Information about each major​

Agricultural Business

Cal Poly’s Agribusiness Department is well known for producing future agribusiness leaders.  Our graduates have a global perspective and are exposed to the world’s dynamic environmental, political, economic and social environments. 

• Faculty advisors: N/A 

• Concentration: N/A 

• Course Sub: please contact Craig Hooper, crhooper@calpoly.edu

Flowcharts/Curriculum sheets

Agricultural Communication

Agricultural Communication majors learn to develop and present compelling stories. They study methods of capturing and sharing the agriculture industry with the public through sales and services, government affairs, leadership roles, marketing, and public relations. Graduates are communicators who advance and advocate for the agricultural industry in a global economy.  

• Faculty advisors:  Ben Swan, Ph.D. bswan@calpoly.edu 

• Declaring/Switching your concentration: N/A 

• Course substitution

  • Please contact Ben Swan, Ph.D. at bswan@calpoly.edu 

Flowcharts/Curriculum sheets

Agricultural Science

Agricultural Science majors learn to prepare and implement all facets of the agriculture industry to the public through education, sales and services, government affairs, leadership roles, marketing and public relations. Graduates are skilled educators and communicators who advance and advocate for the agricultural industry in a global economy.  

• Faculty advisors:  Ben Swan, Ph.D. bswan@calpoly.edu 

• Declaring/Switching your concentration: N/A 

• Course substitution

  • Please contact Ben Swan, Ph.D. at bswan@calpoly.edu 

Flowcharts/Curriculum sheets

• NOTE THAT EMPHASIS AREA CLASSES SHOULD MAINLY BE UPPER DIVISION (UD)  AND TO MONITOR UD UNITS FOR THE MAJOR 

Agricultural Systems Management

The agricultural systems management program prepares you to understand, design and operate the technological and physical systems used in modern agriculture, including energy and power systems, water management tools, mechanical and electrical systems, robotics and more. No Major or support can be taken CR/NC.

• Faculty advisors: Peter Livingston, Ph.D., P.E.(paliving@calpoly.edu) 

• Declaring/Switching your concentration: N/A

• Course substitution

  • Contact department head: Peter Livingston Ph.D., P.E. (paliving@calpoly.edu) , and you MUST cc Tina Pedersen (tepeders@calpoly.edu)  

Flowcharts/Curriculum sheets

Animal Science

Cal Poly Animal Science boasts one of the most comprehensive hands-on programs in the nation and is known as a national leader of undergraduate training in animal nutrition and reproductive physiology. 

• Faculty advisors: George Gallagher, M.S., Ph.D., gegallag@calpoly.edu Kim A. Sprayberry, DVM, DACVIM, DACVECC, kspraybe@calpoly.edu 

• Course substitutions 

• Contact: cafesadvising@calpoly.edu  

Flowcharts/Curriculum sheets

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering at Cal Poly is the study, teaching, and practice of engineering and systems management support for agriculture. From day one, our students Learn by Doing in laboratory-intensive classes. No Major or support can be taken CR/NC 

• Faculty advisors: Peter Livingston Ph.D., P.E.(paliving@calpoly.edu) 

• Declaring/Switching your concentration: N/A

• Course sub: Peter Livingston Ph.D., P.E. (paliving@calpoly.edu) , and you MUST cc Tina Pedersen (tepeders@calpoly.edu) 

Flowcharts/Curriculum sheets

Dairy Science

You will learn animal nutrition, physiology, genetics and management, as well as the fundamentals of dairy products technology and processing. The program is small and provides opportunities for individual attention and mentorship, as well as paid work experience and scholarships. You are also strongly encouraged to participate in internships to gain practical experience and test potential career directions. 

• Faculty advisors: Kim A. Sprayberry, DVM, DACVIM, DACVECC, kspraybe@calpoly.edu 

• Declaring/Switching your concentration: N/A 

• Course substitution: Please contact cafesadvising@calpoly.edu 

Flowcharts/Curriculum sheets

Environmental Earth and Soil Sciences

The Environmental Earth & Soil Sciences program provides a strong foundation for understanding an managing the natural environment and improving the utilization and stewardship of the land, water, and atmospheric resources. 

• Faculty advisors:  

  • EESS: Gordon Rees, Ph.D. grees@calpoly.edu 

  • Geology Concentration: John Jasbinsek, Ph.D. jjasbins@calpoly.edu 

  • Hydrology Concentration: Chris Surfleet, Ph.D. csurflee@calpoly.edu 

• Declaring/Switching your concentration: 

  • Please note: It’s recommended to wait on declaring your concentration to avoid potential impacts to your registration date. Please discuss with Austin Ferguson (aufergus@calpoly.edu) on what timeline makes sense for you to declare this. 

    • Concentration declaration form: Declare Concentration Power Form  

    • How to switch concentrations: Drop concentration -  Drop Concentration Request PowerForm 

• Course substitution: start by contacting your Academic Advisor – Austin Joseph Ferguson – aufergus@calpoly.edu 

Flowcharts/Curriculum sheets

Environmental Management and Protection

The Environmental Management and Protection program is an interdisciplinary course of study that provides students with the science and management background that can guide consumptive uses of resources in a sustainable manner. No Major or support can be taken CR/NC.  

• Faculty advisors: Currently Meagan Groom is taking over for faculty advisor, groom@calpoly.edu  

• Declaring/Switching your concentration: 

  • Please note: It’s recommended to wait on declaring your concentration to avoid potential impacts to your registration date. Please discuss with Austin Ferguson (aufergus@calpoly.edu) on what timeline makes sense for you to declare this. 

