Texas A&M University - College Station

What you'll study

The PhD curriculum combines advanced coursework in economic theory and quantitative methods with specialised study in agricultural, food and resource economics, culminating in an independent research dissertation. Students develop competence in microeconomic theory, applied econometrics, and research design before moving into elective fields and dissertation work tailored to their research interests.

• Core coursework: advanced microeconomic theory, applied econometrics/time series/panel data methods, and probability/statistics for economists.
• Field courses: agricultural and food economics, environmental and resource economics, production and farm management, trade and policy analysis.
• Methods and tools: program evaluation, causal inference, computational economics, spatial analysis, commodity markets and risk modelling.
• Research training: doctoral seminars, research workshops, teaching practicum, and one-to-one faculty mentoring leading to a dissertation proposal and original research.
• Dissertation: an extended piece of original research, typically resulting in publishable papers, supervised by a departmental faculty committee.

Entry requirements

Applicants typically hold a relevant master's degree (or, in exceptional cases, a bachelor's plus strong research experience) in economics, agricultural economics, resource economics or a closely related field. The programme expects a solid quantitative background and evidence of research potential.

• Academic preparation: undergraduate and preferably graduate coursework in microeconomics, macroeconomics, econometrics/statistics, and mathematics (calculus and linear algebra).
• Application documents: academic transcripts, a CV, a statement of purpose outlining research interests, and letters of recommendation from academic or professional referees familiar with the applicant's research ability.
• Research experience: prior experience with empirical research, thesis work, or publications strengthens an application.
• English language: international applicants must demonstrate English proficiency where required by university rules.
• Other requirements: some components such as standardised tests or interview requests may be part of the process depending on institutional policies at the time of application.

Career prospects

Graduates are prepared for careers that require advanced quantitative and policy analysis skills. Typical destinations include universities and research institutions, government departments and agencies, international organisations, industry research and strategy roles, and specialised consultancies.

• Academia: tenure-track faculty positions and postdoctoral research roles in agricultural, resource and environmental economics departments.
• Government and public sector: policy analysts and economists in national and regional agencies addressing agriculture, trade, environment and rural development.
• International organisations and NGOs: research and policy roles at organisations focused on food security, trade and development.
• Private sector: senior analytical positions in agribusiness firms, commodity trading houses, risk management, and consulting firms.
• Extension and applied research: leadership roles in applied research centres, extension services and state agricultural research programmes.

Why study at Texas A&M University - College Station

Texas A&M offers a PhD environment with strong departmental expertise in agricultural and resource economics, extensive research infrastructure, and close ties to applied policy and industry partners. The university's integrated research, extension and education mission provides PhD students with access to large datasets, interdisciplinary collaborations and applied projects across food, energy and natural resource domains.

• Departmental strengths: faculty with diverse research agendas spanning empirical microeconomics, environmental and resource topics, commodity markets and public policy.
• Research centres and collaboration: opportunities to work with campus research centres and Texas A&M AgriLife entities on policy-relevant projects and field studies.
• Funding and training: teaching and research assistantships that provide stipend support, teaching experience and involvement in funded research projects.
• Professional development: a rigorous seminar culture, regular workshops, and support for conference travel and publication to help prepare students for scholarly and applied careers.