phd agricultural marketing

College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences

Agricultural & Consumer Economics

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Doctor of Philosophy in Agricultural and Applied Economics

Degree requirements   Sample program

Study and research for the Ph.D .in Agricultural and Applied Economics typically requires four years beyond the MS degree.

• The first year is devoted to completing the Ph.D. core courses which cover the theory and quantitative methods upon which field or elective courses in agricultural and consumer economics are based.
• The second year is usually devoted to courses in the student's chosen area(s) of specialization and to completion of an independent research paper.
• The third year students present their research paper, complete research, and orally defend a proposal for dissertation topic.
• The fourth year student defend their final exam and deposit their dissertation.

Upon completing courses and passing a written preliminary examination, doctoral students must complete a significant research paper and orally defend a proposal for dissertation research. The oral defense assesses their preparation and plans for independent research and other related topics. Each Ph.D. candidate presents the completed research in a final dissertation defense.

The Ph.D. degree is a STEM-designated program.

To view the general requirements of the PhD program, see the university's academic catalog . We have also created a sample program to help visualize how a Ph.D. student's time would be spent.

Specializations

ACE is a leader in agricultural and applied finance. The program has both a strong research base, and proven record working with industry participants and policy makers to address real-world problems and develop useful tools and outreach products. Students in the graduate program can become involved in any of a wide range of finance-related topics including asset valuation, credit assessment, firm-level financial management, investment and capital budgeting evaluation, leverage, financial structure, lending policies, agricultural credit institutions, and national and international trends affecting financial outcomes in agriculture. The faculty's strong ties to production agriculture, lending institutions, and agribusiness create an environment conducive to problem-oriented research, and provide highly promising post-graduation opportunities.

Recommended Courses for Ph.D. Area of Specialization

Descriptions of courses listed below are available on the  course catalog

• ACE 542, Advanced Agricultural Finance

and at least two of:

• ACE 591, Independent Study (Approved Finance Topics), 4 hours
• FIN 511, Investments, 4 hours
• FIN 561, Financial Intermediation, 4 hours
• FIN 562, Macrofinance, 4 hours
• FIN 591, Theory of Finance, 4 hours
• FIN 596, Seminar in Fin Intermediation, 4 hours

For more information about Agricultural Finance, please contact:

Students in family and consumer economics use applied economics to address policy-relevant issues related to the behavior and well being of families, individuals, and consumers. This area of specialization focuses on household demand, household production, family formation and dissolution, consumer finance and family economics, and government policy. Faculty members are leading experts in several areas of family and consumer research including child support payments; effects of family structure on children's schooling, health, and well being; determinants of household financial well-being; family and consumer policy; consumer information and regulation; and health care issues. Faculty members also have a strong and growing interest in the international dimensions of family and consumer economics, including applications in the areas of international development and consumer finance.

• ACE 531, Impact Evaluation, 2 hours
• ACE 571, Household Economics, 2 hours
• ACE 572, Economics of the Family, 4 hours

For more information about Family and Consumer Economics, please contact:

This area focuses on a variety of management and decision issues relevant to farms and other firms in the food and agribusiness sector. Cooperation with the College of Business allows students to take courses or minor in related business fields. Research areas include decision analysis, information systems, operations management, business organization and strategy, marketing tactics and strategy, and behavior of organizations and decision makers. Close ties with industry executives enrich students' opportunities.

For more information about Food, Agribusiness and Farm Management, please contact:

Students in this area study the role of government in economic development, marketing, finance, international trade, and agriculture. They analyze policies related to market stabilization, international economic relations, food safety and biotechnology, natural resource use, income distribution, and public sector-private sector relations. Students and faculty also study the role of interest groups in the development of policies. Faculty have experience in Australia, Africa, Canada, Asia, Western and Eastern Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East.

• ACE 531 Impact Evaluation, 2 hours
• ACE 556 Agricultural Policy and Political Economy, 4 hours
• ACE 557 Food, Poverty and Development, 2 hours
• ACE 559 Food, Trade and Development, 2 hours
• ACE 571 Household Economics, 2 hours

For more information about International and Development Economics, please contact:

ACE is a leading contributor to economic studies of bioenergy, soil carbon sequestration, water resource management and valuation, resource and habitat conservation, and voluntary environmental programs. Our proximity to some of the world’s most productive agricultural land as well as to the Mississippi River, the Great Lakes, and Chicago provides ready access to important field sites and enables us to be major contributors to environmental, natural resource, and agricultural policy development both nationally and regionally.

At least two of:

• ACE 510, Adv Natural Resource Economics, 4 hours
• ACE 516, Environmental Economics, 4 hours

For more information about Natural Resource and Environmental Economics, please contact:

Students in price analysis and agricultural marketing address the performance of agricultural markets. The department is closely linked with one of the world's most important markets for agricultural commodities. It is a leader in analyzing those markets, including options and futures markets located in Chicago, to find ways of improving the worldwide flow of food and fiber. Other areas of research include market information, grain quality in domestic and international markets, location and transportation analysis, and managing price and income risk.

• ACE 520, Food Commodity Markets, 4 hours
• ACE 527, Advanced Price Analysis, 4 hours

For more information about Price Analysis and Agricultural marketing, please contact:

Regional economics is an intellectually demanding and exciting field. Recognizing that space or location matters adds another dimension of complexity and realism to traditional economics. Traditional questions of regional economics include why some regions prosper while others do not, why some industries cluster, and what public policies can help places become more competitive and prosperous. More recent questions deal with the spatial externalities of weather events on, among others, crop yield and interregional trade as well as the impact of climate change on global supply chain linkages. The University of Illinois has a 40‑year heritage of educating leading regional economists and providing leadership to the Regional Science Association International.

• ACE 532/SE, Spatial Econometrics, 4 hours
• ACE 592, Environmental and economic Input-Output, 4 hours

For more information about Regional Economics and Public Policy, please contact:

Sample Program

*If approved, one field course may also fulfill the quantitative methods requirement.

