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International Agribusiness

Program and Application Information
Department Chair:Dr. William Nganje
Graduate Coordinator:Dr. Gregory McKee
Department Location:500 Barry Hall
Department Phone:(701) 231-7441
Department Web Site:www.ag.ndsu.edu/agecon/
Application Deadline:March 1 to be considered for an assistantship
Degrees Offered:M.S.
Test Requirement:GRE (for assistantship consideration)
English Proficiency Requirements:TOEFL ibT 79 IELTS 6.5

Program Description

Billions of dollars’ worth of food and farm products are traded each year on international markets. Food companies scour the globe for customers and suppliers. Policy makers actively promote expanded markets for their country's food producers. Global food and agricultural policies command intense debate in world trade forums. International agribusiness is an exciting and rewarding career.

Entering the world of international agribusiness requires not only a solid educational foundation, but one must also be comfortable with a variety of cultures, have international experience, and demonstrate a desire to learn foreign languages.

The International Agribusiness M.S. program offered by the Department of Agribusiness and Applied Economics at North Dakota State University provides both the academic training and the international experience required to excel in an international agribusiness career. The program of study includes course work in applied economics, quantitative methods, and international agribusiness strategy, management, finance, and marketing.

The student will participate in an international experience. Three options are available for satisfying the international requirements for the program:

  1. The student may participate in an international internship. Both paid and unpaid opportunities exist with international agribusiness companies, with government agencies, or with nonprofit organizations. The semester-long or summer internship can be arranged by the student or in cooperation with NDSU’s Office of International Student and Study Abroad Services. Internship programs will be defined by the student and his or her major adviser, and approved by the Graduate Program Committee (GPC) and the student's supervisory committee.
  2. Students may participate in graduate courses in business or agribusiness at an international university during a semester-long or summer study abroad program. Study abroad programs will be defined by the student and his or her major adviser, and approved by the GPC and the student's supervisory committee.
  3. Students may select at least six additional credits of coursework offered at NDSU related to international business or agribusiness. Courses must be approved by the student's supervisory committee as part of the student’s program of study prior to enrollment in the courses.

Students complete the program by writing and defending their comprehensive study papers under the supervision of their graduate committee.

Admissions Requirements

The Department of Agribusiness and Applied Economics graduate program is open to all qualified graduates of universities and colleges of recognized standing. In addition to the Graduate School’s requirements, to be admitted with full status to the program, an applicant must submit GRE scores and have adequate preparation in microeconomic theory, calculus, and statistics.

It is desirable that students begin their program in the fall semester, although students may also begin their programs of study in January. Application for admission to graduate school should be as far in advance as possible, in all cases at least one month prior to the next registration date. International students are advised to submit applications no later than March 31 to ensure VISA documents will be completed for a fall matriculation.

Students pursuing a Master of Science in International Agribusiness must complete all core courses. Students select elective courses (with approval of their adviser and supervisory committee) to fulfill the remaining Graduate School credit requirements. The core requirements assure breadth and competence in key areas of knowledge and professional activity. Students participate in an international internship, a study aboard program, or select six additional credits of course work at NDSU related to international agribusiness. The following courses, or their equivalent, constitute the core of the Master of Science program:

Core Courses
AGEC 701Research Philosophy1
AGEC 741Advanced Microeconomics3
AGEC 744Agribusiness I: Agricultural Product Marketing and Agribusiness Strategy3
AGEC 797Master's Paper1-10
or AGEC 798 Master's Thesis
Select a minimum of 6 credits of the following:6
Econometrics
Advanced Econometrics
Analytical Methods for Applied Economics
Applied Risk Analysis I
Applied Risk Analysis II
Or other approved quantitative coursework
Approved Electives

A minimum of 30 credits is necessary to complete the M.S. in International Agribusiness. Credits beyond those required courses listed above may be met through a combination of internship credits, courses taken during an international study program, or NDSU international courses approved by the student's supervisory committee.

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

Robert S. Herren, Ph.D.
Duke University, 1975
Research Interests: Economic History, Labor, Money and Banking

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

Ryan Larsen, Ph.D
Texas A&M University, 2009
Research Interests: Agricultural Finance, Risk Management

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

Gregory McKee, Ph.D.
University of California, Davis, 2006
Research Interests: Industrial Organization, Agribusiness, Cooperatives

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

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

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

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

David M. Saxowsky, J.D.
The Ohio State University, 1979
Research Interests: Agricultural Law

Saleem Shaik, Ph.D.
University of Nebraska, 1998
Research Interests: Agriculture Policy and Risk Management, Agriculture Production Economics

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

Tom Wahl, Ph.D.
Iowa State University, 1989
Research Interests: International Marketing and Trade, Agricultural Trade Policy, Marketing and Price Analysis

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

Lei Zhang, Ph.D.
University of Texas at Dallas, 2011
Research Interests: Applied Econometrics, Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics, Regional and Urban Economics