Best Universities offering graduate programs in Agricultural Economics

The MPS degree program at Cornell CALS is ideal for career-focused students interested in the thorough study of issues and advancements in the fields of life, social, and environmental sciences and agriculture.

Though similar to a Master of Science (MS) degree in its academic rigor, the MPS degree differs from a traditional MS degree in its structure and focus. An MS is research based, with students building a thesis over the course of two or three years. In contrast, the MPS degree is a one-year, course-based program where students study the intricacies and in-depth questions of their field of study. Instead of a thesis or research project, MPS students complete a capstone project during their final semester.

The graduate program in agricultural and resource economics produces outstanding researchers in development economics, environmental and energy economics, international trade, and agricultural and resource policy. Students enrolling in our doctoral program complete a rigorous course of study, including microeconomic theory (offered by the Department of Economics), econometrics, and field courses offered by ARE, the Department of Economics, and the Haas School of Business. A number of the graduate students also take doctoral-level courses in the Department of Statistics.

The Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics (ARE) at UC Davis offers a Master of Science degree focused on applied economics. The M.S. degree works great as a terminal degree that affords excellent job opportunities upon graduation or as essential preparation to do Ph.D. work. Students can choose between thesis and non-thesis options. The program can be completed in one year for students who choose the non-thesis option.

The Davis ARE M.S. degree program features strong training in microeconomic theory and econometrics, with two-course sequences in both fields. They also have M.S. courses in several applied fields, including agricultural economics, international development economics, finance, and environmental and natural resource economics.

The ACE M.S. program offers considerable flexibility. Students using the degree as a foundation for a doctorate emphasize economic theory and analytical research tools. Students seeking the terminal master's degree focus their study on the concepts and analytical techniques used by analysts and managers in industries, governments, and other organizations.

The students’ research uses economics to address important social and economic challenges. Thesis and dissertation topics include designing policies for environmental protection and resource management, evaluating international efforts to reduce poverty and hunger, and enhancing the performance of commodity and speculative markets.

Although teaching is not a general Graduate College requirement, experience in teaching is considered an important part of the graduate experience in this program and is strongly recommended for those intending to pursue an academic career.

Students admitted to the M.S. program with exceptional credentials may choose to pursue courses of study leading to transfer into the Ph.D. program. This Straight through M.S. to Ph.D. option involves taking challenging doctoral courses in the first year. Careful planning with a faculty advisor is important. Students who are accepted for transfer discontinue work toward the M.S. degree.

The Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics offers graduate degree programs leading to the master of arts, master of science, and doctor of philosophy. Long recognized as one of the top programs in the nation, the department is an active center of research and graduate training in environmental and natural resource economics, the economic development of low-income countries, agricultural economics, community economics, and more recently, resource and energy demand analysis.

Doctoral students are required to develop comprehensive proficiency in economic theory, mathematics, econometrics, and major and minor fields of concentration. In addition to the prerequisites for the master's program, doctoral applicants should also have mathematical statistics and linear algebra.

The Agricultural Education and Communication graduate programs prepare students for domestic and international teaching, research, Extension, administrative, and leadership positions in both the public and private sectors. Students can focus on agricultural communication, agricultural education, Extension education, or leadership development. Courses are taught in an agricultural and natural resources context and are broadly applicable in business, government, training/development, and agency settings.

The degrees offered are Master of Science (M.S.; thesis* and non-thesis*) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

The Master of Applied Economics (MAE) program is offered jointly by two nationally ranked departments: the Department of Economics, and the Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics.

Students will gain a variety of skills in analytical and technical evaluations to find solutions to a variety of societal challenges. Engaged faculty and corporate partnerships provide a hands-on learning environment where students can apply classroom content to real scenarios faced by organizations.

The M.S. degree program provides a foundation in economic theory, quantitative analysis, and knowledge in a particular area of agricultural and resource economics. For some students, the M.S. is their final degree; other students choose to continue on for a Ph.D. degree.

You are encouraged to select their advisory committee as early as possible. The advisory committee is made up of three graduate faculty members. The chair of the committee must be a member of the Department. Approval of the committee is required in all phases of the student requirements, from coursework to final approval of a thesis or independent study. Continued assistantship support is conditional on satisfactory progress, indicated by a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher and on acceptable performance in assistantship duties.

A Masters Degree is earned through one of three options: Plan A (Thesis), or Plan B (Major Paper or Coursework) or, under certain conditions, as a component of a Ph.D. degree program.

In the MS in Agricultural and Applied Economics program you can focus on agribusiness, marketing, management, finance, agricultural policy, trade, consumer demand, or economic development. You will learn how to address the marketing of food and fiber in an uncertain economy, financing capital investments, economic impacts of agricultural policy, and how to stimulate rural economic development. You can also select an emphasis in applied economics concentrating on methods for analyzing current problems and issues. The preparation of a thesis prepares you to address today's serious economic challenges.

A Master of Science degree in Agricultural Economics provides professional training for students seeking the skills in management, finance, real estate, entrepreneurship, marketing, policy analysis, and decision-making needed in today’s business world with a focus on the food and fiber industry. Master of Science students may choose between the thesis option and the non-thesis option.