Master of Science in Agricultural Business and Leadership
Thesis Option
The thesis option in Agribusiness Management concentration requires a minimum of twenty-nine (29) credit hours of coursework and a thesis of four (4) credit hours. The candidate for the degree in this concentration must complete twelve (12) credit hours of core courses: AGSC 5060, AGSC 5110, AGSC 5120, AGSC 5610, AGSC 5620; twelve (12) credit hours minimum of required courses in the concentration; and nine (9) credit hours maximum of electives.
Each student must pass Research Methods (AGSC 5110) and Statistics for Research (AGSC 5060), must have a thesis advising committee appointed and must have advanced to candidacy before enrolling in Thesis Writing (AGSC 5120).
The candidate must submit a thesis on a topic approved by the major advisor. Upon completion of the thesis, the candidate must satisfactorily pass an oral examination conducted by the Thesis Examination Committee. Students choosing this option in Agribusiness Management concentration will require 33 hours of coursework which will include four (4) credit hours of thesis research.
Non-Thesis Option
The non-thesis option requires a minimum of thirty-five (35) credit hours of coursework. The candidate for the non-thesis degree must complete eleven (11) credit hours of core courses: AGSC 5060, AGSC 5110, AGSC 5350, AGSC 5610, AGSC 5620; fifteen (15) credit hours minimum of required courses in the selected concentration; and nine (9) credit hours maximum of electives. These courses must be approved by the Advisor and Department Chair.
This option is for students who would like to focus on training in specialized areas to meet the needs of employers in agricultural product processing, marketing organizations, input supply firms, teaching, agricultural extension services, and various state and federal government agencies. This program is not recommended for students who have further aspirations toward pursuing a Ph.D. degree.
Students choosing the non-thesis option will be required to take a minimum of 35 hours of course work which will include AGSC 5350 – Independent Study of Contemporary Issues and Problems. Graduate students with guidance from their major advisor will identify contemporary issues and problems in agricultural and environmental sciences, conduct a comprehensive literature review, write a report in the format of a review paper and make an oral presentation to his or her advisory committee.
Comprehensive Examination: Upon completion of core and concentration required courses including AGSC 5350, students choosing the non-thesis option must take a comprehensive written and oral examination administered by the student’s advisory committee and other faculty members representing appropriate subject matter areas. The student’s major advisor will serve as chairperson of the committee conducting the examination. If a student fails the comprehensive examination, one retake will be allowed. Should the student again fail, a third and final examination may be taken upon completion of additional course work (minimum of 6 hours) to be selected by the student’s advisory committee.
AdmissionRequirements
Applicants must have the equivalent of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year degree-granting college or university with a major in Agricultural Sciences, Agricultural Economics, Agribusiness Management, Economics, Business Management or closely related areas, a minimum quality grade point average of 2.50 on a 4.00 point scale, and a minimum score of 290 on the GRE (verbal and quantitative) or 370 on the MAT for unconditional admission. Higher GPAs from accredited colleges and universities or GRE scores may be used to compensate for some minor deficiencies in admission requirements.
For more information, contact the Director of Graduate Programs: bpokhare@tnstate.edu , 615- 963-6054.