Roanoke partners with Virginia Tech on accelerated path into agricultural and applied economics master’s program

 
A newly formed partnership with Roanoke College delivers a pathway for students to take advantage of an accelerated 4+1 undergraduate/graduate program in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Virginia Tech. 
 
The partnership allows students at Roanoke College who are working toward a Bachelor of Science degree to complete a master’s degree in just one additional year at Virginia Tech. The agricultural and applied economics master’s degree provides students with data analytics skills in economic modeling, data analysis, econometrics, forecasting, and micro- and macroeconomics.  
 
The program integrates industry and government issues with applied coursework in commodity markets, pricing, and contemporary issues and responses in food systems. As a result, students will gain the knowledge and skills needed to excel in the job market, including various fields within the agriculture sector and other data analytics roles and industries. Career paths may include: 

• Agriculture economist: analyze economic data related to farming, food production and agriculture policies for government agencies, research institutions or private companies.
• Policy analyst: Evaluate agriculture policies and their impact on farmers, consumers and the environment for government agencies, think tanks or advocacy organizations.
• Market analyst: Study supply and demand dynamics, pricing trends and market competition in agriculture commodities for agriculture businesses, commodity trading firms or market research companies. 

This announcement is timely, as a USDA report predicts a strong demand for new college graduates with expertise in food, agriculture, renewable natural resources and the environment in the United States through 2025 and beyond. It is anticipated that heightened demand will persist beyond 2025 because of population growth, changing diets and food preferences, climate change and technological advancements.  
 
The 100% online master’s degree program is open to all Roanoke College students with a 3.3 GPA, regardless of major, who have completed certain required courses. As part of the accelerated 4+1 agreements, students will not have to pay application fees or submit GRE scores to Virginia Tech.  
 
“This program gives our talented Roanoke College students a chance to leverage their excellent undergraduate education, speeding their journey into a challenging, fulfilling and high-demand field,” said Kathy Wolfe, Roanoke’s vice president for academic affairs.  
 
“We are proud to extend the 4+1 program to Roanoke College and provide their students with a gateway to further enhance applied economic analytic skills. This program will allow students to enter the workforce one year earlier, and we look forward to welcoming them to the program,” said Matthew T. Holt, department head and professor in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics. 
 
Roanoke College students interested in learning more about these opportunities should contact:  

• Roanoke College: Alice Louise Kassens, Professor of Economics, kassens@roanoke.edu.
• Virginia Tech: Amy Guerin, Graduate Program Professional Coordinator, abguerin@vt.edu.

This is the second partnership with Virginia Tech and one of several partnerships to provide accelerated degrees for Roanoke students.