07/10/2024
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There are about 50 degree programs specializing in agricultural communications in the United States, but in the United Kingdom, the first master's level microcertificate program has just begun to take shape with some help from an Arkansas professor.
Jefferson Miller, agricultural communications professor in the Department of Agricultural Education, Communications and Technology, and a researcher for the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, is now helping develop a curriculum for Scotland's Rural College in Edinburgh.
"There are all these people doing ag communications work all over the U.K., but there is no academic program to be seen," Miller said. "The food we eat and the crops that we grow to produce that food are basic human needs. Because we're communicating about a basic human need, the need to communicate clearly to consumers, policymakers and young people so they'll understand the future of food is becoming more important."
In a recent episode of the Food, Farms & Forests podcast, Miller shared his journey, the insights that led to this program, and the need and impact of agricultural communications in the United States and abroad.
Miller's latest research on the topic is guiding the development of this curriculum with a study titled "Perceptions of Professionals, Faculty, and Students regarding the Implementation of an Agricultural Communications Degree Program in the United Kingdom."
Miller and his team interviewed various stakeholders, including faculty members, students, and potential employers, to find out what they would expect to see in a curriculum that was preparing students to be agricultural communications professionals.
The research revealed unanimous agreement on the need for such a program, emphasizing the importance of journalistic skills to accompany agricultural knowledge. Experiential learning also emerged as a critical component, with stakeholders highlighting the value of internships and practical placements.
Miller's research found that there was interest in both a bachelor's and a master's degree programs since neither of them currently exist. However, a new four-year honors bachelor's program would prove to pose significant challenges.
"Not to say that that might not be the right thing to do down the road, but ... the master's-level graduate certificates were the easiest to implement. So that was the route we took," Miller said.
Ultimately, Miller says the results of this research and the implementation of a curriculum help fulfill the need for academic training in agricultural communications.
"Programs like this help prepare people to be better at their jobs," Miller said. "The profession already exists. And the best way to improve it is to get the academics that lead to that profession more organized."
(story by Jenifer Fouch)
https://t.ly/9_fYt
Agricultural Education, Communications and Technology Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service Arkansas Agricultural Education & FFA Arkansas 4-H University of Arkansas Rome Center Office of Study Abroad & International Exchange at University of Arkansas University of Arkansas Graduate School and International Education SRUC Association for Communication Excellence NACTA (North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture) Jefferson Miller
