Agricultural Economics
Subject Areas |
Courses for Agricultural Economics (ABUS) +/-
855. Marketing and Globalization (MRKT 855) (3-6 cr, max 6)
Prereq: GRBA *813 or equivalent
Globalization and resulting changes in the business environment. Access to new consumers, new supplies. The effect on consumer choices. Readings from scholarly and popular press, videos, and a “real world” application. Marketing strategies developed for Nebraska firms and organizations such as value-added food marketers.
Courses for Agricultural Economics (AECN) +/-
801. Advanced Farm Management and Linear Programming (3 cr I) Lec 2, lab 2.
Prereq: AECN 201
Role of budgeting and linear programming in analyzing farm organization problems, theory of linear programming, linear program design, and analysis of linear programmed solutions to farm organization problems. Goal programming, multiple objective programming, risk programming, and financial modeling.
*804. Agricultural Law (LAW 704G) (1-4 cr)
Legal problems and issues of unique importance to lawyers serving the agricultural sector. The Farm Credit System, the Farmers’ Home Administration, and farm financing problems under the Uniform Commercial Code; commodity futures markets; agricultural cooperatives; farmland preservation and rural land use controls; foreign investment in American agriculture; farm labor legislation; farm programs and the economic regulation of agriculture; pesticides; and food additives.
*812. Organization and Performance of Agricultural Markets (3 cr II) Lec 3.
Prereq: AECN 815 or ECON *873
Economic theory of industrial organization and performance applied to agricultural input, raw product, and processed product markets. Buyer market power at first-handler level, spatial markets, vertical integration and contract coordination, and organizational forms unique to agriculture.
*814. Agricultural Price Analysis (3 cr II) Lec 3.
Prereq: AECN/ECON *873 and ECON 817
Economic relationships among the forces that determine the demand, supply and prices for agricultural commodities, products, and factors of production within and across markers. Theoretical foundations reviewed covering individual consumer demand, commodity and factor markets and price determination. Empirical methods applied in analyzing demand, supply and prices, and the factors affecting them. Multiple projects, including interpreting the results, to reinforce understanding of economic behavior.
815. Analytical Methods in Economics and Business (ECON *815) (3 cr)
Prereq: MATH 104 or 106
Equilibrium Analysis: Applications in business, finance, and economics. Market equilibria, accumulations, and economics. Optimization: profit, cost, and utility functions. Constrained optimization problems with utility functions. Constrained optimization problems in production and consumer allocations; Kuhn and Tucker conditions; static and dynamic input-output Models.
*818. Taxation-Farm and Ranch (ACCT *818; LAW 618G; POLS *818) (1-4 cr)
Prereq: ACCT 812 or LAW 637/G
Selection of substantial income tax problems affecting farms and ranches.
*821. Orientation to Research (1 cr I) Lec 1.
Prereq: Permission
Introduction to approaches to agricultural economics research. Critical evaluation of agricultural economics literature. Identify an area of research interest and present a review of current literature in the area.
*827. Static and Dynamic Optimization Methods (2 cr ea, max 4, II) Lec 2.
Prereq: AECN 815 or permission
Optimization methods in economics, organized into modules, each of which introduces the fundamental methods used in the analysis of a particular class of economic problems. Each module is taught within the framework of consumer, firm, or social welfare optimization problems.
A. Static Optimization with Mathematical Programming
B. Dynamic Optimization
827A. Static Optimization with Mathematical Programming
827B. Dynamic Optimization
*832. Economics of Agricultural Production (3 cr I) Lec 3.
Prereq: AECN 201, ECON 373, MATH 104
Static economic analysis of multi-variant agriculture response functions. Resource and enterprise choice, cost functions, resource evaluation, and size and scale economies.
*840. Applied Welfare Economics and Public Policy (3 cr II) Lec 3.
Prereq: AECN/ECON *873
Principles of welfare economics applied to policy issues in agriculture and natural resources. Review of measures of household welfare, willingness to pay, and notions of Pareto optimality, aggregate welfare and market failure. Practical methods of comparative statics analysis of the effect of public policies on consumer and firm behavior, and on market equilibrium. Theory of externalities and welfare implications of market versus non-market allocation of public goods examined. Applications include evaluation of such policies as taxes, price supports, quotas, pollution controls, environmental damage liability, and intellectual property rights.
