Ranching Systems
https://animalrange.montana.edu/danscott/
The Ranching Systems degree is housed within the Department of Animal and Range Sciences. Ranching Systems is the only interdisciplinary bachelors’ degree program in the United States that is designed to equip graduates to successfully enter the complex field of ranch management. The curriculum includes courses in livestock production, natural resource management, finances and business. To produce exceptional graduates, students in the Ranching Systems Degree must apply for admission to the program during their sophomore year to be eligible to continue to graduation. To apply to the Ranching Systems Program, students must have a 3.0 cumulative GPA and have earned a minimum of 24 credits in the Program. Ten students are admitted each year to the advanced segment of the program where they are paired with a partner ranch for 2 consecutive, summer-long internships. These summer internships on premier working ranches provide hands-on learning to effectively bridge the gap between classroom principles and real-world applications.
| Freshman Year | Credits | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Spring | Summer | |
| AGED 140US - Leadership Development for Agriculture or COMX 111US - Introduction to Public Speaking | 3 | ||
| BIOB 170IN - Principles of Biological Diversity | 4 | ||
| CHMY 121IN - Introduction to General Chemistry & CHMY 122IN - Introduction to General Chemistry Lab | 4 | ||
| NRSM 101 - Natural Resource Conservation | 3 | ||
| NRSM 102 - Montana Range Plants | 1 | ||
| ANSC 100 - Introduction to Animal Science | 3 | ||
| BIOB 160 - Principles of Living Systems | 4 | ||
| ECNS 101IS - Economic Way of Thinking | 3 | ||
| WRIT 101W - College Writing I | 3 | ||
| Year Total: | 15 | 13 | |
| Sophomore Year | Credits | ||
| Fall | Spring | Summer | |
| ACTG 201 - Principles of Financial Acct | 3 | ||
| ANSC 202 - Livestock Feeding & Nutrition | 3 | ||
| NRSM 240 - Natural Resource Ecology | 3 | ||
| CHMY 123 - Introduction to Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry & CHMY 124 - Introduction to Organic and Biochemistry Lab | 4 | ||
| STAT 216Q - Introduction to Statistics | 3 | ||
| ACTG 202 - Principles of Managerial Accounting | 3 | ||
| ANSC 234 - Livestock Management - Beef I | 1 | ||
| ANSC 265 - Anatomy and Physiology of Domestic Animals - Lecture | 3 | ||
| ANSC 266 - Anatomy and Physiology of Domestic Animals - Lab | 1 | ||
| BGEN 242D - Introduction to International Business | 3 | ||
| BMIS 211 - Data Analytics I | 3 | ||
| RS 398 - Ranching Systems Livestock & Forage Internship | 1 | ||
| Year Total: | 16 | 14 | 1 |
| Junior Year | Credits | ||
| Fall | Spring | Summer | |
| ANSC 320 - Animal Nutrition | 3 | ||
| ANSC 321 - Physiology of Animal Reproduction | 4 | ||
| RS 306 - Livestock Management & Human Resources in Ranching Systems | 1 | ||
| ENSC 245IN - Soils | 3 | ||
| IA or IH coreUniversity required core course | 3 | ||
| RS 316 - Forage Management and Natural Resource Stewardship in Ranching Systems | 1 | ||
| BIOO 230 - Identification of Seed Plants | 4 | ||
| ANSC 322 - Principles of Animal Breeding and Genetics | 3 | ||
| ANSC 337 - Disease of Domestic Livestock | 3 | ||
| AGBE 210IS - Economics of Ag Business | 3 | ||
| BMGT 335 - Management and Organization | 3 | ||
| RS 498 - Ranching Systems Finances and Planning Internship | 1 | ||
| Year Total: | 14 | 17 | 1 |
| Senior Year | Credits | ||
| Fall | Spring | Summer | |
| ANSC 434R - Beef Cattle Management | 4 | ||
| BMGT 406 - Negotiation/Dispute Resolution or BMGT 366 - Leading and Managing People | 3 | ||
| AGSC 342 - Forages | 3 | ||
| RS 406 - Finances and Decision Making in Ranching Systems | 1 | ||
| IA/IH CoreUniversity required core course | 3 | ||
| NRSM 353 - Grazing Ecology and Management | 3 | ||
| NRSM 455 - Riparian Ecology & Management or ENSC 272CS - Water Resources | 3 | ||
| WILD 426 - Wildlife Habitat Management or WILD 355 - Wildlife and Livestock Habitat Restoration or WILD 438 - Wildlife Habitat Ecology | 3 | ||
| WILD 420 - Range & Wildlife Policy and Planning or NRSM 430 - Natural Resource Law | 3 | ||
| RS 416 - Systems Thinking for Ranches | 2 | ||
| Year Total: | 14 | 14 | |
| Total Program Credits: | 119 | ||