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LSU Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics

The Ph.D. program is a rigorous extension of M.S. work with the opportunity for the student to broaden and strengthen training. Students applying for the Ph.D. program should have completed an M.S. degree. In addition to training in economics and agricultural economics, the student is expected to be sufficiently grounded in mathematics and statistics. It is the responsibility of the student to address any deficiencies. All 7000-level AGEC courses are listed in Appendix D in the Graduate Student Handbook. Our Ph.D. program is STEM approved : International students are eligible for the 24-month extension of Optional Practical Training.

Admissions & Funding

We encourage all applications for fall semester admission to be completed by the department’s January 25 priority deadline. We offer funding to highly competitive applicants through research assistantships.

We review all applications that are formally submitted through the LSU Graduate School , but we are not able to review/preview application materials sent via email.

To be considered for admission and funding, we require (1) transcripts indicating a master’s degree or equivalent; (2) a current resume/CV with an outline of all previous college-level education; (3) GRE scores; (4) three letters of recommendation; and (5) a personal statement describing your interest in the degree program. The LSU Graduate School and LSU International Services Office provide additional information for international applicants. Applicants to our graduate programs in agricultural economics must have an adequate background in microeconomic theory, econometrics/statistics, and mathematics and academic backgrounds in economics, marketing, management, finance, accounting, or related fields.

About the Ph.D. Program

There are five major steps in fulfilling the requirements for the Ph.D. in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness:

• Development of the program of study
• Successful completion of required coursework
• Successful completion of the qualifying examination in microeconomics
• Successful completion of the written general examination and oral general defense
• Successful completion of the final examination. 

At least one academic year of continuous residence (two consecutive semesters) as a full-time graduate student must be earned at LSU after the program of study is submitted and approved by the Graduate School.

In addition, students in the Ph.D. program must maintain continuous registration for a minimum of three semester hours of credit each regular semester (excluding summers) from the completion of the general defense to the end of the semester in which an approved dissertation is submitted to the Graduate School. Students holding assistantships during this time must meet enrollment requirements of the assistantship. Graduate students must be in good academic standing to qualify for examinations.

Program of Study

Students are expected to develop a program of study in consultation with their graduate committee chair during their first semester and have it approved by their graduate committee (once the committee has been appointed), the Chair of the Graduate Committee, and the Department Head.

Qualifying Examination

Students must take ECON 7702 and ECON 7703 during the first year of the Ph.D. program and pass the qualifying exam in advanced microeconomic theory administered by the department of economics during the summer after the first year of graduate study.

General Examination and Defense

The written Departmental Ph.D. General Examination consists of questions administered by the Departmental General Examination Committee upon completion of core coursework (after four semesters for students starting in the fall semester; after five for students starting in the spring semester).  

Students will have two opportunities to pass this exam. Failure to pass the written portion of the General Examination on the second attempt will terminate the student's program. The general examination will consist of questions from core economic areas such as production, consumption, marketing, trade, development, resource or environmental economics and research methods.  The written examination will be offered in June of each year.

For students who fail, they will be allowed to re-take the written general examination once in August of the same year. Students who have not passed the written general examination before the fall semester starts (August of that same year) will not be able to continue in the Ph.D. program.

An oral general defense is given after successfully completing the written exam.  The general defense generally covers the student’s dissertation proposal, with questions dealing with economic theory and methods pertaining to the dissertation research.  

About the Program Final Dissertation Defense

The Final Dissertation Defense may be scheduled after three calendar months have elapsed since passing the General Defense. The Final Examination, an oral test administered by the student's graduate committee, members from minor departments, and the member appointed by Graduate School, focuses on (but is not confined exclusively to) contents of the dissertation.

About the Program Ph.D. Course Requirements

Students are required to complete 12 hours of Economic Theory, 9 hours of Quantitative Methods, 18 hours of Agricultural Economics courses, 6 hours of 7000-level Approved Electives, and 12 hours of Dissertation Research, for a total of 57 hours.  The approved electives may be used to develop a specialization or to gain breadth in the Ph.D. program.  Students entering the program with deficiencies in their background training may be required to take additional courses.

About the Program Preparation of the Dissertation

Ph.D. students, with their graduate committee and with graduate adviser approval, may elect to prepare the dissertation in either traditional or three paper/journal style.  Guidelines for preparation of both styles are presented in Guidelines for the Preparation of Theses and Dissertations, available in the Graduate School. 

View the Graduate Student Handbook .

For questions about our program please contact Mark Schafer, [email protected] .

Graduate Catalog

LSU Graduate School

LSU College of Agriculture

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PHD, Agricultural & Applied Economics

Rigorous curriculum and cutting-edge research programs in a wide range of economic fields. Work closely with nationally recognized, experienced faculty to break new ground in our understanding of human decision making and economic institutions.

Degree Type: Doctoral

Degree Program Code: PHD_AGAE

Degree Program Summary:

Graduate study in agricultural and applied economics leading to a Master of Science degree in agricultural and applied economics or environmental economics and Doctor of Philosophy degree provides a wide range of educational opportunities in addressing the issues of production and distribution of food and fiber, natural resource and environmental management, and the quality of rural life. These programs prepare students for careers of leadership through development of a high degree of economic comprehension and decision making. Applications of economic theory and econometrics to resolve economic problems are the major areas of focus for courses in the department. The department has offered graduate degree programs for over 55 years. Its graduates hold key positions in both the private and public sectors in the state, the nation, and throughout the world. Graduates are employed in a wide range of positions, with robust demand in private industry from health care to food and fiber wholesale firms. Graduates are employed in domestic and international academic positions.

Graduate study is offered at both the masters and doctoral levels. The Master of Science (MS) in agricultural and applied economics and the Master of Science (MS) in environmental economics degrees require 27 hours minimum of course work and three hours of thesis. A Master of Agribusiness (MAB) degree consists of a minimum of 36 hours of course work including a technical report in lieu of a formal thesis. The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree consists of a minimum of 63 hours of course work beyond the bachelor’s degree, satisfactory performance on written and oral examinations, and a formal dissertation.

