MSc Programme in Agricultural Economics

MSc Programme in Agricultural Economics

 

The programme is organised in accordance with Danish Ministerial Order no. 814 of 29 June 2010 on bachelor and master’s programmes (candidatus) at universities (the ministerial order of the study programmes). The programme is offered under the Natural Science Study Board.

Graduation from the programme confers the degree Master of Science (MSc) in Agricultural Economics. In Danish: cand.oecon.agro. (candidatus/candidata oeconomiae agronomiae).

 

Chapter 1. The programme’s objective and competence profile

 

1. 1 The programme’s objective

On the basis of economic, mathematical, legal and statistical methodologies, the objective of the MSc programme in Agricultural Economics is to provide students with a more comprehensive and specialised understanding of problems of a general economic character within the main areas of the programme – international economics and development and agribusiness and innovation – than the BSc degree required for admission can provide.

 

1.2 The programme’s general profile

The MSc programme in Agricultural Economics has three general specialisation options. These are:

• International Economics and Development which cover international trade, trade policy, public economics, economic growth, development economics and policy and the economics of globalisation
• Agribusiness and Innovation which cover industrial economics and organisation, innovation and business development as well as the agribusiness industry and supply chain management.
• Agribusiness and Food Economics which cover production economics, industrial economics and organisation, technology assessment, innovation and management as well as public economics and policy.

If students wish to combine the three specialisation options above, courses can be chosen from all programmes and from other courses offered within economics.

 

1.3 The programme’s employment prospects

Depending on the specialisation profile, MSc graduates in Agricultural Economics are likely to find employment within a number of work areas:

• Interest groups and industrial organisations
• Consultancy and analytical work in a broad sense (banks, financial institutions, large companies, consultancy companies, and agricultural organisations etc.)
• Public administration (the EU, government, regions and municipalities)
• Research (private and public)
• Teaching (universities and business schools etc.)
• Management of own company

The MSc programme in Agricultural Economics provides graduates with the opportunity of working in both Denmark and abroad.

 

1.4 The programme’s competence profile

 

A: Specialisation in International Economics and Development

After completion of the specialisation in International Economics and Development, the MSc graduate should also be to:

 

A: 1.4.1 Knowledge

• Demonstrate general knowledge of economic issues, theories and methodologies within trade and international collaboration, international economic policy and development economics
• Identify economic and statistical methods within the above disciplines
• Identify economic agents and the background for their actions, including the significance of national and international institutions, such as the EU, OECD, World Bank and WTO
• Describe the interaction between economic agents and their significance for national and international economics
• Reformulate theories, principles and research findings to independently form hypotheses and theories

A: 1.4.2 Skills

• Pose questions that are characteristic of international economics and produce several possible answers
• Analyse international economics issues, including trade policy and development economics issues and the associated decision-making processes
• Formulate and solve complex economic problems, taking a theoretical, statistical and descriptive approach
• Utilise and evaluate economic methodologies and evaluate the fundamental assumptions behind economic theories as well as their possibilities and limitations
• Employ economic reasoning to explain economic claims
• Communicate own specialist knowledge clearly and precisely – in writing and orally – to various target groups
• Select and use appropriate information and communications technology in all relevant work processes

A: 1.4.3 Competences

• Take a critical and visionary approach to economic methodologies and the fundamental assumptions behind international economics
• Assess the possibilities and limitations of the theories and their potential applications in various work-related contexts
• Handle work and development situations that are complex, unpredictable and require new solution models in the private and public-sector labour markets – both nationally and internationally
• Transfer and apply theories and principles to new but related economic issues
• Implement and carry out monodisciplinary and interdisciplinary collaboration and assume professional responsibility
• Assume independent responsibility for and evaluate own professional development and specialisation with a view to life-long learning
• Work with others, discuss solutions and achieve consensus

B: Specialisation in Agribusiness and Innovation

After completion of the specialisation in Agribusiness and Innovation, the MSc graduate should be able to:

 

B: 1.4.1 Knowledge

• Demonstrate general knowledge on economic and business economic issues, theories and methodologies within agribusiness, innovation, and industrial economics and organization
• Identify economic and statistical methods within the above disciplines
• Identify economic agents and the background for their actions
• Reformulate theories, principles and research findings to independently form hypotheses and theories

