Agribusiness and Agricultural Economics, M.Sc.
Agribusiness & Agricultural Economics
Head: Derek G. Brewin
Grad Chair: Julieta Frank
Campus Address/General Office: 352 Agriculture Building
Telephone: 204-474-9384
Fax: 204-261-7251
Email Address: agribusiness@umanitoba.ca
Website: umanitoba.ca/agricultural-food-sciences/agribusiness-and-agricultural-economics
Academic Staff: Please refer to the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences website
Agribusiness & Agricultural Economics Program Information
The Master of Science thesis-based program consists of a combination of coursework and a research component.
A Ph.D. in Economics (Economics and Econometrics Stream) with a research specialization in Agribusiness and Agricultural Economics is offered by the Department of Economics in the Economics and Econometrics Stream with the cooperation of the Department of Agribusiness and Agricultural Economics.
Pre-Master's Option
This unit offers a Pre-Master’s program of study. The Pre-Master’s program of study is intended to bring a student’s background up to the equivalent of the required 4-year degree in the major department/unit, and to provide the student with any necessary prerequisites for courses to be taken in the Master’s program. Completing the Pre-Master’s program does not guarantee acceptance to the Master’s program.
Admission Information
Admission to the Faculty of Graduate Studies
Application and Admission Procedures are found in the Academic Guide.
Admission requirements for Master’s students are found in the Master’s Degrees General Regulations section of the Guide.
Agribusiness & Agricultural Economics M.Sc. Admission Requirements
Applicants normally require a Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness or a four year Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in Economics. The following courses or their equivalents are prerequisites to the graduate program:
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| MATH 1300 | Vector Geometry and Linear Algebra (or an equivalent course in Matrices and Linear Algebra) | 3 |
| MATH 1500 | Introduction to Calculus (or an equivalent course in Calculus) | 3 |
| ECON 2010 | Microeconomic Theory 1 (or an equivalent course in microeconomics) | 3 |
| ECON 2020 | Macroeconomic Theory 1 (or an equivalent course in macroeconomics) | 3 |
| ABIZ 3080 | Introduction to Econometrics (or an equivalent course in econometrics) | 3 |
| The following courses are not required, but may be recommended: | ||
| Microeconomic Theory 2 (or an equivalent course in microeconomics) | ||
| Macroeconomic Theory 2 (or an equivalent course in macroeconomics) | ||
Application Information
Students should complete and submit their online application with supporting documentation by the date indicated on the Agribusiness & Agricultural Economics M.Sc. program of study page.
Degree Requirements
The M.Sc. program has three streams:
- Agricultural Economics
- Agribusiness
- Environmental and Resource Economics
All students will be automatically entered into the Agricultural Economics stream and will require approval to move into the Agribusiness or Environmental and Resource Economics streams. Within each stream there is a thesis and a comprehensive option.
Thesis Route
Students must complete a minimum of 18 credit hours of coursework. Of these 18 credit hours, a minimum of 9 credit hours must be at the 7000 level. Other coursework will normally be at the 7000 level as well. Any exceptions to specific course requirements must be approved by the Department Graduate Advisory Committee (DGAC). Students must submit an acceptable thesis and pass a thesis oral examination as well as present two graduate seminars open to the public. The first presentation will be on the thesis proposal, and the second presentation will be on the completed research. The thesis must be in the area of the student’s selected stream.
Comprehensive Examination Route
Students must complete a minimum of 27 credit hours of coursework with at least 18 credit hours at the 7000 level. Other course work will normally be at the 7000 level as well. Any exceptions to specific course requirements must be approved by the Department Graduate Advisory Committee (DGAC). All students in the comprehensive option must complete a research paper and pass a comprehensive examination based primarily on the paper. These students must present a graduate seminar open to the public based on the completed research. The research paper must be in the area of the student’s selected stream.
