Agribusiness and Applied Economics

Program Description

The Agribusiness and Applied Economics Master of Science degree includes areas of specialization in applied economics, agribusiness, and transportation and logistics.

The Applied Economics area emphasizes course work in economic theory, research methods, and quantitative techniques. The option is designed to prepare students for careers in agricultural economics research in private and public sectors and for Ph.D. programs at other institutions.

The Agribusiness specialization is a broad-based program which combines training in agribusiness management, economic analysis, and agricultural sciences. Training may include biotechnology, processing, and food and environmental safety. Students are prepared for a variety of successful careers in agribusiness by fulfilling the requirements for expertise in quantitative methods and developing a rigorous background in economic theory and research.

The Departments of Agribusiness and Applied Economics and Civil Engineering, in conjunction with the Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute, offer an interdisciplinary graduate program in multimodal transportation. The program includes rural and non-metropolitan planning, highway and railroad engineering, freight transportation operations and economics, and agribusiness logistics and distribution. Both thesis and comprehensive study options are available.

Students of all options have complete access to well-equipped research facilities and to faculty supervision time. The department has an excellent placement record with national and international agricultural and business firms, as well as government agencies.

In addition to the Graduate School admission requirements, applicants to the program must have earned a grade of B or higher in intermediate microeconomics and statistics including linear regression, and a grade of C or better in calculus.

Students who do not meet all requirements for admission or have deficiencies in prerequisite course work, but show potential for successful graduate study, may be admitted under a conditional status. Evidence must be provided showing that the applicant's potential is not adequately reflected by his/her record. After meeting the specified standards of performance set by the department, the student, in consultation with the major adviser, may request a change to full graduate standing.

Financial Assistance

The department offers assistantships on a competitive basis.  Graduate Research Assistantships (GRAs) provide monthly stipends plus tuition waivers.  Students must pay a minimal activity fee each semester.  Assistantships do not begin until the first semester of full graduate standing when courses that apply for the Master of Science degree are taken.

Most assistantships are half-time (20 hours per week) or one-quarter-time (10 hours per week).  Students on assistantship perform research or teaching duties in the Department in return for their stipend.  Assistantships are typically limited to 16 months.

Granting assistantships depends on academic performance, departmental needs, and availability of assistantships.

All students pursuing a Master of Science in Agribusiness and Applied Economics must complete all core courses. Students select elective courses (with approval of the adviser and supervisory committee) to fulfill the remaining Graduate College credit requirements. Students must have competence in calculus, multiple regression analysis, and intermediate microeconomics.

Kwame Addey, Ph.D.
North Dakota State University, 2023
Research Interests: International Trade, and Financial Markets (Statistical Arbitrage)

Jon Biermacher, Ph.D.
Oklahoma State University, 2005
Research Interests: Economics of Livestock Production, Crop Production and Marketing Systems, Technology and Biotechnology Adoption, and Rural and Community Economic Development

David Bullock, Ph.D.
Iowa State University, 1989
Research Interests: Futures and Options Markets, Over-The-Counter Derivatives, Trading, Risk Management, Agrifinance, Monte Carlo Simulation, and Big Data Applications in Agriculture

James Caton, Ph.D.
George Mason University, 2016
Research Interests: Entrepreneurship Agent-based Computational Economics, Market Process Theory, Monetary Economics 

Erik Hanson, Ph.D.
University of Minnesota, 2016
Research Interests: Agricultural Finance, Farm Management, Marketing and Production Economics

Ron Haugen, M.S.
North Dakota State University, 1989
Research Interests: Farm Management

Robert Hearne, Ph.D.
University of Minnesota, 1995
Research Interests: Natural Resource and Environmental Economics

Jeremy Jackson, Ph.D.
Washington University in St. Louis, 2008
Research Interests: Microeconomics, Political Economy, Public Finance

Thomas Krumel, Ph.D.
University of Connecticut, 2020
Research Interests: Rural Development, Labor Demand, and Labor Market Skills Mismatch

Siew Hoon Lim, Ph.D.
University of Georgia, 2005
Research Interests: Production Economics, Transportation, Industrial Organization

Raymond March, Ph.D.
Texas Tech University, 2017
Research Interests: Public and Private Provision and Governance of Health Care in the United States

Dragan Miljkovic, Ph.D.
University of Illinois, 1996
Research Interests: Agricultural Prices, International Trade, Agricultural and Food Marketing and Policy

William Nganje, Ph.D.
University of Illiniois at Urbana-Champaign, 1999
Research Interests: Agricultural Finance, Food Safety Economics

Frayne Olson, Ph.D.
University of Missouri, 2007
Research Interests: Crop Marketing Strategies, Crop Supply Chain Management, Agricultural Contracting, Agricultural Risk Management

Bryon Parman, Ph.D.
Kansas State University, 2013
Research Interests:  Whole Farm and Agribusiness Financial Structure, Risk Management, Land Values and Rents, and Farm Financial Trends

Timothy Petry, M.S.
North Dakota State University, 1973
Research interests: Livestock Marketing

Veeshan Rayamajhee, Ph.D.
University of New Mexico, 2019
Research Interests:  Individual and Collective Responses to Covariate Shocks

David Ripplinger, Ph.D.
North Dakota State University, 2011
Research Interests: Production Economics and Marketing

David Roberts, Ph.D.
Oklahoma State University, 2009
Research Interests: Natural Resource and Environmental Economics, Econometrics, Production Agriculture

Anupa Sharma, Ph.D.
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 2016
Research Interests: Economics, Agriculture Business and Management

Sandro Steinbach, Dr. Sc.
ETH Zurich, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, 2018
Research Interests: International Trade and Agricultural Policy

Cheryl J. Wachenheim, Ph.D.
Michigan State University, 1994
Research Interests: Agribusiness

William W. Wilson, Ph.D.
University of Manitoba, 1980
Research Interests: Commodity Marketing, Agribusiness, Industrial Organization