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Agricultural Business

This is an archived copy of the 2021-2022 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.iastate.edu.

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The Department of Economics offers coursework for a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Business.  The major in Agricultural Business prepares students for advanced studies (e.g., Masters or Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics, Law School, MBA, etc) and for careers in agricultural finance, management in agricultural supply and marketing industries, commodity merchandising and research, business research and management, farm and ranch operations, commercial farm management and appraisal, agricultural sales and marketing, agricultural reporting and public relations, agricultural extension, international activities, and government service. A minor in Agricultural Business is also possible.

Students majoring in Agricultural Business often choose elective coursework leading to minors in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences or the Ivy College of Business, or that emphasize specific areas within agricultural business such as finance, management, commodity analysis, research, agricultural sales and marketing, environmental economics, farm and ranch operations, international economics, agricultural extension, or government service. A major in Agricultural Business with a minor in Economics is not permitted; however, a double major in Agricultural Business and Economics is permitted.  

Customization of the Agricultural Business major is possible.  Students may request to pursue one of three Business Options in Finance, Marketing, or Supply Chain Management.  Electing a Business Option does not change the overall requirements of the Agricultural Business major.  Eligibility and coursework requirements for Business Options are maintained and approved by the Department of Economics and details are available on the department website.

Curriculum in Agricultural Business

The major in Agricultural Business requires a minimum of 120 credits and a 2.00 minimum GPA.  Only 65 credits from a two-year institution may apply, which may include up to 16 technical credits.  In addition, at most 9 P-NP credits of free electives can be applied toward the degree, and a minimum of 18 credits must be earned from courses taught by the Department of Economics at ISU.

International Perspective: 3 cr.

3 cr. from approved list.

U.S. Diversity: 3 cr.

3 cr. from approved list.

Communication/Library: 13 cr.
ENGL 150Critical Thinking and Communication3
ENGL 250Written, Oral, Visual, and Electronic Composition3
One of the following3
Business Communication
Proposal and Report Writing
Technical Communication
One of the following3
Fundamentals of Public Speaking
Presentation and Sales Strategies for Agricultural Audiences
LIB 160Information Literacy1
Communication Proficiency Requirement: A grade of C or better in ENGL 250, a C or better in either ENGL 150 or (ENGL 302 or ENGL 309 or ENGL 314), and a C or better in the speech fundamentals course (SP CM 212 or AGEDS 311).
Total Credits13
Humanities and Social Sciences: 6 cr.
ECON 102Principles of Macroeconomics3
Three credits from approved course list.3
Total Credits6
Ethics: 3 cr.

3 cr. from approved list.

Life Sciences: 6 cr.
One of the following:3
Introductory Biology
Principles of Biology I
Three credits from approved course list.3
Total Credits6
Mathematics: 12-14 cr.
One of the following:4
Survey of Calculus
Calculus I
One of the following:3-4
Applied Economic Optimization
Calculus II
STAT 226Introduction to Business Statistics I3
STAT 326Introduction to Business Statistics II3
Physical Sciences: 5 cr.
CHEM 163
163L
College Chemistry
and Laboratory in College Chemistry
5
or PHYS 111 General Physics
Total Credits5
Agricultural, Food, or Natural Resources Sciences: 6 cr.

6 cr. from approved list.

General Economics: 9-10 cr.
ECON 101Principles of Microeconomics3
ECON 301Intermediate Microeconomics3-4
One of the following:3
Intermediate Macroeconomics
Money, Banking, and Financial Institutions
ECON 492Graduating Senior SurveyR
Total Credits9-10
Business and Agricultural Business: 29 cr.
ACCT 284Financial Accounting3
FIN 301Principles of Finance3
Six credits from ACCT 285 or any 300-489 ACCT, FIN, MKT, MGMT, MIS, or SCM courses.6
ECON 110Orientation in Agricultural Business1
ECON 235Introduction to Agricultural Markets3
ECON 292Career Seminar1
Nine credits of ECON 230-289, 300-389, 400-489 courses.9
Three credits of 400-489 level ECON courses.3
Total Credits29
Electives: 22-24 cr.

Agricultural Business majors seeking a double major in Economics must take an additional 9 credits of economics courses beyond those required for the Economics major for a total of 47 credits in economics, and must earn a minimum GPA of 2.0 across ECON 101 Principles of Microeconomics, ECON 102 Principles of Macroeconomics, ECON 301 Intermediate Microeconomics, and ECON 302 Intermediate Macroeconomics, with no grade in these lower than a C‐.

Bachelor of Science, Agricultural Business

Freshman
FallCreditsSpringCredits
ECON 1101ECON 1023
ECON 1013ECON 2353
ECON 101L1BIOL 101 or 2113
ENGL 1503ECON 207 or MATH 1663-4
LIB 1601Ag Science or Humanities3
MATH 160 or 1654 
Ag Science or Humanities3 
 16 15-16
Sophomore
FallCreditsSpringCredits
ACCT 2843Business elective or FIN 301a,b3
ECON 3013-4CHEM 163-163L or PHYS 1114-5
ENGL 2503ECON 302 or 3533
ECON 2921International or Diversity3
Ag Science or Humanities3Life Sciences 3
 13-14 16-17
Junior
FallCreditsSpringCredits
Business elective or FIN 301a,b3Business elective or FIN 301a,b3
ECON 230-289, 300-389, or 400-4893ECON 230-289, 300-389, or 400-4893
SP CM 212 or AGEDS 3113STAT 3263
STAT 2263International or Diversity3
Ethics3Elective3
 15 15
Senior
FallCreditsSpringCredits
ECON 230-289, 300-389, or 400-4893ECON 230-289, 300-389, or 400-4893
ENGL 302, 309, or 3143ECON 492R
Electives9Electives12
 15 15

a. Select six credits from ACCT 285 or any 300-489 ACCT, FIN, MKT, MGMT, MIS, or SCM courses.

b. Students interested in taking additional FIN courses beyond FIN 301 should take STAT 226 during the first semester of their sophomore year, and FIN 301 instead of Business Elective in the second semester of their sophomore year.

Agricultural Business Minor

The Department of Economics offers a minor in Agricultural Business. The minor requires at least 15 credits, including 6 credits in courses numbered 300 or above taken at Iowa State University. The minor must include at least 9 credits that are not used to meet any other Department, College, or University requirement. Courses to be included in the minimum of 15 credits include the following:

ECON 101Principles of Microeconomics3
ECON 230Farm Business Management3
ECON 235Introduction to Agricultural Markets3
ECON 301Intermediate Microeconomics3-4
Three credits of ECON courses from: 230-289, 300-389, 400-489 courses.3