A Summary of Undergraduate Curriculum in Agribusiness Management Degrees

Curriculum for 140 agribusiness and agricultural economics programs were identified and compared against a similar study done in 1985 when the National Agribusiness Education Commission began studying agribusiness programs. We have identified five key findings. First, agribusiness management is now tied with policy as the third most commonly taught undergraduate course in agricultural economics departments (after agricultural marketing and agricultural finance). A required course in farm management has decreased from two-thirds of agribusiness degrees in 1985 to only one-third of such degrees in 2003. Second, many agribusiness degrees are three times as likely to require business finance relative to agricultural economics degrees. Third, no strategy courses were identified as being taught in agribusiness management degrees in 1985. In 2003, 17 such courses were being taught. Strategy is a course that integrates many management concepts. With the exception of an advanced farm management course, no such integrative course was identified in agricultural economics courses. Fourth, a course in business marketing was almost twice as likely to be required in an agribusiness degree relative to an agricultural economics degree. Fifth, a required course that explores the international dimensions of finance, management, marketing, policy, trade, or similar topics remains a severe limitation in most agribusiness and agricultural economics degrees. Finally, it is clear that agribusiness management has become an even more important subject in agricultural economics programs since 1985.