About the Department
Welcome to the college’s home for applied social sciences.
We are a small, welcoming community of scholars and friends united by our passion for preparing the next generation of teachers and improving our ability to reach out to communities. The scholarship in the Department of Agricultural Economics, Sociology, and Education is related to people, society, and economic systems grounded in theory and methods from the social, behavioral, and economic sciences. Faculty and students develop and employ rigorous approaches to discover fundamental and applied principles that advance science in their core disciplines. The department strives to improve the health, prosperity, and welfare of people in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and beyond. Our core disciplines for teaching and research are:
- Agricultural and Food Systems — focuses on the interconnections between producers, distributors, regulators, and consumers in a variety of issues related to food choices, markets, pollution, and health
- Community Development and Engagement — focuses on community resilience through civic engagement, leadership, and entrepreneurship to support sustainable communities and regional economies
- Environment and Natural Resources — addresses the human impact on fundamental natural assets, such as land, water, and air, and tackling the challenges that growing populations create for economic efficiency, social equity, and environmental sustainability
- Population Processes in Global Perspective —enhancing scholarship on migration and immigration, health, and material well-being of individuals and households across the world
The department offers a variety of undergraduate and graduate degrees, with three thematic areas to guide our scholarship. These three themes utilize the respective strengths of each of the three core disciplines while providing an overall collaborative framework for research, scholarship, teaching, and outreach.
The Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology programs and the departmental main office are located in Armsby Building. The faculty of the Agricultural Extension Education program is in Ferguson Building. Come meet our faculty, staff, and students and discover for yourself why we are happy to call the department our home.
Latest News
July 11, 2025
College of Ag Sciences faculty, student recognized at annual NACTA conference
A faculty member and a graduate student in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences received recognition at the 71st annual North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture conference in Alberta, Canada.
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July 2, 2025
Science, art and action: Páramos 2025 Symposium ignites global collaboration
In early June, Bogotá, Colombia, became the center of global páramo research as faculty and students from Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences joined forces with international partners to host the landmark Páramos 2025 Symposium.
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July 2, 2025
Investigating the impacts of extreme heat on vulnerable populations
On the latest episode of “Growing Impact,” the podcast hosted by Penn State's Institute of Energy and the Environment, researchers discussed their project that looks to inform lawmakers with actionable insights to protect pregnant women and infants — populations particularly vulnerable to extreme heat.
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June 25, 2025
Penn State College of Ag Sciences names Harbaugh Scholars for 2025
Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences has awarded funding to six faculty members across three teams to support the development of innovative curricula through the college's Harbaugh Faculty Scholars program.
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Department of Agricultural Economics, Sociology, and Education
- Office 814-865-5461
- Fax 814-865-3746