Master of Agribusiness Management

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The Master of Agribusiness Management program is an interdisciplinary degree between the College of Agriculture & Life Sciences and the College of Business and is administered by the Department of Agricultural Economics. It is designed to prepare students for careers in the agribusiness sector by combining core MBA courses with specific agribusiness content and issues.

With competitive prices and faculty with real world experience, you won’t find more value for your dollar than here at Mississippi State. Go ahead and look at other graduate programs – we even encourage it – but you won’t find a program that keeps your needs in mind like we do.

You’ll be amazed at the job positions that are available like agricultural lenders, agriculture educators, farm managers, agribusiness managers, crop insurance agents/adjusters, commodity brokers, agricultural policy analysts, extension agents, marketing/sales representatives and financial and market analysts.

Tuition & Fees

Tuition per credit hour	$558.50
Instructional Support Fee per credit hour	$25.00

Tuition and fees listed are subject to change and do not include all possible charges. Additional fees may apply. Please refer to the master class schedule for individual course charges.

Who should pursue this degree?

This coursework is designed to prepare students for careers in the agribusiness sector by combining core MBA courses with specific agribusiness content and issues. You will take graduate courses in accounting, finance and marketing along with graduate courses in the agricultural economics department.

What are some potential careers?

Program Structure

The program curriculum is based on a total of 31 credit hours, with at least 16 hours from the Department of Agricultural Economics, including a required internship, and 15 hours from the College of Business. Full time employment in any field can be substituted for internship experience. MABM students must also successfully complete a comprehensive oral examination.

All courses are offered on the semester system: spring, fall and summer. The Agricultural Economics courses are only offered at specified times in the year, however the MBA courses are offered each of the three semesters in the year, offering students the flexibility to arrange their schedules to fit their specific needs. The layout of the program is listed below.

Students must discuss course availability with the Director of the program prior to each registration period.

Required Courses:

Course Code	Course Name
AEC 6530	Agribusiness Management Internship
FIN 8113	Corporate Finance
MKT 8153	Strategic Marketing Management
ACC 8213	Financial Statement and Management Accounting Report Analysis for Decision Making
AEC 6223	Applied Quantitative Analysis in Agricultural Economics*
AEC 6113	Agribusiness Firm Management*
6 hours approved Agricultural Economics courses
6 hours approved Elective courses

*If a student has taken an approved course equivalent prior to acceptance into the program, then another course may be substituted in its place

Foundational Requirements

There are foundational requirements for this program. Students do not need to have every foundational requirement completed before admissions, but they must have them completed before taking core program courses. Please speak with Matt Janzen, MABM Distance Director to see which prerequisites you would need to complete. He can be reached at mgj50@msstate.edu.

Additionally, some of these courses may be completed through “MBA Math”. MBA Math allows students to complete a course at a much lower cost and with much less time than a traditional course. Other courses that cannot be completed through this platform, can be completed through a CLEP exam or an online course, based on advisor approval.

These foundational requirements are:

ACC 2013 Financial Accounting
FIN 3123 Financial Management
EC 3123 Intermediate Microeconomics or equivalent
BQA I & II Statistics 1 and 2
Information Systems (or equivalent)

Example Program of Study

*Please be advised course offerings are subject to change and program of study updates can be made with the approval of an advisor. Please use the below Program of Study as an example.

Course Code	Course Name	Credit Hour
MGT 8113	Leadership Skills for Managerial Behavior	3
ACC 8213	Financial Statement and Management Accounting Report Analysis for Decision Making	3
MKT 8153	Strategic Marketing Management	3
MKT 8213	Operations/Supply Chain Management	3
FIN 8113	Corporate Finance	3
AEC 6363	Economics of Precision Agriculture	3
AEC 6223	Applied Quantitative Analysis in Agricultural Economics	3
AEC 6113	Agribusiness Firm Management	3
AEC 6623	Global Marketing of Agricultural Products	3
AEC 6530	Agribusiness Management Internship	4
Total Hours:		31

Internship

The internship is a critical component of the Master of Agribusiness Management program, as all MABM students are required to complete at least one internship experience. Internships provide MABM students with valuable professional growth and development opportunities that can often lead to direct employment opportunities following graduation. In addition, students receive academic credit for completing an internship, typically 4 hours toward the completion of the MABM degree.

Employment within an agricultural field can be substituted for internship experience.

Admissions Requirements

Applications for the degree programs are reviewed three times a year. The application deadlines for those semesters are as follows:

Fall Semester – August 1
Spring Semester – December 1
Summer Semester – May 15

Students seeking full admission into the Master of Agribusiness Management program should apply as a classified student. Non-degree seeking students wishing to take classes offered through the program should apply as an Unclassified student.

An applicant for admission to graduate study must hold a bachelor's degree from a fully recognized four-year educational institution that has unconditional accreditation with appropriate regional accrediting agencies. They must meet the admission requirements of the Graduate School and the Master of Agribusiness Management program.

Regular admission to graduate study in the program requires a minimum grade point average (last four semesters of undergraduate work) of 3.00/4.00. When a student is deficient in one of the criteria cited, the student's application, nevertheless, may be considered for admission based on the strength of other materials contained in the student's application.

Attention International Students

International students are required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and score greater than 550. Detailed information regarding international applications can be found in the Graduate Catalog. Questions regarding international applications can be addressed to the Office of the Graduate School at gradapps@grad.msstate.edu.

ETS is providing home testing for the TOEFL iBT test, and MSU is encouraging students to take advantage of this testing option. For those students applying who have taken the TOEFL within five years of the semester they plan to enroll and are unable to access the TOEFL iBT test from home, we will accept your previous test scores.

