This single-degree option allows you to earn the Master of Science (MS) in Agricultural Economics from Purdue University. The MS option spans 21 months, with classes ending after the spring module of year two.
MS Plan of Study
The plan of study lists the specific courses you will take at Purdue and Indiana Universities to an MS in Agricultural Economics from Purdue University. The plan of study is the blueprint for the successful completion of the program.
FALL MODULEPURDUE AGEC 684: Applied Quantitative Methods for Decision-Making
Aug. 17 – Nov. 5, 2026
COURSE TYPE: Online UNIVERSITY: Purdue COURSE CREDITS: 3
Explores the application of contemporary concepts and quantitative techniques for decision-making in the face of uncertainty and/or multiple conflicting objectives. The focus is on the application of these tools to decisions facing the food and agricultural business manager. Also explores key areas of risk management of the food and agricultural firm including price, production, strategic, regulatory, technology, market/competitor, political, financial, and exchange rate risk.
PURDUE AGEC 681: Economics for Food and Agribusiness Managers
Aug. 17 – Nov. 5, 2026
COURSE TYPE: Online UNIVERSITY: Purdue COURSE CREDITS: 3
Addresses the institutional setting and structure of the food and agricultural markets. Encompasses both the domestic and international dimensions of the food chain, including consumer demand, global sourcing and worldwide production potential. Also focuses on managerial economics as applied to such topics as food system market structure, the nature and dimensions of domestic and global competition, the components of cost and revenue, and the food system value chain.
Purdue Residency
Oct. 25-30, 2026
COURSE TYPE: Residency UNIVERSITY: Purdue (West Lafayette, Ind.)
Purdue residency session to be held in West Lafayette, IN. This residency is a continuation of the distance education courses above.
WINTER MODULEKELLEY A521: Managing Accounting Information for Decision-Making
Nov. 9, 2026 – Feb. 18, 2027
COURSE TYPE: Online UNIVERSITY: Indiana COURSE CREDITS: 3
Provides a user-oriented understanding of how accounting information should be used for decision making. The first part of the course focuses on understanding financial accounting and reporting that is prepared for external stakeholders, while the second part of the course focuses on using internal accounting data to make better management decisions. The course uses of variety of cases, real financial data, and forum discussions.KELLEY M555: Integrated Marketing Strategy
Nov. 9, 2026 – Feb. 18, 2027
COURSE TYPE: Online UNIVERSITY: Indiana COURSE CREDITS: 3
You will learn how to create complete marketing strategies for individual products and product lines. You will learn how to drive lifetime customer value by anticipating changes in customer needs, creating multi-segment product/service offerings, creating new brands and leveraging existing ones, and creating multi-channel platforms.Thanksgiving & Winter Break
Thanksgiving Break: TBD
Winter Break: TBD
SPRING MODULEKELLEY 540: Financial Management
Feb. 22 – May 13, 2027
COURSE TYPE: Online UNIVERSITY: Indiana COURSE CREDITS: 3
Provides a working knowledge of the tools and analytical conventions used in the practice of corporate finance; establishes an understanding of the basic elements of financial theory to be used in application of analytical reasoning to business problems; and explores the interrelationship among corporate policies and decisions. Coursework will include problem sets, study group preparation of executive summary memos and critiques and use of PC spreadsheets to develop a planning model for a case focusing on funds requirement.KELLEY C550: Law and Ethics in Business
Feb. 22 – May 13, 2027
COURSE TYPE: Online UNIVERSITY: Indiana COURSE CREDITS: 3
The objective is to provide the student of management with a basic knowledge of the American legal system, the legal process and relevant substantive law that is necessary to making informed and effective business decisions. The law develops and evolves in response to changing social, economic, political and technological forces, and business decisions often carry long-lasting, as well as delayed effects. This course emphasizes the study of the law of torts, contracts and product liability. It is hoped that consideration of a study of these legal principles will give prospective managers insight into the dynamics of the legal process to enable them to predict as soundly as possible the future legal environment in which their present decisions will bear fruit. SUMMER MODULEPURDUE AGEC 687: Problem Solving and Project Management for Decision Makers
May 17 – Aug. 5, 2027
COURSE TYPE: Online UNIVERSITY: Purdue COURSE CREDITS: 3
Develops a structured approach to problem-solving, including problem definition, development of alternatives, identifying consequences, assessing trade-offs and making informed choices. Research methods and project management concepts will be addressed. A major business analysis project will be framed during the course, to be completed as part of the capstone course in business analysis.
