Department of Food and Resources Economics

The Department within the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences is classified as one of the social sciences, comprehensively approaching the economic issues related to agriculture and its related industries. Its goal is to cultivate key leaders in the above areas, having professional knowledge in agricultural economy. Its educational contents are focused on cultivating rational decision-making in agriculture and its related industries by applying biological knowledge and economic theory based on the independent theory system of agricultural economy. It also enhances the ability of investigation and research, correct judgment about agricultural economy and agricultural policy, as well as an ability to solve such issues.

Department of Animal Bioscience

The educational goal of the Department of Animal Bioscience is to train professionals who will play a pivotal role in the next-generation high-tech animal industry. This department aims to acquire comprehensive knowledge in the field of animal science and biotechnology including the field of animal developmental biotechnology that studies the development of cloning animals and stem cells, the field of endocrine metabolism and regulation that studies animal metabolism and intracellular signal transduction, ruminant microbial nutrition that studies the development of advanced feed using microorganisms in the rumen of animals, molecular breeding of feed crops that studies the development of functional feed crops using genetic transformation technology, and nano-milk food science and dairy microbiology that studies the development of functional dairy products through advanced dairy processing technology. In order to achieve these educational goals in the field of animal bioscience, we are developing and operating a field-adapted education system that is closely related to the industry and the theory and practice of basic studies and biotechnology for research and education.

Division of Food Science & Technology

The pursuit of enhancement, diversification, functionalization, and safety of food tends to be increased as people’s income increases and their living conditions are advanced with the rapid development of the national economy of South Korea, resulting in a surge in demand for processed food. Food engineering is a field that approaches the dietary life of humankind from an engineering angle. In other words, the field of engineering seeks improvement of dietary life to enable the supply of high-quality food by developing new food resources and sanitary and industrial processing technologies for food, which will eventually contribute to the health and happiness of mankind. The faculty in the Department teaches basic theories and professional knowledge essentially required for producing, processing, and consuming agricultural, livestock, and marine products. The graduates from the Department are active as researchers, engineers, managers, or leaders in the aforementioned areas.
The Department wishes its students to undertake the following missions in the era of bioengineering: To develop new technology of bioengineering in the promotion of people’s health and welfare and to solve the problem of food shortage, resource depletion, and environmental pollution through the development of high value-added food materials using cutting-edge technology. In order to achieve such educational goals of the Department, the students study the development of functional and economical microorganisms, basic and applied engineering, and cutting-edge subjects required for developing food materials of high quality and high value. The educational goal of the Department is focused on cultivating talented engineers involved in the food industry and related fields such as life, environment, management, and information technology according to the quantitative and qualitative development of food industries in line with the changes in food consumption tendency of the people with improved living standards. In order to achieve such goals, the teaching staff of the Department guides its students to have more systematic and professional knowledge focusing on the relevant subjects through theory, experiments, and practice.

Department of Horticulture

The faculty in the Department researches and educates theories and technologies on the propagation, cultivation, production, post-harvest treatment and control of horticulture cultivation facilities. In addition to the above subjects, the teaching staff of the Department studies and educates theories and technologies on living horticulture, the living environment, flower design study, and gardening botany. The educational goal of the Department is set to foster professional horticulture personnel who can supply high-quality fresh horticultural products ( vegetables and fruits) for edible use, build beautiful and pleasant indoor and outdoor environments, and make contributions in developing an affluent society. The Department provides labs for fruit horticultural science, crop physiology, vegetable horticulture, horticultural products storage, flower horticulture science, plant tissue cultivation science, horticulture crop thremmatology, seed-gathering science, greenhouse horticulture science, gardening botany, and gardening science. The greenhouse horticulture was designated as a specialized research subject, and the university was chosen as an academic foothold for it by the Ministry of Education. Currently, the Ministry of Food, Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries supports the university in operating the Agricultural Meister College and also in sponsoring the Rural Development Administration and Gyeongnam Agricultural Promotion Agency in a Specialized Project with paprika, rose, chrysanthemum and sweet persimmon.

