Postgraduate Programmes

The Department of Agricultural Economics at the University of Stellenbosch provides postgraduate opportunities across a wide spectrum of topics. The Department specialises in future studies and systems thinking as applied to:

• Opportunities for the South African rural community
• Opportunities in the southern African region
• The competitiveness of South African agriculture.

AREAS OF STUDY

Postgraduate courses at Honours level are offered in the following fields of study:

FARM MANAGEMENT

The course covers the application of systems philosophy to solving farm management problems; strategic management; entrepreneurship and other approaches to the strategic management process; environmental scanning and the principles, concepts and tools of futures research; farms systems analysis; decision making levels; management by objectives; management information systems for decision making control.

RURAL AND AGRICULTURAL POLICY

The aim of this course is to analyse the theoretical structure of economic policy; to further investigate the literature on public choice, contract theory and institutional approaches to rural and agricultural policy; to study the mechanisms of agricultural policy analysis; to analyse agricultural and rural development policies in South Africa; to introduce policy analysis techniques; and to study the management of policy processes.

AGRICULTURAL MARKETING

Students investigate the theory and practice of agricultural marketing analysis and marketing management form the perspective of the individual decision maker and of an industry; and they develop marketing strategies at enterprise and industry level. Marketing issues are investigated in the context of different consumer profiles and of agricultural policy in general. There is a special emphasis on the investigation of the problems of informal sector marketing, food security and food distribution systems.

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT AND RESOURCE ECONOMICS

The focus in the course is on international comparative and competitive advantage with regard to agricultural resource use; and on project planning, social cost benefit analysis, environmental management, environmental policy and environmental auditing.

AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

The course covers the theory and practice of agricultural production and resource management at the micro and macro level; the study of different production systems and relationships; and contemporary problems, challenges and issues regarding the factors of production and natural resources, including land, water, capital, technology and labour.

INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND MARKETING

The purpose of this course is to introduce students to international trade theory and the institutional environment within which international trade takes place, including regional and multilateral trade agreements; to sensitise students regarding the process of internationalisation of business opportunities that the international market offers in a practical manner; and to expose the students to a range of international marketing practitioners involved in international trade in agricultural products.

POSTGRADUATE DEGREES

HONOURS DEGREES IN AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS

B.Sc.Agric. (Hons.) and B.Agric.Admin.(Hons.)

Students with a four-year B.Sc.Agric.degree from a South African University normally qualify for admission to the B.Sc.Agric.(hons.) degree, and those with a three-year B.Agric.Admin degree for the B.Agric.Admin.(hons.) degree. The composition of the degree is determined between the Chair of the Department and each student. Students must complete 5 courses of equivalent credit.

MASTERS DEGREES IN AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS

M.Sc.Agric and M.Agric.Admin

This usually follows on the relevant Honours degree and registration is for a minimum of one year, although it is possible to enrol directly after the relevant B -degree for a minimum of two years. Students are required to do independent research on an approved topic, and to present the results in final form.

M.Sc.Agric. (Agricultural production Systems)

The basis for the course content for this multi-disciplinary degree is systems philosophy and the course has a practical orientation. Students will be expected to attend courses in systems philosophy, computer use and Economics II. In addition, honours level courses in agricultural economics and an agricultural production subject will be prescribed in conjunction with the Chair of the Department. Finally, the student has to submit a report on research of a multi-disciplinary nature.

DOCTORAL DEGREES:

Ph.D. (Agric.) and Ph.D. (Agric.Admin.)

Students are required to submit a thesis that reflects the results of original research that adds to existing knowledge.