CAREER FOCUS
Agriculture in Your Future
ABOUT
The Department of Agricultural Economics
offers a degree program leading to the Master of
Science in Agriculture with a concentration in
Agricultural Economics. This program stresses
thorough mastery of advanced economic theory,
methods of quantitative analysis, and the
applications of these methods to the problems of
agriculture. The broad program of economic
research conducted by the department affords a
wide selection of areas from which the student
may choose a specific problem for research.
Graduates are qualified to enter a wide variety of
careers in both the public and private sectors.
Recent graduates are employed by agribusiness
firms, federal and state agencies, interest groups,
and non-governmental organizations. M.S.
graduates are also qualified to enter Ph.D.
programs in Agriculture or Applied Economics
Students must successfully complete all 26
hours of required coursework in the program of
study. In addition, students must complete at
least 6 hours of thesis research credit. The thesis
is completed under the supervision of the
student’s graduate committee. Completion of the
degree requires students to present and defend
their research work to the satisfaction of the
Agricultural Economics faculty.
Students must begin graduate coursework in the
fall semester; thus, the student must submit
application materials prior to July 1. However,
graduate research assistantship decisions are
usually made in March, and admission to the
program must be obtained before an
assistantship may be granted. Students are
encouraged to apply no later than February.
RESEARCH
Thesis research is a significant component of the
Master of Science degree. While completing
most coursework in the first year, students learn
research methods and identify an appropriate
research topic for the thesis. Each student works
closely with a major professor and other faculty
through an advisory committee to develop the
research problem addressed by the thesis. Many
topics are available for thesis research, including
such as areas as production agriculture, policy
analysis, and resource use.
CAREERS
Students completing the Master of Science
degree will have the opportunity to pursue
positions with employers in a number of areas.
Department of Agricultural Economics students
will also be prepared to pursue a Ph.D. degree in
agricultural economics. The analytical and
communications skills the degree provides are
sought by private firms and government
agencies for jobs that deal with some of the most
challenging issues facing agriculture, our
environment and natural resources.