HUNTINGTON, Ind. – Huntington University’s Haupert Institute for Agricultural Studies will begin offering an online International Agriculture program in January, according to school officials.

The program has two options: an International Agriculture concentration within the university’s MBA program or a stand-alone graduate certificate in International  Agriculture, explained Jeff Berggren, the school’s assistant vice president of graduate and online programs and university marketing.

“I’m hopeful our international agricultural students gain a wider understanding of how much a basic understanding of agricultural best practices can impact a whole community internationally,” he said. “Basic things like how to access clean water or dry food can change a family’s outlook on life in the long term.”

The program will allow students to explore international agricultural systems, global poverty issues and alleviation strategies, the school said. Students will also study agricultural training and development processes and gain familiarity with international agricultural companies and organizations, the university noted.

“The MBA students will be those who have already completed their undergraduate degree or are currently working on their undergraduate degree at Huntington,” said Nate Perry, managing director of the Haupert Institute. “The ‘stand-alone’ is for those folks who have not completed a bachelor’s degree but have experience in the field and want to further their knowledge. The latter has been an ongoing discussion with other potential partners in the ag industry.”

With new students on campus interested in an international agriculture/ag missions option within agribusiness, the decision was made to offer the program, Perry said. The university already offered a ministry and missions track, but the new international track focuses more on agriculture as it relates to other population groups, he said.

The first class of the four-class series begins Jan. 13. Each class will be offered in an asynchronous online platform over the course of seven weeks, said Jessica Graves, adjunct professor at the university and director of international capacity development with M4 Institute. “(The classes) will be structured in such a way that students will complete materials on a weekly basis. There will be a few times throughout each class designated for real-time class discussions.”

Huntington opted to make the program online only because “as we considered the potential population this program could/would reach, it extended beyond the Huntington University campus in Indiana,” Graves said. “Thus the asynchronous online option provides more flexibility for those who wish to enroll in the international agriculture courses.”

Each of the classes is worth three credits. The classes are Wholeness, Global Poverty and Alleviation Strategies; International Agricultural Systems; International Agricultural Education; and Christ-centered Agricultural Development.

International travel will be a part of the program, Perry said. There will be options for credit (part of the course offerings) but also opportunities not for credit, he said.

Perry said the university hopes for at least 10 students in the first year, including undergraduates, graduates and those pursuing the certificate.

Students interested in the MBA concentration or the certificate can apply as late as Jan. 6 if they are able to submit their transcripts shortly thereafter, Berggren said.

Huntington University is a Christian college of liberal arts offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs in more than 70 areas of study. More than 1,700 students were enrolled in fall 2024.

The Haupert Institute had its first classes in fall 2015 with about a dozen students, Perry said previously. Nearly 60 students have graduated from the program.

The Institute offers undergraduate degrees in agribusiness, agricultural education, crop science/agronomy, animal science and pre-veterinarian studies. It also offers a dual degree in animal health and veterinary nursing in partnership with Purdue University’s College of Veterinary Medicine.

“This will be the first graduate-level course program offered under the Haupert Institute, which gives current students an option to continue their academic pursuit at Huntington University,” Perry said. “Additionally, the Haupert Institute looks forward to partnerships with other Christ-centered institutions and organizations within the ag industry to make this available to their constituents.”