07/01/1997

Ag Economics Students at AU Know Where the Money Is

AUBURN, Ala. - More students are going to where the money is in agriculture -- Auburn University's Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology in the College of Agriculture.

"Agriculture is becoming more and more business-oriented," said Lavaughn Johnson, department head.

Because this mixture of agriculture and business has become so popular, reflecting the growth of agriculture's economy, enrollment in the department has more than doubled in the last 10 years, with about 135 students currently in the program. Most graduates from the department have little trouble finding jobs, either, according to William Hardy, professor of agricultural economics.

"Right now, we could place more students than we have," said John Adrian, professor.

There are three "career tracks" in the agricultural economics program: agribusiness management and marketing, farm management and natural resource management. Students can tailor their course work toward the area that matches their career interests.

Between 30 and 40 percent of graduates go to work for agribusinesses in management, sales, marketing or finance positions, according to a survey of graduates from the past 10 years. Jobs are available with the animal industry, with agricultural chemical companies and with government agencies, for those with a strong agribusiness background, Hardy said. Surprisingly, one-third of the graduates work in non-agricultural fields because the applied business training students receive from the program is so broad and useful, Johnson said.

The program stresses communication, quantitative and computer skills, combined with technical and business training, in its course work, because, as Johnson said, "That's what the workplace is demanding."

In addition to agricultural economics and business classes, the curriculum also requires some classes from other departments in the College of Agriculture. Because most students in the department do not come from a farm background, Johnson said, they need some exposure to basic agricultural production ideas.

The internship program is also a valuable tool that helps students become familiar with the workings of agricultural industries. Internships are strongly encouraged because they introduce students to potential employers, and students who have done internships tend to do well in upper level classes because they have a better understanding of the business environment, Adrian said.

The department prides itself in its relatively small classes, which allow professors to get to know students and work with them more closely, Hardy said. Faculty members try to have a close relationship with their students through classes and the advising program. This concern may be what attracts students to the department from other programs on campus, Johnson said. Rural sociology is a separate, but related, program within the department. This discipline questions how agricultural issues affect people in rural areas.

"A lot of economic issues we face have sociological impacts," said Conner Bailey, professor of rural sociology.

According to John Dunkelberger, professor of rural sociology, there are nine students in the program, and about the same number of students minor in rural sociology. Although the program is small, it is steadily growing, Bailey said.

"I would anticipate growth for the program as opportunities expand in the environmental sciences and natural resources," he said. "Rural sociologists have a long tradition of working with natural resources and environmental issues."

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News from:

Office of Ag Communications & Marketing

Auburn University College of Agriculture
Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station
3 Comer Hall, Auburn University
Auburn, AL 36849
334-844-4877 (PHONE) 334-844-5892 (FAX)

Contact Jamie Creamer, 334-844-2783 or jcreamer@auburn.edu
by Anna M. Lee

July 1, 1997