KELLEY P505: Operations Management (Recommended but not required for MS only)
TBD
COURSE TYPE: Online UNIVERSITY: Indiana COURSE CREDITS: 3
In this course, students will address topics in: process analysis, workforce issues, materials management, quality and productivity, technology, strategic planning, and analytical techniques.
PURDUE AGEC 684: Applied Quantitative Methods for Decision-Making
Aug. 17 – Nov. 5, 2026
COURSE TYPE: Online UNIVERSITY: Purdue COURSE CREDITS: 3
Explores the application of contemporary concepts and quantitative techniques for decision-making in the face of uncertainty and/or multiple conflicting objectives. The focus is on the application of these tools to decisions facing the food and agricultural business manager. Also explores key areas of risk management of the food and agricultural firm including price, production, strategic, regulatory, technology, market/competitor, political, financial, and exchange rate risk.
PURDUE AGEC 681: Economics for Food and Agribusiness Managers
Aug. 17 – Nov. 5, 2026
COURSE TYPE: Online UNIVERSITY: Purdue COURSE CREDITS: 3
Addresses the institutional setting and structure of the food and agricultural markets. Encompasses both the domestic and international dimensions of the food chain, including consumer demand, global sourcing and worldwide production potential. Also focuses on managerial economics as applied to such topics as food system market structure, the nature and dimensions of domestic and global competition, the components of cost and revenue, and the food system value chain.
Purdue Residency
Oct. 25-30, 2026
COURSE TYPE: Residency UNIVERSITY: Purdue (West Lafayette, Ind.)
Purdue residency session to be held in West Lafayette, IN. This residency is a continuation of the distance education courses above.
KELLEY A521: Managing Accounting Information for Decision-Making
Nov. 9, 2026 – Feb. 18, 2027
COURSE TYPE: Online UNIVERSITY: Indiana COURSE CREDITS: 3
KELLEY M555: Integrated Marketing Strategy
Nov. 9, 2026 – Feb. 18, 2027
COURSE TYPE: Online UNIVERSITY: Indiana COURSE CREDITS: 3
Thanksgiving & Winter Break
Thanksgiving Break: TBD
Winter Break: TBD
KELLEY 540: Financial Management
Feb. 22 – May 13, 2027
COURSE TYPE: Online UNIVERSITY: Indiana COURSE CREDITS: 3
KELLEY C550: Law and Ethics in Business
Feb. 22 – May 13, 2027
COURSE TYPE: Online UNIVERSITY: Indiana COURSE CREDITS: 3
PURDUE AGEC 687: Problem Solving and Project Management for Decision Makers
May 17 – Aug. 5, 2027
COURSE TYPE: Online UNIVERSITY: Purdue COURSE CREDITS: 3
Develops a structured approach to problem-solving, including problem definition, development of alternatives, identifying consequences, assessing trade-offs and making informed choices. Research methods and project management concepts will be addressed. A major business analysis project will be framed during the course, to be completed as part of the capstone course in business analysis.
KELLEY P505: Operations Management (Recommended but not required for MS only)
TBD
COURSE TYPE: Online UNIVERSITY: Indiana COURSE CREDITS: 3
FALL MODULEPURDUE AGEC 685: Quantitative Managerial Decision-Making
Aug. 16 – Nov. 4, 2027
COURSE TYPE: Online UNIVERSITY: Purdue COURSE CREDITS: 3
Students explore appropriate statistical techniques to analyze different types of economic data for managerial decision-making. Students will learn about the appropriate design, development, and implementation of surveys followed by an opportunity to put theory into practice with the creation of their own survey. Next, the appropriate analysis and interpretation of survey data is examined from a conceptual and practical perspective. Key areas of risk management for food and agricultural firms are also examined making use of tools, including decision trees, payoff matrices, and scenario analysis.
