Agribusiness
Agribusiness Major
The Agribusiness major allows students to focus their understanding of economics on the agribusiness sector. Students interested in careers in agribusiness have several options. Beginning in their sophomore year, students take courses in management, marketing and finance, all concentrating on the unique aspects of food and bio-systems economics. Specialization in upper division courses permits students to further concentrate based on their particular interest:
- Management: This option provides students with a broad background, preparing them for general career alternatives in agribusiness.
- Finance: This option prepares students for careers in agribusiness finance, agricultural lending, financial institution management, accounting, insurance, and investment.
- Marketing: This option prepares students for careers in agricultural marketing, sales, or food product marketing.
In the Agribusiness program, students are exposed to a range of methods useful in agribusiness decision-making. Agribusiness graduates will master problem-solving skills to face challenges likely to be encountered in their professional careers.
Agribusiness students are required to participate in an internship during their studies. Employers continue to place high importance on work-related experience when they evaluate potential employees. Employers are assured that all NDSU Agribusiness graduates have gained this valuable work experience through the required internship.
Collaboration with the College of Business leads to the concurrent satisfaction of one of the minors offered by the College of Business. Students may select business courses for the minor that complement their agribusiness interests.
Agribusiness Minor
The Agribusiness minor exposes students to applications of fundamental business concepts in an agricultural or food systems setting. A minimum of eight credits must be completed at NDSU. The Agribusiness minor is open to all NDSU majors.
Major Requirements
Major: Agribusiness
Degree Type: B.S.
Minimum Degree Credits to Graduate: 128
General Education Requirements for Baccalaureate Degree
- A list of approved general education courses is available here .
- General education courses may be used to satisfy requirements for both general education and the major, minor, and program emphases, where applicable. Students should carefully review the major, minor, and program emphases requirements for minimum grade restrictions, should they apply.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Communication (C) | 12 | |
| College Composition I | ||
| College Composition II | ||
| Fundamentals of Public Speaking | ||
Upper Division Writing † | ||
| Quantitative Reasoning (R) † | 3 | |
| Science and Technology (S) † | 10 | |
| Humanities and Fine Arts (A) † | 6 | |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences (B) † | 6 | |
| Wellness (W) † | 2 | |
| Cultural Diversity (D) *† | ||
| Global Perspectives (G) *† | ||
| Total Credits | 39 | |
| * | May be satisfied by completing courses in another General Education category. |
| † | May be satisfied with courses required in the major. Review major requirements to determine if a specific upper division writing course is required. |
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses for Agribusiness: | ||
| AGEC 242 | Introduction to Agricultural Management | 3 |
| AGEC 244 | Agricultural Marketing | 3 |
| AGEC 246 | Introduction to Agricultural Finance | 3 |
| AGEC 339 | Quantitative Methods & Decision Making | 3 |
| AGEC 344 | Agricultural Price Analysis | 3 |
| AGEC 346 | Applied Risk Analysis | 3 |
| AGEC 397 | Fe/Coop Ed/Internship | 1-3 |
| AGEC 445 | Agribusiness Industrial Strategy (capstone) | 3 |
| ECON 201 | Principles of Microeconomics (May satisfy general education category B) | 3 |
| ECON 202 | Principles of Macroeconomics (May satisfy general education category B) | 3 |
| ECON 341 | Intermediate Microeconomics | 3 |
| ECON 343 | Intermediate Macroeconomics | 3 |
| Accounting: | ||
| ACCT 200 | Elements of Accounting I | 3 |
| ACCT 201 | Elements of Accounting II | 3 |
| Agriculture Science & Technology: | 9 | |
| Complete nine (9) credits from two (2) areas in the College of AFSNR other than Agribusiness & Applied Economics. (Includes: ASM, ANSC, ABEN, CFS, ENT, MICR, NRM, PPTH, PLSC, RNG, SOIL & VETS.) EXCEPTION - All 9 credits may be in the same area if a student completes a minor from within the College of AFSNR. | ||
| Areas of Specialization: Select one of the Areas of Specialization listed below. | 6 | |
| Additional Requirements for Agribusiness | ||