*841. Environmental Law (LAW 641G) (1-4 cr)
Legal problems encountered as a result of the impairment of the quality of the environment. Control of air, water, land, noise, and radiation pollution, and the roles of federal, interstate, state, and local agencies in affording protection. Includes private actions, class actions, and regulatory actions to protect both private and public interests.
852. Agricultural Finance (3 cr II) Lec 3.
Prereq: AECN 201, or 4 hrs accounting
Principles and concepts of financial management of farm and agribusiness firms developed. Various strategies for acquiring and using capital resources by the individual firm explored. Institutions providing the sources of agricultural credit are individually studied.
856. Environmental Law (NREE 456/856) (3 cr II) PSI.
Prereq: AECN/NREE 357 recommended
Offered odd numbered years. Available through Extended Education and Outreach. Administrative law; risk assessment; environmental impact review; Clean Air Act; Clean Water Act; nonpoint source pollution control; wetlands regulations; pesticide and toxic substance regulation; solid and hazardous waste regulation; drinking water protection; land use regulation; energy policy; international environmental law.
857. Water Law (NREE 457/857; WATS 457) (3 cr II) PSI.
Prereq: AECN/NREE 357
Offered even numbered years. Available through Extended Education and Outreach. Environmental impact review; public trust doctrine; endangered species; land use controls; wetlands regulation; surface and ground water rights; Indian and federal water rights; impact of water quality regulations on water allocation.
865. Resource and Environmental Economics II (NREE 465; WATS 465) (3 cr I) Lec 3.
Prereq: MATH 104 and one course in statistics
Credit in AECN 856 will not count toward any advanced degree in ECON or AECN. Application of resource economics concepts and empirical tools to resource management problems. Public policy issues involving environmental quality, land, and water management.
*868. Advanced Resource and Environmental Economics (3 cr I) Lec 3.
Prereq: AECN/ECON *873, AECN 865, ECON 817
Application of conceptual and empirical tools for analyzing resource problems. Both public and private dimensions of resource management are considered with emphasis on public policy. Economics of environmental quality, management of exhaustible and renewable resources, valuation of non-market goods and key elements of environmental policy analysis.
*873. Microeconomic Models and Applications (ECON *873) (3 cr)
Prereq: ECON 211, 212, and 215
This course is intended for MA Option II students and others who do not plan to proceed to PhD studies. Analysis of microeconomic decision-making by individuals and firms with emphasis on consumer demand, production, cost and profit, market structure and the economics of games, uncertainty, and information.
*876. Water Law, Planning and Policy (LAW 776G) (1-4 cr)
Judicial, legislative, and administrative problems in water resource development, allocation, and control.
*883. Ecological Economics (NRES *883) (3 cr I) Lec 3, rec.
Prereq: AECN 141 or ECON 212 or equivalent
A synthesis across the notion of “utility” as represented in traditional environmental and natural resource economics, “ecology” in ecological economics, and “community” in behavioral economics. Ideas from thermodynamics with a focus on renewable resources. Development, organization, and enhancement of eco-business, eco-industry, eco-government and eco-communities.
*893. Law and Economics (LAW 693G) (1-4 cr)
Economic principles to problems of legal interpretation and policy. Gives economic background for substantive courses in such areas as antitrust, regulated industries, and environmental law and also demonstrates the power of economic analysis when applied to problems in such diverse areas as contracts, property, torts, criminal law, family law, corporations, taxation, securities, procedure, and constitutional law.
*896. Special Topics in Agricultural Economics (1-6 cr per sem, max 6 cr)
Prereq: 12 hrs agricultural economics or closely related areas and permission
Focused agricultural economics topics through research, narrowly targeted literature review, or extension of course work.
*899. Masters Thesis (6-10 cr)
Prereq: Admission to masters degree program and permission of major adviser
901. Directed Study of Advanced Topics in Agricultural Economics (3 cr ea, max 15) Lec 3.
Significant literature in selected fields of agricultural and resource economics to provide a broad background for conducting research in these fields.
