uc berkeley agricultural economics phd placement

Agricultural & Resource Economics PhD

The Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics offers programs leading to PhD degrees. Due to quota limitations, students are rarely admitted for the master's degree, although it may be awarded to students who are pursuing work toward the PhD in our program (or in another field at Berkeley) after fulfillment of the appropriate MS requirements.

The Agricultural and Resource Economics Program is relatively flexible; however, the program stresses economic theory, quantitative methods, and two elective fields defined in consultation with the graduate adviser. Some common elective fields include development economics, natural resource or environmental economics, agricultural policy, and international markets and trade.

Contact Info

[email protected]

207 Giannini Hall

Berkeley, CA 94720

At a Glance

Department(s)

Agricultural & Resource Econonomics

Admit Term(s)

Application Deadline

December 2, 2024

Degree Type(s)

Doctoral / PhD

Degree Awarded

GRE Requirements

Agricultural and Resource Economics

About the Program

The Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics offers programs leading to PhD degrees. Due to quota limitations, students are rarely admitted for the master's degree, although it may be awarded to students who are pursuing work toward the PhD in our program (or in another field at Berkeley) after fulfillment of the appropriate MS requirements.

The Agricultural and Resource Economics Program is relatively flexible; however, the program stresses economic theory, quantitative methods, and two elective fields defined in consultation with the graduate adviser. Some common elective fields include development economics, natural resource or environmental economics, agricultural policy, and international markets and trade.

Visit Department Graduate Program Website

Admission to the University

Applying for graduate admission.

Thank you for considering UC Berkeley for graduate study! UC Berkeley offers more than 120 graduate programs representing the breadth and depth of interdisciplinary scholarship. The Graduate Division hosts a complete list of graduate academic programs, departments, degrees offered, and application deadlines can be found on the Graduate Division website.

Prospective students must submit an online application to be considered for admission, in addition to any supplemental materials specific to the program for which they are applying. The online application and steps to take to apply can be found on the Graduate Division website .

Admission Requirements

The minimum graduate admission requirements are:

A bachelor’s degree or recognized equivalent from an accredited institution;

A satisfactory scholastic average, usually a minimum grade-point average (GPA) of 3.0 (B) on a 4.0 scale; and

Enough undergraduate training to do graduate work in your chosen field.

For a list of requirements to complete your graduate application, please see the Graduate Division’s Admissions Requirements page . It is also important to check with the program or department of interest, as they may have additional requirements specific to their program of study and degree. Department contact information can be found here .

Where to apply?

Visit the Berkeley Graduate Division application page .

Doctoral Degree Requirements

A,RESEC 201 Production, Industrial Organization, and Regulation in Agriculture 4 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2023, Fall 2022 Basic concepts of micro and welfare economics: partial and general equilibrium. Industrial organization: monopolistic competition, vertical integration, price discrimination, and economics of information with applications to food retailing, cooperatives, fishing, and energy. Production, Industrial Organization, and Regulation in Agriculture: Read More [+]

Rules & Requirements

Prerequisites: Economics 201A or equivalent or consent of instructor

Hours & Format

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture and 1 hour of discussion per week

Additional Format: Three hours of Lecture and One hour of Discussion per week for 15 weeks.

Additional Details

Subject/Course Level: Agricultural and Resource Economics/Graduate

Grading: Letter grade.

Production, Industrial Organization, and Regulation in Agriculture: Read Less [-]

A,RESEC 202 Issues and Concepts in Agricultural Economics 4 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2023, Spring 2022 History, institutions, and policies affecting agriculture markets and environmental quality. Producer behavior over time and under uncertainty. Asset fixity and agricultural supply models. Issues and Concepts in Agricultural Economics: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: Economics 201A-201B or consent of instructor

Issues and Concepts in Agricultural Economics: Read Less [-]

A,RESEC 210 Probability and Statistics 4 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2023, Fall 2022 This is an introduction to probability theory and statistical inference. It is primarily intended to prepare students for the graduate econometrics courses 212 and 213. The emphasis of the course is on the principles of statistical reasoning. Probability theory will be discussed mainly as a background for statistical theory and specific models will, for the most part, be considered only to illustrate the general statistical theory as it is dev eloped. Probability and Statistics: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: Graduate standing or consent of instructor

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 4 hours of lecture and 1 hour of discussion per week

Additional Format: Four hours of lecture and one hour of discussion per week.

