The Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications (ALEC) is the largest of the 14 academic departments in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences with an undergraduate enrollment surpassing 1,300 students and 78 graduate students for the fall 2019 semester, 34 faculty members, and 11 degree and certificate programs.
Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications (ALEC) came into being as an official department on September 1, 2006. Many of the department’s components (Agricultural Communications and Journalism and Agricultural Science) have a long history at Texas A&M University. The name change from Agricultural Education reflected the variety of degree programs and emphasis areas in the department.
The nucleus of the department began with the Agricultural Education and Agricultural Journalism departments–both independent departments in Agriculture. Eventually, Agricultural Journalism formed the basis for what was the Journalism Department. Agricultural Education expanded to include programs Agricultural Leadership and in 2002, Agricultural Journalism joined the department.
Master’s and Doctoral graduate degree programs in Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications and Agricultural Development are among the offerings.