Curriculum
Curriculum
About the Program
This online, transdisciplinary program builds students' capacity to identify and incorporate credible scientific information for public consumption. These skills are vital for a variety of research endeavors in agriculture, food, environment, and many other scientific industries.
For a complete description of the STO curriculum, click here.
For a copy of the STO Program Graduate Student Handbook, click here.
Core Courses (12 Hours Total)
The purpose of this course is to provide a basic understanding of program evaluation processes, concepts, and theories and to develop expertise needed to design and conduct systematic evaluations of formal and non‐formal programs. The material to be covered is applicable to a wide range of topics and disciplines, including social welfare, youth development, family studies, agriculture and the environment, community/economic development, and other formal and non‐formal educational programs. Such programs have a common goal of achieving their desired objectives and being held accountable for the resources they obtain from agencies and stakeholders.
Students will explore, translate and interpret scientific findings into application and policy, enhance their scientific literacy, and learn to evaluate the credibility of sources of scientific information.
This course provides students with foundational knowledge forscientific inquiry and the use of research to inform evidence‐based practice. It covers fundamentals ofunderstanding, analyzing, and critiquing research, through an exposure to science philosophy and techniques used to conduct scientific investigations. It covers aspects of the research process from developing a research question to writing the research report. Students will be introduced to qualitativeand quantitative research design, methodology, and ethical issues associated with conducting and evaluating research.
Students in this course use principles of science translation and outreach to (1) Identify an issue of public concern; (2) Design an original, evidence‐based outreach program to address the concern; (3) Create a program implementation plan; and (4) Develop an evaluation plan for the program.
Elective Courses (18 Hours Total)
In consultation with their advisory committee and subject to approval of the Director of Graduate Studies, students will develop individualized programs of study totaling at least 18 credit hours of elective courses.
Electives may be chosen from any academic unit in the College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, including Agricultural Economics, Animal and Food Sciences, Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, Community and Leadership Development, Dietetics and Human Nutrition, Entomology, Family Sciences, Forestry, Plant and Soil Sciences, Plant Pathology, and Retailing and Tourism Management.
Elective courses from other UK colleges may be considered with the approval of a student’s advisory committee and the STO DGS. Courses at the 600 level, 500 level, and 400G level will be acceptable, subject to the following conditions:
- Advisory Committee/DGS approval;
- The program of study is constituted of no more than 15 credit‐hours of 400G‐level plus 500‐level courses.
Other Requirements
The Advisory Committee shall be chosen and submitted to the DGS for approval by the end of the second semester of the student's tenure for the M.S. degree. Completion of program requirements include passing a final online oral Exit Exam administered by the student’s graduate committee. Content of the final oral exam will include an oral report on the student’s capstone project and may include questions on general curriculum content from core courses and/or elective courses.
Questions?
Contact Dr. Carmen Agouridis, Director of Graduate Studies
- Email: carmen.agouridis@uky.edu
- Phone: (859) 257-3469
