Going back to school at the UMd Institute Of Applied Agriculture

The Institute Of Applied Agriculture in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Maryland College Park (whew, that's long name!) is a two year certificate program intended to provide students with the necessary skills to work and manage successful agricultural enterprises of all sorts. It's a small cadre of students, currently 115 students were enrolled in the Fall 2025 semester.

The IAA manages its own admissions process separate from the normal UMd undergraduate admissions process. Last fall, admissions for starting in the Fall 2025 semester was open until August 5th. The IAA also acts as a gateway for students wishing to transfer into a regular 4 year program. The IAA currently has program tracks in these areas: Agricultural Business Management, Agricultural Leadership and Communication, Sustainable Food Systems, Environmental Stewardship, Ornamnental Horticulture, Landscape Management, Golf Course Management, Turfgrass Management, and Sports Turf Management.

I'm enrolled as a part-time IAA student, taking advantage of the University System of Maryland's Golden ID program which waives tuition for undergraduate or graduate students that are 60 or older and take 3 or fewer classes on a space-available basis. Being an IAA student does make you an undergraduate student in the Ag Department, so you get access to the entire undergraduate course catalog.

If you or someone you know might be interested in the IAA, by all means check out their website. For a limited insider viewpoint or if you have questions on the Golden ID program, feel free to email me.

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