Undergraduate agriculture curricula in sustainability: An evaluation across borders

This paper focused on the evaluation of undergraduate study programs in agriculture for a selected group of universities from Louisiana and Texas in the US, and France and Italy. Eight samples of graduating students (n = 20) from each institution participated in a quantitative survey. Qualitative data were collected through interviews with sixteen respondents (one faculty member and one administrator of each university). A document analysis review provided more qualitative data on the foundations of agricultural curricula at these institutions and other schools around the world. Such a variety of data collection methodologies allowed for a triangulation of the results, which enhanced the validity of the study. Every university recognized the emergence of a sustainable agriculture model, despite the curricular diversity across national borders and the different levels of sensitivity toward the Issue. Although more work is needed to incorporate sustainable agriculture principles in the agricultural curriculum, various recommendations are suggested. This work contributes to the promotion of an emerging sustainable agriculture philosophy.