Students in West Virginia University’s Davis College of Agriculture, Forestry and Consumer Sciences have a new opportunity to tailor their education to meet their professional goals. The Davis College now offers a multidisciplinary studies major, allowing students to combine disciplines to suit their interests and aims.

Our new multidisciplinary studies major lets students combine two or more of our academic minors with WVU ’s general education curriculum (or liberal studies program, depending on when they enrolled) to craft a program that suits their specific needs,said Denny Smith, associate dean for academic affairs at the Davis College.

The College currently offers 12 minor programs of study: agribusiness management, environmental economics, environmental microbiology, environmental protection, family and consumer science, food science and technology, horticulture, pest management, rural community development, soil science, wildlife and fisheries resources, and wood science and technology. A number of other minor programs are currently in development. The Davis College also partners with WVU ’s College of Business and Economics to offer a minor in entrepreneurship.

Students who enroll in this major will work closely with one of our academic advisers, all of whom are faculty members, to craft a program that specifically suits their professional goals,Smith said.

For instance, if a student is interested in a career in West Virginia’s growing aquaculture industry, they could combine minors in food science and technology, wildlife and fisheries resources and agribusiness management with our aquaculture courses to develop a specific knowledge base and skills for that field,Smith explained.

An interest in a career focusing on environmental concerns could lead a student to combine minors in environmental economics, environmental protection and environmental microbiology,”Smith added.There are many other opportunities for our students to develop programs to meet their career and personal objectives.”

The Davis College has a history of giving students choices,said Dean Cameron Hackney.A number of our major programs offer varied tracks of study, and many students choose to supplement their education with an academic minor. This is just another opportunity for students to craft a program that helps them achieve their professional aims.

For additional information, contact Smith at 304-293-2691, or dsmith3@wvu.edu .