Graduate Degree Requirements
Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics
The Department offers graduate work leading to the Master of Science degree. Students may choose among
three primary tracts, the Plan A Agricultural Economics option, the Plan B Agricultural
Economics option, or the Plan B Agricultural Business option. The Plan A Agricultural
Economics option emphasizes research with any of the following focus areas:
- production economics and management
- marketing and market analysis
- resource and environmental economics
- international agriculture, and
- economic and rural development
Students pursuing the Agricultural Economics option may also pair the degree with
a second masters in Environmental and Natural Resources offered through the Helga
Otto Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources.
The Plan B Agricultural Business option offers advanced skills to students seeking
careers in the business sector. Students in this option may concentrate their coursework
and writing in management, marketing or finance.
The Department also offers a Graduate Minor in Applied Economics. This program is
for currently enrolled students in other disciplines seeking a foundation in economics
to complement their major discipline.
The following courses constitute the M.S. in Agricultural Economics core requirements
and are required of both Plan A and Plan B candidates (20 hrs)
M.S. in Agricultural Economics
CORE REQUIREMENTS
Economic Theory
- AGEC 5310 (3) – Theory of Producer Behavior
- AGEC 5630 (3) – Advanced Natural Resource Economics
- AGEC 5710 (3) – Advanced Agricultural Market Theory
- AGEC 5740 (3) – Theory of Consumer Behavior
Quantitative Methods
- AGEC 5230 (3) – Intermediate Econometric Theory
- AGEC 5320 (3) – Quantitative Methods in Agricultural Economics
Research
- AGEC 5650 (1) – Research Methods
- AGEC 5880 (1) – Advanced Seminar
M.S. in Agricultural Economics
PLAN A (Thesis)
In addition to the core requirements above, Plan A Agricultural Economics students
must complete the following degree requirements:
- Minimum of 30 credit hours including AGEC M.S. core requirements, thesis hours and
electives.
- No more than three hours of AGEC coursework numbered below 5000 count toward the 30
hour requirement.
- A minimum of four thesis hours (AGEC 5960).
- Achieve a cumulative 3.0 GPA in the AGEC M.S. core requirements.
- The student’s graduate committee, nominated by the major professor, the student and
the department head and appointed by the University, determine the final program of
study and thesis research topic.
- Participate in a meaningful teaching experience to be coordinated by the student’s
major professor.
- Presentation of research results at a formal public seminar.
- Completion of an oral examination covering the student’s thesis research administered
by the student’s graduate committee.
M.S. in Agricultural Economics
PLAN B (Non-thesis)
In addition to the core requirements above, Plan B Agricultural Economics students
must complete the following degree requirements:
- Minimum of 32 credit hours including AGEC M.S. core requirements and electives.
- No coursework numbered below 4000 can count towards the 32 hour requirement.
- Achieve a cumulative 3.0 GPA in the AGEC M.S. core requirements.
- The student’s graduate committee, nominated by the major professor, the student and
the department head and appointed by the University, determine the final program of
study and non-thesis research topic.
- Participate in a meaningful teaching experience to be coordinated by the student’s
major professor.
- Presentation of the non-thesis research paper at a formal public seminar.
- Completion of an oral examination covering the candidate’s non-thesis research paper
administered by the student’s graduate committee.
M.S. in Agricultural Economics
AGRICULTURAL BUSINESS OPTION
Students pursuing the Agricultural Business option must meet the following degree requirements:
- Minimum of 32 hours of coursework.
- Non-thesis business analysis paper accepted by the student’s graduate committee.
- Minimum of 13 credit hours of agricultural economics coursework numbered at the 5000
level are required, including:
- AGEC 5310,
- AGEC 5740,
- AGEC 5880,
- AGEC 5630 or AGEC 5710, and
- AGEC 5320 or AGEC 5230.
- In addition, students are required to complete 3 credit hours from each of the following
three areas:
- Management: AGEC 4060, 4640 or 5450; or MGT 4410, 4420, 4440, 4470, or 4520
- Marketing : AGEC 4050, 4830, 4840, 4880, or 5710, or MKT 4240, 4430, 4520, or 4540
- Finance : AGEC 4500; or FIN 4510, 4520, 4610, 4810; or ECON 4740
- Remaining credit hours will be filled with electives.
- The student’s graduate committee, nominated by the major professor, the student and
the department head and appointed by the University, determine the final program of
study and business analysis paper topic.
- Participate in a meaningful teaching experience to be coordinated by the student’s
major professor.
- Presentation of the business analysis paper at a formal public seminar.
- An internship experience is strongly encouraged as part of the agricultural business
option (AGEC 5990).
M.S. in Agricultural Economics
ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES
Students pursuing the second master’s degree in Environment and Natural Resources in addition to the M.S. in Agricultural Economics must meet the following requirements:
- Complete the 26 credit hour agricultural and applied economics M.S. core requirements
plus 15 credit hours in environment and natural resources approved courses and (at
least) 4 thesis hours. Some courses may be counted in both agricultural and applied
economics and environment and natural resources, as approved by the student’s committee
and the ENR academic advisor.
- Achieve a cumulative 3.0 GPA in the AGEC M.S. core requirements.
- The student’s graduate committee, nominated by the major professor, the student and
the department head and appointed by the University, determine the final program of
study and thesis research topic, which must be in the area of environment and natural
resources.
- Participate in a meaningful teaching experience to be coordinated by the student’s
major professor.
- Presentation of research results at a formal public seminar.
- Completion of an oral examination covering the student’s thesis research administered
by the student’s graduate committee.
M.S. in Agricultural Economics
GRADUATE MINOR in APPLIED ECONOMICS
Students pursuing the Graduate Minor in Applied Economics must meet the following degree requirements:
- Graduate standing.
- Complete 10 credit hours of 4000-5000 level Agricultural and Applied Economics approved
courses including:
- AGEC 5310 or AGEC 5740,
- AGEC 5320 or AGEC 5230, and
- AGEC 5880
- No coursework numbered below 4000 can count towards the 10 hour requirement.
