About the College

The College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences plays a key role in national and international research initiatives in biological, physical, social, and economic sciences. The scope of the College has broadened dramatically since its founding in 1867, while its purpose remains focused on advancing scientific knowledge that makes life better, healthier, safer, and more profitable for people in Illinois and around the globe. The College offers 10 undergraduate majors with 39 different concentrations; the graduate programs of the College attract more than 500 students each year.

The mission of the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) is to enhance the quality of life for rural and urban people through teaching, research, and outreach programs focusing on human activity, food, fiber, and natural resource systems.

Fast Facts: College of ACES

College Leadership

• Interim Dean – Robert J. Hauser
• Associate Dean for Academic Programs – Laurie F. Kramer
• Associate Dean for Development – E. Louise Rogers
• Interim Associate Dean for Extension and Outreach - Robert G. Hoeft
• Interim Associate Dean for Public and Corporate Relations - Dennis R. Campion
• Associate Dean for Research – Jozef L. Kokini
• Executive Assistant Dean for Administration and Finance – Alison B. Schmulbach

Academic Departments and Divisions

• Agricultural and Biological Engineering - K.C. Ting, Head
• Agricultural and Consumer Economics – Paul N. Ellinger, Head
• Animal Sciences- Neal R. Merchen, Head
• Crop Sciences – Robert G. Hoeft, Head
• Food Science and Human Nutrition – Faye M. Dong, Head
• Human and Community Development – Robert Hughes Jr., Head
• Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences – Jeffrey D. Brawn, Head
• Division of Nutritional Sciences – Rodney W. Johnson, Director

Faculty and Staff (Fall 2008)

Student Enrollment (Fall 2008)

*The Division of Nutritional Sciences offers a graduate program only.

(1) Total includes 51 students enrolled in the College of Engineering.

(2) Total includes 6 extramural students.

(3) Total includes 50 non-degree undergraduate students.

Educational Profiles of College of ACES Freshmen. Admission to the College of ACES as a freshman is based on a holistic review process. The middle 50% of students admitted for the fall semester of 2009 had the following test scores and high school class rank:
•    ACT 25-30
•    SAT 1700-1960
•    High School Class Rank 82-94%

Career Placement for Students. Eighty-five organizations sent representatives to College of ACES-hosted career fair in 2009, with 500 ACES students participating in the event. During the 2008-2009 academic year, 271 unique organizations posted 571 full-time jobs and 366 internship positions. Forty-six of those organizations conducted 713 on-campus interviews. Nearly 800 students used resources and services provided by ACES Career Services in 2008-2009 academic year. 

Final Placement Summary: December 2007 - August 2008. Within six months of graduation, 78% of the 07-08 College of ACES graduates were placed.  Forty-eight percent had accepted employment with 178 organizations; twenty-nine percent were pursuing an advanced degree/certification; and two percent were pursuing other opportunities.  The average starting salary across all majors for 07-08 graduates was $39,975.

Office of Academic Programs

ACES Academic Programs coordinates undergraduate admission and academic performance standards, maintains student records, provides career and placement counseling, and coordinates study-abroad, College-based scholarship programs, the ACES James Scholars honors program, and diversity scholarship programs. Graduate students may choose from programs offered through ACES departments and the Division of Nutritional Sciences.

MAJORS
Agricultural and Consumer Economics
Concentrations in
> Agri-Accounting
> Agri-Finance
> Agribusiness Markets and Management
> Consumer Economics and Finance
> Environmental Economics and Policy
> Farm Management
> Financial Planning
> Policy, International Trade and Development
> Public Policy and Law

Agricultural and Biological Engineering
Specializations in
> Bioenvironmental Engineering
> Biological Engineering
> Food and Bioprocess Engineering
> Off-Road Equipment Engineering
> Soil and Water Resources Engineering

Agricultural and Environmental Communications and Education
Concentrations in
> Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences Communication
> Agricultural Education
> Agricultural Leadership Education

