Master of Science

Program Description

The Master of Science (MS) 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 for MS graduates are currently found in food processing firms, commodity marketing, farm management, rural banking and credit, wholesaling and retailing, and many other areas.

MS students choose between the thesis option (recommended for those students who plan to go on for further graduate studies) and the non-thesis option. These options provide flexibility in being able to tailor the degree to the student's career objectives.

Program Requirements

Thesis Option

The Thesis 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.

The course of study includes Microeconomic Theory, Macroeconomic Theory, Econometrics, Analysis and Forecasting, Research Methodology, and six hours of graduate courses in Agricultural Economics which constitutes a field area. Eight credit hours of research and three credit hours of electives complete the 32 hour requirement.

Prerequisites: Math / Micro / Macro
Degree Planning Guide
Typical Schedule

Non-Thesis Option

The Non-Thesis Option requires a minimum of 36 credit hours. Non-thesis students must complete a professional paper which 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. The final oral examination covers coursework and the professional paper. Click here for examples of professional papers written by former students.

The course of study includes Microeconomic Theory, Macroeconomic Theory, Econometrics, Analysis and Forecasting, and nine hours of graduate courses in Agricultural Economics which constitutes a field area. Three credit hours of professional study and twelve credit hours of electives complete the 36 hour requirement.

Prerequisites: Math / Micro / Macro
Degree Planning Guide
Typical Schedule

Peace Corps Masters International Program

In July 2007, Texas A&M University became a partner in the Peace Corps Masters International (MI) Program. Students studying for a Master of Science in one of ten participating departments in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, including the Department Agricultural Economics, can integrate their coursework and research with Peace Corps service.

The MI program participants will work with their faculty advisor and committee, as well as the MI Program Coordinator, to plan a degree program that fulfills their career objectives and degree requirements while also prepareing them for their Peace Corps service. They will complete 24 credit hours at Texas A&M prior to fulfilling their 2-year commitment to the Peace Corps, and then return to finish requirements to complete their degree.