Agricultural and Applied Economics

The Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics provides students, public officials, the private sector, and the general public with the education and knowledge needed to make sound economic decisions about the production, processing, and distribution of agricultural products; the development of rural communities; the use of natural resources; and the policies and behavior that influence human health and financial well-being.

To achieve this mission, the department provides an integrated program of teaching, research, and Extension that considers state, national, and international dimensions in five thematic areas:

  • Competitiveness of Virginia agriculture
  • Economics of environmental and natural resource systems management
  • Rural and community economic development
  • Economics of consumer behavior, nutrition, and health
  • Maximizing economic and financial well-being

Undergraduate Program - Bachelor's degree

Students majoring in Agricultural and Applied Economics can choose from one of six concentrations:

Agribusiness Management - Students learn principles of marketing, management, and finance to prepare for careers in agribusiness or related industries.

Environmental Economics, Management and Policy - Students learn to apply economic principles for the effective protection of natural resources and the environment.

Financial Planning - Students prepare for careers as financial planners or as financial professionals providing client services or products in banking, insurance, investments, or employee benefits and retirement planning.

International Trade and Development - Students gain an understanding of global development, trade, and policy issues through courses, internships, and study-abroad experiences.

Community Economic Development - Students prepare to work with local, state, and federal governments on job creation, labor markets, rural poverty, land-use management, and other development issues.

Veterinary Business Management - Students complete the scientific coursework necessary to apply to veterinary school, while also taking business-oriented classes to assist in running a veterinary practice.

Graduate Program

The department of Agricultural and Applied Economics offers graduate studies leading to the M.A. in Economics, the M.S. in Agricultural and Applied Economics, and the Ph.D. in Economics. The Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics and the Department of Economics jointly administer the Economics Ph.D. program, and students can enroll through either department. The goal of the graduate programs is to train students in economic theory and its applications.

Research

The department's research program focuses on integration of its three major themes:

  • Agricultural competitiveness
  • Rural and community development
  • Environmental and natural resource systems
  • Economics of consumer behavior, nutrition, and health
  • Maximizing economic and financial well-being

The department's research is characterized by a high level of entrepreneurial activity in which faculty members work individually and together with others in their own and other departments to develop research proposals to submit to funding agencies. In addition, the state-supported Rural Economic Analysis Program (REAP) supports research on state-level problems.

Extension

The focus of the department's Extension programs is to improve the knowledge , understanding, and ability of constituents to make informed economic and financial decisions. Educational programs are delivered to Virginia's farm, agribusiness, and credit managers; educators and youth; public and private sector policy makers; and rural residents.

Extension economists are engaged with citizens of the commonwealth to identify critical economic problems and/or opportunities and employ appropriate economic methods to analyze workable solutions and deliver targeted education programs to improve the well-being of participants.

Contact Information:

Kevin J. Boyle, Department Head
208 Hutcheson Hall (0401)
Blacksburg, Virginia 24061
(540) 231-2907
Fax: (540) 231-7417
kjboyle@vt.edu

Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics Homepage