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

October 9, 2024

'Stories from the Field' returns with new sessions for fall 2024

Penn State’s “Stories from the Field” conversation series is returning this fall with two new sessions. Topics will include a youth development program that stemmed from a football field revitalization project and a health clinic that provides care in medically underserved areas.

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October 9, 2024

Reed to discuss rational addiction to ultra-processed food on Oct. 16

Joshua Reed, doctoral candidate in energy, environmental and food economics at Penn State, will give the talk “Rational Addiction to Ultra-Processed Food in the Context of Extreme Consumer Heterogeneity” at noon on Wednesday, Oct. 16, in 157 Hosler Building on the University Park campus. The event is free and open to the public.

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October 8, 2024

New project to support microgreens producers with risk management education

Faculty members in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences have launched a new project to help agricultural producers tackle the challenges of growing microgreens, fast-growing crops that are popular for their year-round availability and high demand in premium markets.

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October 4, 2024

USDA grant to support summer research experiences for undergraduates

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture recently announced an investment of $11.6 million in its Research and Extension Experiences for Undergraduates program. Among the recipients, Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences was awarded a $750,000 grant to support 50 undergraduate students in exploring career opportunities in food science and nutritional sciences.  

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Department of Agricultural Economics, Sociology, and Education

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Armsby Building
University Park, PA 16802
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