The Faculty of Agriculture at Ferdowsi University of Mashhad was established in 1974 with the aim of training professional and skilled specialists in various fields of agriculture. Ever since, this faculty has been a guiding force in the agriculture sector through its quality education and research. The qualitative and quantitative improvements in educational and research-related activities in the field of “Agriculture Science” require an investment in brainpower and creativity in addition to the application of modern methods. The general purpose of establishing this faculty in the eastern section of Iran was to produce quality workforce at the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels with the aim of advancing activities in the planning, production, processing, maintenance, and distribution of agricultural and food products for the growing population of the country.

 

The faculty of Agriculture commenced its educational activities in September 1975 with the admission of 43 students into the bachelor’s programs in the two fields of Agrotechnology and Food Sciences and Technology. Over the next years, the following programs were established: The bachelor’s program in Animal Husbandry with the admission of 38 students (September 1975); the master’s program in Animal Husbandry with the admission of six students (January 1987), the master’s program in Agrotechnology with the admission of six students (January 1988), the bachelor’s program in Irrigation with the admission of 45 students (January 1989), the bachelor’s program in Plant Pathology with the admission of 20 students (September 1991), the master’s program in Irrigation with the admission of six students in 1991, the master’s program in Food Sciences and Technology with admission of six students in 1993, the bachelor’s program in Agricultural Economics with the admission of 20 students in 1994, the bachelor’s program in Horticulture with the admission of 25 students in 1994, the bachelor’s program in Soil Science with the admission of 20 students in 1994, the bachelor’s program in Agricultural Machinery Engineering with the admission of 18 students in 1994, the master’s program in Plant Pathology with the admission of six students in 1995, the doctoral program in Agrotechnology with the admission of six students in 1995, the doctoral program in Animal Science with the admission of five students in September 1996, the master’s program in Weed Control with the admission of four students in 1998, the master’s program in Agricultural Biotechnology with the admission of four students in 1998, the master’s program in Soil Sciences with the admission of five students in 2000, the doctoral program in Food Sciences and Technology with the admission of 11 students in September 1998, and the master’s program in Horticulture with the admission of three students in 2002. At present, the faculty has 1207 students in the bachelor’s programs in Food Sciences and Technology (branch of MaterialsProcessing), Food Sciences and Technology Engineering, Agrotechnology, Landscape Architecture, Water Sciences and Engineering, Plant Pathology, Agricultural Economics, Horticulture, Mechanics of Biosystems, Agricultural Machinery Mechanics, Animal Sciences (in two the branches of Livestock and Poultry), Soil Science and 725 students in the master’s programs and also 721 students in the doctoral programs.