B: 1.4.2 Skills

• Pose questions that are characteristic of agribusiness and innovation and produce several possible answers
• Analyse issues within agribusiness and innovation and the associated decision-making processes
• Formulate and solve complex economic and business economic (innovation) problems, taking a theoretical, statistical and descriptive approach
• Utilise and evaluate economic and business economic methodologies and evaluate the fundamental assumptions behind economic and innovation theories as well as their possibilities and limitations
• Employ economic and business economic reasoning to explain economic and business econonimc claims
• Communicate own specialist knowledge clearly and precisely – in writing and orally – to various target groups
• Select and use appropriate information and communications technology in all relevant work processes

B: 1.4.3 Competences

• Take a critical and visionary approach to methodologies within agribusiness, economics and innovation
• Assess the possibilities and limitations of the theories and their potential applications in various work-related contexts
• Handle work and development situations that are complex, unpredictable and require new solution models in the private and public-sector labour markets – both nationally and internationally
• Transfer and apply theories and principles to new but related economic issues
• Implement and carry out monodisciplinary and interdisciplinary collaboration and assume professional responsibility
• Assume independent responsibility for and evaluate own professional development and specialisation with a view to life-long learning
• Work with others, discuss solutions and achieve consensus

C: Specialisation in Agribusiness and Food Economics

After completion of the specialisation in Agribusiness and Food Economics, the MSc graduate should be able to:

 

C: 1.4.1 Knowledge

• Demonstrate general knowledge on economic issues, theories and methodologies within agribusiness, regulation and production economics
• Identify economic and statistical methods within the above disciplines
• Identify economic agents and the background for their actions
• Reformulate theories, principles and research findings to independently form hypotheses and theories

C: 1.4.2 Skills

• Pose questions that are characteristic of agribusiness and food economics and produce several possible answers
• Analyse issues within agribusiness and food economics and the associated decision-making processes
• Formulate and solve complex economic and food economic problems, taking a theoretical, statistical and descriptive approach
• Utilise and evaluate economic and food economic methodologies and evaluate the fundamental assumptions behind food economic theories as well as their possibilities and limitations
• Employ economic reasoning to explain economic claims
• Communicate own specialist knowledge clearly and precisely – in writing and orally – to various target groups
• Select and use appropriate information and communications technology in all relevant work processes

C: 1.4.3 Competences

• Take a critical and visionary approach to methodologies within food economics and the fundamental assumptions behind agribusiness
• Assess the possibilities and limitations of the theories and their potential applications in various work-related contexts
• Handle work and development situations that are complex, unpredictable and require new solution models in the private and public-sector labour markets – both nationally and internationally
• Transfer and apply theories and principles to new but related economic issues
• Implement and carry out monodisciplinary and interdisciplinary collaboration and assume professional responsibility
• Assume independent responsibility for and evaluate own professional development and specialisation with a view to life-long learning
• Work with others, discuss solutions and achieve consensus

Chapter 2. Degree programme content

 

2.1 Content

The programme is set at 120 credits. There are three specialisations: Specialisation in International Economics and Development, Specialisation in Agribusiness and Innovation and specialisation in Agribusiness and Food Economics. The specialisations differ in the amount of compulsory courses and core courses. Core courses, compulsory course and thesis must comprise at least 90 credits.

 

The programme is completed with a 30- or 45-credit thesis. Thesis of 45 credits must have experimental caracter i.e. collection of primary data.

 

In connection with a thesis of 30 credits core courses must comprise at least 45 credits
In connection with a thesis of 45 credits core courses must comprise at least 30 credits

 

The programme may include 400040 Erhvervsprojekt/Project in Practice

 

2.1.1 Specialisation in International Economics and Development

Year 1	Block 1	Thematic Course: Trade and International Cooperation	Applied Econometrics
	Block 2
	Block 3
	Block 4

Year 2	Block 1
	Block 2
	Block 3	Thesis (30 or 45 credits)
	Block 4

	Compulsory courses and thesis
	Core courses (the suggested block placement of core courses above is not mandatory. The placement strictly depends on which core courses are chosen - see list below).
	Elective courses

 

 

The programme is set at 120 credits. The following courses are compulsory:
290035 Thematic Course: Trade and International Cooperation – 15 credits
290068 Applied Econometrics - 7.5 credits

Core courses - Specialisation in International Economics and Development, at least 15 credits must be selected

290051 Agricultural and Food Policy – 7.5 credits
290054 Economic Growth and Development – 7.5 credits
290061 Studies in Development Economics – 7.5 credits
290067 The Economics of Globalization – 7.5 credits

