Graduate Courses
View the graduate course number and descriptions below.
- AGEC 5000 – Master's Thesis or Report
For students working on a M.S. degree in agricultural economics. Independent research and thesis under the direction and supervision of a major professor.
- Credit Hours: 1 to 6 credits, maximum of 6
- Prerequisites: None
- Semesters: Fall
- AGEC 5010 – Professional Experience in Agricultural Economics or Agribusiness
Supervised professional experience with approved public and private employers in agricultural economics or agribusiness. Designed for Master of Agriculture program. Graded on pass-fail basis.
- Credit Hours: 1 to 6 credits, maximum 6
- Prerequisites: Approval of internship committee and adviser
- Semesters: Fall - Rodney Holcomb
- AGEC 5013 – Advanced Quantitative Methods in Agricultural Economics
Quantitative analysis of agricultural production and markets including risk and uncertainty. Introduction to simulation. Development of statistical and software skills. Written presentation of an analysis of data. May not be used for degree credit with AGEC 4213.
- Credit hours: 3
- Prerequisites: AGEC 3333 and (MATH 2103 or MATH 2123 or MATH 2144)
- Semesters: Fall – Elizabeth Norwood
- AGEC 5023 – Quantitative Supply Chain Management in Agribusiness
Challenge in food supply chain management. Tools to solve logistics problems including traveling salesperson, vehicle routing, and distribution center problems. Forecasting sales and queuing theory. Introduction to specialized software used in supply chain management. May not be used for degree credit with AGEC 4223.
- Credit hours: 3
- Prerequisites: AGEC 3213 and (MATH 2103 or MATH 2123 or MATH 2144)
- Semesters: Spring – Bailey Norwood
- AGEC 5033 – Commodity Futures Markets
The economics of commodity futures markets. The vocabulary of futures markets and the mechanics of trading and hedging. Basis and producer marketing strategies. Fundamental analysis and statistical analysis of data. Technical analysis, behavioral finance, efficient market hypothesis and basics of option pricing. May not be used for degree credit with AGEC 4333.
- Credit hours: 3
- Prerequisites: AGEC 3213 and AGEC 3333
- Semesters: Fall and Spring – John Michael Riley
- AGEC 5043 – Advanced Farm and Ranch Management
The development of problem solving and risk management skills needed on the modern farm or ranch. Use of spreadsheets to perform production planning and analysis of farm and ranch problems with linear programming, simulations, and other tools. Analysis of the acquisition of resources and the use of information systems in managing the individual farm or ranch business. May not be used for Degree Credit with AGEC 4403.
- Credit hours: 3
- Prerequisites: AGEC 3603 or concurrent
- Semesters: Spring – Rodney Jones
- AGEC 5053 – Environmental Economics and Resource Development
Economic, social, and political factors relating to conservation, natural resource development, and environmental quality. Valuation of priced and non-priced natural and environmental resources. Analysis of environmental and natural resource policy and the role of public and private agencies in conservation and development. May not be used for degree credit with AGEC 4503.
- Credit hours: 3
- Prerequisites: AGEC 3503 or ECON 3023 or ECON 3113 or consent of instructor.
- Semesters: Fall - Lixia Lambert
- AGEC 5073 – Rural Economics Development
Concepts, theories, and applications of regional and community economics, including the theories of economic development, analytic techniques, infrastructure and community services, targeted development and associated policies. Focus on domestic rural areas. May not be used for degree credit with AGEC 4723.
- Credit hours: 3
- Prerequisites: AGEC 3213
- Semesters: Spring – Brian Whitacre
- AGEC 5101 – Research Methodology
Using the scientific method to solve problems related to agriculture. Preparation of a thesis proposal required.
- Credit Hours: 1 credit
- Prerequisites: Selection of a thesis adviser and a thesis topic
- Semesters: Spring - Dayton M. Lambert
- AGEC 5103 – Mathematical Economics
Mathematical tools necessary for formulation and application of economic theory and economic models.
- Credit Hours: 3 credits
- Prerequisites: Differential Calculus and Econ 3113
- Semesters: Fall - Eric DeVuyst
- AGEC 5113 – Application of Mathematical Programming
The application of concepts and principles of linear and nonlinear programming techniques to agricultural problems.
- Credit Hours: 3 credits
- Prerequisites: None
- Semesters: Fall - Eric DeVuyst
- AGEC 5203 – Advanced Agricultural Prices (odd years)
Demand and price structures, price discovery, time series and agricultural price research methods.
