MS, Agricultural Economics

The Master of Science (MS) in Agricultural Economics degree provides professional training for students seeking the skills in management, marketing, policy analysis, and decision-making needed in today's business world. Job opportunities are currently found in food processing firms, commodity marketing, farm management, rural banking and credit, real estate, wholesaling, and many other areas.

MS students may choose between the thesis option (recommended for those students who plan to go on for further graduate studies) and the non-thesis option. Students who choose the MS non-thesis option take a greater number of courses.

The thesis option is recommended for those considering furthering their graduate studies or those who plan to enter careers focusing on research and analysis. This option requires a minimum of 32 hours of graduate credit, including a thesis based upon original research work. The final oral examination covers both the coursework and thesis.

Graduates with the non-thesis option have careers in Agri-Finance, real estate and appraisal, commodity trading, and management positions. This option requires a minimum of 36 credit hours. Non-thesis students must complete a professional paper that shows evidence of an ability to complete an applied research project, including defining the project's objectives, analyzing the problem, and writing the results in acceptable manuscript form.

For general program information and questions, email AE-Gradoffice@agecon.tamu.edu