Students pursuing a graduate degree in agricultural and resource economics will, at both the M.S. and Ph.D. level, typically select one field of study. Field options and requirements for the graduate degrees in economics are found at the Graduate School website. M.Agr. and MAIS students are not required to select a field of study. Requirements for each field are listed later in this section.

The complete program of study for a typical M.S. student in agricultural and resource economics is, with number of hours by area:

• M.S. core courses — 20
• M.S. field courses — 10
• Electives — 6
• M.S. thesis — 9
• Minimum M.S. credit hours — 45

The program of study for a typical Ph.D. student in agricultural and resource economics is:

• Ph.D. core courses — 28
• Ph.D. field courses — 14
• Electives — 30
• Ph.D. thesis — 36
• Minimum credit hours — 108

Graduate Fields

Four areas of concentration have been designed as possible minors (fields) for AREC graduate students. These are: (a) international trade, (b) resource and environmental economics, (c) industrial organization (Ph.D. only), and (d) agricultural economics (M.S. only).

According to the OSU Graduate Catalog, "a minor may be (i) an academic area available only as a minor, (ii) a different major, (iii) the same major with a different area of concentration, (iv) an approved major at another institution in the Oregon University System, or (v) an integrated minor. An integrated minor consists of a series of cognate courses from two or more areas. These courses must be outside the major area of concentration, with most of the courses being outside the major."

Resource and Environmental Economics encompasses policy issues surrounding natural resource use and management, as well as nonmarket valuation and other methods of measuring social choices.

International Trade examines the causes and consequences of cross-border exchange of goods and services. Solid training in theoretical tools, both the classical and the new trade models, is complemented by rigorous study of related empirical work. Applications are drawn from a wide range of industries.

Industrial Organization covers theoretical and empirical work dealing with the structure, behavior, and performance of firms and markets.

Agricultural Economics allows students to specialize in areas such as rural development, food markets, and productivity analysis.

M.S. Fields

M.S. programs of study include a major and a minor field of study. The major consists of the core requirements (economic theory and econometrics) plus the thesis. Students have several options for minors.

Most students in the Agricultural and Resource Economics M.S. program choose one of the three areas of concentration listed below as their minor field. However, students with strong quantitative backgrounds are encouraged to complete a formal statistics minor and students interested in strong training in another discipline are encouraged to take minors in those fields or to select the integrated minor option.

Requirements for each field are as follows:

1. Resource and Environmental Economics

The following classes are required:

• Environmental Economics (AREc 550) — 3
• Natural Resource Economics (AREc 551) — 3

Students must select at least one course from the following list. They should select additional electives from this list and from other courses recommended by their advisory committees.

• Marine & Fishery Economics (AREc 552) — 3
• Special Topics (AREc 599) — 3
• The Public Economy (ECON 535 — 4
• Public Policy analysis (ECON 539) — 4
• Forest Recreation Economics (FOR 537) — 3

2. International Trade

The following classes are required:

• Applied Trade Analysis (AREc 543) — 4
• International Trade and Policy (ECON 540 — 4

Students should take at least one of the following courses:

• Industrial Organization Theory & Policy (ECON 560) — 4
• Environmental Economics (AREc 550) — 3
• Markets & Prices in the Forest Sector (FOR 535) — 3

3. Agricultural Economics

Classes for this field will depend on student's areas of interest but are subject to approval by the student's advisory committee and the Department Head.

Ph.D. Fields

Three fields are offered for the Ph.D. in Agricultural and Resource Economics.

1. Resource and Environmental Economics

Each student must complete the following courses:

• Dynamic Optimization (AREc 514) — 4
• Advanced Natural Resource Economics (AREc 651) — 3
• Advanced Environmental Economics (AREc 652) — 3
• Special Topics (AREc 699) — 3

2. International Trade

Each student must complete the following courses:

• Applied Trade Analysis (AREC 543) — 4
• International Trade & Economic Growth (ECON 640) — 4
• International Trade II (AREc 607) — 4

3. Industrial Organization

Each student must complete the following courses:

• Applied Micro econometrics (ECON 627) — 4
• Industrial Org. Theory and Policy (ECON 560) — 4
• Industrial Org.& Technological Change (ECON 660) — 4

Many Ph.D. field courses are offered on an alternate-year basis. If course offerings do not allow a student to maintain normal progress, the student may substitute another similar course. Substitutions are subject to approval of the student's committee and the department head.

Requirements for other fields can be accommodated in special circumstances. Student programs can be designed to meet students' career goals subject to availability of courses at Oregon State University. In those cases, fields of study are designed in close consultation between the graduate student and the student's advisory committee. Fields of study for the Ph.D. in Economics are offered in cooperation with the other departments participating in the University Graduate Faculty of Economics. At this time, these fields include: resource and environmental economics, economics of growth and change, urban-regional-international economics of growth and change, human capital and economic growth, industrial economics and technological change, and industry economics (agriculture, forestry and marine).

