Everyone has a relationship with agriculture, food and the environment. To help students better understand this connection and think critically about the interconnected systems that affect human life, all incoming freshmen and transfer students in the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment enroll in AFE 100: Issues in Agriculture, Food and Environment. 

Through hands-on activities, field trips and discussion, this course introduces students to agricultural issues and helps them develop an understanding of how their major and daily lives intersect with these issues.

What is AFE 100?

All Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment students must take AFE 100 as part of their UK Core requirements. AFE 100: Issues in Agriculture, Food and Environment is an introductory course requiring critical analysis of the major social, economic, political and scientific issues in agriculture and related disciplines, providing an important introduction to Martin-Gatton CAFE topics and the skills needed to succeed. 

AFE 100 is a 3-credit course taken in your first year at the college. Freshmen take the course in their fall semester, and transfer students take the course in their spring semester.

Note: Students who transfer into the college and have already completed the UK Core Community, Culture and Citizenship in the USA requirement are not required to take AFE 100.

Course Details

How do farmers in Kentucky impact families in California? How can the fashion industry curb the amount of plastic in our oceans? How does fast food affect sea life?

From diet and lifestyles to tourism and evolving technologies, this course encourages you to recognize and think critically about the interconnected systems that affect us all. By addressing these challenges, you will develop a greater appreciation for how you can positively impact our planet.

Through this course, we aim to expose our students to key concepts studied in the Martin-Gatton CAFE, improve students’ information literacy and communication skills, and address student success and retention to prepare them for their college experience.

We keep class sizes small, prioritize active learning and encourage student interaction. We aim to connect at-risk students with resources and pair high-performing students with enhancement opportunities.

Beyond the UK Core courses, each of our degree programs at the Martin-Gatton CAFE requires completion of a specific set of courses.

Explore Course Requirements

Become a Peer Instructor for AFE 100

Peer Instructors provide support to students as they adapt to the academic expectations of the AFE 100 curriculum and assist students in their transition to the University of Kentucky.

Apply Now

This course is open to students who have completed AFE 100: Issues in Agriculture, Food and Environment and have earned a B or higher in the course and with the consent of the instructor. Students will be selected based on an application process.

Students chosen for the Peer Instructor position will enroll in AFE 330: Peer Instruction - AFE 100.

The purpose of this course is to develop the leadership skills of Peer Instructors while enhancing the learning and success of students enrolled in AFE 100.

  • Apply leadership skills to facilitate student learning in AFE 100
  • Identify proper mentoring methods associated with a variety of student needs
  • Articulate the educational science behind chosen teaching methods
  • Examine ethical considerations toward educational practice
  • Evaluate the mentor learning process within the undergraduate classroom setting
  • Establish individualized professional growth goals and outcomes
  • Apply teaching methods during a course session
  • Reflect on teaching methods during a course session

Questions?

Center for Student Success
N6 Agricultural Science Center
1100 South Limestone
Lexington, KY 40546
859-257-3468
CAFEadvising@uky.edu