A. Production Economics (3 cr) Prereq: ECON 973 and 974, or permission.
B. Agricultural Industrial Organization (3 cr) Prereq: AECN *812.
D. International Agricultural Trade (3 cr) Prereq: ECON 821 or permission.
E. Agricultural Development (3 cr) Prereq: ECON 973 and 974, or permission.
J. Natural Resource Economics (3 cr) Prereq: AECN *868.
901A. Production Economics (3 cr)
Prereq: ECON 973 and 974, or permission
901B. Agricultural Industrial Organization (3 cr)
Prereq: AECN *812
901D. International Agricultural Trade (3 cr)
Prereq: ECON 821 or permission
901E. Agricultural Development (3 cr)
Prereq: ECON 973 and 974, or permission
901J. Natural Resource Economics (3 cr)
Prereq: AECN *868
902. Research in Agricultural Economics (3 cr ea, max 15)
Prereq: Appropriate section of AECN 901
Investigation of a research issue in a field of agricultural economics. Identification of an issue, discovery and interpretation of relevant research, rigorous development of an additional contribution to the resolution of the issue.
A. Production Economics Prereq: AECN 901A.
B. Agricultural Industrial Organization Prereq: AECN 901B.
D. International Agricultural Trade Prereq: AECN 901C.
E. Agricultural Development Prereq: AECN 901D.
J. Natural Resource Economics Prereq: AECN 901E.
902A. Production Economics Prereq: AECN 901A.
902B. Agricultural Industrial Organization Prereq: AECN 901B.
902D. International Agricultural Trade Prereq: AECN 901C.
902E. Agricultural Development Prereq: AECN 901D.
902J. Natural Resource Economics Prereq: AECN 901E.
921. Seminar in International Trade and Finance (ECON 921) (3 cr) Lec 3.
999. Doctoral Dissertation (1-24 cr, max 55)
Prereq: Admission to doctoral degree program and permission of supervisory committee chair
Description
For a brief description of the program, application requirements and contact information, view the graduate program summary.
Department Head: Larry Van Tassell, Ph.D.
Graduate Chair: Richard K. Perrin, Ph.D.
The Department offers programs leading to the master of science and doctoral degrees in agricultural economics.
Admission decisions for the M.S. and Ph.D. programs are based on the applicant’s likelihood of success in graduate work as evidenced by previous academic performance, letters of recommendation and GRE scores (optional). No one consideration is determining, although applicants generally must have earned an overall GPA of 3.25 with a 3.5 the last two years of academic work. Performance in agricultural economics, economics, mathematics, statistics and related courses is given special consideration.
The GRE (General) is strongly suggested for financial assistance and for admission in most circumstances. There is no predetermined minimum score. International students are required to submit TOEFL scores unless they have received a degree in which English was the medium of instruction. The minimum acceptable score is 550 (paper-based exam) or 213 (computer-based exam), or a minimum score of 6 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).
Applicants for the master of science in agricultural economics should have completed intermediate macro- and microeconomics, introductory statistics, and one semester of analytical geometry/calculus or calculus for managerial and social sciences.
The master of science degree core course requirements include orientation to research, micro-economics and econometrics.
Applicants for the doctor of philosophy normally will have a master of science degree in agricultural economics or a related field, but outstanding students may be admitted to the Ph.D. program without first completing a masters degree. All PhD applicants must have completed math equivalent to the three-semester analytical geometry/calculus sequence taught at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Doctor of philosophy candidates must include in their program of study one year of advanced econometrics, one year of advanced microeconomic theory, and one semester of advanced macroeconomic theory. In addition, they must complete two AECN 901 courses and two AECN 902 courses.
Master of Science Degree Minor.
Successful completion of at least 9 credit hours of courses selected in consultation with a representative of the department of agricultural economics and the student’s adviser. No more than a total of 3 credit hours may be in AECN 896. No comprehensive exam will be required if all courses are completed with a grade of B or better.
Doctor of Philosophy Degree Minor.
Successful completion of at least 16 credit hours of courses selected in consultation with a representative of the department of agricultural economics and the student’s supervisory committee. No more than a total of 4 credit hours in AECN 896.