PURDUE AGEC 682: The Macroeconomic Trade and Policy Environment of the Food System
Aug. 16 – Nov. 4, 2027
COURSE TYPE: Online UNIVERSITY: Purdue COURSE CREDITS: 3
Objectives are to expose students to the nature and importance of linkages between agriculture, international markets and the macro-economy, which are key to the fortunes of U.S. farmers and agribusiness in the future. Examination of theories and methods that might allow students to establish or quantify these linkages and evaluate the consequences of alternative policies, demonstrates the usefulness of economic analysis as a tool for understanding these issues. Also explores current policy issues facing the food and agribusiness industries, including international trade agreements, farm legislation, environmental regulations, and food safety and nutrition labeling rules, among other policy topics.
Purdue Residency
TBA
COURSE TYPE: Residency UNIVERSITY: Purdue (West Lafayette, Ind.)
Purdue residency session to be held in West Lafayette, Ind. This residency is a continuation of the distance education courses above.
WINTER MODULEKELLEY C555: Talent Management
Nov. 8, 2027 – Feb. 17, 2028
COURSE TYPE: Online UNIVERSITY: Indiana COURSE CREDITS: 3
This course emphasizes two central ideas. First, managers need to include talent development in how they define their “executive tool kit”, and second, as companies continue to become more globally integrated, talent development practices must embrace the global scope of the organization to continue to be successful.
Thanksgiving & Winter Break
TBD
SPRING MODULEPURDUE AGEC 688: Business Analysis Capstone Course
Feb. 21 – May 11, 2028
COURSE TYPE: Online UNIVERSITY: Purdue COURSE CREDITS: 3
Capstone experience where students will work on team and individual projects focused on a comprehensive detailed analysis of an issue facing their employer or an issue of general interest to the student. It is expected that this project will draw on tools and concepts developed throughout the MS-MBA program. In addition, it is expected that the project will lead to an analysis that can be delivered to an appropriate audience of decision-makers upon completion.
PURDUE AGEC 686: Strategic Food and Agribusiness Management
Feb. 21 – May 11, 2028
COURSE TYPE: Online UNIVERSITY: Purdue COURSE CREDITS: 3
This course explores the integration of the functional areas of business at the corporate level. Heavy emphasis is on analysis of the business environment, setting strategic direction, assessing core competencies, choosing a market position and developing competitive advantage, and organizational implementation and control in the context of the food and agricultural markets. The course makes heavy use of case studies based on firms in the food and agricultural marketplace.
International Residency
May 7 – 13, 2028 (not confirmed)
COURSE TYPE: Residency UNIVERSITY: Purdue
International residency to be held at an international partner school. This residency is a continuation of the distance education courses above.
Purdue Sessions Complete and Commencement
Aug. 5, 2028
UNIVERSITY: Purdue (West Lafayette, Ind.)
Purdue University Sessions Complete, M.S. Awarded
Credits Earned: 36 (Kelley: 15, Purdue: 21)
Attend the commencement ceremony at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind.
PURDUE AGEC 685: Quantitative Managerial Decision-Making
Aug. 16 – Nov. 4, 2027
COURSE TYPE: Online UNIVERSITY: Purdue COURSE CREDITS: 3
Students explore appropriate statistical techniques to analyze different types of economic data for managerial decision-making. Students will learn about the appropriate design, development, and implementation of surveys followed by an opportunity to put theory into practice with the creation of their own survey. Next, the appropriate analysis and interpretation of survey data is examined from a conceptual and practical perspective. Key areas of risk management for food and agricultural firms are also examined making use of tools, including decision trees, payoff matrices, and scenario analysis.
PURDUE AGEC 682: The Macroeconomic Trade and Policy Environment of the Food System
Aug. 16 – Nov. 4, 2027
COURSE TYPE: Online UNIVERSITY: Purdue COURSE CREDITS: 3
Objectives are to expose students to the nature and importance of linkages between agriculture, international markets and the macro-economy, which are key to the fortunes of U.S. farmers and agribusiness in the future. Examination of theories and methods that might allow students to establish or quantify these linkages and evaluate the consequences of alternative policies, demonstrates the usefulness of economic analysis as a tool for understanding these issues. Also explores current policy issues facing the food and agribusiness industries, including international trade agreements, farm legislation, environmental regulations, and food safety and nutrition labeling rules, among other policy topics.