Admissions Options

Domestic/International Classified Admissions
Domestic Unclassified Admissions
International Unclassified Admissions

Provisional Admissions
Readmission
Transfer Credit

Domestic/International Classified Admissions

Submit online application. You will choose Master of Agribusiness Management as your Program of Study and Online Education as your campus.
Statement of Purpose
Three letters of recommendation
- You will be asked to submit three names and three email addresses of individuals you are using as references. Once you click submit, these individuals will be sent an email from MSU, which will provide a link to an online form for completing their recommendations.
The GRE is not required for this program, but is encouraged for students that may not meet the minimum GPA requirement. TOEFL or IELTS scores are required for international students
- ETS is providing home testing for the TOEFL iBT test, and MSU is encouraging students to take advantage of this testing option. For those students applying for the summer or fall 2020 semester who have taken the TOEFL within five years of the semester they plan to enroll and are unable to access the TOEFL iBT test from home, we will accept your previous test scores.
- The department evaluates the overall admissions packet in considering a student for the program.
One official transcript showing bachelor’s degree or progress toward degree. (For international students, please submit a copy in native language along with translated copies, if appropriate.)
One official transcript showing ALL work after bachelor’s degree. (For international students, please submit a copy in native language along with translated copies, if appropriate.)
- Electronic transcripts should be sent to: gradapps@grad.msstate.edu Mississippi State University, Graduate School. Only one copy of an electronic transcript is required.
- Paper Transcripts Address (USPS):
  Mississippi State University
  The Office of the Graduate School
  P.O. Box G
  Mississippi State, MS 39762
- Physical Street Address (for DHL, Fed Ex, UPS, DHS, etc.):
  Mississippi State University
  The Office of the Graduate School
  175 President Circle
  116 Allen Hall
  Mississippi State, MS 39762
Payment of $60 non-refundable application processing fee for domestic students.
Payment of $80 non-refundable application processing fee for international students.
Once you are admitted, you will receive an email with complete instructions on registering for classes and contacting your advisor

Domestic Unclassified Admissions

Only NINE (9) hours of course work taken as an "Unclassified Student" can be applied toward a degree program. All Unclassified students should submit a classified application once they have reached the maximum of nine hours. Full admission into the Master of Agribusiness Management online program will be based upon successful completion of all classified admissions requirements.

If you are applying unclassified, select "Graduate School - Unclassified" as the college.

Submit online application
One official transcript showing bachelor’s degree or progress toward degree. (For international students, please submit a copy in native language along with translated copies, if appropriate.)
One official transcript showing ALL work after bachelor’s degree. (For international students, please submit a copy in native language along with translated copies, if appropriate.)
- Electronic transcripts should be sent to: gradapps@grad.msstate.edu Mississippi State University, Graduate School. Only one copy of an electronic transcript is required.
- Paper Transcripts Address (USPS):
  Mississippi State University
  The Office of the Graduate School
  P.O. Box G
  Mississippi State, MS 39762
- Physical Street Address (for DHL, Fed Ex, UPS, DHS, etc.):
  Mississippi State University
  The Office of the Graduate School
  175 President Circle
  116 Allen Hall
  Mississippi State, MS 39762
Pay $60 non-refundable application processing fee

PLEASE NOTE
In general, students who are not admitted into a degree program are not eligible for student financial aid funds. For more information please visit Student Financial Aid to see if you will be eligible or not while taking courses as an Unclassified graduate student.

International Unclassified Admissions

If you are applying unclassified, select "Graduate School - Unclassified" as the college.

Submit online application
TOEFL or IELTS scores are required for international students.
One copy of academic records showing degree(s) (in native language along with translated copies if appropriate)
One official transcript showing bachelor’s degree or progress toward degree. (For international students, please submit a copy in native language along with translated copies, if appropriate.)
One official transcript showing ALL work after bachelor’s degree. (For international students, please submit a copy in native language along with translated copies, if appropriate.)
- Electronic transcripts should be sent to: gradapps@grad.msstate.edu Mississippi State University, Graduate School. Only one copy of an electronic transcript is required.
- Paper Transcripts Address (USPS):
  Mississippi State University
  The Office of the Graduate School
  P.O. Box G
  Mississippi State, MS 39762
- Physical Street Address (for DHL, Fed Ex, UPS, DHS, etc.):
  Mississippi State University
  The Office of the Graduate School
  175 President Circle
  116 Allen Hall
  Mississippi State, MS 39762
Must obtain application approval from the Dean of the Graduate School
Payment of $80 non-refundable application processing fee for international students.

Provisional Admissions

A student who has not fully met the requirements stipulated by the University and the department for admission to graduate study may be granted admission as a degree-seeking graduate student with provisional status. Such student must have as his/her initial objective advancement to regular status. A provisional student must receive a 3.00 GPA on the first nine hours of graduate level courses on the program of study taken at Mississippi State University (transfer hours or unclassified graduate hours will not apply) in order to achieve regular status. If a 3.00 is not attained, the provisional student will be dismissed from graduate study.

Readmission

Once enrolled in graduate study, a student who fails to meet the continuous enrollment requirement must complete an Application for Readmission to register for classes. Continuous enrollment is defined as enrollment in two of three semester terms (Fall, Spring, or Summer) with Fall enrollment required. Students who have not been enrolled for a period of three years or longer and are in good academic standing, are eligible to reapply to through the Lapsed Student Program. Readmission is not guaranteed and must be approved by the Department Head, Academic Dean, and Dean of the Graduate School. Interested students or academic departments should contact the Graduate School for more information.

Transfer Credit

Students may transfer up to twelve (12) hours of graduate level credits from regionally accredited institutions. The decision to grant transfer credit is made by the advisor and the student’s graduate committee. If you wish to transfer credits, contact your advisor. You will need to provide an official transcript showing the courses you wish to transfer.