Expected Time to Graduate: 2 years
Progression Chart
Thesis Route
Agricultural Economics Stream
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| GRAD 7300 | Research Integrity Tutorial | 0 |
| GRAD 7500 | Academic Integrity Tutorial | 0 |
| Select one of the following: | 3-6 | |
| Production Economics and Advanced Agricultural Demand Analysis | ||
| Advanced Microeconomic Theory I | ||
| XXXX 7XXX | Quantitative Methods (Econometrics, Management Science, or Statistics as approved by Advisor) | |
| Select additional courses as approved by Advisor | 9-12 | |
| GRAD 7000 | Master's Thesis | 0 |
| Total Hours | 12-18 | |
Agribusiness Stream
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| GRAD 7300 | Research Integrity Tutorial | 0 |
| GRAD 7500 | Academic Integrity Tutorial | 0 |
| ABIZ 7410 | Agricultural Finance | 3 |
| XXXX 7XXX | Additional courses in Agribusiness or related area as approved by Advisor | 6 |
| XXXX 7XXX | Quantitative Methods (Econometrics, Management Science, or Statistics) as approved by Advisor | 3 |
| Select additional courses as approved by Advisor | 6 | |
| GRAD 7000 | Master's Thesis | 0 |
| Total Hours | 18 | |
Environmental and Resource Economics Stream
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| GRAD 7300 | Research Integrity Tutorial | 0 |
| GRAD 7500 | Academic Integrity Tutorial | 0 |
| Select one of the following: | 3-6 | |
| Production Economics and Advanced Agricultural Demand Analysis | ||
| Advanced Microeconomic Theory I | ||
| XXXX 7XXX | Quantitative Methods (Econometrics, Management Science, or Statistics) as approved by Advisor | 3 |
| ABIZ 7430 | Advanced Theory of Resource Economics | 3 |
| Select an additional course related to Environment and Resources as approved by Advisor | 3 | |
| Select additional course(s) as approved by Advisor | 3-6 | |
| GRAD 7000 | Master's Thesis | 0 |
| Total Hours | 15-21 | |
Comprehensive Examination Route
Agricultural Economics Stream
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| GRAD 7300 | Research Integrity Tutorial | 0 |
| GRAD 7500 | Academic Integrity Tutorial | 0 |
| Select one of the following: | 3-6 | |
| Production Economics and Advanced Agricultural Demand Analysis | ||
| Advanced Microeconomic Theory I | ||
| XXXX 7XXX | Quantitative Methods (Econometrics, Management Science, or Statistics) as approved by Advisor | 3 |
| Select additional courses as approved by Advisor | 18-21 | |
| GRAD 7010 | Comprehensive Examination | 0 |
| Total Hours | 24-30 | |
Agribusiness Stream
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| GRAD 7300 | Research Integrity Tutorial | 0 |
| GRAD 7500 | Academic Integrity Tutorial | 0 |
| ABIZ 7410 | Agricultural Finance | 3 |
| XXXX 7XXX | Additional courses in Agribusiness or related area as approved by Advisor | 6 |
| XXXX 7XXX | Quantitative Methods (Econometrics, Management Science, or Statistics) as approved by Advisor | 3 |
| Select additional courses as approved by Advisor | 15 | |
| GRAD 7010 | Comprehensive Examination | 0 |
| Total Hours | 27 | |
Environmental and Resource Economics Stream
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| GRAD 7300 | Research Integrity Tutorial | 0 |
| GRAD 7500 | Academic Integrity Tutorial | 0 |
| Select one of the following: | 3-6 | |
| Production Economics and Advanced Agricultural Demand Analysis | ||
| Advanced Microeconomic Theory I | ||
| XXXX 7XXX | Quantitative Methods (Econometrics, Management Science, or Statistics) as approved by Advisor | 3 |
| ABIZ 7430 | Advanced Theory of Resource Economics | 3 |
| Select an additional course related to Environment and Resources as approved by Advisor | 3 | |
| Select additional courses as approved by Advisor | 12-15 | |
| GRAD 7010 | Comprehensive Examination | 0 |
| Total Hours | 24-30 | |
Registration Information
Students should familiarize themselves with the Faculty of Graduate Studies ‘GRAD’ courses applicable to their program. If you have questions about which GRAD course(s) to register in, please consult your home department/unit.
New and returning students must meet with their program advisor to determine courses prior to registration. Courses must be listed on the departmental approval form available from the Graduate Studies Assistant, and written approval granted from both the advisor and the department head or designate. Students may only register for courses listed and approved at that time. Any course revisions (additions and/or withdrawals) must be approved in the same manner. The signed form must be submitted to the Graduate Studies Assistant, who will then complete the registration process.
Not all courses are offered each year.
Regulations
Students must meet the requirements as outlined in both Supplementary Regulation and BFAR documents as approved by Senate.
Supplementary Regulations
Individual units may require specific requirements above and beyond those of the Faculty of Graduate Studies, and students should consult unit supplementary regulations for these specific regulations.