Graduate instruction and research may be undertaken in the following areas of specialization: agricultural marketing and consumer demand, agricultural business management, production economics, natural resources and environmental economics, and international trade and development.

Graduate research is coordinated with the department’s overall research program. Students may select a research topic related to the department’s current research projects or an approved area of sponsored research. Exceptional computer facilities, software, and support are available for departmental research.

Financial assistance is available to graduate students on a competitive basis in the form of departmental research assistantships. Paid internships are also available from regional and national agribusiness firms.

Locations Offered:

Athens (Main Campus)

College / School:

College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences

147 Cedar Street Athens, GA 30602

706-542-3924

Department:

Agricultural and Applied Economics

Graduate Coordinator(s):

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Texas A&M University Catalogs

Doctor of philosophy in agricultural leadership, education, and communications.

The Doctor of Philosophy in Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications is a campus based degree program and a specialized, research-oriented degree. The program prepares individuals for university faculty positions, opportunities in natural resource management, extension education, international development, public and corporate leadership roles in education, and many other professional careers in agriculture and life sciences.  Coursework gives the candidate a thorough and comprehensive knowledge in the field of study and methods of research. 

A student entering with a Master’s degree must complete 64 credit hours, and a student with a baccalaureate degree must complete 96 credit hours. Students pursuing the PhD may choose to complete a maximum of 12 credit hours of coursework in supporting areas closely aligned to their research interests and professional goals.  

All students in this program must complete a residence requirement. More information about this residency requirement can be found on the Additional Requirements tab . 

In addition to the program requirements required by the Graduate and Professional School, each student is recommended to complete four core courses as part of their degree program to gain content knowledge and skills. 

• ALEC 610 Principles of Adult Education
• ALEC 615 Philosophy of Agricultural Education
• ALEC 640 Methods of Technological Change
• ALEC 695 Frontiers in Research

Information regarding our programs and the  application process  may be obtained from the  ALEC website . 

Steps to Fulfill a Doctoral Program

Program Requirements

• Student's Advisory Committee

Degree Plan

Transfer of credit, research proposal.

• Preliminary Examination

Preliminary Examination Format

Preliminary examination scheduling, report of preliminary examination, failure of the preliminary examination, retake of failed preliminary examination.

• Final Examination

Report of Final Examination

Dissertation, student’s advisory committee.

After receiving admission to graduate studies and enrolling, the student will consult with the head of his or her major or administrative department (or chair of the intercollegiate faculty) concerning appointment of the chair of the advisory committee. The student’s advisory committee will consist of  no fewer than four members of the graduate faculty  representative of the student’s several fields of study and research, where the chair or co-chair must be from the student’s department (or intercollegiate faculty, if applicable), and  at least one or more of the members must have an appointment to a department other than the student’s major department . The outside member for a student in an interdisciplinary degree program must be from a department different from the chair of the student’s committee.

The chair, in consultation with the student, will select the remainder of the advisory committee. Only graduate faculty members located on Texas A&M University campuses may serve as chair of a student’s advisory committee. Other Texas A&M University graduate faculty members located off-campus may serve as a member or co-chair (but not chair), with a member as the chair.

If the chair of a student’s advisory committee voluntarily leaves the University and the student is near completion of the degree and wants the chair to continue to serve in this role, the student is responsible for securing a current member of the University Graduate Faculty, from the student’s academic program and located near the Texas A&M University campus site, to serve as the co-chair of the committee. The Department Head or Chair of Intercollegiate faculty may request in writing to the Associate Provost and Dean of the Graduate and Professional School that a faculty member who is on an approved leave of absence or has voluntarily separated from the university, be allowed to continue to serve in the role of chair of a student’s advisory committee without a co-chair for up to one year. The students should be near completion of the degree. Extensions beyond the one year period can be granted with additional approval of the Dean.

The committee members’ signatures on the degree plan indicate their willingness to accept the responsibility for guiding and directing the entire academic program of the student and for initiating all academic actions concerning the student. Although individual committee members may be replaced by petition for valid reasons, a committee cannot resign  en masse . The chair of the committee, who usually has immediate supervision of the student’s research and dissertation or record of study, has the responsibility for calling all meetings of the committee. The duties of the committee include responsibility for the proposed degree plan, the research proposal, the preliminary examination, the dissertation or record of study and the final examination. In addition, the committee, as a group and as individual members, is responsible for counseling the student on academic matters, and, in the case of academic deficiency, initiating recommendations to the Graduate and Professional School.

The student’s advisory committee will evaluate the student’s previous education and degree objectives. The committee, in consultation with the student, will develop a proposed degree plan and outline a research problem which, when completed, as indicated by the dissertation (or its equivalent for the degree of Doctor of Education or the degree of Doctor of Engineering), will constitute the basic requirements for the degree. The degree plan must be filed with the Graduate and Professional School prior to the deadline imposed by the student’s college and no later than 90 days prior to the preliminary examination.

This proposed degree plan should be submitted through the online Document Processing Submission System located on the website  http://ogsdpss.tamu.edu . A minimum of 64 hours is required on the degree plan for the Doctor of Philosophy for a student who has completed a master’s degree. A student who has completed a DDS/DMD, DVM or a MD at a U.S. institution is also required to complete a minimum of 64 hours. A student who has completed a baccalaureate degree but not a master’s degree will be required to complete a 96-hour degree plan. Completion of a DDS/DMD, DVM or MD degree at a foreign institution requires completion of a minimum of 96 hours for the Doctor of Philosophy. A field of study may be primarily in one department or in a combination of departments. A degree plan must carry a reasonable amount of 691 (research). A maximum of 9 hours of 400-level undergraduate courses may be used toward meeting credit-hour requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy.

