Courses

Penn State's online Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness Management is designed to provide you with an understanding of how to apply business principles to real-world issues and opportunities in the agricultural and life sciences industries. This interdisciplinary approach allows you to focus on business basics, such as marketing and finance, with specialties related to the multimillion-dollar food and fiber industry. The program offers a variety of course options, so you can customize the degree to meet your specific career goals.

The Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness Management is a 120-credit program. To earn this degree, you must successfully complete:

81–84 credits required for the major
- 44 prescribed core course credits
- 25-28 additional course credits
- 12 supporting and related course credits
45 credits General Education courses (Note: 12–15 of these credits are included in the requirements for the major)
3–9 elective credits (Number of credits in elective courses dependent on the amount needed to reach 120 credits)

The number of credits you will have to take will vary according to the courses you transfer into the business degree program. Once you are admitted into the degree program, an academic adviser will help you determine the remaining requirements.

Course List — Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness Management

Prescribed Courses (44 credits)
Title	Abbreviation	Description	Credits
Financial and Managerial Accounting for Decision-Making	ACCTG 211	Introduction to the role of accounting numbers in the process of managing a business and in investor decision-making. Prerequisites: MATH 021 or 1.5 units of high school algebra	4 credits
Economics of the Food System*	AG BM 102	Introduction to topics designed to develop an understanding of how the food production, processing, and marketing system works and evolves.	3 credits
Agribusiness Problem-Solving*	AG BM 106	Development of quantitative problem-solving skills applied to specific examples of agribusiness management problems, using Excel spreadsheets. Prerequisite: AG BM 101	3 credits
Food Product Marketing*	AG BM 302	Analysis of economic and psychological determinants of the demand for food; marketing decisions in an increasingly consumer-driven food system. Prerequisites: AG BM 101, AG BM 102, AG BM 106	3 credits
Strategic Decision-Making in Agribusiness*	AG BM 308W	Utilize case studies to investigate strategic decision-making among agribusiness firms, highlighting how information and market power shape strategies. Prerequisites: AG BM 101, AG BM 102, AG BM 106	3 credits
Markets and Prices: Analysis and Forecasting*	AG BM 320	Understand how prices are determined; develop the skill to analyze and forecast how prices change as the underlying conditions change. Prerequisites: AG BM 101, AG BM 102, and AG BM 106; SCM 200 or STAT 200	3 credits
Agribusiness in the Global Economy	AG BM 338 (IL)	Managing agribusinesses in the global food industry, international food product marketing, key public institution and policies affecting food trade. Prerequisites: AG BM 101, AG BM 102, AG BM 106 MKTG 445 (IL) may be substituted for this course	3 credits
Introductory Macroeconomic Analysis and Policy	ECON 104	National income measurement; aggregate economic models; money and income; policy problems.	3 credits
Effective Writing: Business Writing	ENGL 202D	Writing reports and other common forms of business communication. Prerequisites: ENGL 015 or ENGL 030; fourth-semester standing	3 credits
Corporation Finance	FIN 301	Nature of finance function; risk and return concepts; working capital; dividend policies; mergers; security markets; acquisition and management of corporate capital; analysis of operations; forecasting capital requirements; raising capital; and planning profits. Prerequisites: ENGL 015 or ENGL 030; ACCTG 211; ECON 102 or ECON 104; SCM 200 or STAT 200	3 credits
Basic Management Concepts	MGMT 301	Study of fundamental principles and processes available to the understanding of management. Prerequisite: ENGL 015 or ENGL 030; ECON 102 or ECON 104; MATH 021 or higher or satisfactory score on the mathematics placement examination	3 credits
Principles of Marketing	MKTG 301	Focuses on customer behavior, product, channels of distribution, promotion, and pricing with emphasis on a culturally diverse environment. Prerequisite: ENGL 015 or ENGL 030; ECON 102 or ECON 104; MATH 021 or higher or satisfactory score on the mathematics placement examination	3 credits
Elementary Statistics*	STAT 200	Descriptive statistics, frequency descriptions, probability, binomial and normal distributions, statistical inference, linear regression, and correlation. Prerequisite: Placement into MATH 021 or higher.	4 credits
Supply Chain Management	SCM 301	Supply chain management concepts, principles, and methodologies. Prerequisites: ACCTG 211, ECON 102, SCM 200 or STAT 200	3 credits

Additional Courses (25–28 credits)
Title	Abbreviation	Description	Credits
Economic Principles of Agribusiness Decision-Making* or Introductory Microeconomic Analysis and Policy*	AG BM 101 or ECON 102	Introduction to economic principles and their application to real-world examples of agribusiness management issues. or Methods of economic analysis and their use; price determination; theory of the firm; distribution.	3 credits
Financial Decision-Making for Agribusiness	AG BM 408	Develop financial management and business analysis skills, integrating previous course work and finance training; principles of financial management, planning, control. Prerequisites: AG BM 308W, B A 301	3 credits
Social, Legal, and Ethical Environment of Business	B A 243	Explores the ethical, political, social, legal and regulatory, technological, and demographic diversity environment of business. Note: A student may not receive credit toward graduation for both B LAW 243 and B A 243.	4 credits
Techniques of Calculus I* or Calculus With Analytic Geometry I*	MATH 110 or MATH 140	Functions, graphs, derivatives, integrals, techniques of differentiation and integration, exponentials, improper integrals, applications. Prerequisite: MATH 022 or satisfactory performance on the mathematics placement examination or Functions, limits; analytic geometry; derivatives, differentials, applications; integrals, applications. Prerequisites: MATH 022, MATH 026; or MATH 040 or MATH 041 or satisfactory performance on the mathematics placement examination	4 credits
Introductory Sociology	SOC 001	The nature and characteristics of human societies and social life.	3 credits
Food Product Innovation Management	AG BM 440	A problem-based course designed to enhance decision-making skills in the context of industry's approach to developing new food products. Prerequisite: 6 credits in AG BM and/or ECON	3 credits
Elective	400 level	An additional 400 level AG BM or Business-related elective in consultation with an adviser.	3 credits
Information, People and Technology or Introduction to Management Information Systems or Introduction to Security and Risk Analysis	IST 110 or MIS 204 or SRA 111	The use, analysis, and design of information systems and technologies to organize, coordinate, and inform human enterprises. or Introduction to the use of information systems in business organizations. or This introductory course spans areas of security, risk, and analysis covering contexts in government agencies and business organizations.	3 credits

Specialization Courses (12 credits)
Description	Credits
Select 12 credits in specialty area, in consultation with an adviser. At least 6 credits must be at the 300 or 400 level	12 credits

General Education (45 credits**)
Description	Credits
Arts – GA	6 credits
Humanities – GH	6 credits
Health and Wellness – GHW	3 credits
Natural Sciences – GN	9 credits
Social and Behavioral Sciences – GS	6 credits
Writing and Speaking – GWS*	9 credits
Quantification – GQ*	6 credits
Integrative Studies	(6 credits)***

*A student enrolled in this course must receive a grade of C or better.

**12 credits are included in the requirements for the major.

***This requirement only applies to students starting in summer 2018 or later. Learn more about the Integrative Studies options and consult your academic adviser when choosing courses to fulfill these requirements.

Please note: The above course list includes only courses offered by World Campus. An official degree audit or the recommended academic plan for this program may include additional course options and detailed requirements. All students are expected to complete at least 36 credits at Penn State to earn this degree. Please consult an academic adviser for details.

Course Availability

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