Purdue Residency
TBA
COURSE TYPE: Residency UNIVERSITY: Purdue (West Lafayette, Ind.)
Purdue residency session to be held in West Lafayette, Ind. This residency is a continuation of the distance education courses above.
KELLEY C555: Talent Management
Nov. 8, 2027 – Feb. 17, 2028
COURSE TYPE: Online UNIVERSITY: Indiana COURSE CREDITS: 3
This course emphasizes two central ideas. First, managers need to include talent development in how they define their “executive tool kit”, and second, as companies continue to become more globally integrated, talent development practices must embrace the global scope of the organization to continue to be successful.
Thanksgiving & Winter Break
TBD
PURDUE AGEC 688: Business Analysis Capstone Course
Feb. 21 – May 11, 2028
COURSE TYPE: Online UNIVERSITY: Purdue COURSE CREDITS: 3
Capstone experience where students will work on team and individual projects focused on a comprehensive detailed analysis of an issue facing their employer or an issue of general interest to the student. It is expected that this project will draw on tools and concepts developed throughout the MS-MBA program. In addition, it is expected that the project will lead to an analysis that can be delivered to an appropriate audience of decision-makers upon completion.
PURDUE AGEC 686: Strategic Food and Agribusiness Management
Feb. 21 – May 11, 2028
COURSE TYPE: Online UNIVERSITY: Purdue COURSE CREDITS: 3
This course explores the integration of the functional areas of business at the corporate level. Heavy emphasis is on analysis of the business environment, setting strategic direction, assessing core competencies, choosing a market position and developing competitive advantage, and organizational implementation and control in the context of the food and agricultural markets. The course makes heavy use of case studies based on firms in the food and agricultural marketplace.
International Residency
May 7 – 13, 2028 (not confirmed)
COURSE TYPE: Residency UNIVERSITY: Purdue
International residency to be held at an international partner school. This residency is a continuation of the distance education courses above.
Purdue Sessions Complete and Commencement
Aug. 5, 2028
UNIVERSITY: Purdue (West Lafayette, Ind.)
Purdue University Sessions Complete, M.S. Awarded
Credits Earned: 36 (Kelley: 15, Purdue: 21)
Attend the commencement ceremony at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind.
PROGRAM
RESIDENCIES
Over the course of the 27-month program, there are five (5) separate one-week residencies. The first four residencies alternate between Indiana University’s Bloomington, IN campus (once each year in August) and Purdue University’s West Lafayette, IN campus (once each year in October). The fifth residency is a one-week international residency in May of the second year of the program.
Although the residencies allow faculty to cover course material that is more difficult to teach in an online environment, the primary benefit of the residencies is the networking/camaraderie that takes place between the cohort.
Hotel accommodations, breakfast, lunch and some dinners are included in the tuition cost. Transportation to the residency is not provided.
INTERNATIONAL
RESIDENCY
The international residency provides an opportunity for you to focus heavily on business strategy in an international setting. It is a graded activity and associated with the strategy class. Strategy, by the nature of the topic, is a culmination of the topics you will have studied throughout the program and therefore, naturally lends itself to the course that would include the international experience. Transportation to the international residency is not provided but once you are “in-country” Purdue provides all transportation until you are transported to the airport for the flight out of the country.
Capstone Project
This program requires completion of a capstone project, instead of a master’s thesis. The capstone project topic should be useful to you and your firm. It will help you better understand structured problem solving and expand your ability to use literature research, frameworks, and data in problem solving. You should include your supervisor in the topic selection process.
The capstone project is a six-credit project that unfolds in three phases. During phase one, you will select a topic and create a problem statement and development plan with proposed methods and sources of data. During phase two, you will collect and analyze the data if needed.
During phase three, you will be assigned a faculty advisor who has experience with the topic you are working with. You will hold regular meetings with your advisor as you complete your project. The faculty mentor will assign the final project grade.
Capstone projects can be kept confidential and do not become the property of Purdue University.
REQUEST INFORMATION
Complete the form to receive detailed information about the MS-MBA in Food and Agricultural Business, including insights into how the program is managed and the style of course lectures.
