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5-year B.S./M.S. Program

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This 5-Year BS/MS program allows students to earn both a bachelor’s degree in any of the majors at Rutgers University and a master’s degree in Food and Business Economics in five years rather than the usual six years (4+2=6).  Students must apply during their junior year (see “To Apply ” below). Students who are not Environmental and Business Economics (EBE) majors but are interested in the program would also be able to take advantage of this program provided they have the required preparation in economics.

This program recognizes that both bachelor’s and master’s degrees offered by DAFRE follow rigorous curricula and housed within one of the most prestigious professional schools at Rutgers University – the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences (SEBS). Many SEBS undergraduates, particularly those who major in EBE, seek careers in the region’s financial, pharmaceutical, and food industries as well as careers with marketing and consulting firms. These students have the opportunity to earn an MS degree where they will develop high levels of quantitative and analytical skills in the economics of biotech/pharmaceutical sectors, production and marketing of agricultural and food products, land/environmental policy and management, and international development.

This 5-year BS/MS program also provides an excellent alternative to the typically more expensive 2-yr graduate programs, including an MBA program.  Additionally, this program will prepare those who seek to pursue doctoral programs in the fields of agricultural and resource economics, economics, agribusiness, and public policy equally. 

BS/MS Admissions Requirements

  1. Students should discuss the program with the Graduate Program Director, Graduate Program in Food & Business Economics, Department of Agricultural, Food & Resource Economics.  Contact information for the GPD: Dr. Sanjib Bhuyan, Professor, DAFRE/SEBS, Rutgers University; Email: bhuyan@sebs.rutgers.edu.
  2. A minimum GPA of 3.0 or better is required at the time of application.
  3. Students must successfully complete either Intermediate Microeconomics (01:220:203) or Demand and Price (11:373:422) no later than Spring Semester of their junior year.
  4. Students should apply to the program in the Spring Semester (May 31st deadline) of their junior year (need to make sure that they are applying to the BS/MS program and not to the traditional MS program). 

To Apply to the BS/MS Program

  1. Fill out the B.S./M.S. degree application form (152k PDF).
  2. Attach a copy of your transcript (a downloadable copy is acceptable)
  3. Submit a personal statement, i.e., statement of purpose, explaining why you would like to pursue this program
  4. Three letters of recommendation

Once a student is admitted and he/she maintains the requirements discussed earlier, then during Spring semester of senior year the student will submit a formal application to the Rutgers Office of Graduate and Professional Admissions. The student will use the personal statement submitted (mentioned earlier) in this formal application. The Graduate Program in Food & Business Economics will forward the recommendation letters submitted by the student earlier to the Graduate Admissions office on his/her behalf.

A Typical Program of Study for the B.S./M.S. Program in Food and Business Economics (full-time) will be as follows:

SENIOR YEAR (FOURTH YEAR)

FALL:

  1. Econometric applications (11:373:425), or Econometrics (01:220:322) (This course should ideally be taken by interested students in an earlier fall semester, and must not count towards their B.S. degree requirements.)
  2. Research methods (16:395:503)
  3. Micro theory w/app (16:395:505)
  4. Undergraduate course remaining to complete BS/BA (max 3 credits)

SPRING:

  1. Applied econometrics (16:395:506)
  2. Undergraduate course remaining to complete BS/BA (max 12 credits)

SUMMER

  1. Any remaining undergraduate course credits to receive BS/BA degree before fall semester begins

FIFTH YEAR

FALL:

  1. Graduate elective courses 9 Credits for those in the thesis option. 12 Credits for those in the Plan B option.


SPRING:

  1. Graduate elective courses:3 Credits for those in the thesis option. 12 Credits those in the Plan B option.
  2. Research in Food & Bus Econ (16:395:702) 6 Credits for those with thesis option
  3. Indep. Study in Food & Bus Econ (16:395:620) 3 Credits for those with Plan B option

For those in the thesis option, write M.S. thesis and defend.  For those in Plan B, write the Plan B paper and defend.To successfully complete the M.S. program in Food & Business Economics, a student must complete either 24 course credits and 6 research credits (thesis option), or 30 course credits and 3 independent study credits (non-thesis option).s (non-thesis option).