Grow your prospects!

A vast cornfield stretching off into the distance representing the growth of students in our Agricultural & Applied Economics masters program

Agricultral & Applied Economics

The Department embraces three missions: The first and most important is education of students on campus. The second is educational outreach to the people and communities of the state. The third is solving problems in agricultural and rural economies through our research programs. The melding of these three missions  produces a vital and synergistic graduate program. We believe you will agree as you investigate our department in greater depth.

Our Masters of Science in Agricultural and Applied Economics is oriented toward those who wish to enter the work-force upon completion but also serves as excellent preparation for Ph.D. programs. Employment opportunities have been excellent for our Masters graduates.

About a third of our resources are dedicated to applied and basic research. A strength of our research program is the extensive interaction of our faculty with other colleagues in the life sciences and on multidisciplinary research teams. Our faculty are working for solutions to some of the most complex agricultural, natural  resource, and policy problems of today. We are working on better ways for agriculture to be more profitable and enhance the environment, improving the management and conservation of water and wildlife, and discovering ways rural communities can improve their economies--just to name a few.

Before emailing questions regarding applications we request that you thoroughly read this page, including the FAQs near the bottom!

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Application packets for Fall entry are due no later than February 1st.

NOTE: We DO NOT pre-screen applicants--you MUST fill out and official UW online application.

All students:

  • Successful completion of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.  If bachelor’s is earned from a non-accredited or international institution, a transcript evaluation will be completed by the University of Wyoming to determine if the degree is acceptable.
  • Evidence of successful completion (with a grade of B or better) of at least one course (or equivalent) in each of the following areas:
    • Intermediate microeconomics: an advanced course on the theory of demand, production, cost and supply, and the theory of the firm, including market price under monopoly, monopolistic competition and oligopoly. Course should include the use of calculus.
    • Statistics or Econometrics: a course that covers central ideas and fundamental techniques of statistical inference, including probability models and inferences for means and variances, simple and multiple regression models, problems of estimation, and hypothesis and diagnostic testing.
    • Calculus: a course that covers plane analytic geometry, differentiation, applications of the derivative, differential equations, integration and applications.
  • A cumulative minimum grade point average of 3.0 (A = 4.0) on previous coursework.

International students, in addition to the requirements above, must also meet the following requirements:

  • A minimum Official Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score of 540 on the written exam or 76 on the internet-based exam; UW will also accept a minimum score of 6.0 on the IETLS exam or certification of level 112 ELS completion in lieu of the TOEFL requirements.
  • Unofficial TOEFL/IELTS scores are acceptable for consideration by the Department of Agricultural & Applied Economics
  • Official TOEFL/IELTS scores will be required by the Office of Admissions if the department recommends you for admission.
  • More information on English language proficiciency requirements is available here: https://www.uwyo.edu/admissions/international/english-alternatives.html

APPLICATION PROCESS

Department Requirements

You will need to upload several documents through your official UW online application portal to be considered for department approval; We cannot accept materials via email or shared drive.

Applicants will be admitted under specific faculty research projects. We strive to post available projects by November 1 each year, but more projects may be added between November 1 and February 1 if additional funding is obtained – so we recommend watching this website and not finalizing your application too early. Please do not contact individual faculty members about their projects. The graduate admissions committee will review all applications and then forward top applicants to each faculty member.  Please focus your application materials to the project(s) you are most interested in as described below.

The Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics requires:

  • Resume or CV
  • Statement of Purpose
    • Your statement of purpose should include which faculty projects you would prefer to work on (maximum of 2) and why you believe you are a good fit for both the overall program and the specific faculty project(s).
    • In your statement of interest, please identify which course(s) on your transcript correspond to each of the above prerequisites. You are welcome to provide more information on your educational path and provide context for any transcript irregularities.
  • Academic or Professional References
    • Submit the names and contact information for three academic or professional references.  Your references will then be contacted directly by UW Admissions, and will be directed to submit the recommendation online. We do not accept references via email.
  • Transcript(s)
    • Unofficial transcripts from all institutions attended are required for consideration to our program; official transcripts will be required by the Office of Admissions if you are recommended for admission.