Animal Sciences
Concentrations in
> Animal Business, Management and Industry
> Companion, Recreational and Laboratory Animal Science
> Food Animal Science
> Science, Biotechnology and Pre-Veterinary Medicine

Crop Sciences
Concentrations in
> Agroecology
> Biological Sciences
> Crop Agribusiness
> Crops
> Integrated Pest Management
> Plant Biotechnology and Molecular Biology

Food Science and Human Nutrition
Concentrations in
> Dietetics
> Food Industry and Business
> Food Science
> Hospitality Management
> Human Nutrition

Horticulture
Concentrations in
> Horticultural Science
> Production and Management
> Urban Forestry

Human Development and Family Studies
Concentrations in
> Child and Adolescent Development
> Family Studies

Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences
Concentrations in
> Fish and Wildlife Conservation
> Forest Science
> Human Dimensions
> Resource Ecology
> Soil and Water Science

Technical Systems Management
Specializations in
> Construction Systems Management
> Environmental Systems Management
> Mechanization, Marketing and Technology Management Systems
> Production Systems

Office of Research / Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station (IAES)

The College of ACES conducts frontier research in cutting-edge disciplines. Broad research areas within the College include: >Agricultural and biological engineering >Agricultural economic and social sciences > Agricultural information technology > Biotechnology and bioinformatics > Consumer and family well-being >Crop and animal systems > Food science and human nutrition> Marketing and utilization of agricultural products > Natural resource systems.

The College also operates field research centers located throughout the state as testing-grounds where researchers can explore practical applications that will ultimately benefit consumers, farmers, commodity groups, agricultural organizations, environmentalists, conservationists, government agencies, industry and business.
        >    Brownstown Agronomy Research Center
        >    Dixon Springs Agricultural Center and Illinois Forest Resource Center
        >    Northern Illinois Agronomy Research Center
        >    Northwestern Illinois Agricultural Research  and Demonstration Center
        >    Orr Agricultural Research and Demonstration Center
        >    St. Charles Horticultural Research Center
        >    Crop Sciences Research Center.

University of Illinois Extension

As part of the nationwide Cooperative Extension System, U of I Extension offers non-credit educational programs in communities throughout Illinois. Extension programs translate recent scientific discoveries into education geared toward the needs of agricultural producers, parents, consumers, school-age children and community leaders. U of I Extension programs serve more than two million Illinois residents each year — including more than 380,000 children and teens who are part of Extension's 4-H youth program.Visit the University of Illinois Extension Website

College Units

Administration and Finance.The Administration and Finance office pro­vides leadership and
management for budgeting, finance, and human resources.
 
Advancement. This office provides leadership and direc­tion for development, alumni relations, and marketing for the College. Advance­ment staff, together with faculty and administrators, work with individuals, corporate donors and founda­tions to encourage support for College priorities. The Illinois 4-H Foundation provides leadership to fundraising initia­tives on behalf of Illinois 4-H programs. The ACES Alumni Association's board of directors reflects not only the Illinois roots of the University, but also its international graduates. Representative alumni from each department of the College serve on the board.

Funk Library of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences. The ACES library contains more than 130,000 volumes and subscribes to 700 journals. The library’s collection covers a range of subjects, including general agriculture, agricultural economics, agricultural and biological engineering, agricultural history, animal sciences, conservation, consumer economics, crop sciences, environmental sciences, family studies, food science, forestry, home economics, horticulture, human and community development, nutrition, plant sciences, restaurant and hospitality management, soil science, textiles and water quality.

Information Technology and Communication Services. To support the College’s core activities of teaching, research and engagement, ITCS provides computer support, web development, instructional support, product distribution, educational publishing, as well as services in news and public affairs, photography and video.

Total College of ACES Expenditures: FY08 - $178,356,803

• State and county appropriations, state contracts – 51.4%
• Revolving, Institutional & Other support – 17.1%
• Private gifts & contracts – 9.9%
• Federal appropriations and contracts – 21.6%