Morrison School of Agribusiness and Resource Management

Located at East campus, the Morrison School of Agribusiness and Resource Management (MSABR) is committed to guiding students toward developing an integrated view of agribusiness, food systems, and environmental challenges that confront the world in the 21st century. Globalization, population growth, and new technologies require a sophisticated view toward the production, processing, storage, distribution, and marketing of food and fiber products. Prudent management of natural resources, to ensure that humanity’s negative impact on the environment is mitigated, is becoming more and more important.

The Morrison School offers cutting-edge programs enabling students to learn effective and responsible methods of agribusiness and environmental resource management. Strong relationships with industry and regulatory bodies afford students numerous opportunities to integrate theory and practice. This applied orientation traditionally makes MSABR students highly marketable upon graduation. MSABR programs are accessible to full- and part-time students, with many courses taught both daytime and evenings. The faculty is committed to excellence in teaching, research and service, and strives to create a well-rounded experience for students. The broad and diverse range of faculty research and teaching enables students to individualize their programs of study to fit their own particular career goals.

The Morrison School offers the Master of Science degree in Agribusiness. The MS in Agribusiness degree is supported by faculty with backgrounds in agricultural economics, applied business, food science, rural development, international trade, and a variety of experiences in industry and organizations. Many faculty work closely with agribusiness and business-related firms and in international projects, giving real world relevance to their research.

The MS in Agribusiness degree has concentrations in (1) agribusiness management and marketing and (2) food quality assurance. The degree is designed to prepare students from a variety of backgrounds with a set of critical and analytical business skills while recognizing the unique demands of the agribusiness sector. Graduates are well prepared for successful administrative or managerial careers with either government or private-sector organizations. Students are able to select either a research-oriented program, which leads to the completion of an organized thesis, or a program consisting of course work only (nonthesis option). All students can develop an area of specialization and apply their skills to a real world agribusiness problem through an integrative, capstone course experience. Both the thesis and nonthesis options require the completion of a common set of core courses. For more information, access the Web site at www.east.asu.edu/msabr.

Application to the graduate program in Agribusiness requires further supporting materials pertaining solely to the degree. See Agribusiness.

The Morrison School of Agribusiness and Resource Management awards assistantships to selected candidates. These support ongoing research and teaching activities. The awards are made on the basis of availability and according to the needs of the faculty and interests of the students. Scholarships are also available on a competitive basis for qualified candidates.

Peace Corps Master’s International Program. The Morrison School has an agreement with the United States Peace Corps that makes combining graduate studies with Peace Corps service very appealing. Participants can receive up to six semester hours of credit for their independent field work while serving in the Peace Corps. Graduate course work precedes departure to foreign countries. Interested individuals must complete separate applications to ASU and the Peace Corps, and prepare plans of study with their faculty committees regarding studies in the field.

In addition to the computing resources available to all students at the East campus, the Morrison School has laboratories dedicated to consumer behavior, finance, food safety and science, and marketing research. Laboratories are available to students for specific classes and related graduate thesis research.

Advising of graduate students is normally handled by graduate faculty members. Once admitted, a student can request a temporary faculty advisor in a potential area of concentration in order to prepare a program of study. Students are encouraged to begin discussions with faculty members early in their studies so that course work can be geared toward supporting their academic progress. All students, whether in a thesis or nonthesis option, must file a program of study.