University Requirements

All students:

  • Official transcripts will be required by the Office of Admissions if you are recommended with a Departmental Approval.

International students, in addition to the requirements above, must also meet the following requirements:

  • A minimum Official Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score of 540 on the written exam or 76 on the internet-based exam; UW will also accept a minimum score of 6.0 on the IETLS exam or certification of level 112 ELS completion in lieu of the TOEFL requirements.
  • Unofficial TOEFL/IELTS scores are acceptable for consideration by the Department of Agricultural & Applied Economics
  • Official TOEFL/IELTS scores will be required after acceptance by the Office of Admissions
  • (More information is available here: https://www.uwyo.edu/admissions/international/english-alternatives.html)

GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIPS

All applicants to the program are considered for a graduate assistantship; there is not a separate application procedure, and as such, the deadline is the same as your application to the program, February 1st. You are NOT REQUIRED to reach out to individual faculty members during the application process, but priority consideration is given to applicants who have researched the department's objectives and possess research interests that match available funded projects. An extended overview of the benefits and duties of Graduate Assistantships can be found on the website for the Office of Graduate Education: https://www.uwyo.edu/uwgrad/enrolled-students/financial-assistance/assistantship-funding.html

three agricultural economics graduate students talking about presenting their theses

Graduate Applications FAQ

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No. The university does not grant applications fee waivers.

No, you do not need to identify a professor before applying.  We consider all applicants on a competitive basis, and then match admitted students with faculty based on interests and career goals.

While our department accepts many applicants into our program every year, Graduate Assistantships are highly competitive opportunities for driven and ambitious applicants. All potential students that are offered a spot in our program are considered for Graduate Assistantships; there is no additional application required. 

We no longer accept applications for spring admission.

An applicant whose native language is English and is a citizen of one of the following countries or has earned a university level degree from a school in one of the following countries may be exempt from providing additional proof of English proficiency: Antigua & Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Belize, Bermuda, Canada (all provinces except Quebec), Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, New Zealand, Nigeria, Singapore, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia Dominica, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago, United Kingdom, and the United States.

Please visit https://www.uwyo.edu/admissions/international/english-alternatives.html for a full list of options for satisfying the English proficiency testing requirement.

Our admissions committee begins reviewing applications in February for the following Fall’s admission.  We strive to have decisions finalized by mid-march at the latest.  Please note that the Council of Graduate Schools, to which most US universities belong, stipulates that students are under no obligation to respond to offers of financial support prior to April 15 (CGS Resolution). This is to ensure that applicants have enough time to carefully consider all their options.

STUDENT ADMISSIONS @ UW

Find more answers here!

What you can find:

  • Required documents, post-acceptance
  • Procedures for submitting required documents
  • Contact information
  • "Next Steps" after full admission
  • Additional links to other necessary Admissions-related departments

GRADUATE EDUCATION @ UW

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What you can find:

  • Information on Graduate Assistantships
  • Forms and petitions for graduate students
  • Degree timelines
  • Rules and regulations for graduate students at UW
  • Contact information for the School of Graduate Education

SCHOLARSHIPS & FINANCIAL AID @ UW

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What you can find:

  • Tuition and Fees
  • Scholarships
  • Alternative funding sources
  • Contact information
  • Funding FAQs

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS @ UW

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What you can find:

  • Forms and Petitions
  • More information regarding TOEFL/IELTS
  • Arrival resources
  • Visa/OPT/CPT information
  • Housing information

WHAT TO DO IN WYOMING

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What you can find:

  • City of Laramie
  • Visitor's Guide to Laramie
  • Things to do in Laramie
  • Campus Tour
  • Campus Maps