 

Other core courses:

290075  Industrial Organization - 7.5 credits

290076  Contracts and Cooperatives - 7.5 credits

400044  Business Development and Innovation - 7.5 credits

400045  Business Development in Practice - 7.5 credits 

CM_V74 Thematic course: Agribusiness and Innovation 15 credits (1 & 2A) at CBS

CM_T77 Operations and Supply Chain Management  - 7.5 credits (3A) at CBS

 

270085 The Food Industry: Structure and Economics – 7.5 credits

290009 Economic Theory of Environmental Policy – 7.5 credits

290015 EU-ret: Fødevare, miljø og jordbrug – 7.5 credits

290019 Forvaltningsret – 7.5 credits

290024 Natural Resource Economics – 7.5 credits

290044 Economic Valuation Methods and Cost-Benefit Analysis – 7.5 credits

290052 Applied Microeconomic Analysis – 7.5 credits

290057 Miljø- og planlovgivning - natur og vand - 7.5 credits

290063 Applied Production Analysis – 7.5 credits

290071 Law, International Governance and Corporate Social Responsibility – 7.5 credits

290074 Technology Assessment – 7.5 credits

400017 Rådgivning – 7.5 credits

400036 Project Management – 7.5 credits

 

In addition to the above courses, elective economics courses from the MSc programme in Economics and Business Administration at CBS and the MSc programme in Economics at SAMF as well as advanced courses in economics, mathematics and statistics at LIFE, SCIENCE and other universities may form part of the core courses.

Thematic courses, core courses and the thesis constitute the core subjects of the programme (90 credits). There are 30 credits for elective courses and other study activities.

 

2.1.2. Specialisation in Agribusiness and Innovation

Innovation:

Year 1	Blok 1	Thematic Course:Agribusiness and Innovation	Industrial Organisation
	Blok 2		Contracts and Cooperatives
	Blok 3
	Blok 4

 

Year 2	Blok 1
	Blok 2
	Blok 3	Master Thesis
	Blok 4

 

	Compulsory courses and thesis
	Core courses (the suggested block placement of core courses above is not mandatory. The placement strictly depends on which core courses are chosen - see list below).
	Elective courses

 

The programme is set at 120 credits. The following courses are compulsory:
CM_V74 Thematic Course: Agribusiness and Innovation – 15 credits (1&2A) at CBS
290075 Industrial Organization - 7.5 credits

290076 Contracts and Cooperatives - 7.5 credits

Core courses - Specialisation in Agribusiness and Innovation, at least 15 credits must be selected

400045 Business Development in Practice – 7.5 credits
400044 Business Development and Innovation – 7.5 credits
CM_T77 Operations and Supply Chain Management – 7.5 credits (3A) at CBS

Other core courses:

270085 The Food Industry: Structure and Economics – 7.5 credits

290009 Economic Theory of Environmental Policy – 7.5 credits

290015 EU-ret: Fødevare, miljø og jordbrug – 7.5 credits

290019 Forvaltningsret – 7.5 credits

290024 Natural Resource Economics – 7.5 credits

290035 Thematic Course: Trade and International Cooperation – 15 credits

290036 Trade and International Cooperation - 7.5 credits

290044 Economic Valuation Methods and Cost-Benefit Analysis – 7.5 credits

290052 Applied Microeconomic Analysis – 7.5 credits

290054 Economic Growth and Development – 7.5 credits

290057 Miljø- og planlovgivning - natur og vand - 7.5 credits

290061 Studies in Development Economics – 7.5 credits

290063 Applied Production Analysis – 7.5 credits

290067 The Economics of Globalization – 7.5 credits

290071 Law, International Governance and Corporate Social Responsibility – 7.5 credits

290074 Technology Assessment – 7.5 credits

400017 Rådgivning – 7.5 credits

400036 Project Management – 7.5 credits

 

In addition to the above courses, elective economics courses from the MSc programme in Economics and Business Administration at CBS and the MSc programme in Economics at SAMF as well as advanced courses in economics, mathematics and statistics at LIFE, SCIENCE and other universities may form part of the core courses.

Thematic courses, core courses and the thesis constitute the core subjects of the programme (90 credits). There are 30 credits for elective courses and other study activities.

