Graduate Studies in Agricultural Economics at McGill

McGill offers a program leading to the M.Sc. in Agricultural Economics. There is no PhD. program.

Doctoral studies are possible through the PhD. program of the Department of Economics, wherein Agricultural Economics is an area of specialization. For more information about the PhD. in Economics, program requirements and admission, contact the Department of Economics. Normally, the PhD is only open to holders of an MA in economics, or a closely related discipline.

Most of the information you need can be found on this page, but you should also consult the information provided by the Graduate and Post-Doctoral Studies office on their Applying and Admissions website

If you are interested in spending time at McGill for research purposes (Graduate Research Trainee) or to take courses as an exchange student, there are procedures to follow. The information is located HERE

For general information on graduate studies, consult McGill's brochure on Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.

Please contact us by email if you have any questions.

M.Sc Program

1) Goals and Objectives 2) Admission Requirements 3) Program Requirements 4) Funding 5) Additional Information

1. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

The goal of graduate training in Agricultural Economics is to provide students with the applied concepts and tools to identify, define, and analyze economic problems affecting the performance of the agri-food sector and the environment.

Attention is given to the development of analytical skills in the broad areas of agricultural, environmental and ecological economics, development, and resource allocation in production and marketing in agriculture. Please consult individual staff pages for their research interests.

The program prepares graduates for rewarding careers in research, analysis and decision-making in academia, private and NGO sectors, and government. As an alumnus, you will find your skills in high demand, and join other alumni who can be found in positions of authority around the world.

The objectives of graduate training in Agricultural Economics are:

1. To provide graduate training in the applied economics including agricultural marketing and trade, policy, development, and environmental and ecological economics.
2. To pursue relevant research topics in the above areas in the form of a research thesis.
3. To serve the local, provincial, national and international communities by providing highly qualified graduates and relevant research that contribute toward solving problems related to the performance of the agricultural and resource sectors of Quebec, Canada, and the rest of the world.

2. ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Applications must be made electronically, while all supporting documents (university transcripts, two letters of reference printed on letterhead) must be sent directly to the Agricultural Economics graduate studies office at the address below. Reference letters may be sent by email, but these letters must come from the email domain of the referee, e.g. their university domain name and not gmail or yahoo.

To be considered eligible for direct admission to the M.Sc. program, the applicant must have an undergraduate degree with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of at least 3.0 out of a possible 4.0 (Second Class - Upper Division or equivalent) or a CGPA of 3.2/4.0 for the last two full-time academic years.

A CGPA of 3.0 is equivalent to a "B" average. Keep in mind that this is the minimum requirement, and simply meeting the requirement does not necessarily lead to an offer of admission. Other factors are taken into account, such as the number of applicants.

For graduate studies, the necessary preparation is an undergraduate degree in Agricultural Economics, Economics, or closely affiliated discipline which includes courses in at least intermediate economic theory (micro and macro), applied courses in economics, calculus, algebra, statistics and econometrics. Candidates considered to have insufficient preparation in economics will be asked to take up to two additional undergraduate courses as part of their M.Sc. program. Sufficient training in economic theory is essential for graduate studies, as graduate level theory courses are challenging. Click here for recent outlines for Micro and Macro theory courses.

When an applicant does not have sufficient background in economics for admission to the M.Sc., they may be admitted to a Qualifying Program of one year of undergraduate courses. The CGPA requirement is the same as for the M.Sc. An application to the Qualifying Program makes use of the same electronic application form as for the MSc program.

An applicant is     NOT REQUIRED   to identify a thesis supervisor prior to admission. This is normally done sometime during the first year of study.

i) Application Documentation:

1. Applicants must submit an electronic application and fee, C.V., all university transcripts, and two academic letters of recommendation.
2. Applicants should submit a statement of their research interests and personal goals.
3. Two original transcripts, or copies certified by the originating institution, of all university-level studies, must be sent by the originating institution to the address below. Tran­scripts written in a language other than English or French must be accompanied by a certified translation. If the transcripts do not mention the granting of the degree, 2 original documents (diploma) attesting to the granting of the degree must be attached. The grading scale used by the originating institution must be provided.
4. Two letters of recommendation, normally written by a person who has a good sense of the candidate's academic capabilities, either by having taught the candidate, or by having served in a supervisory role (research supervisor, or employer). These letters must be printed on the letterhead of the university or the referee's organization. As noted above, these letters may be sent by email. Letters must be sent directly by the referee, in envelopes sealed and signed by the referees, to the address below.
5. Although not required, results from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the GMAT are also helpful to evaluate international applications, and are therefore highly recommended, particularly if applicants wish to be considered for funding.
6. Non-Canadian applicants whose mother tongue is not English and who have not completed an undergraduate degree using the English language are required to submit documented proof of competency in oral and written English. For example: TOEFL (minimum score of 88 on the internet-based test with each component score not less than 20) or IELTS (minimum 7 overall band). Test results must not be more than two years old. A photocopy can be submitted as an unofficial document, but must be followed by an official document or electronic communication sent directly from the testing organization. The MCHE is not considered equivalent.
7. The University code for reporting either TOEFL or GRE results is 0935 (McGill University, Montreal), and our institution code for GMAT is 58H-MN-62.

ii) Deadlines:

For official application deadlines, please consult the Admissions website and how to make an electronic application.

Applications are accepted for admission in September, January and May. We strongly recommend that all your documents be received at McGill at least nine months prior to the intended start of the program, otherwise you will not likely be considered for funding support.

3. PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

For a student who is prepared well, the requirements should take approximately 18 months to complete. Students MUST complete the degree within three (3) years. During the first year, students concentrate on their lecture courses, and then shift their attention to their research thesis.

1. The requirements for the M.Sc. in Agricultural Economics are 46 credits in the form of: six graduate level lecture courses (18 credits), Seminar (1 credit), and satisfactory completion of a thesis (27 credits).
2. Students must complete 2 courses in economic theory, and at least 1 course in quantitative methods, such as econometrics, modeling methods or statistics. These courses are taken through the Department of Economics on McGill's main campus.
3. The remainder of the course credits can be taken in fields relevant to their thesis research, but one course must be in Agricultural Economics. Students may select courses in Economics, Anthropology, Geography, the Faculty of Management or any other relevant field.
4. The thesis is evaluated by both internal and external examiners and all candidates must orally present the results of their thesis.

McGill operates a shuttle bus service between the two campuses which provides easy access to McGill's main campus and Montreal's other universities.

4. FUNDING

Acceptance into the M.Sc. program in Agricultural Economics implies no commitment to provide financial support. Our means to support students are very limited, so many students self-finance their graduate studies. Almost all funding is directed towards students starting the program in the fall semester. No funding is available for students admitted to a Qualifying Program.

We offer the Sir Vincent Meredith Fellowship to one outstanding student each year. The value of the Fellowship is $15,000 and can be renewed once. We also award the Lewis Fischer Bursary in Agricultural Economics ($1000). For both awards, an application is made by simply indicating your interest on the electronic application for admission. One or two students may be awarded a differential fee waiver during the summer semester. This reduces the tuition of an international student to the same level as a student from Quebec. We will also nominate outstanding students for Faculty and University fellowships when these are available.

In addition to these awards, a limited number of teaching assistantships are available, but these are normally used to support second year students.

Other Sources of Funding

5) Additional Information

Synopsis of MSc Program Course Requirements
Off Campus Housing Service

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English and Writing Courses
Registration Procedure for Undergraduate Courses

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Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies Office
Tuition Fee Information All fees quoted in Canadian Dollars

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Guidance for research involving human subjects (Ethical Review and Certificates)

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