Course Structure Overview
The Agricultural Economics program is structured over 8 semesters, with a blend of core courses, departmental electives, science electives, and laboratory sessions. Each semester carries a specific credit structure (L-T-P-C) to ensure balanced learning across theoretical, practical, and experiential components.
| Semester | Course Code | Course Title | Credit Structure (L-T-P-C) | Pre-requisites |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AE 101 | Introduction to Agricultural Economics | 3-0-0-3 | None |
| 1 | AE 102 | Microeconomics | 4-0-0-4 | None |
| 1 | AE 103 | Mathematics for Economists | 3-0-0-3 | None |
| 1 | AE 104 | Crop Science | 3-0-0-3 | None |
| 1 | AE 105 | Introduction to GIS and Remote Sensing | 2-0-2-4 | None |
| 1 | AE 106 | English for Academic Purposes | 2-0-0-2 | None |
| 2 | AE 201 | Econometrics I | 3-0-0-3 | AE 103 |
| 2 | AE 202 | Agricultural Marketing | 3-0-0-3 | AE 102 |
| 2 | AE 203 | Soil Science and Fertilizer Technology | 3-0-0-3 | AE 104 |
| 2 | AE 204 | Agricultural Statistics | 2-0-2-4 | AE 103 |
| 2 | AE 205 | Development Economics | 3-0-0-3 | AE 102 |
| 2 | AE 206 | Environmental Science and Sustainability | 3-0-0-3 | None |
| 3 | AE 301 | Agricultural Policy Analysis | 3-0-0-3 | AE 202 |
| 3 | AE 302 | Rural Finance and Microcredit | 3-0-0-3 | AE 201 |
| 3 | AE 303 | Climate Economics | 3-0-0-3 | AE 205 |
| 3 | AE 304 | Food Security and Nutrition | 3-0-0-3 | AE 202 |
| 3 | AE 305 | Agri-Business Strategy | 3-0-0-3 | AE 201 |
| 3 | AE 306 | Research Methodology | 2-0-2-4 | AE 201 |
| 4 | AE 401 | Advanced Econometrics | 3-0-0-3 | AE 301 |
| 4 | AE 402 | International Trade in Agriculture | 3-0-0-3 | AE 202 |
| 4 | AE 403 | Data Analytics for Agriculture | 2-0-2-4 | AE 204 |
| 4 | AE 404 | Sustainable Farming Systems | 3-0-0-3 | AE 203 |
| 4 | AE 405 | Agri-Tech Innovation Lab | 2-0-2-4 | AE 105 |
| 4 | AE 406 | Capstone Project I | 2-0-0-2 | AE 306 |
| 5 | AE 501 | Climate-Smart Agriculture | 3-0-0-3 | AE 303 |
| 5 | AE 502 | Crop Modeling and Forecasting | 3-0-0-3 | AE 401 |
| 5 | AE 503 | Agri-Finance and Investment Analysis | 3-0-0-3 | AE 302 |
| 5 | AE 504 | Food Value Chain Management | 3-0-0-3 | AE 202 |
| 5 | AE 505 | Agri-Tech Startup Incubation | 2-0-2-4 | AE 405 |
| 5 | AE 506 | Capstone Project II | 2-0-0-2 | AE 406 |
| 6 | AE 601 | Policy Evaluation and Impact Assessment | 3-0-0-3 | AE 501 |
| 6 | AE 602 | Global Food Systems and Trade | 3-0-0-3 | AE 402 |
| 6 | AE 603 | Research Ethics and Data Governance | 2-0-0-2 | AE 506 |
| 6 | AE 604 | Agri-Economics Internship | 2-0-0-2 | None |
| 7 | AE 701 | Advanced Data Analytics in Agriculture | 3-0-0-3 | AE 403 |
| 7 | AE 702 | Regional Agricultural Development | 3-0-0-3 | AE 501 |
| 7 | AE 703 | Dissertation Research Proposal | 2-0-0-2 | AE 603 |
| 8 | AE 801 | Final Dissertation | 4-0-0-4 | AE 703 |
| 8 | AE 802 | Thesis Defense and Presentation | 2-0-0-2 | AE 801 |
Advanced Departmental Elective Courses
The following advanced departmental elective courses offer in-depth insights into specialized areas of agricultural economics:
- Agricultural Policy Analysis: This course explores the formulation, implementation, and evaluation of policies affecting agriculture. Students learn to analyze policy outcomes using econometric tools and case studies from domestic and international contexts.
- Rural Finance and Microcredit: Designed for students interested in financial inclusion, this course covers microfinance models, rural credit systems, and their impact on agricultural productivity and household income.
- Climate Economics: This course introduces students to the economic implications of climate change and adaptation strategies. Topics include carbon markets, emission trading, and resilience planning for farming communities.
- Food Security and Nutrition: An interdisciplinary course focusing on nutritional challenges, food distribution systems, and government interventions aimed at ensuring adequate nutrition for all.
- Agri-Business Strategy: Students explore strategic frameworks for agribusinesses, including branding, market positioning, innovation management, and global expansion strategies.
- Data Analytics for Agriculture: This course equips students with skills in data collection, visualization, and predictive modeling using tools like Python, R, and SQL within an agricultural context.
- International Trade in Agriculture: Covers the principles of international trade, export policies, tariff structures, and regional trade agreements relevant to agricultural products.
- Crop Modeling and Forecasting: Students learn how to build and validate models for predicting crop yields based on climatic variables, soil conditions, and technological inputs.
- Agri-Tech Innovation Lab: A hands-on lab course focusing on emerging technologies in agriculture such as drones, sensors, automation, and AI applications in farming practices.
- Sustainable Farming Systems: This course examines sustainable production methods, organic farming, biodiversity conservation, and eco-labeling systems in modern agriculture.
Project-Based Learning Philosophy
The department believes that learning through project work enhances critical thinking and practical application of knowledge. All students must complete two mandatory mini-projects during their undergraduate journey:
- Mini-Project I (Semester 4): Students select a topic related to agricultural economics and conduct a literature review, data collection, and preliminary analysis under faculty supervision.
- Mini-Project II (Semester 6): Building on the first project, students deepen their research by conducting empirical analysis or policy simulation using advanced econometric models.
The final-year capstone project is a significant research endeavor that spans two semesters (Semester 7 and 8). Students choose from topics proposed by faculty or suggest original ideas aligned with industry needs. Each student is assigned a mentor based on their interests and career goals, and the project must culminate in a thesis, presentation, and defense before an academic panel.