Bona Fide Academic Requirements (BFAR)
Bona Fide Academic Requirements (BFAR) represent the core academic requirements a graduate student must acquire in order to gain, and demonstrate acquisition of, essential knowledge and skills.
All students must successfully complete:
- GRAD 7300 prior to applying to any ethics boards which are appropriate to the student’s research or within the student’s first year, whichever comes first; and
- GRAD 7500 within the first term of registration;
unless these courses have been completed previously, as per Mandatory Academic Integrity Course and Mandatory Research Integrity Online Course.
Students must also meet additional BFAR requirements that may be specified for their program.
General Regulations
All students must:
- maintain a minimum degree grade point average of 3.0 with no grade below C+,
- meet the minimum and not exceed the maximum course requirements, and
- meet the minimum and not exceed the maximum time requirements (in terms of time in program and lapse or expiration of credit of courses).
Courses
Agribusiness and Agricultural Economics
Analysis of agricultural market structure, conduct and performance of processing industries.
Seminar on research issues in production economics related to technological change, risk and uncertainty, management and firm growth.
A review of economic theories of regulation and their application in agricultural marketing. Analysis of specific regulation in agricultural markets.
Advanced economic theory and quantitative techniques relevant to agricultural marketing. Topics include model building, market demand and supply, market regulation, and review of literature on marketing research.
Econometrics as applied to food, agriculture, agribusiness, resources and related areas. Econometric applications in these areas may cover generalized least squares, instrumental variables, nonstationarity and other topics. Econometric software and data will be used Students will conduct a related applied econometric study.
Critical discussion of scientific methodology and the scientific status of agricultural economics. Discussion of methodological issues as they relate to the research process in agricultural economics.
Application of economic analysis to contemporary problems in agriculture.
Theory and policy of agricultural development in underdeveloped countries: problems of stimulating growth in agriculture and evaluation of alternative approaches to economic development of agriculture.
PR/CR: A minimum grade of C is required unless otherwise indicated.
Prerequisite: consent of instructor.
Rate determination and cost analysis for different modes of transportation; transportation issues in Canadian agriculture; and research techniques in transportation problems. Prerequisite is consent of instructor.
Review policy, goals, theories, methods and applications relevant to analyzing Canadian and developing country rural development, regional economic growth and project evaluation.
Seminar dealing with current issues in policies relating to agriculture.
Bearing of economic theory on agricultural policy: relevance of allocative efficiency, distributive equity and other criteria, and economic evaluation of alternative policies.
Application of simulation modelling to characterizing and predicting the behaviour of complex systems (ecological, engineering and economic). Foundations of simulation and statistical approaches to analysis are emphasized.
Analysis of financial structure and goal criteria of agricultural firms, analysis of financial markets and institutions, evaluation and application of techniques in risk analysis, investment analysis, financial analysis, and growth and evaluation models.
Economic theory of the development and management of natural resources. Application of capital theory, investment theory, the theory of externalities and decision-making theories to resource utilization and management. A strong background in microeconomics is required. Also offered as ECON 7430 by the Department of Economics.
Equiv To: ECON 7430
Application of research management concepts in agriculture and the resource sectors. Research definitions and methodology; the macro environment in relation to research (social and grantor priorities, economic and institutional constraints, institution and project (micro) level (priorities, objectives, budgeting, time and personnel management, performance assessment): proposal and report writing; project evaluation.
Theories of trade flow; trade and income distribution; economic growth and changes in trade flows; instruments of trade intervention; international labour and capital movements; and economic integration. Also offered as ECON 7630 by the Department of Economics.
Equiv To: ECON 7630
Development of static microeconomic theories of the firm, functional forms, aggregation issues, productivity analysis, risk and uncertainty, and an introduction to dynamics. The following are emphasized; a rigorous treatment of the models using duality; a critical understanding of the limitations and possibilities for generalizing the models; and relevance of the models for empirical research, especially in agriculture. Also offered as ECON 7940 by the Department of Economics.
Equiv To: ECON 7940
Critical evaluation of economic theory as applied to agricultural demand. Topics include demand systems; equilibrium; product transformation over time, place and form; and price analysis. Also offered as ECON 7950 by the Department of Economics. Not to be held with ECON 7950 or the former ABIZ 7100 or the former ECON 7900.
Equiv To: ABIZ 7100, ECON 7900, ECON 7950