Overview
The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) mission is to advance agriculture and natural resources through teaching and learning. The companion mission of the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station (MAFES) is to advance agriculture and natural resources through research and discovery, which will enhance economic prosperity and environmental stewardship. CALS/MAFES also aspires to build stronger communities, improve the health and well-being of families, and serve people of the state, the region, and the world.
In total, CALS/MAFES has 167 on- and off-campus faculty, and significantly contributes to Mississippi State being ranked no. 12 nationally in FY 2019 research and development expenditures for agricultural sciences and natural resources and conservation.
CALS encompasses 17 Undergraduate Majors and 17 Graduate Majors with a record total enrollment of 2,181 Undergraduate Students and 444 Graduate Students in 2020. The College includes eight Departments and one School: Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Agricultural Economics, Animal and Dairy Sciences, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology, and Plant Pathology, Food Science, Nutrition, and Health Promotion, School of Human Sciences, Landscape Architecture, Plant and Soil Sciences, and Poultry Science. More information on the college may be seen at https://www.cals.msstate.edu .
MAFES includes 12 branch experiment stations/units and four research and extension centers throughout the state. The branch stations allow researchers to experiment with different soil types, climates, and geography to determine the most suitable crops, ornamentals, and forage crops for each area of the state. More details on the locations can be found at https://www.mafes.msstate.edu/
CALS added new programs in 2020, including companion animal management and meat science certifications, to meet the needs of students and industries. Additionally, the new Bachelor of Applied Science degree allows students to apply technical education credits earned from a community college or the military to a bachelor's degree in one of 14 emphasis areas. A 2020 agreement with Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College allows students to transfer credits toward a Bachelor of Science degree in culinology or agricultural science at MSU. Eight majors also began the Thrive-in-Five program, allowing students to complete their bachelor's and master's degrees in 5 years.
CALS students continue to represent the College and university in professional organizations. Students competed and won accolades from numerous professional organizations with oral presentations and posters. Several students received prestigious recognitions, including the Barry Goldwater Scholarship, the Future Leader in Science award, the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation 2020 Astronaut Scholars Class, the Mississippi Rural Dentists Scholarship Program, and the Mississippi Rural Physicians Scholarship program the Mississippi Space Grant Consortium. Additionally, some 30 students have become licensed as unmanned aerial vehicle pilots by the Federal Aviation Administration through MSU's precision agriculture certificate program and concentration.
New facilities with modern laboratories for MAFES research opened in 2020. The 26,500 square-foot Poultry Science Building officially opened in a three-building complex that includes the Animal and Dairy Sciences Building and the Meat Science and Muscle Biology Lab. The Department of Poultry Science also opened a new Animal BioSafety-Level-2 facility to research pathogenic bacteria that affect the poultry industry. Ensuring that scientists are studying the most modern irrigation technology, new irrigation systems were installed at the R. R. Foil Plant Science Research Center, W. B. Andrews Agricultural Systems Research Farm, Black Belt Branch Experiment Station, and Delta Research and Extension Center.
MAFES collaborates with many agencies and organizations to help producers feed and clothe the world and sustain the environment. For example, Congress established the National Center for Alluvial Aquifer Research between the USDA Agricultural Research Service and MAFES to address water resource challenges along the Mississippi River Alluvial Aquifer. Mississippi State University and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service celebrated the new "Atlas" supercomputer Wednesday [Sept. 30] with a virtual event. In September of 2020, a joint venture with USDA-ARS and MSU added new computing resources for advances in biocomputing, epidemiology, geospatial technology and more. Similarly, MAFES partners with the state's row-crop commodity boards, including corn, soybean, rice, peanut, and cotton, to research ways to increase yields and profits while decreasing inputs. CALS/MAFES collaborates with the MSU Extension Service to conduct outreach and informal instruction around the state.
Application Process & How To Apply
Please see the Application Process page for all information and details.
