The Degree of Master of Agribusiness
This professional curriculum is designed to provide a broad preparation for economic, financial, and marketing analysis of agribusiness, food and fiber industry decisions. To further enhance their career preparation, students may avail themselves of traditional University strengths in a wide range of supporting areas and departments. The
Master of Agribusiness (MAB)
degree program is non-thesis, interdisciplinary and jointly administered by the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the Mays Business School. Program administration includes a Program Director, Program Executive Committee and an Intercollegiate Faculty. This program is one of a select cadre of national programs designed to successfully cut across the business and agriculture disciplines to focus on food and agribusiness management.
The requirements of the Master of Agribusiness degree are flexible to meet the needs and goals of the students. Enrollees who have taken business courses as undergraduates will be able to build on what they learned in these foundation courses and specialize their training to pursue specific career goals. Those who have not completed these foundation courses may complete them as part of their degree program. Students will work closely with their advisory committees in developing programs to meet their unique backgrounds and career goals.
In partial fulfillment of the residence requirement for the degree of Master of Agribusiness, the student must complete 9 resident credit hours during one regular semester or one 10-week summer semester. Upon recommendation of the student's advisory committee and with approval of the Office of Graduate Studies, a student may be granted exemption from this requirement. However, such a petition must be approved prior to the student's registration for the final 9 credit hours of required course work.
Full-time staff members of the University or of closely affiliated organizations
stationed at the campus at College Station may fulfill total residence requirements
by completion of less-than-full course loads. Specific authorization for such
programs must be granted in advance by the employing agency. Employees should
submit verification of their employment at the time they submit their degree
plan. See Registration.
Student's Advisory Committee
After receiving admission to graduate studies and enrolling for course work, the student will consult with the Chair of the Intercollegiate Faculty of Agribusiness and the Associate Head for Graduate Programs in Agricultural Economics concerning program structure and requirements. The Chair of the Intercollegiate Faculty of Agribusiness and the Associate Head for Graduate Programs have the responsibility of approving the proposed degree plan for MAB students and are responsible for counseling the student on academic matters, and, in the case of academic deficiency, initiating recommendations to the Office of Graduate Studies. No other advisory committee members are required.
Degree Plan
The degree plan must be completed and filed with the Office of Graduate Studies following the deadline imposed by the student's college, and no later than dates announced in the OGS calendar of deadlines for graduation. No exceptions are allowed.
This proposed degree plan must be typed and submitted on the official form as it appears on the website at ogs.tamu.edu/OGS/currentForms.htm with endorsements by the Chair of the Intercollegiate Faculty of Agribusiness and the Associate Head for Graduate Programs in Agricultural Economics.
Additional course work may be added to the approved degree plan by petition if it is deemed necessary to correct deficiencies in the student's academic preparation.
Credit Requirement
The minimum requirements for this degree are the completion of 39 credit hours of course work. To emphasize the integration and application of subject matter learned and the development of written and oral communication skills, students will be required to take capstone courses consisting of AGEC 629 and 630 during their last fall semester. This 6 credit hour course requirement replaces the Final Examination.
Students may select 6 credit hours of electives within 39 credit hour requirement in consultation with their advisory committees. These elective hours may include an AGEC 684 (Internship). At least one elective course is to be from the Mays Business School, preferably in the international area.
Limitations on the Use of Transfer, Extension and Certain Other Courses
Some departments may have more restrictive requirements for transfer work. If otherwise acceptable, certain courses may be used toward meeting credit-hour requirements for the master's degree under the following limitations.
