Freshman, grad student enrollment up in College of Agriculture

September 17, 2012  


WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Enrollment in the Purdue University College of Agriculture increased slightly for the 2012-13 academic year, led by higher numbers of freshmen and graduate students.

Figures released by the university show a college enrollment of 3,289, compared with 3,283 last year. Agriculture students represent 8.4 percent of the 39,256 students at Purdue's West Lafayette campus.

"Enrollments across agriculture and related majors remains strong, and interest continues to grow as evidenced by the size of the incoming class," said Marcos Fernandez, associate dean and director of academic programs.

Freshman enrollment is 499, up 3.3 percent from last fall's incoming class. Graduate student enrollment grew from 596 to 631 in that same period.

Eighty percent of Purdue's agriculture students are from Indiana.

"This is an exciting time for students coming into agriculture because the opportunities that are out there for them continue to expand," Fernandez said. "Students come to Purdue to prepare for careers that touch the breadth and diversity of agriculture.

"Those careers could be anything from feeding the world, to developing new energy sources, to public health, to climate issues, to food safety, to economic and community development, to diseases, to sustainability of our landscape and natural resources, to new discoveries in science. They can prepare for careers in those areas - and more - at Purdue."

The 2011-12 graduating class was the largest in the past decade, with 86 percent moving on to jobs or graduate school, Fernandez said.

"Purdue Agriculture continues to seek students committed to making a difference, and we encourage them to take a look at the educational opportunities that make us one of the premier and most widely recognized agriculture colleges in the world," he said.

Agriculture students can choose from among 31 major and 22 minor areas of study within the departments of agricultural and biological engineering, agricultural economics, agronomy, animal sciences, biochemistry, botany and plant pathology, entomology, food science, forestry and natural resources, horticulture and landscape architecture, and youth development and agricultural education.

For more information and a complete list of degree programs, visit https://ag.purdue.edu/oap

Writer: Steve Leer, 765-494-8415, sleer@purdue.edu

Source: Marcos Fernandez, 765-494-8472, mfernandez@purdue.edu

Ag Communications: (765) 494-2722;
Keith Robinson, robins89@purdue.edu
Agriculture News Page

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