| AGRI 150 | Agriculture Orientation | 1 |
| AGRI 189 | Skills for Academic Success 1 | 1 |
| MIS 116 | Business Use of Computers (May satisfy general education category S) | 3 |
| Communication Requirement: Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Interpersonal Communication | ||
| Intercultural Communication (Gen Ed B/D) | ||
| Business and Professional Speaking | ||
| Small Group Communication | ||
| Organizational Communication I | ||
| Math Requirement: | ||
| MATH 144 | Mathematics for Business (or any higher math) | 4 |
| STAT 330 | Introductory Statistics (May satisfy general education category R) | 3 |
| STAT 331 | Regression Analysis | 2 or 3 |
| or ECON 410 | Econometrics | |
| Minor Requirement | 19-24 | |
In addition to the requirements for the major in Agribusiness, students must complete a minor in Accounting (19 cr) or Business Administration (24 cr). | ||
| Total Credits | 89-98 | |
Areas of Specialization: Select one
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Finance - 6 Credits | ||
| AGEC 446 | Agribusiness Finance | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Principles of Real Estate | ||
| Cooperatives | ||
| Money and Banking | ||
| Public Economics | ||
| Total Credits | 6 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Management - 6 Credits | ||
| MGMT 320 | Foundations of Management | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Cooperatives | ||
| Applied Agricultural Law | ||
| Introduction to Transportation & Logistics | ||
| Advanced Logistical Analysis | ||
| International Trade | ||
| Total Credits | 6 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing - 6 Credits | ||
| AGEC 444 | Commodity Trading | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Agrisales | ||
| Cooperatives | ||
| National AgriMarketing Association (NAMA) I and National AgriMarketing Association (NAMA) II | ||
| International Trade | ||
| Total Credits | 6 | |
| 1 | AGRI189 is only required for first-time, first-year students--A first-time, first-year student is defined as a student who has not yet completed a college course as a college student. Students that are not first-time, first-year students that either transfer into the university or change their major are not required to take AGRI 189. |
Degree Requirements and Notes
- Students must earn, at least, a 2.00 cumulative GPA that is based on the courses that satisfy major requirements.
Minor Requirements
Agribusiness Minor
Minor Requirements
Required Credits: 18
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| ECON 201 | Principles of Microeconomics | 3 |
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
| Introduction to Agricultural Management | ||
| Agricultural Marketing | ||
| Introduction to Agricultural Finance | ||
| Elective Courses: A minimum of 9 credits from the following: | 9 | |
| Intermediate Microeconomics | ||
AGEC | ||
| Total Credits | 18 | |
- A minimum of 8 credits must be taken at NDSU.
- Students must earn a minimum 2.00 GPA for the minor requirements.
- Minor requirements are to be met with didactic courses only.
Plan of Study
| Freshman | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| AGRI 150 (not req if entering with over 24 cr) | 1 | ENGL 120 | 3 |
| AGRI 189 (not req if entering with over 24 cr) | 1 | ECON 201 | 3 |
| MATH 103 (pre-req for Math 144) | 3 | MATH 144 | 4 |
| ENGL 110 (co-req Engl 100 writing lab) | 4 | Humanities & Fine Arts Gen Ed | 3 |
| Wellness Gen Ed | 2 | Ag Science Elective | 3 |
| Science & Tech Gen Ed w/ Lab | 4 | ||
| 15 | 16 | ||
| Sophomore | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| AGEC 242 | 3 | AGEC 244 | 3 |
| ECON 202 | 3 | AGEC 246 | 3 |
| COMM 110 | 3 | ECON 341 | 3 |
| ACCT 200 | 3 | ACCT 201 | 3 |
| MIS 116 | 3 | Humanities & Fine Arts Gen Ed | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Junior | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| AGEC 339 | 3 | AGEC 344 | 3 |
| ECON 343 | 3 | AGEC 346 | 3 |
| STAT 330 | 3 | STAT 331 | 2 |
| Upper Division English for Gen Ed | 3 | Science & Tech Elective | 2 |
| Elective for Minor | 3 | Ag Science Elective | 3 |
| Elective for Minor | 3 | ||
| 15 | 16 | ||
| Senior | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| AGEC 444, 446, or MGMT 320* | 3 | AGEC 445 | 3 |
| One additional course from the area of specialization* | 3 | Electives for Minor | 12 |
| Ag Science Elective | 3 | AGEC 397 | 3 |
| 300 Level English Elective | 3 | ||
| Electives for Minor | 6 | ||
| 18 | 18 | ||
| Total Credits: 128 | |||
| * | Area of specialization requires one core course plus one other course from the specialization. |