Instructor: Mahajan

Probability and Statistics: Read Less [-]

A,RESEC 211 Mathematical Methods for Agricultural and Resource Economists 4 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2015, Fall 2014, Fall 2013 The goal of this course is to provide entering graduate students with the basic skills required to perform effectively in the graduate program and as professional economists. The lectures place heavy emphasis on intuition, graphical representations, and conceptual understanding. Weekly problem sets provide the opportunity to master mechanical skills and computational techniques. Topics covered include real analysis, linear algebra, multivariable calculus, theory of static constrained optimization, and comparative statics. Mathematical Methods for Agricultural and Resource Economists: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: Consent of instructor

Additional Format: Four hours of Lecture and One hour of Discussion per week for 15 weeks.

Mathematical Methods for Agricultural and Resource Economists: Read Less [-]

A,RESEC 212 Econometrics: Multiple Equation Estimation 4 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2023, Spring 2022 Introduction to the estimation and testing of economic models. Includes analysis of the general linear model, asymptotic theory, instrumental variable, and the generalized method of moments. In addition, a survey of time series, analysis, limited dependent variables. Econometrics: Multiple Equation Estimation: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: 211 or consent of instructor

Econometrics: Multiple Equation Estimation: Read Less [-]

A,RESEC 213 Applied Econometrics 4 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2023, Fall 2022 Standard and advanced econometric techniques are applied to topics in agriculture and resource economics. Techniques include limited dependent variables, time series analysis, and nonparametric analysis. Students will use computers to conduct statistical analyses. Applied Econometrics: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: 211 and 212 or equivalent or consent of instructor

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture and 3 hours of laboratory per week

Additional Format: Three hours of lecture and three hours of computer laboratory per week.

Applied Econometrics: Read Less [-]

A,RESEC 214 New Econometric and Statistical Techniques 4 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2012, Spring 2011, Spring 2010 Theory and application of new and emerging approaches to estimation and inference. Bayesian, maximum entropy,and other new applications to economic problems will be emphasized. Students will use computers to conduct statistical analyses. New Econometric and Statistical Techniques: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: 211, 213 or equivalent or consent of instructor

Additional Format: Three hours of lecture and three hours of computer lab per week.

New Econometric and Statistical Techniques: Read Less [-]

A,RESEC 219A Econometric Project Workshop 2 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2023, Fall 2022 Techniques for preparing econometric studies, including finding data sources, the reporting of results, and standards for placing research questions with existent literature. With faculty guidance, students prepare approved econometric projects, present projects to the class, provide comments on other student projects, and revise projects in response to faculty and student comments. Econometric Project Workshop: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: 210, 211, and 212 or consent of instructor

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 2 hours of seminar per week

Additional Format: Two hours of Seminar per week for 15 weeks.

Instructors: Auffhammer, Sadoulet

Econometric Project Workshop: Read Less [-]

A,RESEC 219B Econometric Project Workshop 2 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2023, Spring 2022 Techniques for preparing econometric studies, including finding data sources, the reporting of results, and standards for placing research questions with existent literature. With faculty guidance, students prepare approved econometric projects, present projects to the class, provide comments on other student projects, and revise projects in response to faculty and student comments. Econometric Project Workshop: Read More [+]

A,RESEC 232 Empirical International Trade and Investment 2 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2010, Spring 2009, Spring 2007 Empirical aspects on international trade, foreign investment, and the environment. Issues related to testing various trade models. Topics include: testing trade models (HO, Ricardo, Specific Sector); gravity models; linkages between openness and growth; trade orientation and firm performance; pattern of trade; trade and the environment; labor markets and trade. New topics in international trade with empirical applications, such as trade models with heterogeneous firms, outsourcing and foreign investment. Empirical International Trade and Investment: Read More [+]

Fall and/or spring: 8 weeks - 2 hours of lecture per week

Additional Format: Two hours of lecture per week for eight weeks.

Empirical International Trade and Investment: Read Less [-]

A,RESEC 241 Economics and Policy of Production, Technology and Risk in Agricultural and Natural Resources 3 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2022, Fall 2017, Fall 2016 This course covers alternative models of production, resource and environmental risk management; family production function; adoption and diffusion; innovation and intellectual property rights; agricultural and environmental policies and their impact on production and the environment; water resources; pest control; biotechnology; and optimal control over space and time. Economics and Policy of Production, Technology and Risk in Agricultural and Natural Resources: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: 201 and 202, or Economics 201A-201B, or consent of instructor

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of lecture per week

Additional Format: Three hours of Lecture per week for 15 weeks.

Economics and Policy of Production, Technology and Risk in Agricultural and Natural Resources: Read Less [-]

A,RESEC 242 Quantitative Policy Analysis 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2023, Spring 2022, Spring 2021 Production versus predatory government behavior, rent seeking, social waste, and their trade-offs with the provision of growth-promoting public goods. Three failure types are distinguished: market, government, and organizational. The roles of public versus special interests are modeled to determine degree and extent of organizational failures in collective group behavior. Alternative frameworks are used to evaluate various types of policy reform. Quantitative Policy Analysis: Read More [+]

Quantitative Policy Analysis: Read Less [-]

A,RESEC 249 Agricultural, Food, and Resource Policy Workshop 1 Unit

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Spring 2024, Fall 2023 Presentation and criticism of ongoing research by faculty, staff and students. Not necessarily offered every semester. Agricultural, Food, and Resource Policy Workshop: Read More [+]

Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit without restriction.

Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.

Agricultural, Food, and Resource Policy Workshop: Read Less [-]

A,RESEC C251 Microeconomics of Development 3 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2023, Fall 2022 Theoretical and empirical analyses of poverty and inequality, household and community behavior, and contract and institutions in the context of developing countries. Microeconomics of Development: Read More [+]

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 4 hours of lecture per week

Additional Format: Four hours of lecture per week.

Also listed as: ECON C270A

Microeconomics of Development: Read Less [-]

A,RESEC C253 International Economic Development Policy 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2023, Fall 2022, Spring 2022, Fall 2020, Fall 2019, Fall 2018 This course emphasizes the development and application of policy solutions to developing-world problems related to poverty, macroeconomic policy, and environmental sustainability. Methods of statistical, economic, and policy analysis are applied to a series of case studies. The course is designed to develop practical professional skills for application in the international arena. International Economic Development Policy: Read More [+]

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 2 hours of lecture and 1 hour of discussion per week

Additional Format: Two hours of lecture and one hour of discussion per week.

Also listed as: DEVP C253/PUB POL C253

International Economic Development Policy: Read Less [-]

A,RESEC 259 Rural Economic Development Workshop 1 Unit

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Spring 2024, Fall 2023 Presentation and criticism of ongoing research by faculty, staff and students. Not necessarily offered every semester. Rural Economic Development Workshop: Read More [+]

Rural Economic Development Workshop: Read Less [-]

A,RESEC 261 Environmental and Resource Economics 3 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2023, Fall 2022 Theory of renewable and nonrenewable natural resource use, with applications to forests, fisheries, energy, and climate change. Resources, growth, and sustainability. Economic theory of environmental policy. Externality; the Coasian critique; tax incidence and anomalies; indirect taxes; the double dividend; environmental standards; environmental regulation; impact of uncertainty on taxes and standards; mechanism design; monitoring, penalties, and regulatory strategy; emissions markets. Environmental and Resource Economics: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: Ph.D.-level economic theory or consent of instructor

Environmental and Resource Economics: Read Less [-]

A,RESEC 262 Non-market Valuation 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2014, Spring 2012, Spring 2011 The economic concept of value; historical evolution of market and non-market valuation; revealed preference methods: single site demand, multi-site demand, corner solution models, and valuation of quality changes; averting behavior; the hedonic method; contingent valuation; other stated preference methods: ranking, choice, conjoint analysis; the value of life and safety; sampling and questionnaire design for valuation surveys. Non-market Valuation: Read More [+]

Non-market Valuation: Read Less [-]

A,RESEC 263 Dynamic Methods in Environmental and Resource Economics 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2018, Spring 2016, Fall 2013 This course studies methods of analysis and optimal control of dynamic systems, emphasizing applications in environmental and natural resource economics. Continuous-time deterministic models are studied using phase plane analysis, the calculus of variations, the Maximum Principle, and dynamic programming. Numerical methods are applied to discrete time stochastic and deterministic dynamic models. Dynamic Methods in Environmental and Resource Economics: Read More [+]

Dynamic Methods in Environmental and Resource Economics: Read Less [-]

A,RESEC 264 Empirical Energy and Environmental Economics 3 Units

Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2023, Spring 2022 This course is designed to help prepare graduate students to conduct empirical research in energy and environmental economics. The course has two broad objectives. The first is to develop an in-depth understanding of specific empirical methods and research designs that are routinely used in the field of energy and environmental economics. The second is to familiarize students with some of the economic theories and institutions that are most relevant to empirical work in this area. Empirical Energy and Environmental Economics: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: 212 and 213; or equivalent

Instructor: Fowlie

Empirical Energy and Environmental Economics: Read Less [-]

A,RESEC 265 Advanced Topics in Environmental and Resource Economics 3 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2015 Advanced topics in environmental and resource economics. Topics vary and include the economics of land, water, fisheries, forestry, pesticides, endangered species, policy instruments for environmental policy, and empirical evaluations of environmental and resource policy. Advanced Topics in Environmental and Resource Economics: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: Ph.D.-level economic theory and econometrics or consent of instructor

Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.