 

2.1.2. Specialisation in Agribusiness and Food Economics

Year 1	Block 1	Thematic Course: Industrial Organization Contracts and Cooperatives or Applied Production Analysis	Applied Econometrics
	Block 2
	Block 3
	Block 4

Year 2	Block 1
	Block 2
	Block 3	Thesis (30 or 45 credits)
	Block 4

 

	Compulsory courses and thesis
	Core courses (the suggested block placement of core courses above is not mandatory. The placement strictly depends on which core courses are chosen - see list below).
	Elective courses

 

The following course is compulsory:
Thematic Course: This course consist of:

290075 Industrial Organization 7.5 credits

and

290076 Contracts and Cooperatives 7.5 credits  or

290063 Applied Production Analysis 7.5 credits

and

290068 Applied Econometrics – 7.5 credits

Core courses - Specialisation in Agribusiness and Food Economics, at least 15 credits must be selected:
290051 Agricultural and Food Policy – 7.5 credits

290052 Applied Microeconomic Analysis – 7.5 credits

290063 Applied Production Analysis – 7.5 credits (if not chosen to be part of Thematic course)

290074 Technology Assessment – 7.5 credits

290076 Contracts and Cooperatives – 7.5 credits (if not chosen to be part of Thematic course)

400044 Business Development and Innovation – 7.5 credits

400045 Business Dvelopment and Practice - 7.5 credits

 

Other core courses

270085 The Food Industry: Structure and Economics – 7.5 credits

290009 Economic Theory of Environmental Policy – 7.5 credits

290015 EU-ret: Fødevare, miljø og jordbrug – 7.5 credits

290019 Forvaltningsret – 7.5 credits

290024 Natural Resource Economics – 7.5 credits

290035 Thematic Course: Trade and International Cooperation – 15 credits

290036 Trade and International Cooperation* - 7.5 credits

290044 Economic Valuation Methods and Cost Benefit Analysis – 7.5 credits

290054 Economic Growth and Development – 7.5 credits

290057 Miljø- og planlovgivning - natur og vand - 7.5 credits

290061 Studies in Development Economics – 7.5 credits

290067 The Economics of Globalization – 7.5 credits

290071 Law, International Governance and Corporate Social Responsibility – 7.5 credits

310043 Environmental Management in Europe - 15 credits

400017 Rådgivning – 7.5 credits

400036 Project Management – 7.5 credits

400039 Sociologiske metoder for biovidenskab - 7.5 credits

CM_T77 Operations and Supply Chain Management - 7.5 credits (3A) at CBS

 

In addition to the above courses, elective economics courses from the MSc programme in Economics and Business Administration at CBS and the MSc programme in Economics at SAMF as well as advanced courses in economics, mathematics and statistics at LIFE, SCIENCE and other universities may form part of the core courses.

 

Chapter 3. Admission requirements and admission

 

3.1 Admission requirements to MSc with specialisation in International Economics and Development

The BSc Programme in Agricultural Economics (jordbrugsøkonomi) qualifies graduates directly for admission to the MSc programme in Agricultural Economics.

Students holding a BSc degree in Natural Resources (naturressourcer) with the core module course in Environmental Economics (miljøøkonomi) are admitted provided that their examination includes the following specified courses:

• 290040 Economic Policy (Økonomisk politik) (7.5 credits)
• 290045 Investment and Finance (Investering og finansiering) (7.5 credits)

Students holding af BSc degree in Economics from a Danish university are admitted without further prerequisites.

Bachelors from other faculties under the University of Copenhagen or from other national and international univeristies must have equivalent qualifications and as minimum it is required that their examination includes courses in:

• Micro Economics (at least 22.5 ECTS credits)
• Macro Economics (at least 15 ECTS credits)
• International Economics (at least 7.5 ECTS credits)
• Statistics (at least 7.5 ECTS credits)
• Econometrics (at least 7.5 ECTS credits)
• Mathematics (at least 7.5 ECTS credits)

3.2 Admission

Students are admitted to the MSc in Agricultural Economics twice a year (1 September and 1 February).

 

Transfer Agreement 2010-2011

Students admitted before 1 September 2011 who haven't passed the thematic course: 290062 Agribusiness Economics must pass 290075 Industrial Organization and one of the following two courses: 290076 Contracts and Cooperatives or 290063 Applied Production Analysis instead of the thematic course. The core course 290064 Innovation, Strategy and Leadership will be replaced by 400044 Business Development and Innovation.