This term describes the 100% distance education graduate program in Agricultural Education offered by North Carolina State University. This degree program is designed for agricultural teachers, extension agents and other professionals in agriculture who are involved in education in either formal or informal settings. 

The Department of Agricultural and Extension Education at NC State realizes the world has changed and will continue to change in the future. With the use of technology, it is now possible to deliver education to the student no matter where the student is physically located. Progressive universities no longer believe that education resides in a specific building on a college campus and students must physically show up at that building to receive a graduate education.

“All students have access to seamless, lifelong instruction in agriculture, food, fiber and natural resources systems through a wide variety of delivery methods and educational settings.” This is one of the four goals contained in Reinventing Agricultural Education for the Year 2020. The GRAEDE program is an exemplary model of the implementation of this goal. 

Agricultural and extension education faculty at a variety of universities have contributed to the development of the courses in the GRAEDE program. The universities that have been involved in GRAEDE course development include the University of Arizona, Cornell University, University of Delaware, Fort Valley State University, Mississippi State University, University of Missouri, Purdue University, Texas Tech University, Utah State University, Washington State University, Wayne State University and West Virginia University.