Instructors: Berck, Sunding

Advanced Topics in Environmental and Resource Economics: Read Less [-]

A,RESEC 269 Natural Resource Economics Workshop 1 Unit

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Spring 2024, Fall 2023 Presentation and criticism of ongoing research by faculty, staff, and students. Not necessarily offered every semester. Natural Resource Economics Workshop: Read More [+]

Natural Resource Economics Workshop: Read Less [-]

A,RESEC 298 Special Study for Graduate Students 1 - 6 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Spring 2024, Fall 2023 All properly qualified graduate students who wish to pursue a special field of study may do so if their proposed program of study is acceptable to the member here of the staff with whom they work. Special Study for Graduate Students: Read More [+]

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 1-6 hours of independent study per week

Summer: 6 weeks - 1-6 hours of independent study per week 8 weeks - 1-6 hours of independent study per week

Additional Format: Individual study.

Special Study for Graduate Students: Read Less [-]

A,RESEC 299 Individual Research 1 - 12 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Spring 2024, Fall 2023 Individual Research: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: Graduate standing and consent of instructor

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 1-12 hours of independent study per week

Additional Format: Approximately four hours of research per week per unit.

Individual Research: Read Less [-]

A,RESEC 375 Professional Preparation: Teaching of Environmental Economics and Policy 1 - 6 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2023, Fall 2022, Fall 2021 Discussion, problem review and development, guidance of discussion classes, course development, supervised practice teaching. Professional Preparation: Teaching of Environmental Economics and Policy: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: Graduate standing, appointment as a graduate student instructor, or consent of instructor

Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 1-2 hours of lecture and 1-2 hours of discussion per week

Additional Format: Four hours of work per week per unit.

Subject/Course Level: Agricultural and Resource Economics/Professional course for teachers or prospective teachers

Formerly known as: Agriculture and Resource Economics 300

Professional Preparation: Teaching of Environmental Economics and Policy: Read Less [-]

A,RESEC 400 Professional Training in Research Methodology 1 - 6 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Spring 2024, Fall 2023 Individual training for graduate students in planning and performing research under the supervision of a faculty adviser, intended to provide academic credit for the experience obtained while holding a research assistantship. Professional Training in Research Methodology: Read More [+]

Prerequisites: Graduate student researcher appointment

Additional Format: Individual research.

Subject/Course Level: Agricultural and Resource Economics/Other professional

Professional Training in Research Methodology: Read Less [-]

A,RESEC 602 Individual Study for Doctoral Students 1 - 12 Units

Terms offered: Fall 2024, Spring 2024, Fall 2023 Individual study in consultation with the major field adviser, intended to provide an opportunity for qualified students to prepare themselves for the various examinations required for candidates of the Ph.D. May not be used for unit or residence requirements for the doctoral degree. Individual Study for Doctoral Students: Read More [+]

Subject/Course Level: Agricultural and Resource Economics/Graduate examination preparation

Individual Study for Doctoral Students: Read Less [-]

Contact Information

Department of agricultural and resource economics.

207 Giannini Hall, #3310

Phone: 510-642-3345

Fax: 510-643-8911

Department Chair

Jeremy Magruder

207 Giannini Hall

[email protected]

Head Graduate Advisor

Michael L Anderson, PhD

[email protected]

Graduate Student Affairs Officer

Carmen Karahalios

203 Giannini Hall

Phone: 510-642-3347

[email protected]

Department Manager

Alana Silva

Phone: 510-643-8319

[email protected]

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UC Berkeley's Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics is the world's top-ranked program in agricultural and resource economics. Our faculty and graduate students produce cutting-edge research in the following areas:

• Global food production
• Nutrition and health
• Development economics
• Climate change
• Environmental economics
• Applied econometrics
• Policy evaluation
• Energy economics
• Natural resource economics
• International trade

Our faculty are active researchers and work closely with our graduate students, and other students from across the Berkeley campus. Many of our faculty have been elected as fellows of leading professional organizations including the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, American Economic Association, Econometric Society, American Statistical Association, American Agricultural Economics Association, and the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists. Several are affiliates of the National Bureau of Economic Research.

ARE's graduate program trains students to conduct important and innovative research in agricultural and resource economics, and to become leaders in the economics profession. Our graduates have gone on to teaching and research positions at many of the world's top universities, including Columbia, Oxford, Stanford, MIT, Michigan, LSE, Berkeley, Wisconsin, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, UC San Diego and others. Some of our distinguished alumni include Harvard economist John Kenneth Galbraith and Middle East envoy Philip Habib.

ARE also offers the undergraduate major in Environmental Economics and Policy. Students in the major learn the fundamentals of microconomics applied to problems of the environment, natural resource and international development. Students completing the EEP major have gained admission to top graduate programs, and have gone on to pursue careers in investment, finance, government, academics, nonprofit organizations, law and public policy.