The Department sponsors minor fields at the master's and Ph.D. levels. Students pursuing a minor must have an AREc faculty member on their committee. Students declaring a minor in agricultural and resource economics in a master of science or master of arts degree program must:

• Achieve a competence in economic theory and statistics comparable with that of undergraduates in agricultural and resource economics. Earning B (3.00) grades or better in nine credits of courses for which intermediate economic theory is a prerequisite is sufficient proof of this competence.
• Apply economic methods to problems in a specific field of study.
• Demonstrate the ability to communicate the results of economic analysis to a multidisciplinary audience.

Students declaring a minor in agricultural and resource economics in a doctor of philosophy degree program must:

• Achieve a competence in economic theory and econometrics comparable with that of master's students in agricultural and resource economics. Earning B (3.00) grades or better in 12 credits of courses for which intermediate economic theory is a prerequisite is sufficient proof of this competence.
• Apply economic methods to problems in a specific field of study.
• Demonstrate the ability to communicate the results of economic analysis to a multidisciplinary audience.

The AREc Department contributes courses that serve two multidisciplinary degree minors: international agricultural development and water resources. Faculty in the Department also participate in the design of integrated minors, which consist of a series of cognate courses from two or more areas.

Each graduate student in the program must file a program of study as part of the requirements for graduation. The program of study outlines the student's program, including the degree being sought, the major and (if appropriate) minor fields of emphasis, a list of course work to satisfy departmental requirements, and a list of committee members.

The student drafts a proposed program with his or her major professor, then holds a program meeting with his or her committee to obtain final approval. A student seeking the master's degree must file a study program with the Graduate School before completing 18 hours of graduate course work. A doctoral student must file a study program by the end of the first calendar year of enrollment as a doctoral student.

Students seeking the M.S. degree must write a research thesis as part of the program requirements. The student, in consultation with his or her major professor and committee, usually selects the thesis project. The project should contribute to a greater understanding of an economic problem, including problem identification, review of literature, application of economic theory, analysis, and interpretation of results. The student must then present a summary of the research results to his or her committee and successfully defend the research effort. Mar. and MAYS students must meet a similar requirement.

A higher set of standards has been established for those seeking the Ph.D. degree. All Ph.D. students must pass preliminary examinations in economic theory and quantitative methods. The theory exam is divided into two parts: microeconomics and macroeconomics. Competency in both areas is required to pass the preliminary exam in theory. The theory and quantitative exams are administered twice a year. Students who fail the theory or quantitative methods exams twice are subject to dismissal from the program.

Competency in the student's chosen field is established by (1) successfully completing all field courses with a grade of B (3.00) or better, (2) completing a writing requirement, and (3) passing the preliminary oral examination. The writing requirement is designed to help students prepare for the dissertation research and a subsequent career as a research economist. Two options are available to satisfy the writing requirement:

Field Essay. This option would be selected by a student planning to write a traditional dissertation. The student would be required to write an essay about a research topic chosen by the student in his or her field of emphasis. The essay would contain a problem statement, supported by an extensive literature review appropriate to the topic chosen. The student would then outline a set of alternative approaches to addressing the research problem, including known strengths and weaknesses of each approach. The essay would conclude with the student's recommended approach to the research problem. A copy of the essay would be provided to each member of the student's committee members and the student would be required to make a presentation of the essay at a committee meeting. The paper requirement would be satisfied if the student was judged by the committee to have the skills necessary to complete the research project.

Research Paper. A student planning to write a three-paper dissertation (three journal-quality articles in lieu of a traditional dissertation) typically pursues this option. The student would be required to select a research topic in his or her field of emphasis. The topic must be approved by the student's advisory committee. The student would carry out the research project and write a paper that motivates the research, reports the results, and provides economic interpretation. The scope of the project would be sufficiently small that the research could be reported in a paper of less than 8,000 words. The research effort must be of sufficient quality (in the judgment of the student's committee) that the paper could be published in a refereed outlet. The student also would be required to present the results at a professional meeting or departmental seminar. A more detailed description of these requirements is available. Whatever the writing option chosen, the requirement must be completed before the preliminary oral exam.

In the oral examination, the student is asked to demonstrate that he or she has a solid grasp of basic economic concepts and can successfully explain how these concepts are applied to actual economic questions. Focus in this exam generally centers on the student's field, but can include any economic or statistical training received up to that point. Students who pass the oral examination are advanced to candidacy in the Ph.D. program. Students who fail the exam can be asked to return for a second examination or can be dismissed from the program.

The dissertation represents the final "hurdle" in the Ph.D. program. The dissertation is designed to be a more independent research effort than the master's thesis and should display originality and ability in independent investigation. The dissertation must be a real contribution to knowledge based on the candidate's own investigation. It must show a mastery of the literature of the subject and be written in credible literary form. The final product should be of sufficient quality that it could be condensed and published in a peer-reviewed journal. At the final oral defense, the student presents the completed dissertation and successfully defends the research effort.