Advanced study leading to the master of science degree in the field of agricultural economics prepares students for such professional careers as (1) commodity outlook analyst/ trader, (2) management specialist in business firms, (3) loan analyst or bank officer, (4) government planner, (5) economic analyst or research coordinator in various branches of local, state, and federal governments, (6) market analyst, (7) strategic planner, (8) international marketing manager, (9) business forecasting specialist, and (10) research analyst or extension specialist at land-grant universities and agricultural colleges.
Three alternatives exist for satisfying requirements for the M.S. degree: (1) 30 credit hours, including six credit hours for a thesis; (2) 32 credit hours, including two credit hours for a formal report; and (3) 33 credit hours of course work and an informal report. Students holding an assistantship are required to write a thesis.
The primary opportunity for differentiation and specialization by the M.S. degree student on assistantship is through development of a research project and choice of electives. Students not writing a thesis will have more hours of electives and will be able to specialize through their selection of courses.
The candidate's ability to understand the concepts and to use the tools of the agricultural economist are more important than mastery of factual details. Students must take a final oral examination. This examination tests the student's understanding of economic principles and methods, as well as their application to real-world situations.
The core requirements for M.S. degree candidates assure breadth and competence in key areas of knowledge and professional activity. The following courses constitute the core of the general M.S. program:
AGEC 5101
Research Methodology (required for thesis students only)
AGEC 5103
Mathematical Economics
AGEC 5403
Production Economics or
ECON 5133
Macroeconomic Theory I
+ 6 hrs from:
STAT 4043
Applied Regression Analysis or ECON 4213 Econometric Methods
AGEC 5213
Econometric Methods
AGEC 5113
Applications of Mathematical Programming
The above courses are preferred, but the following substitutions are permissible:
ECON 5123
Microeconomic Theory I for AGEC 5103
ECON 5243
Econometrics I for AGEC 5213
Six additional hours in agricultural economics at the 5000 or 6000 level (exclusive of AGEC 5000) are required, with a minimum of 3 hours in marketing or prices. A total of 21 credit hours at 5000 and 6000 level is required.
The department encourages M.S. degree candidates to broaden their training by taking courses in fields related to or in support of agricultural economics. Electives in such fields as economics, statistics, accounting, public finance, marketing, management, agronomy, animal science, forestry, horticulture, operations research, mathematics, sociology, and philosophy may be selected to complete the student's program, illustrating the flexibility of M.S. degree programs in agricultural economics.
Students should consider the following courses as they choose electives. However, the student should select courses that best fit his or her goals in consultation with his or her advisory committee.
AGEC 5203
Advanced Agricultural Prices
AGEC 5303
Agricultural Market Policy and Organization
AGEC 5503
Economics of Natural and Environmental Resource Policy
The agribusiness specialization is designed to insure development of analytical skills and the capacity to cope with a broad expanse of agribusiness-oriented problems and decision situations. The agribusiness specialization is noted on the student's transcript. The elective courses are:
The international agricultural development emphasis is designed to prepare students for positions as (1) agricultural program advisors in international development organizations, (2) rural project and area administrators in foreign governments, (3) technical personnel in national and regional planning agencies for agricultural development, and (4) foreign agricultural experts in private corporations. The elective courses are:
Plans of study are customized to meet the needs of the student. The student prepares the plan with input from the student's advisor and advisory committee. All members of the advisory committee and the department head must sign the plan. A typical M.S. plan of study includes eight three-hour courses, a one-hour research methodology course, and six hours for the thesis research. The following sketch of courses is provided as an example:
M.S. Thesis, Formal Report or Informal Report, and Final Examination
Any student working on a thesis should obtain a copy of the Thesis and Dissertation Manual, (available by following this link) published by and available from the Graduate College. A thesis must conform to the format specifications set forth in this manual. The style of the document is to be determined by the Academic Advisory Committee and should be reflective of publications in the student's discipline.
After completing the research, the student prepares a complete and legible final draft of the proposed thesis or report and submits a copy to each member of the examining committee. Theses and formal reports must be signed by the advisor and be submitted to the Graduate College no later than the stated deadline date.
If the thesis or report (formal or informal) option is used, the student arranges with the major department for the final examination after the draft copy of the thesis or report has been filed at the Graduate College and/or distributed as described in the preceding section.
The final examination is primarily a defense of the thesis or report. If the defense is judged inadequate, a decision on whether to permit re-examination will be made by the Academic Advisory Committee. Examinations are open to all members of the graduate faculty, and may be attended by anyone else who obtains the permission of the committee.
The committee will notify the Graduate College immediately of results of the final examination. Following satisfactory completion of the final examination, the candidate will make changes in the thesis or report as required by the committee and by the Graduate College, and submit it in final form signed by the committee to the Graduate College.
A draft of a publication from the thesis must be submitted to your major professor before the final draft is signed.