Division of Animal Science

The Department offers courses in basic and cutting-edge subjects including breeding techniques, genetic engineering, animal breeding, scientific breeding management, efficient production and added value of animal proteins such as eggs and meat, eco-friendly animal husbandry and animal welfare using cutting edge biotechnology. As a result of efforts for more substantial education based on various student educational programs, more than 75% of the graduates of the Department are employed upon graduation, and more than 80% of them are employed in fields related to their major.
In addition, in order to improve field practice ability, the Department is actively engaging in industry-academic-research exchanges to satisfy industry requirements. Its capabilities were recognized as the best in South Korea in agricultural science (area of animals) by the Joongangilbo newspaper in 2008.
Fields of Employment and Career Paths for Graduates The students find employment in the fields of bioscience and stock raising related to public corporations and private enterprises. When they want more professional research and education, they may proceed to domestic and foreign graduate schools. For the past five years, the graduate career path has produced many graduates in the areas of fodder production, sales management, pharmaceuticals and animal drugs, livestock processing companies, government research institutes such as the National Institute of Animal Science, livestock officials, livestock-related associations and public enterprises. Bioscience and animal husbandry sites will require more competent human resources in the field.

Department of Forest Environmental Resources

The Department provides studies in the theory and practice of applied sciences about forest resources, timber, and forest products to achieve an affluent life for mankind, making use of ecologically sound production and control of the forest resources that are the renewable vital resources in an environmental era in which carbon emission rights are traded. In this regard, the Department provides diversified studies about the forest resources that give great help to our human life, ranging from secondary to tertiary industries with the goal of fostering future-oriented professional personnel who will make contributions to the development of the nation and people’s welfare. The studies include the following: furniture, musical instruments, timber houses, the manufacture of pulp and paper using timber and wooden materials like plywood, lamination wood, debarking and chipping boards, fiberboards, forest sceneries, and recreational facilities.
The forest environmental resources science is an applied subject to study the environment and bio industry, efficiently forming and using forest resources, establishing sound forest ecology by preventing diseases, pests, and landslides to enhance the value and function of the forest and environmental resources. The following are the areas of research and study in the Department: production and management of forest resources, development of gene resources, breeding of plants, afforestation, protection of ecology and forest environments, forest environment preserving engineering, forest recreation, landscaping, and purification of air and water. Majoring in forest environmental resources science is very promising in solving global environmental issues and improving the quality of life of mankind.
Accordingly, the educational target of the Department is to foster professional and future-oriented forestry workers who will not only contribute to the economic development of the nation but also devote themselves to national welfare for the purpose of national land conservation, living environment conservation, and promotion of public functions including health and recreation.

Department of Agronomy

The educational goal of the department is to study the subjects required for developing and producing useful plant resources and food resources which are essential for our living. Accordingly, theoretical study and application methods of improving crops, developing producing technology, agriculture climate, soil, weeds, disease and insect control and environment are the main subjects of the department to foster the experts who can lead the agricultural biosciences in the future.

The educational course of the department consists of an intensive course dealing with the hereditary-cultivating environment-cultivating skill of crops based on the academic ground focused on the basic and the applied science courses. The students carry out the courses properly arranged, keeping the theory, experiment and practice balanced. Furthermore, curriculum and non-curriculum is provided organically for them to experience the process of cultivating crops. Finally, debating and presenting classes enable them to share their own knowledge and experience with their mates to grow as creative and pioneering persons that can make contributions to the development of future agricultural industries of Korea and the world.
Those who studied the agricultural sciences may find their jobs in the following areas: researcher at the Rural Development Administration, agricultural service worker, research institute related to agriculture, civil servant of agricultural administrative agency, quality controller at the national agricultural products quality control agency, school teacher, seed-fertilizer-crop protecting companies, golf course, agricultural cooperative association, agricultural products inspection office, plant quarantine office, agricultural material office, international research institute like FAO or IRRI, self-farming, overseas agricultural development project and graduate school at GNU and abroad.

Department of Smart Agro-industries

The Department of Smart Agro-industries was established in 2021 to foster next-generation agronomists equipped with a broad agricultural science background and practical skills in farming and agricultural processing/distribution. Our department aims to contribute to the various fields of agro-industries and to provide solutions to global challenges, such as climate change. We offer a program that has continually integrated knowledge and technologies for intelligent farming and sustainable food systems and supply chains that connect producers with consumers. The areas of emphasis include effective management of food crops (e.g., rice), industrial crops, industrial insects and agricultural environments, digital agriculture, and agroecosystem modeling. Eventually, we want to achieve better understanding of environmental, economic, and social aspects across various agro-industrial fields.