    • Concentration declaration form: Declare Concentration Power Form  

    • How to switch concentrations: Drop concentration -  Drop Concentration Request PowerForm  

• Course substitution: start by contacting your Academic Advisor – Austin Joseph Ferguson – aufergus@calpoly.edu 

• Flowcharts/Curriculum sheets

Food Science

Cal Poly's Food Science and Nutrition Department offers comprehensive education in food science and nutrition, from the development of new foods to the study of how foods impact health, wellness, and disease prevention. 

• Academic advisor: Cathy Bartholomew (bartholo@calpoly.edu) 

• Declaring/Switching your concentration: 

  • Concentration declaration form 

  • How to switch concentrations: 

    • You must drop your current concentration before declaring a new one.  

• Course substitutions: start by contacting your Academic Advisor - Cathy Bartholomew (bartholo@calpoly.edu) 

• Flowcharts/Curriculum sheets

Forestry and Fire Science

The Forest and Fire Sciences (FFS) Degree Program prepares students for careers in the protection and management of our forest and natural resources Graduates qualify for such positions as forester, environmental interpreter, natural resource manager, urban forester, park administrator, park ranger, resource planner, watershed manager, hydrologist, fire and fuels manager, and many other related environmental career areas.  

• Faculty advisors: Chris Surfleet, Ph.D. csurflee@calpoly.edu  

• Declaring/Switching your concentration: 

  • Please note: It’s recommended to wait on declaring your concentration to avoid potential impacts to your registration date. Please discuss with Austin Ferguson (aufergus@calpoly.edu) on what timeline makes sense for you to declare this. 

    • Concentration declaration form 

    • How to switch concentrations: You must drop your current concentration before declaring a new one. 

• Course substitutions: start by contacting your Academic Advisor – Austin Joseph Ferguson – aufergus@calpoly.edu   

Flowcharts/Curriculum sheets

Nutrition

Cal Poly's Food Science and Nutrition Department offers comprehensive education in food science and nutrition, from the development of new foods to the study of how foods impact health, wellness, and disease prevention. 

• Faculty advisors: Anna Cahn, Ph.D., RDN acahn@calpoly.edu 

• Declaring/Switching your concentration: 

  • Concentration declaration form  

• Course substitutions start by contacting your academic advisor Cathy Bartholomew (bartholo@calpoly.edu) 

Flowcharts/Curriculum sheets

Plant Sciences

Cal Poly’s Plant Sciences Department (formerly Horticulture and Crop Science Department) is well-known for preparing the next generation of industry leaders. Our students don’t just sit in a classroom.  They work outside in our fields and gardens and inside our labs. 

• Faculty advisors:  

  • Department Head: Scott Steinmaus, Ph.D. (ssteinma@calpoly.edu) 

  • Concentrations: 

    • Plant Protection: Shungping Ding, Ph.D. (sding01@calpoly.edu) 

    • Environmental Horticulture: Benjamin K. Hoover, Ph.D. (bkhoover@calpoly.edu, He/Him/His) 

    • Fruit and Crop: Lauren C. Garner, Ph.D. (lgarner@calpoly.edu) 

• Declaring/Switching your concentration: 

  • Concentration declaration form  

    • PLSC home page > forms (gray bar at the top) > scroll down to “Major Concentration Declaration Procedure” about 1/3 down the page > click link > link is only a request form, must check inbox after submitting for the real form

  • How to switch concentrations  

    • Drop concentration first (form from Office of the Registrar), then redeclare using link above

• Course substitutions

  • Doing a course substitution for approved electives has a different form for each concentration. Students MUST talk to their concentration faculty advisor first before filling out these links.  Links can be found on the PLSC page under forms. 

    • Environmental Horticulture 

    • Plant Protection 

    • Fruit and Crop 

*This is only for people on the 20-21 catalog, and only for people in the Fruit and Crop and Plant Protection concentrations. Students with an Enviornmental Horticulture concentration may use ANY UD PLSC class.  

Flowcharts/Curriculum sheets

Recreation, Parks and Tourism Administration

“Live it, protect it, explore it.”  Cal Poly’s Recreation, Parks and Tourism Administration major is founded upon that motto.   

• Faculty advisors: 

  • Jerusha Greenwood, Ph.D. (jbgreenw@calpoly.edu)  

  • https://eim.calpoly.edu/contact all faculty hours listed here as well as their advising topics they specialize in. 

• Declaring/Switching your concentration:

  •  Concentration declaration form *BESIDES FOR ICS. Contact Dr. Ru.  

  • How to switch concentrations: fill out drop concentration form and declare a new concentration

• Course substitutions- contact Jerusha Greenwood, Ph.D. (jbgreenw@calpoly.edu)  on case-to-case basis 

Flowcharts/Curriculum sheets

Wine and Viticulture

Cal Poly offers a unique, award-winning interdisciplinary major in Wine and Viticulture with a three-pronged curriculum that combines an understanding of vineyards, wine making, and wine business. 

• Faculty advisor: Benoit Lecat, Ph.D. (blecat@calpoly.edu) 

• Declaring/Switching your concentration: 

  • Concentration declaration form  

  • How to switch concentrations: fill out drop concentration form and declare a new concentration

• Course substitutions - Please contact Craig Hooper, crhooper@calpoly.edu 

Flowcharts/Curriculum sheets