- Credit Hours: 3 credits
- Prerequisites: STAT 4043, AGEC 5103
- Semesters: Spring - Chanjin Chung
- AGEC 5213 – Econometric Methods
Application of econometric techniques to agricultural economic problems, theory and estimation of structural economic parameters.
- Credit Hours: 3 credits
- Prerequisites: AGEC 5103 and ECON 4213 or STAT 4043
- Semesters: Spring - Chanjin Chung
- AGEC 5233 – Primary Data Analysis in Economics Research
Development and analysis of surveys and experiments designed to collect primary data for economic research. Basics of survey and experimental design, survey delivery, and sampling. Methods, economics, and econometrics of valuation methods including contingent valuation, experimental auctions, factor analysis, cluster analysis, and structural equations modeling, including limited dependent models such as the logit, probit, ordered probit, multinomial logit, tobit and interval censored regression.
- Credit Hours: 3 credits
- Prerequisites: The course is designed to be accessible to M.S. and Ph.D. students who are taking or have completed AGEC 5213 or ECON 5243 or with concurrent enrollment
- Semesters: Spring - Dayton M. Lambert
- AGEC 5303 – Agricultural Market Policy and Organization
Role of markets in the food system; Price variation across space, time, and form; Structure, conduct and performance of agricultural industries; interregional trade theory; and government policies that influence decisions.
- Credit Hours: 3 credit
- Prerequisites: ECON 3112, MATH 2103 or 2144, and STAT 2023 or equivalent
- Semesters: Fall - Aleks Schaefer
- AGEC 5343 – International Agricultural Markets and Trade (even years)
International Agricultural Policy and Development (even years) Contemporary international agricultural trade theory and applications. Broaden students' understanding of contemporary cultural and economic issues outside the U.S. that affect global demand. Gains from trade and the theory of comparative advantage. No credit for students with credit in AGEC 4343.
- Credit Hours: 3 credits
- Prerequisites: None
- Semesters: Fall - Bhawna Thapa
- AGEC 5403 – Production Economics
Analysis of mcro static production economics problems; factor-product, factor-factor and product-product relationships; functional forms for technical unit and aggregate production functions; maximizing and minimizing choice rules; firm cost structure; scale relationships.
- Credit Hours: 3 credits
- Prerequisites: AGEC 5103
- Semesters: Spring - Eric DeVuyst
- Credit Hours: 3 credits
- AGEC 5423 – Agribusiness Management
Application of quantitative analysis to the evaluation of business plans for agribusiness firms. Preparation of business plans including mission statements, financial analyses, marketing plans, personnel, and organization requirements of the firm, production and operations plans as well as a contingency plan. Analysis of risk factors associated with agriculturally-based companies.
- Credit Hours: 3 credits
- Prerequisites: Consent of instructor
- Semesters: Fall - Rodney Holcomb
- AGEC 5503 – Economics of Natural and Environmental Resource Policy
Economics of long term resource use with particular emphasis on agricultural and forestry problems. Methods for estimation of non-market prices. Cost benefits analysis of long term natural resource use and environmental policy. Elementary computer simulation of long term resource use and environmental policy.
- Credit Hours: 3 credits
- Prerequisites: AGEC 4503 or ECON 3113 and MATH 2103
- Semesters: Fall - Lixia He Lambert
- AGEC 5513 – Farm Appraisal
Estimating the market value of agricultural real estate using the three approaches to value - sales comparison, cost and income approaches. Analysis of sales to value the different characteristics of the farm. May not be used for degree credit with AGEC 4513.
- Credit hours: 3
- Prerequisites: AGEC 3423
- Semesters: Spring – Notie Lansford
- AGEC 5603 – Advanced Agricultural Finance
Financial management concepts applied to agricultural firms. Financial models that incorporate uncertainty and risk via stochastic simulation. Risk/return tradeoff for stocks and portfolio management.
- Credit Hours: 3 credits
- Prerequisites: AGEC 3603 or FIN 3113, ECON 3023 or 3113 and ECON 4213 or STAT 4043
- Semesters: Fall - Rodney Jones
- AGEC 5703 – Economics of Agricultural and Food Policy
Application of welfare criteria and economic analysis to agricultural, food, and rural development problems and policies.
- Credit Hours: 3 credits
- Prerequisites: AGEC 4703 and AGEC 5103
- Semesters: Spring – Aleks Schaefer
- AGEC 5713 – Rural Regional Analysis
Concepts of rural resource development and delineation of problem areas; theories of regional growth as applied to rural areas; policies and developmental programs for simulating countries.
