Graduate Handbook Summary

• Admission requires a Bachelor degree with a 3 point GPA for the last 60 semester hours.
• Minimum test scores are in Table 1.
• Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores should be less than 5 years old.
• The minimum TOEFL score for international students is 550 (computer score 213).

Table 1. GRE Minimum Scores

Students with verbal GRE scores below 400 have to pass three English courses before taking Prelim Exams.

Send statement of interest and two letters of recommendation to the Graduate Program Officer.

Admission involves


• Online application to the Graduate School
• Mail statement of interest, two letters of recommendation, and assistantship application form to the Graduate Program Officer
• Review & recommendation by the Department
• Decision on admission by the Graduate School

Assistantships

Assistantship funding is very competitive. Information on the make up of applicants and funding is available by email. Decisions for assistantship funding for Fall semester are made during February. Submit a Graduate Assistantship Application Form from the bottom of the Summary. Minority students are encouraged to explore available funding opportunities

Stipends range from $9,000 to $20,000 per year. Tuition waivers are granted with assistantships. Assistantships for MS students are for 3 semesters (+ summer) with possible 1 semester extension, and for PhD students are for 5 semesters (+ 2 summers) with possible 1 semester extension.

Decisions on Assistantships are made by early March for the following academic year beginning in August.

PhD in Applied Economics

• The PhD degree requires
• 60 hours beyond a masters degree or 70 hours beyond a Bachelor degree
• Program of Study with the major professor and dissertation committee.
• 1st Year Core

Fall		*ECON 7110 Microeconomics I *ECON 7210 Microeconomics *AGEC 7590 Introduction to Econometrics *ECON 7130 Mathematical Economics

Spring		*ECON 7120 Microeconomics II *ECON 7220 Macroeconomics II *ECON 7310 Econometrics I *AGEC 7700 Research Methods

• Typical 2nd and 3rd Year Core

Fall A		ECON 7090 Resource Economics II AGEC 7080 Production I, Industrial Organization ECON 8710 International Trade

Spring A		*AGEC 8080 Production Economics II *AGEC 8090 Resource Economics III AGEC 7110 Economic Development

Fall B		*ECON 8310 Microeconometrics ECON 8720 Open Economy Macroeconomics, Exchange Rates

Spring B		*AGEC 8060 Market Theory AGEC 7970 Special Problems, Food Policy *required

• Electives
AGEC 7100 Operations Research Methods
AGEC 7200/50 Aquacultural Economics
FORY 7450/60/80 Forest Economics
FINC 7960 Advanced Financial Systems

• Statistics Minor or Masters

12 hours graduate STAT courses & STAT faculty on Dissertation committee

PhD Comprehensive Exams

Comprehensive exams in microeconomics, macroeconomics, and econometrics are given during August by rotating three person committees. Students must attempt all 3 exams and are allowed 3 chances on each exam. Field exams may be required.

PhD Dissertation Proposal and Defense

Students defend their Dissertation in a General Oral Exam covering the Dissertation proposal as well as economic theory and quantitative methods. There must be at least 1 semester between this Oral Exam and the Dissertation defense.

MS Degree

The MS Degree is in agricultural economics.

Master of Agriculture

The Master of Agriculture is a non-thesis option with at least 32 hours of courses including 20 hours in agricultural sciences.

MBA in Agricultural Economics

Specialties are Agribusiness or Natural Resources and Environmental Management. Requirements include 36 graduate credit hours, 24 in business and 12 in agricultural economics or a closely related field. Application is through the College of Business.

GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIP APPLICATION FORM

Print and submit with statement of interest and recommendation letters to Graduate Program Officer.