Additional coursework may be added by petition to the approved degree plan by the student’s advisory committee if it is deemed necessary to correct deficiencies in the student’s academic preparation. No changes can be made to the degree plan once the student’s Request for Final Examination is approved by the Graduate and Professional School.

Approval to enroll in any professional course (900-level) should be obtained from the head of the department (or Chair of the intercollegiate faculty, if applicable) in which the course will be offered before including such a course on a degree plan.

No credit may be obtained by correspondence study, by extension or for any course of fewer than three weeks duration.

Students in the Doctor of Philosophy degree program in Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications may complete up to seven courses by distance education and no more than 50 percent of the non-research credit hours required for the program may be completed through distance education courses.

To receive a graduate degree from Texas A&M University, students must earn one-third or more of the credits through the institution’s own direct instruction. This limitation also applies to joint degree programs. 

Courses for which transfer credits are sought must have been completed with a grade of B or greater and must be approved by the student’s advisory committee and the Graduate and Professional School. These courses must not have been used previously for another degree. Except for officially approved cooperative doctoral programs, credit for thesis or dissertation research or the equivalent is not transferable. Credit for “internship” coursework in any form is not transferable. Courses taken in residence at an accredited U.S. institution or approved international institution with a final grade of B or greater will be considered for transfer credit if, at the time the courses were completed, the courses would be accepted for credit toward a similar degree for a student in degree-seeking status at the host institution. Credit for coursework taken by extension is not transferable. Coursework  in which no formal grades are given or in which grades other than letter grades (A or B) are earned (for example, CR, P, S, U, H, etc.) is not accepted for transfer credit . Credit for coursework submitted for transfer from any college or university must be shown in semester credit hours, or equated to semester credit hours.

Courses used toward a degree at another institution may not be applied for graduate credit. If the course to be transferred was taken prior to the conferral of a degree at the transfer institution, a letter from the registrar at that institution stating that the course was not applied for credit toward the degree must be submitted to the Graduate and Professional School.

Grades for courses completed at other institutions are not included in computing the GPA. An official transcript from the university at which transfer courses are taken must be sent directly to the Office of Admissions.

The general field of research to be used for the dissertation should be agreed on by the student and the advisory committee at their first meeting, as a basis for selecting the proper courses to support the proposed research.

As soon thereafter as the research project can be outlined in reasonable detail, the dissertation research proposal should be completed. The research proposal should be approved at a meeting of the student’s advisory committee, at which time the feasibility of the proposed research and the adequacy of available facilities should be reviewed. The approved proposal, signed by all members of the student’s advisory committee, the head of the student’s major department (or chair of the intercollegiate faculty, if applicable), must be submitted to the Graduate and Professional School at least 20 working days prior to the submission of the Request for the Final Examination.

Compliance issues must be addressed if a graduate student is performing research involving human subjects, animals, infectious biohazards and recombinant DNA. A student involved in these types of research should check with the Office of Research Compliance and Biosafety at (979) 458-1467 to address questions about all research compliance responsibilities. Additional information can also be obtained on the website  http:// rcb.tamu.edu .

Examinations

Preliminary examination for doctoral students.

The student’s major department (or chair of the interdisciplinary degree program faculty, if applicable) and his or her advisory committee may require qualifying, cumulative or other types of examinations at any time deemed desirable. These examinations are entirely at the discretion of the department and the student’s advisory committee.

The preliminary examination is required. The preliminary examination for a doctoral student shall be given no earlier than a date at which the student is within 6 credit hours of completion of the formal coursework on the degree plan (i.e., all coursework on the degree plan except 681, 684, 690, 691, 692, 693, 695, 697, 791, or other graduate courses specifically designated as S/U in the course catalog). The student should complete the Preliminary Examination no later than the end of the semester following the completion of the formal coursework on the degree plan.

The objective of preliminary examination is to evaluate whether the student has demonstrated the following qualifications:

a.     a mastery of the subject matter of all fields in the program;

b.     an adequate knowledge of the literature in these fields and an ability to carry out bibliographical research;

c.     an understanding of the research problem and the appropriate methodological approaches.

The format of the preliminary examination shall be determined by the student’s department (or interdisciplinary degree program, if applicable) and advisory committee, and communicated to the student in advance of the examination. The exam may consist of a written component, oral component, or combination of written and oral components.

The preliminary exam may be administered by the advisory committee or a departmental committee; herein referred to as the examination committee.

Regardless of exam format, a student will receive an overall preliminary exam result of pass or fail. The department (or interdisciplinary degree program, if applicable) will determine how the overall pass or fail result is determined based on the exam structure and internal department procedures. If the exam is administered by the advisory committee, each advisory committee member will provide a pass or fail evaluation decision.

Only one advisory committee substitution is allowed to provide an evaluation decision for a student’s preliminary exam, and it cannot be the committee chair.

If a student is required to take, as a part of the preliminary examination, a written component administered by a department or interdisciplinary degree program, the department or interdisciplinary degree program faculty must:

a.     offer the examination at least once every six months. The departmental or interdisciplinary degree program examination should be announced at least 30 days prior to the scheduled examination date.

b.     assume the responsibility for marking the examination satisfactory or unsatisfactory, or otherwise graded, and in the case of unsatisfactory, stating specifically the reasons for such a mark.

c.     forward the marked examination to the chair of the student’s advisory committee within one week after the examination.

Prior to commencing any component of the preliminary examination, a departmental representative or the advisory committee chair will review the eligibility criteria with the student, using the Preliminary Examination Checklist to ensure the student is eligible for the preliminary examination. The following list of eligibility requirements applies.

Student is registered at Texas A&M University for a minimum of one semester credit hour in the long semester or summer term during which any component of the preliminary examination is held. If the entire examination is held between semesters, then the student must be registered for the term immediately preceding the examination.

An approved degree plan is on file with the Graduate and Professional School prior to commencing the first component of the examination.

Student’s cumulative GPA is at least 3.000.

Student’s degree plan GPA is at least 3.000.

