Request Info > Apply > Visit Us >

Bachelor’s Specialization in Regenerative Organic Agricultureonline or on-campus

What is regenerative agriculture?

Regenerative agriculture is a systems-based approach to agriculture that leverages natural ecology to build soil, improve water efficiency, and increase biodiversity while emphasizing healthy food, feed, and fiber as the foundation of a strong community.

The healing of the land and the purification of the human spirit is the same process. -Masanobu Fukuoka

Making it easy for transfer students

If you transfer in 60 or more credits, the degree can be completed in four semesters. (Transfer students can inquire with their admissions counselor to learn the exact number of credits needed to graduate.)


Dive within and find yourself

Meditating in class

As a student at MIU, you’ll learn the Transcendental Meditation technique, an evidence-based technique that promotes inner peace and wellness, enhances clear thinking, improves learning ability, and boosts creativity.

Get started by contacting Adriene

Adriene Crimson, admissions counselorAdriene Crimson is this program’s admissions counselor for US students. Adriene will provide you with all the details of becoming a student, including connecting you with program faculty when you have questions. International students may connect with their admissions counselor through our contact form.

Contact Adriene >

Contact Adriene >


Degree requirements

To graduate with a Specialization in Regenerative Organic Agriculture, students must complete:

  • required courses for the Bachelor of Applied Arts & Sciences or any other bachelor’s degree program you choose.
  • 32 additional credits of Regenerative Organic Agriculture courses

Courses may include:

    Regenerative Organic Agriculture is a systems-based approach to farming that leverages natural ecology to build soil, improve water efficiency, and increase biodiversity while emphasizing local food, feed, and fiber as the foundation of a strong community. This class acts as an introduction to the principles and practices involved in regenerative agriculture with an emphasis on organic certification, crop planning, and holistic farm management. This course provides students with the contextual knowledge and conceptual framework needed to understand and apply the various management strategies involved in regenerative and organic agriculture.
    Biodynamics is a unique, spirit-based approach to agriculture that was first developed by Rudolf Steiner in the 1920’s. In biodynamics, farmers are regarded as “cosmic artists” that use specific preps at various times throughout the year to reinvigorate the Earth, improving soil fertility and plant nutrition. This course includes daily engagement with seasonal farm activities and includes an emphasis on how to create and utilize the preps and applications that represent the “life force” of biodynamic agriculture. Students will also explore techniques in Korean Natural Farming and other strategies used to promote self-sufficiency throughout the growing season.
    Permaculture Design is an attempt to rethink and redesign every aspect of human endeavor in terms of sustainability. In this course, you will learn about the principles, ethics, and scientific reasoning that guides permaculture design, along with how to apply it to homes, cities, and natural landscapes to increase energy efficiency. Students will engage with concepts and strategies for building soil health, maximizing water efficiency, and increasing biodiversity to foster the creation of diverse, resilient ecological systems. The course will culminate in a final comprehensive design project involving a real client, where you will work to perform site analysis and develop practical solutions for real-world design challenges. Upon successful completion of the course, students earn an internationally recognized Permaculture Design Certificate.
    The ability to analyze, build, and manage soil is a key component of Regenerative Agriculture. In this course, students will learn fundamental concepts in soil science relating to physical, chemical, and biological properties, along with instilling an awareness of soil as a natural basic resource. This class will involve fieldwork sessions where students gain experience in strategic garden bed preparation while developing technical skills for building soil fertility through the creation and application of compost, biochar, and other soil amendments.
    Sustainable business management is an attempt to execute triple bottom line performance in business through social responsibility, environmental stewardship, and economic viability. In this course, students will partake in daily farm activities while exploring concepts in sustainable metrics, finance, and lean management to determine operational strategies that foster continuous improvement and ensure a balanced approach towards people, the planet, and profits. This course will culminate in a final project in which students will create an enterprise budget report for a specific farm crop that combines an assessment of its economic and ecological impact, along with suggestions for improved future performance.
    Ecology is often defined as the study of relationships between organisms and their living and non-living environment. The term has become more generalized in recent years to refer to a set of interacting entities in an environment. These entities could be thoughts, technologies, beliefs, organisms, pollutants, or mountains and the environment could be an individual mind, community, society, organism, planet, culture, or meadow. This more generalized notion of ecology opens us up to understanding ecology as something that exists in the universe rather than just a lens or set of questions through which we gain knowledge of the world. In this course students will learn about fundamental ecological concepts, including niche, habitat, community, ecosystem, biomes, biosphere; population ecology; species interactions; energy flows; nutrient cycling; and succession.
    This course represents the culmination of the learning experience in the regenerative organic agriculture program and provides students with an opportunity to create a comprehensive plan for the design, development, and maintenance of their own regenerative, organic farm. Students will be provided with personalized instruction to help determine their goals for the course and work to create a plan of action that includes a holistic, systems-based farm design, a plan for multi-phase development, and an assessment of the management strategies they will employ to build soil, increase biodiversity, and create positive impact within their local community. This course functions as the capstone project for students completing the Regenerative Organic Agriculture module.
    Combining an understanding of plant sciences with a holistic perspective towards crop management represents a foundational principle of regenerative, organic agriculture. This fieldwork course involves daily engagement in farm activities and combines experiential learning in greenhouse management, transplanting, field maintenance and harvesting with an in-depth understanding of horticultural sciences and organic crop maintenance. Students will learn the unique characteristics and considerations associated with different crops related to growth patterns, propagation techniques, lifespan, disease pressure, and pest management. This course culminates with students applying what they have learned through a final project.
    Understanding the tasks and routines involved in day-to-day field management is crucial to the success of any farmer. In this fieldwork course, students will assist in the daily maintenance of on farm activities with an emphasis on organic strategies for crop production and fertility management. Students will learn how to identify and remediate issues related to pest and disease pressure, irrigation, and weed management while simultaneously collecting field data that facilitates improved workflow and better environmental performance throughout the agricultural landscape.
    This fieldwork course acts in tandem with Field Practicum in Farm Maintenance I and provides students with an opportunity to oversee and manage the day-to-day maintenance of a specific field plot at the university farm. Students will integrate what they have learned about organic crop production and fertility management to assess and improve issues related to pest and disease pressure, irrigation, and weed management while continuing to collect and interpret field data that facilitates improved workflow and better environmental performance. Students will be evaluated based on their ability to maintain and improve their designated field plot as it relates to crop vitality, soil health, data collection, and record keeping.
    The internship experience represents the culmination of the student experience in the BA-Regenerative Organic Agriculture program. Students will work closely with an advisor to find an internship opportunity with a farm or organization that embodies the principles of regenerative organic agriculture. Internships may include farms with various practices, ranging from pasture management, market gardening, agroforestry, homesteading, among others. At the end of the internship experience, students will give a presentation to instructors from the department that explains knowledge gained, lessons learned, and a self-reflective assessment of personal growth through the internship experience.


    To graduate, students must also satisfy the general requirements for a bachelor’s degree

Cost & aid for bachelor’s degree programs, 2023-24

Tuition is based on the total number of credits per semester – two semesters per year. Typically, enrollment is two courses at a time, 17 credits (full-time) or one course at a time, 9 credits (3/4 time)

US Online Undergraduate, ¾ time

The example below can vary by FAFSA analysis of independent student finances or dependent family finances.

