Program of Study

Teaching will be divided into five main units or study periods. The units are organized over five study periods (2 academic years) and contain a minimum total of 120 European credits (ECTS) or 36 U.S. semester credit hours (SCH).

  • A basic module over one study period with theoretical formation in basic agricultural economic and development theories and methodologies

  • First specialized module in the second study period

  • Second specialized module in the third study period, linked to the master thesis topic

  • A case study module during the summer semester

  • The master thesis on one of the major disciplines of rural development economics, agricultural economics, or policies, written during the final period of study

The basic module is offered by Ghent University for EU students and University of Arkansas for US students.  The courses represent five major disciplines and a general training into the basic competence domains and components of it are commonly agreed and recognized in order to have common basic standards. The module represents 25 to 40 ECTS or 9 to 13 SCH.

The specialized modules are offered by all partner institutes in the EU and US according to their specialty disciplines (see table below). They can be followed in different languages (English, French, German and Dutch), although English to the primary language in most courses. The courses represent an advanced study in specific competence domains. The modules represent 15 to 40 ECTS or 5 to 13 SCH each.

The case study is a summer semester field experience where students and scholars from different institutions and backgrounds share visions and approaches. The aim is that students undertake a practical experience in a commonly organized case study. Possible locations for the case study are: Pisa University (Italy) or Slovak University of Agriculture (Slovakia). The case study represents 10 ECTS or 3 SCH.

The Master thesis is written on one of the disciplines of rural development economics, agricultural economics, or policy. It represents 30 ECTS or 6 SCH. Preference is given to common EU-US projects in terms of research, data collection, supervision and examination to obtain the largest added value possible within the EU-US environment, thus stimulating comparative research of the EU and US approach in agricultural economics and rural development. It is defended in one of the degree awarding institutes, according to the specializations offered at either side. External scholars and outstanding professionals working in the field of rural development and agricultural economics can assist in supervising the students or in providing specific assistance.

How to Apply

Areas of Specialty at Partner Universities

University of Arkansas Agribusiness Management, Resource and Evironmental Economics, Food and Agricultural Marketing, Agricultural Policy, International Trade and Development, Agricultural Finance, Risk Management, Regional and Rural Economic Development.
Ghent University, Belgium

Farm Management, Agricultural Policy, Rural Environmental Economics, Agro-food Marketing and Consumer Behavior, Agribusiness Marketing and Management, Rural Development Economics,  Modelling and Optimisation of Decisions in Economics, Resources, Nature, and Agriculture, Economics and Management of Natural Resources.
Agrocampus Ouest, Rennes, France

Rural Development, Production Systems and Sustainable Development, Participative Management of Rural Areas.
Humboldt University Berlin, Germany

Institutional (agricultural) Economics, Resource Economics, Agricultural Policy, Agricultural Trade and Development, Agricultural Cooperatives, Rural Governance of Natural Resources.
Slovak University of Agriculture, Nitra, Slovakia Public Administration, Rural and Regional Development, Agricultural Policy, Environmental and Natural Resources.
Pisa University, Italy

Rural Development, Social Innovation, Social Farming, Sustainable Local Development, Quality and Valorisation of Products in the Agro-food Chain, Theoretical and Empirical Studies on Farmers' Individual and Collective Strategies, Socio-economic Impact of Sustainable Agriculture, Support Policies of Small Farming and Rural Development at Local and Regional Level, Alternativve Strategies in Agro-food System.
Cordoba University

Sustainable Development, Territorial Development, Natural Resource and Environmental Economics, Policies for Rural Areas, Social-ecological System Approach, Governance