MS in Agricultural and Applied Economics
Degree Requirements
The general requirements consist of graduate level economic theory and methods courses, as well as a concentration field. Students opting for the MS thesis must complete at least six credit hours of research as part of the minimum 30 hours. An alternative MS non-thesis program requires that a project and additional coursework be substituted for thesis research. The minimum requirements for the MS degree are 30 credit hours from courses numbered 7000–9000, of which 15 credit hours must be from courses numbered 8000–9000 and no more than 40% of credits from problems, readings or research hours.
Specific requirements are as follows:
| Core Courses | 9 | |
| ECONOM 8451 | Microeconomic Theory | 3 |
| ECONOM 8453 | Macroeconomic Theory | 3 |
| ECONOM 7371 | Introductory Econometrics | 3 |
| or STAT 7510 | Applied Statistical Models I | |
| Concentration Field | 6 | |
| Two courses in Agricultural and Applied Economics (AAE) according to specialization. | ||
| Thesis or non-thesis | 6 | |
| AAE 8090 | Masters Thesis Research in Agricultural and Applied Economics (If thesis track.) | 1-6 |
| If non-thesis track. Take additional coursework in specialization. | ||
| Electives | 9 | |
| Consistent with specialization. Examples are listed below: | ||
| AAE 8050 | Economics of Institutions and Organizations | 3 |
| AAE 8265 | Agricultural and Food Policy | 3 |
| AAE 8060 | Efficiency and Productivity Analysis | 3 |
Thesis/Non-Thesis Requirements
Students in the Thesis track are expected to produce a thesis with the organization, degree of analysis, and style of presentation that can be readily converted into a professional publication.
Students in the non-Thesis track substitute coursework for the Thesis hours. Students also write a technical paper that analyzes an issue or problem of mutual interest to the student and advisor, such as a phenomenon in local, regional, or national economy; an analysis of a policy implementation or change; or a firm-level decision, such as a feasibility study or an organizational case study.
Admissions
Admission to the MS program is determined by an assessment of program prerequisites and application materials.
Prerequisites include:
- At least two courses in economics, agricultural economics or equivalent;
- A course in differential calculus;
- A statistics course.
Applicants who have not met these prerequisites or have limited background in economics may be required to correct these deficiencies or take certain courses without graduate credit before being formally admitted into the program.
Minimum admission requirements are:
- A Bachelors degree (BA or BS) or equivalent
- An undergraduate GPA of 3.2.
Standardized test requirements:
- GRE (minimum score: 155) or GMAT (minimum score: 560)
- TOEFL or equivalent English language test for non-native English speakers
- TOEFL: minimum score of 80 (internet-based) or 550 (paper-based)
- IELTS: minimum score of 6.5
Domestic and international students are equally welcome to apply.
The following should be submitted as part of the application process:
- Statement of purpose explaining why you want to study at the University of Missouri
- Three letters of recommendation
- Official transcripts
- GRE (or GMAT) score report
- TOEFL (or equivalent) score report, if applicable
For priority consideration for assistantships, fellowships and scholarships, applications should be submitted by January 15 for Fall enrollment and September 1 for Spring enrollment. We also accept applications on a rolling (open) basis for all MS program options, including the online MS. Applications received after the priority deadlines will still be considered, but funding decisions will be made based on availability.
For More Information
For further information on admissions or financial assistance, write to Teo Skevas, Director of Graduate Studies, 215 Mumford Hall, Columbia, MO 65211, or skevast@missouri.edu.