Department of Plant Medicine

The 21st century farming industry sets its area not only in the simple production of agricultural products but also in the cultivation of the environment. Each country imposes stricter regulations on importing agricultural products owing to the diseases and pests brought in with them and thus, the necessity to control disease, pests, and weeds more efficiently becomes more urgent.
The Department lectures on the theories of basic classification, physiology, and ecology related to these diseases, pests, and weeds. The students learn and experience the theories through various experiments and tests. In addition, they study basic principles and concepts about biological, chemical, and genetic methodologies to control diseases, pests, and weeds efficiently. Its curricula involving experimentation are as follows: plant mycology, insect taxonomy, plant bacteriology, insect ecology, applied biochemistry, insect physiology, and weed control.
In addition, the Department operates seven labs to investigate and analyze the status of occurrence of plant diseases and inspections in the country, providing local communities with such information and results. In addition, the Department pioneers new domains of knowledge through computer modeling, such as molecular genetics, physiological and ecological research, and pest control as well as other subjects. The graduates from the Department are active in the following positions and areas:
Researcher in Rural Development Administration, agricultural service worker, researcher in a research institute related to agriculture, civil servant of an agricultural administrative agency, school teacher, companies related to seeds, fertilizers, and agricultural pesticides, golf courses, agricultural cooperative associations, agricultural and livestock products quarantine offices. inspection offices, and plant quarantine offices.

Department of Applied Life Chemistry

The Department of Applied Life Chemistry, formerly the Department of Agricultural Chemistry, was established in 1963 and is leading the development of chemical and biological-based source technology and industrialization technology in the field of agricultural industry. Graduates from this department have moved on to careers in industries related to food, pesticides, soil, fertilizer, agricultural environment, biotechnology, natural products, and related national and public research institutes, among others, and are contributing greatly to the development of the agriculture biotechnology industry.
To reflect the changing needs of agricultural businesses and the new social issues brought about by the dawn of the 4th industrial revolution in the 21st century, the name of the department was changed from the Department of Agricultural Chemistry to the Department of Applied Life Chemistry. The Department of Applied Life Chemistry offers a variety of educational and research programs, specializing its academic fields into bio-industry and environmental industry.
The field of Bio Technology (BT) is subdivided into biochemistry, applied microbiology, molecular biology, food and pharmaceutical materials and natural product chemistry, while the field of Environmental Technology (ET) is subdivided into agrochemicals, agro-environmental sciences, soil sciences and fertilizer sciences. In this regard, we are maintaining a world-class level of research into microbial metabolic engineering, functional crop development, bio-food and pharmaceutical materials development, environmental restoration system development, global warming response technology development, and eco-friendly nutrient management technology development.

Department of Environmental Material Science

The Department offers studies on how to produce, control, and use forest resources which are renewable life resources, in the 21st century environmental era where carbon emission rights are traded. It is an applied science seeking the theory and practice about forest resources, timber, and forest products aiming at the affluent life of mankind. In this regard, the Department provides diversified studies about forest resources that have given great help to our human life, ranging from secondary to tertiary industries with the goal of fostering future-oriented professional personnel who will make contributions in national development and national welfare. The studies include the following: furniture, musical instruments, timber houses, pulp and paper making, use of timber and wooden materials such as plywood, laminated wood, debarking and chipping boards, fiberboard, forest sceneries, and recreational facilities.
The importance of the Department in studying the natural and chemical fields of timber and forest products is gradually increasing with the development of modern cutting-edge industries. It deals with basic sciences such as physics, chemistry, biology, and chemical engineering required for the production and manufacture of forest products in a reasonable way.
In addition, the Department offers studies in methodology using timber resources most rationally and fosters talented human resources with leading personalities and creative abilities to make contributions in the development of the country and society.

