Graduate (MS Program )

MS Program

The department offers a graduate program leading to ‘MS in Agribusiness Economics’ degree.

The department provides students with excellent classroom instruction and exciting hands-on opportunities for basic and applied research on a wide range of applied topics related to:

• the role of agribusiness in food security and marketing in Bangladesh in particular and globally in general;
• the role of supply chain and value chain management in promoting economic development and attaining SDGs;
• the effects of changes in price mechanism and international trade policies on agriculture;
• market and nonmarket values associated with alternative agricultural business management strategies;
• the role of ICT in linking farmers with the market and inclusive economic development;
• smallholders market access and entrepreneurship development in the changing market economy; and
• issues pertinent to climate-smart agribusiness, food security and rural livelihood development.

Faculty: Dr. G M Monirul Alam, Professor; Debasish Chandra Acharjee, Associate Professor; Mst. Ashrafun Nahar, Assistant Professor; Farhana Arefeen Mila, Assistant Professor; Dr. Mst. Tania Parvin, Assistant Professor and Md. Ruhul Amin, Lecturer.

Courses Offered

 AGB 501 Agribusiness Management (3 cr.)

Agribusiness production systems, planning and decision making, control of production, marketing and financial activities. Problem identification and evaluation of alternative solutions in agribusiness. Concept includes economic principles, budgeting, accounting and financial statement in agribusiness. Sustainable resource management, managing and analyzing information, managing risk and uncertainty on the farm business. The student will also develop and present business idea in agriculture.

AGB 505 Agricultural Prices and Policy Analysis (3 cr.)

Demand and elasticity analysis, various models for demand, supply and consumption of agricultural products including AIDS and  RES. Spatial price relationship, Ravallian Dynamic model, estimating demand function, time series and family budget study, cointegration and agricultural policy analysis.

AGB 511 Value Chain and Inclusive Market Development (3 cr.)

Basics of supply and value chain, designing distribution networks (backward and forward linkages), managing economies of scale, determining the optimal level of product availability and sourcing decision in the value chain. Strategic alliances and international issues related to the value chain. Value chain with trade and management related issues, value chain intervention from different actors including NGOs, businesses and international traders, and value chain analysis for inclusive market development.

AGB 513 Agricultural Commodity Trade (3 cr.)

This course focuses on the foundations of commodity markets. It provides a broad and detailed discussion of theories behind markets, how they work in practice and the current state of these markets in the world. Allocation efficacy of agricultural and food product markets, structure of agricultural commodity and input market, and transaction cost analysis. Trade policy, trade liberalization, regional economic groupings, Global trade environment-WTO, EU, NAFTA, ASEAN, and export and import policy.

AGB 515 Small and Medium Enterprises Development (3 cr.)

This course highlights the competitive advantages, corporate governance and strategic management for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). Innovation and development of a business plan. Scope and role of SMEs in women empowerment. SMEs and added value generation and the role of the sectors in the inclusive market development of Bangladesh.

 AGB 517 Marketing Management (3 cr.)

An introduction to the process of creating a market-driven organization. Specific topic includes marketing strategy, market research and analysis, development of products and services. Analyzing consumer markets and buyer behavior, and distribution, promotion and case analysis.

 AGB 527 Climate Smart Agribusiness and Food Security (3 cr.)

The course is organized around contemporary issues related to climate change and global food business. Impact of climate change on food security, nutrition and safety, and the impact of food on cultures, economics and the environment. An analysis of coherence between climate and agricultural policies and climate and agricultural financing. Synergies between inter-sectoral approaches and policies across the agricultural, food security and climate change (Prerequisite AGB 501).

 AGB 531 Business Economics (3 cr.)

Foundation of economic analysis in agribusiness problems with special emphasis on the function and determination of market prices under different market conditions. Economic factors and policies affecting business activity in a small open economy. History and origin of business ethics and ethical relationship in business. Use of quantitative methods to analyze business enterprises.

AGB 537 Agribusiness Project Appraisal (3 cr.)

Agribusiness project identification, formulation and design. Analyzing the project cycle, cost-benefit analysis of project and investment appraisal, financial analysis at farm and project level, economic analysis, treatment of risk and uncertainty and tools for social analysis. Project monitoring, evaluation and impact assessment.

AGB 541 Agribusiness Risk Management (3 cr.)

 Identification, measurement and control of non-speculative risks of the business. Study of various types of insurance available to business including self-insurance, methods of loss prevention, insurance as a planning tool and insurance procurement. Risk and uncertainty management in the agribusiness sector.

AGB 547 Research Methods (3 cr.)

The overall purpose of the course is to introduce various concepts and methods of conducting research and analysis in business. Students will learn various methods for conducting research, how to identify and synthesize research literature, how to plan a research study that improves the practice of education or training, and how to formally report research findings and prepare a scientific paper. The specific purpose for the students is to develop and present a sample research proposal related to agribusiness as well marketing.

AGB 551 Marketing Information System (3 cr.)

The course introduces concepts of information system (IS) as used in management of organizations and marketing decision making. It diagnoses and identifies different hierarchies of management to develop information and control systems. The theories of organization structure and management control are analyzed as well as the methods of database management, communications and networking. Current business and technology trends and drivers, including emerging technologies that affect the present and future of IS and organizations.

AGB 557 E-Commerce in Agribusiness (3 cr.)

This course focuses on the history, nature and impact of E-business and building a career in E-business. Fundamentals of internet marketing, customer service, advertising for E-business, Business to Business (B2B), Business to Consumer (B2C), E-Commerce, E-Marketplace, B2B Support Services, E-Business applications, E-Business Strategic Management, Privacy and Legal Issues, and Mobile Commerce.

 AGB 565 Consumer Behavior (3 cr.)

Analyzing consumer behavior and its applications in marketing. Consumer motivation theories, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, consumer personality theories and emotions, consumer perception, attitudes, behavior and marketing communications. Cultural influences on consumer behavior and consumer decision-making process (Prerequisite AGB 531).

AGB 571 Business Law and Ethics (3 cr.)

This course focuses on the history and origin of business ethics, business ethics vs. corporate social responsibility. The importance and origin of CSR, managing and implementation of CSR. Globalization and CSR in small and medium-sized enterprise and multination context. Topics include nature and sources of business law e.g., contract, agency, sale of goods, negotiable instruments, insolvency, partnership and labor in the context of Bangladesh.

AGB 577 Human Resource Management (3 cr.)

Human resource management from general manager’s perspective. Role of human resource management and techniques for developing and effectively using human resources in organizations. Dynamics of leadership, motivation, teamwork, job satisfaction, developing and training of the workforce and various theories of human resource development.

AGB 596 Reading and Conference (Credit to be arranged but not more than 3 cr.)

Special study assigned by the major professor on the recommendation of the advisory committee and/or interest of the student.

AGB 597 Special Problems (Credit to be arranged but not more than 3 cr.)

Investigation of special problems not related to a thesis problem as assigned by the Major Professor.

AGB 598 Seminar (1 cr.)

Discussion on an assigned topic in the field of agribusiness.

AGB 599 Thesis Research (Credit to be arranged but not more than 12 cr.)

Original thesis research.

Note: Students having Cumulative CGPA below 3.00 will not be allowed to enroll AGB 596, AGB 597 until he/she raised the cumulative CGPA to 3.00 or above.

Minimum Course and Research Requirement for MS Degree¹

 ¹Degree requirements may be changed on the recommendation of the Board of Studies and the Advisory    Committee.

   2 Approved by the Student’s Advisory Committee.