At the end of the semester in which at least the first component of the exam is given, there are no more than 6 hours of coursework remaining on the degree plan (except 681, 684, 690, 691, 692, 693, 695, 697, 791, or other graduate courses specifically designated as S/U in the course catalog). The head of the student’s department (or Chair of the Interdisciplinary Degree Program, if applicable) has the authority to approve a waiver of this criterion.

Credit for the preliminary examination is not transferable in cases where a student changes degree programs after passing a preliminary exam.

If a written component precedes an oral component of the preliminary exam, the chair of the student’s examination committee is responsible for making all written examinations available to all members of the committee. A positive evaluation of the preliminary exam by all members of a student’s examination committee with at most one dissension is required to pass a student on his or her preliminary exam.

The student’s department will promptly report the results of the Preliminary Examination to the Graduate and Professional School via the Report of Doctoral Preliminary Examination form. The Preliminary Examination checklist form must also be submitted. These forms should be submitted to the Graduate and Professional School within 10 working days of completion of the preliminary examination.

The Report of the Preliminary Examination form must be submitted with original signatures of the approved examination committee members. If an approved examination committee member substitution (one only) has been made, that signature must also be included, in place of the committee member, on the form submitted to the Graduate and Professional School. The original signature of the department head is also required on the form.

After passing the required preliminary oral and written examinations for a doctoral degree, the student must complete the final examination within four years of the semester in which the preliminary exam is taken. Exams taken in between terms will expire at the end of the term that ended prior to the exam. For example, a preliminary exam taken and passed during the fall 2019 semester will expire at the end of the fall 2023 semester. A preliminary exam taken in the time between the summer and fall 2019 semesters will expire at the end of the summer 2023 semester.

First Failure

Upon approval of a student’s examination committee (with no more than one member dissenting), and approval of the Department and Graduate and Professional School, a student who has failed a preliminary examination may be given one re-examination. In accordance with Student Rule 12.5, the student’s department head or designee, intercollegiate faculty, or graduate advisory committee should make a recommendation to the student regarding their scholastic deficiency.

Second Failure

Upon failing the preliminary exam twice in a doctoral program, a student is no longer eligible to continue to pursue the PhD in that program/major. In accordance with Student Rule 12.5.3 and/or 12.5.4, the student will be notified of the action being taken by the department as a result of the second failure of the preliminary examination.

Adequate time must be given to permit a student to address inadequacies emerging from the first preliminary examination. The examination committee must agree upon and communicate to the student, in writing, an adequate time-frame from the first examination (normally six months) to retest, as well as a detailed explanation of the inadequacies emerging from the examination. The student and committee should jointly negotiate a mutually acceptable date for this retest.  When providing feedback on inadequacies, the committee should clearly document expected improvements that the student must be able to exhibit in order to retake the exam.  The examination committee will document and communicate the time-frame and feedback within 10 working days of the exam that was not passed.

Final Examination for Doctoral Students

The candidate for the doctoral degree must pass a final examination by deadline dates announced in the “Graduate and Professional School Calendar” each semester. The doctoral student is allowed only one opportunity to take the final examination.

No unabsolved grades of D, F, or U for any course can be listed on the degree plan. The student must be registered for any remaining hours of 681, 684, 690, 691, 692, 791 or other graduate courses specifically designated as S/U in the course catalog during the semester of the final exam. No student may be given a final examination until they have been admitted to candidacy and their current official cumulative and degree plan GPAs are 3.00 or better.

To be admitted to candidacy for a doctoral degree, a student must have:

1.       completed all formal coursework on the degree plan with the exception of any remaining 681, 684, 690 and 691, 692 (Professional Study), or 791 hours,

2.       a 3.0 Graduate GPA and a Degree Plan GPA of at least 3.0 with no grade lower than C in any course on the degree plan,

3.       passed the preliminary examination,

4.       submitted an approved dissertation proposal,

5.       met the residence requirements.

The request to hold and announce the final examination must be submitted to the Graduate and Professional School a minimum of 10 working days in advance of the scheduled date. Any changes to the degree plan must be approved by the Graduate and Professional School prior to the submission of the request for final examination.

The student’s advisory committee will conduct this examination. The final examination is not to be administered until the dissertation or record of study is available in substantially final form to the student’s advisory committee, and all concerned have had adequate time to review the document. Whereas the final examination may cover the broad field of the candidate’s training, it is presumed that the major portion of the time will be devoted to the dissertation and closely allied topics. Persons other than members of the graduate faculty may, with mutual consent of the candidate and the chair of the advisory committee, be invited to attend a final examination for an advanced degree. A positive vote by all members of the graduate committee with at most one dissension is required to pass a student on his or her exam. A department can have a stricter requirement provided there is consistency within all degree programs within a department. Upon completion of the questioning of the candidate, all visitors must excuse themselves from the proceedings.

The student’s department will promptly report the results of the Final Examination to the Graduate and Professional School via the Report of Doctoral Final Examination form. These forms should be submitted to the Graduate and Professional School within 10 working days of completion of the final examination. The Graduate and Professional School must be notified in writing of any cancellations.

A positive evaluation of the final exam by all members of a student’s advisory committee with at most one dissension is required to pass a student on his or her final exam. The Report of the Final Examination Form must be submitted with original signatures of only the committee members approved by the Graduate and Professional School. If necessary, multiple copies of the form may be submitted with different committee member original signatures. If an approved committee member substitution (1 only) has been made, his/her signature must be included on the form submitted to the Graduate and Professional School.

The ability to perform independent research must be demonstrated by the dissertation,  which must be the original work of the candidate . Whereas acceptance of the dissertation is based primarily on its scholarly merit, it must also exhibit creditable literary workmanship. The format of the dissertation must be acceptable to the Graduate and Professional School. Guidelines for the preparation of the dissertation are available in the  Thesis Manual , which is available online at  https://grad.tamu.edu .