Department of Bioindustrial Mechanical Engineering

The Department combines theory and applied technology to design, produce, and use machinery and equipment related to bioindustrial production, processing, and storage such as agricultural, livestock, and forest products including food by grafting the knowledge of engineering and agricultural bioengineering. It seeks to improve agricultural and biological resources, the environment, and their economic feasibility.
The major fields of study are divided into agricultural working machinery, agricultural power and energy, agricultural products processing machinery, the roles of agricultural environment, facilities, new technologies, and information processing that are increasing. Students are awarded bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees in the engineering science field.
Major curricula of the Department are agricultural power and energy, biological production machinery, and biological processing system engineering. The students should complete dynamics-related subjects, CAD, graphics, image information processing including computer applied skills and control and instrumentation, electric electronics, and robotics. In this regard, the Department educates students about overall mechanical engineering using biological engineering knowledge, which enables the graduates to broaden their opportunities in advancing into the business world.

Department of Agricultural Engineering

The Department deals with applied studies (agricultural engineering) for efficient use of land resources in non-urban areas and improvement of people’s quality of life. Its goal is to foster professional manpower to develop and manage agricultural production, rural life, and environment in efficient and eco-friendly ways. The curricula provided by the Department are: Agricultural facilities and energy, irrigation and drainage, agricultural civil engineering, water resources development and control, rural policy and planning, climate change, and disaster prevention. The Department operates a specialized lecture track system incorporating theory with practical training in an interdisciplinary program to foster creative engineers in preparation for the future of agriculture.

Major in P&P Chemical Engineering (Convergence Study)

This Major was established in 2019 under the agreement with Moolim P&P Co., Ltd., in order to supply the company with professional personnel for pulp and chemical engineering as was required by the kraft pulp plant of the company. It is a convergence major of environmental material science and chemical engineering. Admission to this Major is granted to those who studied environmental material science and chemical engineering for two years. All the students in the major are given scholarships by Moolim which supports them in acquiring various licenses in forestry, chemistry, and the environment. In particular, they experience industrial environments in the second semester of their senior year through on-the-job-training with all expenses being paid. They immediately enter the kraft pulping process and papermaking process upon graduation.

Affiliated Organizations

Farm

The affiliated farm supports various research activities of professors and graduate school students and provides various materials required for their practical training and research. The farm contributes to the development and dissemination of agricultural technology fit for local characteristics through the demonstration and practicing farm. Currently, the farm consists of 22,467㎡ on the school campus, a 22,467㎡ wide farm at Daegok-myun, Jinju-si and a 47,739㎡ wide farm at Sacheon, together with 12 greenhouses totaling 47,739㎡. Each farm has modern facilities and testing equipment and materials to foster excellent agricultural specialists who can lead Korean agricultural industries. The missions include research support and training for the teaching staff and students, preservation of various materials required for studying agriculture, introduction and improvement of new cultivating technology, and development and dissemination of agricultural technology fit for regional characteristics.

Animal Breeding Farm

The animal breeding farm, 277,269㎡ wide, is located at San-31, Jungcheon-ri, Geumsan-myun, Jinju-si, Gyeongnam Province to breed dairy cows, Korean cattle, pigs, goats, and honeybees. The farm serves as an education training yard for the teaching staff and students to study livestock and animal bioscience as well as to increase productivity and disseminate relevant technology to develop local industries.

Scholarship Forest

The Scholarship Forest of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences is located at Mt. Jirisan, Namhae, Gajwa, Goseong, Masan, Jiseong, and Hadong, and its nursery field is at Wonri. Their total area reaches about 2,150 ha. The forest and nursery fields serve as a comprehensive training field for forest science education, where students can simultaneously obtain practical training about forest science and conduct academic research. The fields are also used as a venue for developing and disseminating types of plants and trees fit for the local community, investigating forest production technology and ideal forest management methods for the local residents. Selling the by-products produced while conducting experiments and training helps to increase profits. It aims to preserve the land and cultivate forest resources to improve forest productivity and to make contributions in developing the national economy.

Agricultural Science Education Center

The institute which is affiliated to the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences of Gyeongsang National University established the joint cooperation system between academic-industry-government to disseminate new knowledge and practical technology related to agriculture by way of education, training and information exchange eventually in order to secure agricultural competitiveness and prepare for internationalization of agricultural industries to make contributions to the development of the state and local society.
The Institute provides Agricultural CEO course, Female Farm Worker CEO course and School for those Returning to Farming to exchange information among the farmers and revitalize local agricultural business networks. Also the Institute operates and assists the students to perform non-curriculum educational training to be connected with the activities of experiencing agricultural business and exchange projects between urban and rural areas with the help of the experts of local agricultural business, which strengthens the capabilities of the students.