Semester Cost and Typical Financial Aid
Tuition and fees$4,895
Federal grants (maximum)-$2,450
Net cost per semester$2,445
Federal student loan-$2,445
Your payment$0

Additional Financial Aid Information

Federal grants are available for full-time and part-time students. The grants vary depending on income level as determined by the FAFSA, and by credit load per semester. Students in higher-income categories may not qualify for federal grants.
Many companies offer tuition assistance programs to their employees. If you’re currently employed, we encourage you to check on this. If they offer assistance, please contact MIU’s Financial Aid office.
Part-time online students benefit from a proportionately lower tuition than the full-time rate. For example, a half-time student’s tuition is less than half the full-time tuition. Because these discounts are included in the part-time tuition, an additional MIU scholarship isn’t available for part-time students.
Federal Student Loans have limits based on lifetime usage, annual limits, and limited to the educational costs for each semester. Here are the annual maximum limits:

  • $5,500 per year for first-year dependent
  • $6,500 per year for second-year dependent
  • $7,500 per year for third, fourth, fifth-year dependent
  • $9,500 per year for first-year independent
  • $10,500 per year for second-year independent
  • $12,500 per year for third, fourth, fifth-year independent
Federal Student Loan Repayment is postponed as long as you are enrolled at least half-time each semester. If your enrollment drops below half-time, you have a six-month grace period before repayment begins. There are also postponements for low income and unemployment, as well as repayment based on income and Public Service Forgiveness.

There are a variety of money-saving tax benefits to assist in reducing the cost of education expenses. More about education tax benefits.
Veterans should contact the VA for information on Veterans Education Benefits. Veterans eligible for BAH monthly benefits: The VA utilizes a scale of credits per block of courses; therefore, the VA sometimes pays part-time benefits for an individual month while the university delivers full-time federal aid for an entire semester. Our Veterans Certifying Official is our Director of Financial Aid.

Loan Repayment Options

Payments are a fixed amount that ensures your loans are paid off within 10 years (within 10 to 30 years for Consolidation Loans).
Payments may be fixed or graduated and will ensure that your loans are paid off within 25 years.
Payments are lower at first and then increase, usually every two years, and are for an amount that will ensure your loans are paid off within 10 years (within 10 to 30 years for Consolidation Loans).
Your monthly payments will be either 10 or 15 percent of discretionary income (depending on when you received your first loans), but never more than you would have paid under the 10-year Standard Repayment Plan.
Payments are recalculated each year and are based on your updated income, family size, and the total amount of your Direct Loans. Any outstanding balance will be forgiven if you haven’t repaid your loan in full after 25 years.
Your monthly payment is based on annual income, but your loan will be paid in full within 15 years.

Tuition, other fees, scholarships, and financial policies are subject to change prior to the entry date. For more information, contact us at finaid@miu.edu for a quick reply — normally one business day — or see more about financial aid.

US Online Undergraduate, ½ time

The example below can vary by FAFSA analysis of independent student finances or dependent family finances.

Semester Cost and Typical Financial Aid
Tuition and fees$2,895
Federal grants (maximum)-$1,850
Net cost per semester$1,045
Federal student loan-$1,045
Your payment$0

Additional Financial Aid Information

Federal grants are available for full-time and part-time students. The grants vary depending on income level as determined by the FAFSA, and by credit load per semester. Students in higher-income categories may not qualify for federal grants.
Many companies offer tuition assistance programs to their employees. If you’re currently employed, we encourage you to check on this. If they offer assistance, please contact MIU’s Financial Aid office.
Part-time online students benefit from a proportionately lower tuition than the full-time rate. For example, a half-time student’s tuition is less than half the full-time tuition. Because these discounts are included in the part-time tuition, an additional MIU scholarship isn’t available for part-time students.
Federal Student Loans have limits based on lifetime usage, annual limits, and limited to the educational costs for each semester. Here are the annual maximum limits:

  • $5,500 per year for first-year dependent
  • $6,500 per year for second-year dependent
  • $7,500 per year for third, fourth, fifth-year dependent
  • $9,500 per year for first-year independent
  • $10,500 per year for second-year independent
  • $12,500 per year for third, fourth, fifth-year independent
Federal Student Loan Repayment is postponed as long as you are enrolled at least half-time each semester. If your enrollment drops below half-time, you have a six-month grace period before repayment begins. There are also postponements for low income and unemployment, as well as repayment based on income and Public Service Forgiveness.

