Graduate Courses

Graduate Courses

AAEC 6210. Production Economics: Theory with Applications. 3 hours. Prerequisite: AAEC 3580. The application of fundamental economic principles in determining efficient adjustments in agricultural resource use consistent with economic growth, and changing technology and economic conditions.

AAEC 6510. Farm Appraisal. 3 hours. Prerequisite: AAEC 2580 or permission of department. An application of the methods of appraisal to farm property. A study of the factors influencing farm land and building values. The relationship of land use, soils, crops, livestock, buildings, and other factors to farm value.

AAEC 6580. Microeconomics: Theory with Applications. 4 hours. Prerequisite: AAEC 3580 or equivalent. Partial and general equilibrium analyses in the study of efficient resource allocation among households and firms. Perfect and imperfect output and input markets are investigated in terms of economic efficiency.

AAEC 6610. Quantitative Techniques in Agricultural Economics. 3 hours. Prerequisite: AAEC 2580 or permission of department. The application of basic quantitative techniques to agricultural economic theory, emphasizing basic models used in the study of prices, marketing and production.

AAEC 6630. Decision Theory for Resource Allocation. 3 hours. Prerequisite: AAEC 6580. Application of decision theory to natural and economic resources. Linear, nonlinear and dynamic programming techniques for problems in economic and natural resource allocation.

AAEC 6710. Rural Economic Development and Growth. 3 hours. Prerequisite: AAEC 2580 or permission of department. The relationship of inputs and outputs between agriculture and agricultural businesses; analysis of factors affecting development and economic growth in developing areas.

AAEC 6760. Intermediate Agricultural Prices. 3 hours. Prerequisite: AAEC 6580 and 4610/6610 or permission of department. The integrated use of price theory and statistical techniques that allows the student to advance beyond the introductory level of analyzing agricultural prices.

AAEC 6800. Water Resource Economics. 3 hours. Prerequisite: AAEC 2580 or equivalent. A study of the economic aspects of the use, supply, development and management of water resources with special emphasis on river basin and project planning, benefit-cost analyses, water demands and multiple-use management of water resources.

AAEC (FINA) 6870. Futures and Option Markets. 3 hours. Prerequisite: Permission of Department. Development, functions, and importance of futures and option markets. Close attention is given to futures and option contracts, issues such as speculation, the roles of commission houses, commodity exchanges, clearinghouses, and the use of futures contracts as instruments for financing business activities. Technical and fundamental trading theories are analyzed.

AAEC 6930. Environmental Law and Governmental Regulation. 3 hours. Prerequisite: AAEC 2580 or permission of department. Introduction to regulatory theory, externalities and market failures, definition of key regulations affecting agribusiness, overview of local government law, and delineation of environmental laws relating to agriculture. Current environmental issues are related to statutory, administrative, and regulatory authorities.

AAEC 6960. International Agricultural Trade. 3 hours. Prerequisite: AAEC 3580 and 6580 or equivalent. Trade theory and an analysis of agricultural policies among nations.

AAEC 6980. Agribusiness Management. 3 hours. Prerequisite: AAEC 3040 or 3100 and AAEC 2110 or ACCT 1100. Provides a broad overview of the basic skills needed to be an effective manager of an agribusiness and to help the student achieve perspective on applying and integrating these skills into a workable approach to management; provides a step-by-step approach to the application of basic practical management skills in marketing, demand analysis, forecasting, finance, plant operations and personnel.

AAEC 7000. Master's Research. 1–9 hours. Prerequisite: Permission of department. Research while enrolled for a master's degree under the direction of faculty members.

AAEC 7300. Master's Thesis. 1–9 hours. Prerequisite: Permission of department.

AAEC 7600. Environmental Economics and Policy Analysis. 3 hours. Environmental policy in both mathematical and intuitive economics including externalities, policy instruments, and implementation. Concepts are applied to U.S. environmental policy toward air and water pollution, hazardous substances, and implementation of environmental law. An appraisal of efficiency and equity impacts of rural environmental problem solutions in existing social, economic and political structures. An analysis of general concepts and techniques for the evaluation of alternative pollution abatement policies in relation to changing social, economic and political structures.

AAEC (FORS) 7860. Resource Economics and Management. 3 hours. Prerequisite: AAEC 6580 of equivalent. Analysis of economic and physical concepts of scarcity, the impact of market and social factors on resource use and the optimal management of renewable and nonrenewable resources.

