Graduate Degree Course Requirements

Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station

Graduate Degree Course Requirements for Agricultural Economics

Regardless of degree track, the M.S. in agricultural economics requires 31 semester credit hours consisting of core courses and electives. A minimum cumulative grade-point average (CGPA) of 2.85 (4.00 system) must be maintained. A maximum of 6 graduate credit hours can be transferred in from other institutions. Students may enroll in senior level courses (4000) which have been approved for graduate credit. All senior level courses with the AGEC prefix are approved for graduate credit. A comprehensive exam is required of all candidates for the M.S. degree. This is an oral exam for thesis-track students and a written exam for non-thesis students.

Thesis Track, Research and Analysis Emphasis - Total Hours: 31

Thesis Track Core Courses: 22 semester credit hours

3 hrs AGEC 5303 Agricultural Marketing Theory
3 hrs AGEC 5403 Quantitative Methods for Agribusiness
3 hrs ECON 5533 Microeconomic Theory I
3 hrs ECON 5133 Mathematics for Economic Analysis
3 hrs AGEC 5613 Econometrics I
6 hrs AGEC 600V Thesis
1 hr AGEC 5011 Seminar

Thesis Track Elective Courses: 9 semester credit hours

9 hrs Any combination of courses for graduate credit in e.g., AGEC, ECON, WCOB, or Bumpers College of Agriculture, Food, and Life Sciences (AFLS) deemed appropriate by the student's advisory committee

Thesis Track: Other requirements

19 hrs Minimum number of courses in Agricultural Economics (AGEC)
9 hrs Maximum number of senior level (4000) courses which may be taken for graduate credit

Non-Thesis Track, Agribusiness Emphasis - Total Hours: 31

Non-Thesis Track Core Courses: 19 semester credit hours

3 hrs AGEC 5403 Quantitative Methods for Agribusiness
3 hrs AGEC 5413 Agribusiness Strategy
3 hrs (choose one marketing course from)
- AGEC 5303 Agricultural Marketing Theory
- AGEC 4303 Advanced Agricultural Marketing Management
3 hrs (choose one financial/management course from)
- AGEC 5143 Financial Management in Agriculture
- AGEC 4143 Agricultural Finance
- AGEC 4313 Agriculture Business Management
3 hrs (choose one public sector/policy course from)
- AGEC 5153 Economics of Agricultural Policy
- AGEC 4613 Domestic and International Agricultural Policy
- AGEC 5133 Economics of Environmental Management (even yrs)
3 hrs (choose one technical analysis course from)
- AGEC 4113 Agricultural Prices and Forecasting (odd yrs)
- AGEC 4373 Advanced Price Risk Management

Non-Thesis Track Business Electives: Choose 6 semester credit hours in the Walton College of Business

These courses are determined with the approval of the advisor

ACCT 5443 Asset Management
FINN 5303 Advanced Financial Management
FINN 5703 Multinational Business Finance
MGMT 5363 Strategic Innovation
MGMT 5383 Intra/Entrepreneurship of Technology
MKTG 5333 Retailing Strategy and Processes
MKTG 5433 Consumer and Market Research
MKTG 5533 Strategic Category Management
TLOG 5633 Business Logistic Systems
TLOG 5653 Global Logistics Strategy
TLOG 5663 Supply Chain Management
TLOG 5673 Transportation and Logistics Modeling

Non-Thesis Track Controlled Electives: Choose 6 hours from

AGEC 503V Internship in Agricultural Economics (1-3 hours)
Other Agricultural Economics Graduate Courses (AGEC)
Graduate Courses in the Walton College of Business (WCOB)
Graduate Courses from the Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food, and Life Sciences

Non-Thesis Track: Other course requirements

16 hrs Minimum number of courses in Agricultural Economics (AGEC)
9 hrs Maximum number of senior level (4000) courses which may be taken for graduate credit

Non-Thesis Track, International Agribusiness Emphasis - Total Hours: 31

Participation in this program includes a semester at the University of Arkansas and a semester at the University of Ghent in Belgium. The summer is spent completing an agribusiness internship or special problem, but enrollment remains at the host institution. UA students earn credits in AGEC 502 (V) Special Topics for courses taken at Ghent.