There are a variety of money-saving tax benefits to assist in reducing the cost of education expenses. More about education tax benefits.
Veterans should contact the VA for information on Veterans Education Benefits. Veterans eligible for BAH monthly benefits: The VA utilizes a scale of credits per block of courses; therefore, the VA sometimes pays part-time benefits for an individual month while the university delivers full-time federal aid for an entire semester. Our Veterans Certifying Official is our Director of Financial Aid.

Loan Repayment Options

Payments are a fixed amount that ensures your loans are paid off within 10 years (within 10 to 30 years for Consolidation Loans).
Payments may be fixed or graduated and will ensure that your loans are paid off within 25 years.
Payments are lower at first and then increase, usually every two years, and are for an amount that will ensure your loans are paid off within 10 years (within 10 to 30 years for Consolidation Loans).
Your monthly payments will be either 10 or 15 percent of discretionary income (depending on when you received your first loans), but never more than you would have paid under the 10-year Standard Repayment Plan.
Payments are recalculated each year and are based on your updated income, family size, and the total amount of your Direct Loans. Any outstanding balance will be forgiven if you haven’t repaid your loan in full after 25 years.
Your monthly payment is based on annual income, but your loan will be paid in full within 15 years.

Tuition, other fees, scholarships, and financial policies are subject to change prior to the entry date. For more information, contact us at finaid@miu.edu for a quick reply — normally one business day — or see more about financial aid.

US Online Undergraduate, less than ½ time (4 credits)

The example below can vary by FAFSA analysis of independent student finances or dependent family finances.

Cost – less than ½ time
Tuition$2,000
Federal grants (maximum)-$900
Net cost$1,100
Federal student loans (not available)0
Your payment$1,100

Tuition, other fees, scholarships, and financial policies are subject to change prior to the entry date. For more information, contact us at finaid@miu.edu for a quick reply — normally one business day — or see more about financial aid.

International On-Campus Undergraduate

Annual Cost and Typical Financial Aid
Tuition and fees$16,530
Housing (single room) and meals$7,400
Health insurance (estimate)$1,992
Personal expenses, books, unexpected needs (estimate)$3,500
Cost Per Year$29,422

Full-time students may apply for up to $6,000 scholarship based on qualifying documented family income. Our undergraduate scholarship application form will be made available to you upon application to the university.


Tuition, other fees, scholarships, and financial policies are subject to change prior to the entry date.

International Online Undergraduate

Typically, online enrollment is two courses at a time (17 credits) or one course at a time (9 credits), per semester (two semesters per year).

Tuition and Fees per Semester
Full-time (12 or more credits)$8,095
¾ time (9-11 credits)$4,895
½ time (6-8 credits)$2,895
Fewer than 5 credits$500 per credit


Tuition, other fees, scholarships, and financial policies are subject to change prior to the entry date.

(R)evolution webinar series

Deep conversations with leaders regenerating the world

In these twice-monthly conversations, we speak with some of the leading figures in creating a healthy, safe, thriving, and socially just world. We learn about their work, and we ask them: What needs to change, at the deepest level, to bring about the transformations we need?

Speakers have included:

  • Dr. Rattan Lal — the first researcher to demonstrate that regenerative agriculture can address the climate crisis and other major global challenges; winner of the 2020 World Food Prize Watch ➡︎
  • Temple Grandin — world-renowned expert in animal welfare and autism. Watch ➡︎
  • Dr. Tim LaSalle — past CEO of the Rodale Institute and a global champion of regenerative agriculture. Watch ➡︎
  • Alex Pryor — co-founded Guayaki Sustainable Rainforest Products in 1996, a major beverage company based on yerba mate tea that is devoted to regenerative agriculture. Watch ➡︎

Next Steps

request info

Get your questions answered
and download our free booklet.

Request info >
visit us

Sign up for one-on-one virtual visits,
Visitors Weekend, or Visitors Saturday.

Learn more >
apply to mum

Our next entries:
Feb 2024 and Aug 2024

Apply >
X

Follow MIU