After successful defense and approval by the student’s advisory committee and the head of the student’s major department (or chair of the intercollegiate faculty, if applicable), a student must submit his/her dissertation in electronic format as a single PDF file. The PDF file must be uploaded to the website,  https://grad.tamu.edu . Additionally, a signed paper approval form with original signatures must be received by the Graduate and Professional School. Both the PDF file and the signed approval form are required by the deadline.

Deadline dates for submitting are announced each semester or summer term in the Graduate and Professional School Calendar (see Time Limit statement). These dates also can be accessed via the website  https://grad.tamu.edu .

Each student who submits a document for review is assessed a one-time thesis/dissertation processing fee through Student Business Services. This processing fee is for the thesis/dissertation services provided. After commencement, dissertations are digitally stored and made available through the Texas A&M Libraries.

A dissertation that is deemed unacceptable by the Graduate and Professional School because of excessive corrections will be returned to the student’s department head or chair of the intercollegiate faculty . The manuscript must be resubmitted as a new document, and the entire review process must begin anew. All original submittal deadlines must be met during the resubmittal process in order to graduate.

Additional Requirements

Continuous registration, admission to candidacy.

• 99-Hour Cap on Doctoral Degree

Application for Degree

A student who enters the doctoral degree program with a baccalaureate degree must spend one academic year plus one semester in resident study at Texas A&M University. A student who holds master’s degree when he/she enters doctoral degree program must spend one academic year in resident study. One academic year may include two adjacent regular semesters or one regular semester and one adjacent 10-week summer semester. The third semester is not required to be adjacent to the one year. Enrollment for each semester must be a minimum of 9 credit hours each to satisfy the residence requirement. A minimum of 1 credit hour must be in a non-distance education delivery mode. Semesters in which the student is enrolled in all distance education coursework will not count toward fulfillment of the residence requirement.

To satisfy the residence requirement, the student must complete a minimum of 9 credit hours per semester or 10-week summer semester in resident study at Texas A&M University for the required period. A student who enters a doctoral degree program with a baccalaureate degree may fulfill residence requirements in excess of one academic year (18 credit hours) by registration during summer sessions or by completion of a less-than-full course load (in this context a full course load is considered 9 credit hours per semester).

Students who are employed full-time while completing their degree may fulfill total residence requirements by completion of less-than-full time course loads each semester. In order to be considered for this, the student is required to submit a Petition for Waivers and Exceptions along with verification of his/her employment to the Graduate and Professional School. An employee should submit verification of his/her employment at the time he/she submits the degree plan. See  Registration .

See  Residence Requirements .

All requirements for doctoral degrees must be completed within a period of ten consecutive calendar years for the degree to be granted. A course will be considered valid until 10 years after the end of the semester in which it is taken. Graduate credit for coursework more than ten calendar years old at the time of the final oral examination may not be used to satisfy degree requirements.

A final corrected version of the dissertation or record of study in electronic format as a single PDF file must be cleared by the Graduate and Professional School within one year of the semester in which the final exam is taken. Exams taken in between terms will expire at the end of the term that ended prior to the exam. For example, a final exam taken and passed during the fall 2022 semester will expire at the end of the fall 2023 semester. A final exam taken in the time between the summer and fall 2022 semesters will expire at the end of the summer 2023 semester. Failure to do so will result in the degree not being awarded.

A student in a program leading to a Doctor of Philosophy who has completed all coursework on his/her degree plan other than 691 (research) are required to be in continuous registration until all requirements for the degree have been completed. See  Continuous Registration Requirements .

• completed all formal coursework on the degree plan with the exception of any remaining 681, 684, 690 and 691, or 791.
• a 3.0 Graduate GPA and a Degree Plan GPA of at least 3.0 with no grade lower than C in any course on the degree plan,
• passed the preliminary examination (written and oral portions),
• submitted an approved dissertation proposal,
• met the residence requirements. The final examination will not be authorized for any doctoral student who has not been admitted to candidacy.

A student is required to possess a competent command of English. For English language proficiency requirements, see the Admissions section of this catalog. The doctoral (PhD) foreign language requirement at Texas A&M University is a departmental option, to be administered and monitored by the individual departments of academic instruction.

99-Hour Cap on Doctoral Degrees

In Texas, public colleges and universities are funded by the state according to the number of students enrolled. In accordance with legislation passed by the Texas Legislature, the number of hours for which state universities may receive subvention funding at the doctoral rate for any individual is limited to 99 hours. Texas A&M and other universities will not receive subvention for hours in excess of the limit.

Institutions of higher education are allowed to charge the equivalent of non-resident tuition to a resident doctoral student who has enrolled in 100 or more semester credit hours of doctoral coursework.

Doctoral students at Texas A&M have seven years to complete their degree before being charged out-of-state tuition. A doctoral student who, after seven years of study, has accumulated 100 or more doctoral hours will be charged tuition at a rate equivalent to out-of-state tuition. Please note that the tuition increases will apply to Texas residents as well as students from other states and countries who are currently charged tuition at the resident rate. This includes those doctoral students who hold GAT, GANT, and GAR appointments or recipients of competitive fellowships who receive more than $1,000 per semester. Doctoral students who have not accumulated 100 hours after seven years of study are eligible to pay in-state tuition if otherwise eligible.

Doctoral students who exceed the credit limit will receive notification from the Graduate and Professional School during the semester in which they are enrolled and exceeding the limit in their current degree program. The notification will explain that the State of Texas does not provide funding for any additional hours in which a student is enrolled in excess of 99 hours. Texas A&M University will recover the lost funds by requiring students in excess of 99 hours to pay tuition at the non-funded, non-resident rate. This non-funded, non-resident tuition rate status will be updated for the following semester and in all subsequent semesters until receipt of a doctoral degree. Please see the  Tuition Calculator  at the non-resident rate for an example of potential charges.