AAEC 8000. Special Readings in Agricultural Economics. 3 hours. An in-depth study of the literature, the concepts and analytical tools for production economics, marketing or resource economics. Extensive assignments in the student's area of interest.

AAEC 8010. Seminar in Agricultural and Applied Economics. 1 hour. Prerequisite: AAEC 6580. Current topics in agricultural policy, production, marketing, development, trade, agribusiness management and/or natural resources. Theoretical and methodological issues, empirical analyses, and firm/industry/academic policy and other research issues will be addressed.

AAEC 8020. Topics in Agricultural and Applied Economics. 1–3 hours. Prerequisite: Permission of department. Topics in agricultural policy, production, marketing, development, trade, agribusiness, management and/or natural resources. Theoretical and methodological issues, empirical analysis, firm/industry policy, and other issues will be addressed.

AAEC 8080. Production Economics: Theory and Application. 3 hours. Prerequisite: AAEC 6580 and [AAEC 6610 or equivalent]. Economic theory of production, duality, applications and modeling.

AAEC 8100. Applied Resource Policy and Project Analysis. 3 hours. Prerequisite: AAEC 6580 or equivalent or permission of department. Advanced economic analysis of contemporary rural natural resources, environmental policies, and agricultural policies and projects. Application of theory and techniques to local, state, and national problems and issues, particularly those affecting rural areas, is emphasized.

AAEC (ESC) 8120. Roles and Responsibilities of Environmental Policy Makers. 2 hours. Prerequisite: Graduate standing. Roles of science, engineering, law, journalism, economics, grass roots activism, and the legislative and regulatory process in the development of environmental policy.

AAEC 8140. Consumer Demand Theory. 3 hours. Prerequisite: AAEC 658, STATE 4220/6220 or equivalent. A primarily theoretical treatment of consumer demand. Utility theory and its assumptions, consumer behavior theory, and problems of application in agricultural economics are included.

AAEC 8210. Agricultural Programs and Policy. 3 hours. An analysis of alternative governmental programs and policies as they relate to the solution of specific agricultural problems.

AAEC 8300. Agricultural Economics Research. 2 hours. Prerequisite: Twenty hours of graduate credit, including AAEC 6580 and STATE 4210/6210 or equivalent. Methodology, techniques and guidance for individual research in problems of agricultural economics.

AAEC 8400. Agricultural Market Structure and Analysis. 3 hours. Prerequisite: AAEC 658 or permission of department. The role of the market in economic development and evaluation of structure, conduct and performance in the U.S. agribusiness sector. Problems of market coordination and associated policy issues are investigated.

(AAEC) ECOL 8700. Environmental Policy and Management. 3 hours. Evolution, from and substance of U.S. federal policies and programs that address ecological problems; focusing on the changing nature of problems and alternatives for effective resolution.

AAEC 8710. Advanced Agricultural Development and Growth. 3 hours. Prerequisite: AAEC 471/671 and EC0N 4100 or equivalent and permission of department. Analysis of major economic problems of the agricultural sector of developing countries, and a study of policy instruments which have been used to resolve these problems.

AAEC 8750. Natural Resource and Environmental Economics. 3 hours. Prerequisite: AAEC 6580 and CON 4600/6600 or 4800/6800 or equivalent and permission of department. Advanced theoretical and empirical concepts related to management of natural and environmental resources. Major theoretical concepts will provide a basis for examination of efficient production and consumption allocation decisions related to natural resources. Emphasis will center on economic, institutional and legal aspects which prevent private markets from efficiently valuing resources.

AAEC 8800. Dynamic Optimization in Agricultural and Resource Economics. 3 hours. Prerequisite: AAEC 6580 and EC0N 8690 and 8960. Theory and application of dynamic optimization and optimal control techniques relevant to agricultural and resource economics. Topics covered include: calculus of variations, the maximum principle, dynamic programming, and both open-loop and closed-loop optimal control.

AAEC 8850. Risk and Uncertainty in Agricultural Decision Making. 3 hours. Application of microeconomic theory to measure and assess the impact of risk on firm, consumer and market decisions and welfare. Evaluate main sources of risk including price, production, and technological uncertainty. Identify firm responses to risk in financing, marketing, insurance, and contractual arrangements.

AAEC 9000. Doctoral research. 1–9 hours (max. 36 hours.) Prerequisite: Permission of department. Research while enrolled for a doctoral degree under the direction of faculty members.

AAEC 9300. Doctoral Dissertation. 1–9 hours (max. 36 hours.) Prerequisite: Permission of department.