture and Natural Resources taken for Honors credit (may not be used in combination with Agricultural Leadership minor).
		HCA Ambassadors*

*requires approval from HCA Honors Coordinator prior to experience

Undergraduates

Graduate Students

Honors Food, Agricultural, Natural Resource, and Human Sciences Minor

Minor Requirements

Complete the following (3 hours):

Choose one (3 hours):

Choose one (3 hours):

Complete one of the following (9 hours):

Complete (3 hours):

Complete (4 points or more):

TABLE 1. Point Values for Global Challenges and Opportunities

GECO Area

Level 1 (1 point)

Level 2 (2 points)

Level 3 (3 points)

Research

International

Leadership

Extension

Service