The Creation of a Biofuels and Sustainable Agriculture Post-Secondary Curriculum: A True-Delphi Study

Good paying jobs, access to education, and a healthy natural environment are essential for rural communities to remain competitive in the global economy. However, rural students interested in finding good paying jobs have left or are interested in leaving rural areas. Therefore, educational programs that assist educated youth in finding jobs in rural communities should be developed. The purpose of this study was to determine the knowledge, skills, and competencies that post-secondary graduates need to be successful in the sustainable and biofuels industries. A three round face-to-face Delphi was conducted with experts of agricultural production, the sustainable and biofuels industries, and environmental policy. Following the third round, 43 items were included as curricular needs in a post-secondary sustainable agriculture and biofuels degree program because they received an a priori mean score of 4.0 or higher. Based on the results of this study, a post-secondary course of study in sustainable agriculture and biofuels must include science, general education, and socially interactive courses. Finally, agricultural education faculty should provide training for peer university faculty members in providing instruction that socially engages students in real-world situational experiences.