The College of Agronomy was established in 1958, once named the Department of Agronomy, which had four disciplines --- agronomy, plant protection, soil chemistry and horticulture. During the time from 1971 to 1980, the three specialties --- horticulture, plant protection and soil chemistry specialties, were separated from the Department of Agronomy and became different independent departments. In 2001, the Department of Agronomy was renamed the College of Agronomy. In 2004, it merged with the Department of Horticulture, which marked the establishment of the new the College of Agronomy.
At present, the College has seven departments --- Crop Production, Crop Genetics and Breeding, Pomology, Vegetable Science and, Rural Area Development, Cultivation and Identification of Chinese Herbal Medicine and Ornamental Horticulture. It has 6 specialties for Doctoral candidates: Crop Cultivation and Farming Systems, Crop Genetics and Breeding, Medicinal Plants Resources and Utilization, Protected Cropping, Crop Protection, and Crop Ecology and Physiology. The college has 6 specialties for Master candidates: Crop Cultivation and Farming Systems, Crop Genetics and Breeding, Medicinal Plants Resources and Utilization, Pomology, Olericulture, and Protected Cropping. It also has 6 specialties for undergraduates: Agronomy, Horticulture, Rural Regional Development, Cultivation and Identification of Chinese Herbs, Protected Agricultural Science & Engineering, and Seed Science & Engineering. Crop Science as the first-class discipline is a Post-doctoral Research Station.
The College of Agronomy has 76 members of staff, 56 full-time teachers, 19 professors (or researchers), 18 associate professors (associate researchers). Among them there are 17 Ph.D instructors (including 4 externals), 65 Postgraduate tutors (including 30 outside), 1 candidate for the National Program of “Hundred-thousand-ten thousand Qualified Scientists and Technicians”, 1 “National Middle Age and Young Expert Who Has Outstanding Contribution to the Country ”, 1 "National model teacher", 1 "national pacesetter for agricultural science & technology extension", 1 Provincial Excellent Expert. 5 of the staff feasting special allowance from the State Council of China, 7 had been enrolled in Gansu Provincial “Project for the Cultivation of 333 Talents”, 7 had been enrolled in Gansu Provincial “Project for the Cultivation of 555 innovative Talents”, 5 had been awarded “Successful young teachers in colleges and universities of Gansu Province”. The current student enrollment is 1403, including 1091 undergraduates, 263 post-graduates and 49 Ph.D students.
The College adhered to the educational principle to combine teaching and researching with the social services, to strengthen practice teaching and enhance the students’ capacity by participating in production and research activities. It has one experimental teaching model centre of national-degree plant production, including 1 key disciplines laboratory, 6 GM laboratories, 11 teaching practice bases inside and outside school and 7 research institutes. Therefore, it is greatly qualified to carry out the teaching experiments, production practice and scientific research.
Over the past three years, a total of 209 research projects funded by national, provincial foundations had been granted, 32 of them are national research projects. Total outlay for scientific research has been about ￥19 million. In the last 3 years, the College had been granted 2 items of technology patent, awarded 1 Second Prize of National Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fishery Harvest, 6 Second Prizes and 7 third Prizes of “Advancement of Science and Technology” by Science and Technology Committee of Gansu Province, 19 monographs and national commission teaching books, 107 key journal articles had been published. Currently, 43 research projects are ongoing, 10 of which are funded by “973”, “863” and “National Key Technology R&D Program” of the Ministry of Science and Technology, Natural Science Foundation of China and international foundations.
Since 1958, the College has cultivated more than 12,720 various graduates including 69 Ph.D students, 328 MS students, 57 professional post-graduates, 4924 undergraduates, 1025 college students, 6,330 adult education students since its establishment in 1958. All of them have acquired great achievements in the agriculture and rural economics in Gansu Province and other Provinces.
Length of Study
Bachelor’s programs: 4 years
Master’s programs: 2.5-3 years
Doctoral programs: 3 years
Application Time
For international students, the academic year begins in September. The duration for application is from March 1st to June 30th.
Entry Requirements
Undergraduates: at least finish high school studying; be in good health; pass HSK Band 3.
Master candidates: having been awarded bachelor degree; be in good health; pass HSK Band 6.
Doctor candidates: having been awarded master degree; be in good health; pass HSK Band 6.