Agricultural and Applied Economics Major

Follow your interests and focus your studies

You’ll take core agricultural and applied economics courses and then choose which focus area you’d like to specialize in:

• Environmental economics
• Development economics
• Managerial economics
• Applied economics

Fund your education

As an agricultural and applied economics student, you can apply to the Renk Scholarship Program offered by the Renk Agribusiness Institute. Join a cohort of Renk scholars and receive tuition support, mentorship, internship and job opportunities, and a network of support.

Study abroad and gain global perspective

Gain a global perspective on food systems, international trade, climate change, environmental protection, and poverty, while building regional knowledge, honing world language abilities, and developing intercultural communication skills.

Study food systems and sake production in northern Japan, environmental economics in the Netherlands, or development economics and urbanization in Thailand. You can also choose from one of UW–Madison’s many semester, summer, and short-term study abroad programs and map your study abroad experience as an agricultural and applied economics major.

Get involved. Find your people.

Explore a few of the other agriculture and business-related student organizations at UW–Madison:

Gain real-world experience

Engage in economics research on both domestic and international topics working with faculty in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics. Explore real-world problems in community economic development, development economics, economics of agriculture, and environmental and resource economics.

Tackle a business problem proposed by industry partners in our experiential learning capstone course, Classroom Consulting. You’ll be matched with a business and have the the opportunity to apply your learnings to a real-world project. Your student team will work alongside a business, create a solution to one of their challenges, and present your project to industry professionals.

Earn a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in 5 years

Agricultural and applied economics students can apply to the 4+1 Accelerated MSPO Pathway program and earn their bachelor’s degree and master’s degree within 5 years. Receive your Master’s of Science in Agricultural Economics—Professional Option just one year after graduation.