International Track Courses taken at University of Arkansas: 19 semester credit hours

3 hrs AGEC 5403 Quantitative Methods for Agribusiness
3 hrs AGEC 5413 Agribusiness Strategy
3 hrs (choose one marketing course from)
AGEC 5303 Agricultural Marketing Theory
AGEC 4303 Advanced Agricultural Marketing Management
3 hrs (choose one financial/management course from)
AGEC 5143 Financial Management in Agriculture
AGEC 4143 Agricultural Finance
AGEC 4313 Agriculture Business Management
3 hrs (choose one public sector/policy course from)
- AGEC 5153 Economics of Agricultural Policy
- AGEC 4613 Domestic and International Agricultural Policy
- AGEC 4413 Economics of Environmental Management (even yrs)
3 hrs (choose one technical analysis course from)
- AGEC 4113 Agricultural Prices and Forecasting (odd yrs)
- AGEC 4373 Advanced Price Risk Management
1 hr AGEC 5011 Seminar

International Track Courses taken at the University of Ghent, Belgium:
Equivalent of 12 semester hours from the following courses (4 courses):

Fall term: (from 2004-05 academic year)
- AGEC 502(3), Agricultural & Food Economics (fall)
- AGEC 502(3), Agricultural Sociology & Extension (fall)
- AGEC 502(3), Agricultural Development Project (spring, fall)
- AGEC 502(3), Food Management and Marketing (fall)
- AGEC 502(3), Economics and Management of Natural Resources (fall)
Spring term: (from 2004-05 academic year)
- AGEC 502(3), Farm Management (spring)
- AGEC 502(3), Project Management (spring)
- AGEC 502(3), Agricultural and Rural Policy (spring)
- AGEC 502(3), Human Development Economics (spring)
- AGEC 502(3), Agricultural Economy of Developing Countries (spring)
- AGEC 502(3), Research Methods in Agricultural Economics (spring)
- AGEC 502(3), Applied Agro-marketing and Consumer Behavior (spring)
- AGEC 502(3), Agricultural Development Project (spring, fall)

Non-Thesis International Track: Other course requirements

16 hrs Minimum credit hours in Agricultural Economics (AGEC)
9 hrs Maximum senior level (4000) hours which may be taken for graduate credit

Ghent University Exchange Student Guide 2006-07

University of Ghent web site

University of Ghent, course catalog, 2006-07

Univ of Ghent, course descriptions for agricultural development

Univ of Ghent, course descriptions for economics and management of natural resources

Joint Master of Law in Agricultural Law and M.S. in Agricultural Economics

Because of the close complementarities in the study of agricultural law and agricultural economics, a student with a law degree (J.D. or L.L.B.) can obtain both an LL.M. in agricultural law and an M.S. in agricultural economics in fewer courses than if they were to take both programs separately. Although the joint program is designed for students to take the M.S. non-thesis agribusiness track, the thesis track could be selected with proper petitioning and approval of the faculty.

Four courses (12 semester credit hours) count for credit towards both programs, thus saving a semester’s time in comparison to doing both programs individually. The joint courses are:

3 hrs LAW 7763 Agricultural Finance and Credit
3 hrs AGEC 5153 Economics of Agricultural Policy
3 hrs AGEC 5163 Agricultural and Rural Development
3 hrs (choose one of)
- LAW 7723 International Agricultural Transactions
- LAW 7773 Water Law
- LAW 7883 Agricultural Tax Planning

In addition to taking the four courses, the student must also fulfill the other requirements of both programs. For the M.S. in Agricultural Economics, the student would be required to take six additional courses (18 hours) plus a one hour seminar course. The six courses would be chosen to satisfy the requirements for the agribusiness non-thesis concentration in addition to the four courses that count in both the L.L.M. and M.S. programs.

Application must be made to the Law School directly for their portion of the program.

University of Arkansas
School of Law, Admissions
Waterman Hall 107
Fayetteville, AR 72701

University of Arkansas School of Law