The Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics (AAE) was the first specialized economics department in the world. Growing from its original focus on issues of land, forests, and farm management, the department is continually evolving to address the world’s most challenging issues involving the environment, natural resources, and international development. The department’s reputation is reflected in its consistent ranking as one of the top applied economics departments nationwide. Faculty interests are structured around our major fields of specialty: quantitative methods, international development, food and agriculture, agribusiness management, and resource, energy and environmental economics.
Program Overview
The Agricultural and Applied Economics Department invites international students to take courses with top faculty in applied economics. Choose from a variety of quality courses to meet your interests and develop your skills.
Students can choose to enter the general cohort or one of our concentration areas: Quantitative and Applied Economics (QAE), International Development (ID), or Agribusiness Management (ABM). Each concentration area has field-specific course offerings with a targeted plan of next steps.
After their first year as a non-degree visiting student, VISP students participating in the QAE concentration area have the option to apply to continue their studies in the AAE Master of Science Professional Option (MSPO) graduate degree program.
Those intending to apply to a future graduate degree program at UW-Madison may be able to take some master’s course requirements as a VISP student. However, admission to the graduate program is a separate admissions process and is not to be considered a guaranteed element of the VISP thematic track program offering. Questions regarding admission to the graduate program should be addressed to AAE MSPO Associate Director.
Students in the VISP/ID concentration area are trained with the career goal of pursuing a graduate degree in International Development. The year of VISP study helps students in applying for admission to Master’s or Ph.D. programs in international development and other related fields such as public policy or international studies.
Students in the VISP/ABM concentration area are trained to seek career development in the food and broader agribusiness industries. These students can choose to enter the job market directly, or to pursue a graduate degree in agribusiness management or related fields. The year of VISP study includes courses in microeconomics and agribusiness management, spreadsheets, finance, economics and business of food, and other relevant skills for a future career in the agribusiness and food industries.
Student Support
From the time you apply to the end of your stay, the VISP staff will be there to assist you. As a VISP participant you have full access to all academic and student support services, such as libraries, computer labs, clubs, and sports facilities; the opportunity to participate in VISP sponsored social and cultural events; and upon completion you will receive an official UW–Madison transcript.
Program Eligibility
Participants must meet the VISP eligibility criteria for admission into this program. This Thematic Track admits students at the Undergraduate, Graduate, or Dissertator level.
Available Terms
Students can participate in the fall and/or spring semester as well as in the summer term. Those wishing to participate in the QAE or ID concentrations should plan to attend for an academic year only. Those interested in the general cohort or ABM can study in any term.
Academics & Course Offerings
AAE faculty and staff will advise students on their course selection and program plan.
Concentration Areas
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General Cohort
This option is great for students who wish to customize their learning within AAE as well as for those wishing to participate just for one semester only.
Quantitative and Applied Economics (QAE)
QAE concentration students should plan to study for both fall and spring semesters.
Courses include:
- AAE 635 Applied Microeconomic Theory (Fall)
- AAE 636 Applied Econometric Analysis I (Fall)
- AAE 720 Seminar in Quantitative and Applied Economics (Fall)
- AAE 637 Applied Econometric Analysis II(Spring)
- AAE 706 Risk Analysis (Spring)
- AAE 719 Applied Business Economics (Spring)
- AAE 721 Writing and Speaking for Applied Economists (Spring)
International Development (ID)
ID concentration students should plan to study for both fall and spring semesters.
Courses include:
- AAE 635 Applied Microeconomic Theory (Fall)
- AAE 636 Applied Econometric Analysis (Fall)
- AAE 721 Writing and Speaking for Applied Economists (Fall)
- AAE 373 Globalization, Development and Poverty or AAE 374 The Growth and Development of Nations in the Global Economy (Fall)
- AAE 637 Applied Econometric Analysis II (Spring)
- AAE 706 Risk Analysis (Spring)
- AAE 474: Economic Problems of Developing Areas (Spring)
- AAE 642: Foundations of Development Economics (Spring)
Agribusiness Management (ABM)
ABM concentration students could choose to study for either or both fall and spring semesters.
Courses include:
- AAE 335 Introduction to Data Analysis using Spreadsheets (Fall)
- AAE 625 Agribusiness Economics and Management (Fall)
- AAE 701 Applied Economic Data Analysis (Fall)
- AAE 719 Applied Business Economics (Spring)
- AAE 419 Agricultural Finance (Spring)
- AAE 899: AAE Graduate Practical Training / Internship (Spring)
- AAE 899: AAE Graduate Practical Training / Internship (Summer)
- AAE 750 Professional Development for Agribusiness Managers (Fall)
- Electives (Fall)
Pre-Doctoral Research Track
This option is intended for upper-level or recently graduated undergraduate students that are interested in pursuing a PhD in applied economics or related fields. These students will take courses intended to help them prepare for PhD programs, such as applied econometrics, data science and machine learning. In addition, these students will take independent research credits and engage in real-world research projects supervised by AAE faculty.
Pre-Doctoral VISP students have the option of enrolling in courses during the Fall, Spring, and/or Summer terms. It is recommended that students in this track enroll in at least two semesters (e.g., Fall + Spring, Summer + Fall, or Spring + Summer).
Recommended Courses include:
- AAE 421: Economic Decision Analysis (Fall)
- AAE 636: Applied Econometric Analysis I (Fall)
- AAE 637: Applied Econometric Analysis II (Spring)
- AAE 642: Foundations of Development Economics OR AAE 643: Foundations of Environmental and Natural Resource Economics OR AAE 641: Foundations of Agricultural Economics (Spring)
- AAE 699: Independent Research with an AAE Advisor (Fall, Spring & Summer)
- AAE 718: Data Science for Agricultural & Applied Economics (Summer)
- AAE 720: Seminar in Quantitative and Applied Economics (Fall)
- AAE 721: Writing and Speaking for Applied Economists (Spring)
- AAE 722: Machine Learning in Applied Economic Analysis (Fall)
Cost of Attendance
Estimated cost of attendance information is available on the VISP website.
Application Instructions
Submit your VISP application and in your essay please include: “I am applying for the Agricultural & Applied Economics VISP track.”
Questions? Please contact the VISP coordinators.
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