Why Study Agricultural Economics?

The Agricultural Economics major is an option in the B.Sc.(Agr.) program offered jointly by NSAC and Dalhousie University.

You learn professional decision-making skills applied to real-world problems. By learning to think like an economist you go beyond description to analysis…beyond considering possibilities to choosing the best practical alternative.

Building on the base of core courses, you have opportunities to deepen your expertise in specific fields of study…such as production, market, trade, policy, resource and environmental economics.
In the fourth-year research project you can take your interests and expertise to a higher level. Job ready…grad studies ready…a world of opportunity.

Graduates of this program meet the formal educational requirements for Professional Agrologists in the provincial Institutes of Agrologists of the Atlantic Provinces.

Program Highlights:

• Experience classes that contain debate and discussion on domestic and international issues
• Develop leadership, presentation, problem solving, critical thinking and analytical skills
• Develop research skills by finding the optimal solution to a well formulated real-world problem.
• Experience the real world in class through guest lectures by industry leaders
• Apply economic theory and analysis skills to current issues and concerns.
• Learn in teams as well as independently 
• Obtain an international perspective through class discussion with students around the world or participate in one of our international study opportunities.

A sample of topics you will study

• Economic growth
• Risk management
• Food safety policy
• Animal welfare and trade policy,
• Trade,  environment, and development
• Food price analysis
• Agricultural future markets
• Climate change
• Food safety and trade
• Management
• Applied Research Methods
• Environmental and resource issues and policy
• International food systems
• Economics of food production
• Consumer economics
• Agricultural and food policy
• Trade agreements
• Air and water pollution
• Global environmental problems

A degree in agricultural economics opens the door to many opportunities:

Business economist
Credit officer or bank economist

Marketing/market research

Natural resources economist

Trade economist

International development economist

Policy analyst advisor

As an economic student you could find yourself in a discussion on such issues as:

Should the Government Tax Junk Food?
Coping with commodity price cycles
Economic Impacts of BSE in North America
The Cost of Obesity in Canada
Marketing Opportunities and Challenges for Organic Meat Food Safety

The effect of the Atkins Diet on Producer Potato prices

Have you Considered a Minor?

Economic students can broaden their career opportunities by choosing one of the following minors:

Agricultural Business
Animal Science

Animal Welfare
Plant Science
Environmental Science
Pest Management
Agricultural Chemistry

Food Science & Technology

Aquaculture

Genetics and Molecular Biology

Mathematics

Do you have questions? Ask the academic advisor Diane Dunlop