The following majors are exempt from the 99-Hour Cap on Doctoral Degrees and have a limit of 130 doctoral hours:

• Biochemistry
• Biomedical Sciences
• Clinical Psychology
• Counseling Psychology
• Genetics and Genomics
• Health Services Research
• Medical Sciences
• Microbiology
• Neurosciences (School of Medicine)
• Oral and Craniofacial Biomedical Sciences
• Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Public Health Sciences
• School Psychology

For information on applying for your degree, please visit the  Graduation  section.

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The School has a world-class reputation for research and is ranked joint 11th in the world for Agriculture and Forestry – and we’re the only UK institution in the global top 60. QS World University Rankings by Subject, 2022 – Agriculture & Forestry.

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Agricultural economics (phd), agricultural economics , phd.

Agricultural economics applies principles of economics and econometrics to the analysis of issues related to the production, marketing, distribution, and consumption of food and the supporting natural and human resource systems.

Description

The STEM-certified agricultural economics program at Nebraska provides a foundation for professional problem solving through courses in production economics, agricultural industrial organization, international agricultural trade, agricultural development, natural resource economics, and agribusiness. Cooperation with the Departments of Economics and Statistics and the College of Business provides excellent opportunities for supplementing and complementing the courses offered through the Department of Agricultural Economics.

The broad base of the educational program supports diverse career opportunities in areas such as private, university and government research, business management, loan analysis, consulting, agricultural production, and college-level education. Graduates are employed by businesses, governments, non-governmental organizations, and academic institutions around the globe.

Applying for Admission

Standard requirements for all graduate programs.

• Application for Admission with $50 non-refundable application fee .

If International: Uploads must include all college- or university-level transcripts or mark sheets (records of courses and marks earned), with certificates, diplomas, and degrees plus certified English translations.

After admission: Official documents are required from all students who are admitted and enroll. Photocopies of certified records are not acceptable. International students enrolled in other U.S. institutions may have certified copies of all foreign records sent directly to the Office of Graduate Studies by their current school’s registrar office.

When sending TOEFL scores, our institution code is 6877 and a department code is not needed.

• If applicant is not a US citizen and expects an F or J visa: financial information .
• Applicants must also fulfill any additional requirements the department specifies at the time of application.

Program-Specific Admission Requirements

Additional requirements specific to this program.

• Entrance exam(s):  GRE not required but strongly recommended for students seeking an assistantship.
• Curriculum Vitae or Resume
• Personal Statement:  This statement should describe your goals and your reasons for pursuing this degree in three pages or less.
• Writing Sample (optional)
• Coursework Form: Prerequisite Worksheet for Ag Econ (PhD) .
• Faculty (optional): Identify up to three faculty members that you are interested in working with. This information will help match admitted students with advisors and funding opportunities.
• Three letters of recommendation

Admission Application Deadlines

Agricultural Economics

Campus Address

102 Filley Hall Lincoln NE 68583-0922

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Christopher Gustafson

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Related programs.

• MS Agricultural Economics
• Cert Rural Economic and Community Vitality

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UNL Graduate Chairs and staff please complete the program update form to provide edits. Updates to graduate program pages are made on an annual basis in conjunction with the Graduate Application for Admission.

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Academic Catalog

2023-2024 edition.

• Graduate College /
• Doctoral Degree Programs /

Agricultural Economics, PhD

Requirements for Students Matriculating in or before Academic Year 2023-2024. Learn more about Graduate College Academic Regulation 7.0 .

Total Hours: 60

Prerequisites of AGEC 5203 or AGEC 5311, 5321, and 5331.

Total number of hours for thesis must be approved by student's advisory committee and will need to reach a total of 34 hours combined with electives.

Graduate College Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Requirements

Learn more about Graduate College 2023-2024 Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Degree Program Requirements . Check the General Graduate College academic regulations for minimal GPA, language proficiency and other general requirements.

 PhDs in Agribusiness

If you are focused towards academic or corporate research careers in the field of Agribusiness and related disciplines, there are a number of PhD programs designed to prepare students for more specialized niches of study and research in this field. Universities from around the world offer a range of options for prospective PhD students like fully-funded PhD programs, financial assistantships, scholarships, and so on. Here is an overview of 10 such PhD programs that you can pursue for doctoral education in Agribusiness.

Ph.D. in Agribusiness and Managerial Economics | Texas A&M University, Texas, United States

Texas A&M University, in collaboration with Mays Business School, offers Ph.D. in Agribusiness and Managerial Economics. This PhD program requires students to complete a core course work in applied economics and a chosen course work in any of the four fields-Finance, Marketing, Management, and Supply Chain Management. The former is done through the Agricultural Economics Department of The Texas A&M University, whereas the latter is completed through the Mays Business School.  The completion of this program provides the students with the ability of application of analytical skills in the economic and business disciplines of the agribusiness sector.

The successful completion of this doctoral program is achieved through preliminary and final examination, research and dissertation. The field of research to be undertaken should be agreed upon by the student’s advisory committee, formed by no more than 4 faculty members. Approval of the research proposal, examination evaluation, and the dissertation is all done by the advisory committee.

International Ph.D. Program for Agricultural Sciences in Göttingen | The University of Göttingen, Germany

The University of Göttingen, officially known as the Georg August University of Göttingen is a historic public research university, also reputed for its contribution to agricultural sciences. International PhD for Agricultural Sciences is a high-value program, through which students conduct impactful research, mainly in their home countries. Concentrating on the basic principles of natural sciences, production technology, and the economic and social structure of agriculture, the program studies the current and future state of agricultural production along with its effect on society, economy, and environment.

The first year of the three year long program features courses conducted to prepare the students on the methodology of the research. After that, students execute data collection or on-field research on their home countries or at the university itself. Lastly, in the last year, data evaluation is followed by the dissertation period. Overall, the program is divided into six semesters.

Ph.D. in Agri-Environmental Economics | University of Kent, Canterbury, United Kingdom

This PhD program in Agri-Environmental Economics, offered by the University of Kent is directed towards the production of qualified economists for the Agribusiness and environmental industries. Leading researchers in the field of agricultural economics, developmental economists, macroeconomics, and environmental economics make up the faculty. Additionally, each student is given individual supervision by a research-active staff member.