1. |
A total of any combination of a and b below may not exceed
the greater of either 12 hours or one-third (1/3) of the total hours on
the degree plan. |
|
a. |
The maximum number of credit hours which may be considered
for transfer credit is the greater of 12 hours or one-third (1/3) of the
total hours of a degree plan. The following restrictions apply: |
|
|
• |
Courses taken in residence at an accredited U.S. institution,
or approved international institution with a final grade of B or greater
will be considered for transfer credit if, at the time the courses were
completed, the student was in degree-seeking status at Texas A&M University,
or the student was in degree-seeking status at the institution at which
the courses were taken; and if the courses would be accepted for credit
toward a similar degree for students in degree-seeking status at the host
institution. |
|
|
• |
Courses previously used for another degree are not acceptable
for degree plan credit. |
|
b. |
A maximum of 12 credit hours of 489 and/or 689 (Special Topics). |
2. |
A maximum of 4 hours of 684 (Professional Internship), or
8 hours of 485 and/or 685 (Directed Studies), and up to 3 hours of 690
(Theory of Research) and up to 3 hours of 695 (Frontiers in Research)--any
combination of 684, 685, 690 and 695 may not exceed 25 percent of the total
credit hour requirement shown on the individual degree plan. |
3. |
A maximum of 2 hours of Seminar (481/681). |
4. |
A maximum of 9 hours of advanced undergraduate courses (300-
or 400-level). |
5. |
No credit may be obtained by correspondence study. |
6. |
or graduate courses of three weeks' duration or less, up
to 1 hour of credit may be obtained for each five-day week of course work.
Each week of course work must include at least 15 contact hours. |
7. |
No credit hours of 691 (Research) may be used. |
8. |
Continuing education courses may not be used for graduate
credit. |
9. |
Extension courses are not acceptable for credit. |
Exceptions will be permitted only in unusual cases and when petitioned by the student with permission from the Intercollegiate Chair and Associate Department Head for Graduate Programs and approved by the Office of Graduate Studies.
Transfer of Credit
A student who has earned 12 hours of graduate credit in residence at Texas A&M University may be authorized to transfer courses in excess of the limits prescribed above upon the advice of the advisory committee and with the advance approval of the Office of Graduate Studies
if these courses are not available at Texas A&M University. Courses taken in residence at an accredited U.S. institution or approved international institution with a final grade of B or greater
might
be considered for transfer credit if, at the time the courses were completed, the student was in degree-seeking status at Texas A&M University or at the institution at which the courses were taken, and if the courses would be accepted for credit toward a similar degree for students in degree-seeking status at the host institution. Otherwise, the limitations stated in the preceding section apply. Course work
in which no formal grades are given or in which grades other than letter grades (A, B, C, etc.) are given (for example, CR, P, S, U, H, etc.) is not accepted for transfer credit. Courses appearing on the degree plan with grades of D, F or U may not be absolved by transfer work. Credit for thesis research or the equivalent is not transferable. Credit for course work submitted for transfer from any college or university must be shown in semester credit hours or equated to semester credit hours. An official transcript from the university at which the transfer course work was taken must be sent directly to the Office of Admissions and Records.
Courses completed at other institutions are not included in computing the GPR.
Foreign Languages
There is no specific language requirement for the Master of Agribusiness degree.
Time Limit
All degree requirements must be completed within a period of seven consecutive years for the degree to be granted. A course will be considered valid until seven years after the end of the semester in which it is taken. Graduate credit for course work which is more than seven calendar years old may not be used to satisfy degree requirements.
Application for Degree
Graduate degrees are conferred at the close of each regular semester and 10-week summer semester. Candidates for advanced degrees who expect to complete their work at the end of a given semester must apply for graduation by submitting the electronic application for degree to the Office of the Registrar and by paying the required graduation fee at the Fiscal Department no later than the Friday of the second week of the fall or spring semester or the Friday of the first week of the first summer term.
The electronic application for degree can be accessed via the website degreeapp.tamu.edu. Graduate students in interdisciplinary programs should attend the ceremony of their home academic department.
Final Examination
To emphasize the integration and application of subject matter learned and the development of written and oral communication skills, students will be required to take capstone courses consisting of AGEC 629 and 630 during their last fall semester. This 6 credit hour course requirement allows waiving of the Final Examination. Completion of these capstone courses serves as the final examination for this program.
