Earlier this week, Purdue University announced that due to persistently low enrollment, the Department of Agricultural Sciences Education and Communication will shutter programs in June 2026. The undergraduate Agricultural Education major will continue within the College of Agriculture.
According to the school’s news release, this action aligns with Indiana Code 21-18-9-10.5, amended in the 2025-27 state budget, which requires Indiana public institutions to review programs with low enrollment and graduation numbers and either eliminate or restructure them.
Agricultural Education will remain an undergraduate major in the College of Agriculture and the only agricultural education program at a public university in Indiana.
“There are no plans to close any other units within the College of Agriculture,” writes the university. “The college is working to ensure that the impact on current students, faculty and staff will be minimal and handled with utmost care.”
Student, faculty, and staff support plan
- Current students in Agricultural and Natural Resources Communication will be supported to complete degree requirements and graduate. The major will not admit new students.
- Current ASEC graduate students will be supported to finish coursework and complete their degrees. No new graduate students will be admitted.
- Tenured ASEC faculty will retain tenured positions in the College of Agriculture.
- ASEC staff will receive assistance per Human Resources’ standard guidelines.’
Agricultural Communications and closely related programs continue to be offered at institutions across the country, including Texas A&M University, Oklahoma State University, Iowa State University, and Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. Within Indiana, Huntington University, a private institution, offers an Agricultural Education program. Purdue University has noted that its Agricultural Education major will continue and will remain the only agricultural education program available at a public university in the state.