This four-year long program offers its candidate the opportunity to engage in assistantships and teaching activities as well. Hence, the program can open several career prospects of research as well as academic engagement in the economic aspect of the agribusiness supply chain.

Doctor of Philosophy-Agricultural Sciences | The University of Melbourne, Australia

The University of Melbourne, through The Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, offers this PhD program which helps the candidates specialize in a key research area through research and thesis. This program offers an opportunity for both, students aspiring for higher qualifications and existing professionals in the industry to increase their career as well as earning potential by enhancing creativity, independence, and academic leadership.

This program offers a true learning experience to its candidates throughout the 4 years of study and research. The cost of the program is around $32,000 per year for international students. However, they are eligible to applying for both the Australian government and faculty scholarships and stipends.

PhD in Agronomy & Agro-ecology | Montpellier Supagro, France

Montpellier Supagro is a higher education and research public institution focusing primarily on the fields of Agriculture, Food, and Environment and offers PhD programs on several themes under these disciplines. This specific PhD program is aimed at the economic as well as the ecological aspect of the agribusiness industry. The program offers training and practical experience in high-end researches within large companies, institutions, and organizations.

This 3-year long program is carried out in close collaboration with other leading universities and research organizations and thus, students are exposed to knowledge and experiences of multidisciplinary fields.

Ph.D. in Agricultural and Resource Economics | Colorado State University, United States

Agribusiness management and finance is one of the key specializations of the Department of Agricultural and Resource economics of the Colorado State University. This PhD program has either agricultural economics or natural resource economics as the major areas of study to choose from and offers a variety of employment and financial aid opportunities for prospective candidates in this program. Successful completion of this program provides the ability to develop and execute innovative research programs as well as an academic career in teaching undergraduate and graduate-level courses.

The program is divided into seventy-two credits course and a dissertation of original research work.

Ph.D. program in Agricultural Development Studies | The University of Tokyo, Japan

The University of Tokyo offers Ph.D. programs in many research components- related to agricultural and natural sciences, management, and economics- under the International Program in Agricultural Development Studies (IPADS). This transdisciplinary program tries to close the gap between large scale agribusiness industries and smaller farmers by providing opportunities for research across multiple fields that constitute the fundamentals of agricultural development studies. Students from diverse locations, culture, and academic disciplines are engaged in this interactive course and given supervision of one or more of the faculty’s staff according to the research interest of students.

The PhD students take 20 or more credit points including IPADS advanced research seminars(8 credits) and IPADS PhD Research(8 credits).

Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics | University of Saskatchewan, Canada

This program offers an advanced learning experience of the advanced theoretical and empirical methods of applied economics in relation to the real-world agriculture and food industry problems. Students interested in the field of agribusiness can conduct research in farm business management, supply chain management, agri-food marketing, and agricultural production economics among many other specializations offered by the university department. Top-level research facilities and departmental relationships across a number of fields provide a unique opportunity to connect students and their research programs with other disciplines.

The program takes around 3 years to complete and costs around $5,000 per academic year. However, several scholarships and funding are provided for eligible candidates.

PhD in Agricultural Production & Food Sciences | Wageningen University and Research, Netherland

Wageningen University & Research is a public research university located in the Food Valley region of Netherland which combines the Wageningen University and a former agricultural research institute of the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture. Thus, the four-year PhD it offers focuses on the PhD research project under which students propose a research topic, set-up and plan the research, perform the research, write and publish it under the supervision of academic staff. This leads to thesis and publications. Along with the research, candidates engage in several training and education activities including courses, conferences, seminars, and workshops which help them to widen their knowledge and skills as well as increase exposure to the international scientific community.

Students choose their preferred PhD or research topic and are enrolled in one of the six graduate schools specializing in a specific research field.

Ph.D. in Sustainable Agriculture and Food | University of Warwick, United Kingdom

This PhD program is a fully-funded program under the Midlands Integrated Biosciences Training Partnership (MIBTP) program offered by the University of Warwick, which is a public research university for higher education. Sustainable agriculture and food is one of the MIBTP themes which primarily address the production and supply challenges of the required quality and quantity of safe and nutritious food. The program offers expertise in Plant and crop science and Agri-systems for candidates especially interested in Agribusiness careers among research expertise including microbial food safety, soil science, and animal health.

The program is flexible in terms of choosing a research project and also provides most of the fees, stipends, allowances, and other services required for the successful completion of the program.

Recent Thesis Titles

The EEFE program was approved as new Penn State degree granting program in 2017. The degree builds on prior degrees in Agricultural Environmental and Regional Economics (AEREC) offered by the College of Agricultural Sciences, and Energy and Mineral Engineering (EME Energy Policy Option) offered by the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences. The table below lists M.S. and Ph.D. thesis titles for recent AEREC and EME (Energy Policy Option) students.

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European Graduates

Moscow Agricultural Academy named after K.A.Timiryazev, Russian Federation

Moscow Agricultural Academy named after K.A.Timiryazev Alumni

Aleksei kovalev, alena smirnova, alexander pletnev, alexander sagaidak, alexander sagaydak, alexandra erofeeva, alexey zlobin, andre peremees, andrej ivanov, andrey philippov, andrey raskatov, andrey timoshin, elena lukina(voroshko), elena malevich, elena milova, elena samokhina, eugenijus vaicekauskas, govind rathore, irina baranova, acca, lyubov orlova, marina rodina, natalia fedulova, natalia kolesnikova, nataly klochkova, natalya levitskaya, nikolay leskov, nikolay lomakin, oksana golubeva, olesya sergeeva, olga leontyeva, olga presnyakova, olga solntseva, polina belyaeva, roman savin, sergey khimchenko, sergey vershinin, svetlana ponomareva, svetlana trushina, vadim lebedev, vadim levkovsky, vitaly savchenko, zuzana jakubova.