Introduction
The Rural Entrepreneurship option provides those students with interest in owning,
managing, or lending to rural, innovative business enterprises the tools for understanding
the issues unique to the start-up of rural, innovative businesses. Simply put,
entrepreneurship involves identifying a business opportunity, gathering and organizing
the resources needed to utilize that opportunity, and finally taking responsibility for
the success of the newly created business.
The Rural Entrepreneurship option plan of study integrates the technical skills required of
involvement in the rural business industry with application-based experience provided by the
program's capstone courses. More specifically, students who pursue the rural entrepreneurship
option will develop a strong background in the following fields; economics, accounting, management,
finance, and policy. With the aid of faculty and staff advisors, students in the Rural
Entrepreneurship option design their plan of study reflecting their particular future goals.
During the final year of this option, each student will incorporate the interdisciplinary background
gained in the previous years of study into the development of a rural business plan for a business of
his/her choice. In choosing their business, students will explore potential entrepreneurial enterprises,
which may include family farms, rural medical practices, and even sporting goods companies. Students
conclude their experience of developing a rural business plan through direct interaction with industry
professionals who assess and make suggestions as to the successful implementation of the plan.
Graduates of this option will likely establish careers as entrepreneurs involved in the developed of main
street businesses including bed and breakfasts, general services companies, florists and a range of other
rural, start-up enterprises. Students in the Rural Entrepreneurship option are encouraged to gain direct
knowledge through various opportunities available to them. Some of these opportunities include undergraduate
research or directed studies, as well as internships offered by entrepreneurs and investment bankers.
Involvement in related extracurricular activities is also strongly encouraged. Students in the Rural
Entrepreneurship option maybe interested in joining the Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Association
student chapter, and the Business Idea Challenge offered by the Mays Business School.
Course Listing
This option is designed to provide a well-founded basis in principles, concepts,
and methods for students interested in owning and/or managing or otherwise being
engaged in working with a rural business. The twenty-seven hours of option-specific
course work are intended to provide a balance among specified courses in the Department
which offer in-depth, targeted instruction, directed opportunities to select among
additional courses in the Department to realize a more diversified scope of expertise
according to students' individual interests, and directed opportunities outside the
Department. This should allow individual students to chart their own programs within
terms of reference provided by the Department's undergraduate advisors. The requirement
of a majority of the directed electives outside the Department being of an upper-level
nature is intended to encourage advanced preparation and skill development.
Catalog 130 (2007-2008) full 4-year degree plans
Single Page Condensed Version
Catalog 129 (2006-2007) full 4-year degree plans
Single Page Condensed Version
Catalog 128 (2005-2006) full 4-year degree plans
Single Page Condensed Version
Catalog 127 (2004-2005) full 4-year degree plans
Single Page Condensed Version
Degree Plan Worksheet
Click on the course number to view each courses syllabus
| Rural Entrepreneurship Option |
| Area | Course | Credit |
| Required in the Department of Agricultural Economics (9 hrs) |
AGEC 344 (Food and Agricultural Law)** |
3 |
| AGEC 424 (Rural Entrepreneurship I)* |
3 |
| AGEC 425 (Rural Entrepreneurship II)** |
3 |
| Directed Electives Required in the Department of Agricultural Economics, Option-Specific Choices (9 hrs) |
Select three of AGEC 315, 413, 422, 432**, 448, and [452 or 453*] |
9 |
| Directed Electives Required Outside the Department of Agricultural Economics (9 hrs) |
Directed Non-AGEC Electives*** |
9 |
| Sub-Total |
27 |
| * |
New Course |
| ** |
Title Change and/or Course content/description change |
| *** |
A minimum of 6 of these hours must be at the 300 or 400 level,
of which at least 3 hours must be at the 400 level. These courses should be selected
with the objective of supporting a focused career interest consistent with the respective option.
Students are required to obtain advisor authorization to register for Non-AGEC Electives.
|
Career/Professional Links
Faculty Pages:
-Dr. Rister
Career/Informational Pages:
Farm Credit Administration - www.fca.gov/FCA-Homepage.htm
Farm Service Agency - www.fsa.usda.gov/pas/
Institute for Rural Entrepreneurship - http://www.ncruralcenter.org/entrepreneurship/index.asp
Rural Policy Research Institute - http://www.rupri.org/centers/ruralship.asp
Small Business Administration - www.sba.gov
Texas Center for Rural Entrepreneurship - http://ruralbusiness.tamu.edu/ecenter/
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