- Credit Hours: 3 credits
- Prerequisites: AGEC 5103
- Semesters: Spring
- AGEC 5723 – Planning and Policy for Development
Economics of market-based planning and policy analysis for developing countries, topics and tools in macro-and microeconomics of development, and social cost-benefit and project analysis with emphasis on agricultural and public policy. Hands-on application of econometrics, input-output analysis, and cost-benefit analysis using econometric software.
- Credit Hours: 3 credits
- Prerequisites: Master's level Microeconomics, Macroeconomics and regression analysis
- Semesters: Fall
- AGEC 5733 – International Agricultural Policy and Development
This course focuses on the central ideas and debates about development economics, with a particular emphasis on agriculture, agricultural policy, and natural resources.
- Credit Hours: 3 credits
- Prerequisites: Consent of instructor
- Semesters: Fall - Deepthi Kolady
- AGEC 5990 – Advanced Studies
Open to graduate students with consent of instructor only. Investigation in designated areas of agricultural economics.
- Credit Hours: 1 to 6 credits, maximum 6
- Prerequisites: None
- Semesters: Fall
- AGEC 6000 – Doctoral Dissertation
Open to students pursuing graduate study in agricultural economics beyond the requirements for a masters degree. Independent research and thesis under the direction and supervision of a major professor.
- Credit Hours: to be arranged
- Prerequisites: None
- Semesters: Fall
- AGEC 6102 – Teaching Practicum in Agricultural Economics
Philosophies of resident and nonresident teaching, general tasks performed, review, evaluation and lecture organization, preparation and presentation.
- Credit Hours: 2 credits
- Prerequisites: Two semesters of graduate study in Agricultural Economics
- Semesters: Fall
- AGEC 6103 – Advanced Applications of Mathematical Programming (even years)
General presentation of nonlinear optimization theory and methods followed by applications of nonlinear programming. Use of GAMS/MINOS optimization software package.
- Credit Hours: 3 credits
- Prerequisites: AGEC 5103 and AGEC 5113
- Semesters: Spring - Dayton M. Lambert
- AGEC 6213 – Advanced Econometrics (odd years)
Using advanced econometric techniques in applied research. Linear and nonlinear hypothesis testing; non-nested hypothesis tests; Monte Carlo hypothesis testing; stochastic simulation; misspecification testing. Extensive use of SAS statistical software package.
- Credit Hours: 3 credits
- Prerequisites: AGEC 5213 or ECON 5243; STAT 4203 and 4213 recommended
- Semesters: Spring - Wade Brorsen
- AGEC 6222 – Spatial Econometrics
Develop concept of spatial dependence. Introduce tools and techniques used to explore spatial dependence including spatial statistics and regression. Use of geographic information system (GIS) software in spatial analysis.
- Credit hours: 2
- Prerequisites:
- Semesters: Spring (even years) – Brian Whitacre
- AGEC 6300 – Agricultural Marketing Seminar
Current developments in theory, techniques for evaluating marketing behavior, market legislation and market development.
- Credit Hours: 1 to 6 credits, maximum 6
- Prerequisites: AGEC 5403 or consent of instructor
- Semesters: Spring - Brian Whitacre
- AGEC 6303 – Advanced Agricultural Marketing (odd years)
Marketing theory, market structure and performance, governmental regulation and policy and bargaining in agricultural markets.
- Credit Hours: 3 credits
- Prerequisites: AGEC 5303
- Semesters: Fall - Chanjin Chung
- AGEC 6400 – Seminar in Farm Management Production Economics
Scientific research methodology applied to problems of resource efficiency.
- Credit Hours: 1 to 6 credits, maximum 6
- Prerequisites: AGEC 5403 or consent of instructor
- Semesters: Spring
- AGEC 6403 – Advanced Production Economics (even years)
Formulating and solving applied economic optimization problems in agricultural production economics. Expected profit maximization; analyzing data from agronomic experiments; credit scoring; risk models such as stochastic dominance and expected utility.
- Credit Hours: 3 credits
- Prerequisites: AGEC 5403
- Semesters: Fall - Wade Brorsen
- AGEC 6700 – Agricultural Policy and Rural Resource Development
Frontier issues in agricultural policy, natural resources and rural development
- Credit Hours: 1 to 6 credits
- Prerequisites: Consent of instructor
- Semesters: Fall