Agribusiness Management Major
Agribusiness Management is business school for hands-on learners.
A business degree—with a no-nonsense approach to the unique challenges of agriculture and the food industry. Graduates thrive in agricultural businesses and banks, insurance companies, and government. Others continue academic journeys at MBA programs, law school, and more.
The best of agriculture, the best of business school.
Students complete course work in marketing, management, finance, and accounting at the Penn State Smeal College of Business and then roll up their sleeves and apply those concepts to the multibillion-dollar world food system. This is learning by doing. While focused on agriculture, this degree is an excellent preparation for business of every kind.
Penn State Agribusiness Management grads are in high demand.
Seed and food companies, equipment manufacturers, and other agribusiness companies routinely tell us that our students are some of the best prepared to get right to work leading the industry.
Look at the directory of leading banks, insurance companies, and businesses ranging from Fortune 500 companies to family farms, and you will see Penn State Agribusiness Management grads. The practical, problem-solving nature of your education can set you up for success.
Agribusiness Management is the right major if you:
- are a “people person” with a focused interest in agriculture
- have an entrepreneurial appetite and mindset
- thrive academically with hands-on, applied learning
See the University Bulletin for details on program requirements, suggested academic plan, and more.
A premier academic experience.
Career-driven curriculum
The formula for success as a business leader is the mastery of marketing, management, human resources, finance, and accounting. Those are the competencies we teach.
Example Business Courses
- Strategic Decision Making in Agribusiness
- Food Product Marketing
- Economic Principles of Agribusiness Decision Making
- Markets and Prices: Analysis and Forecasting
- Agribusiness in the Global Economy
Specializations
Students majoring in Agribusiness Management must develop a 12-credit specialization. Separate your résumé from the pack and dig deep into an area driven by a specific business interest and/or personal academic curiosity.
Example specializations
- Animal science
- Entrepreneurship and Innovation
- Information technology
- International agriculture
- International business
- Language/culture study
- Leadership development
Ag Journeys
“One of the Lion Ambassadors told me to find the college that makes me feel at home, and that really stuck with me as I made my decision to come to Penn State.”
– Isaac Clements
Out of the classroom and into the boardroom.
Our renowned Agribusiness Management faculty are adamant that the classroom experience is just the launchpad for your academic journey. We will help you find internships where you can put your agribusiness learnings to the test. Not only is it a great way to develop your business skills, but many of our internships result in job offers. There are also faculty-guided, student-led clubs, hands-on research opportunities, and study abroad opportunities for just about any area of interest under the sun.
Craft your experience.
Related clubs and teams
- Agribusiness Management Club
- Collegiate 4-H
- Collegiate Farm Bureau
- Penn State AgriMarketing Team (NAMA)
- See all clubs and teams
Recent internships
- Agricultural financial institution
- Food manufacturer
- Government agency
- Non-profit organization
Popular study abroad
- Comparing French and US Food Systems in France
- International Food Marketing in Italy
- Mediterranean Agribusiness Management in Spain
- Business and International Affairs in France and Spain
A practical, workforce-ready degree—and a college experience you’ll love.
Penn State Agribusiness Management grads are leading family farms and in top roles in Wall Street giants the world over.
Our alumni out in the world
- Agricultural cooperatives
- Agricultural risk management and consulting
- Agrimarketing agencies
- Ag retail management
- Commodity brokers
- Financial and lending institutions
- Food processing companies
- Futures and options exchange organizations
- Government agencies
- International trade and policy organizations
- Market analytics
- Product procurement and supply chain
Agribusiness Management Career Options
Major in Agribusiness Management, and you'll graduate ready to launch the rewarding career you want. Here are just a few career options.
Procurement specialist
A procurement specialist researches the marketplace and purchases goods and services that businesses need.
What will I do?
- Create and maintain strong relationships with vendors
- Negotiate contracts covering pricing, quality, and delivery
- Take action when contracts or agreements are not kept
- Track inventory and shortages and plan appropriate backfill
Risk management specialist
This specialist identifies financial risks to a company and recommends strategies to ensure profitability.
What will I do?
- Study predictive and historical data
- Create and implement risk management procedures
- Ensure vendor contractual compliance
- Develop and implement inventory management strategies
Industry sales representative
An industry sales representative sells specialized equipment and services to customers ranging from multinational corporations to family farms.
What will I do?
- Solicit potential customers and travel to customer locations
- Demonstrate products and services and close the sale
- Stay current on competitor offerings
- Assist customers with any questions or concerns after the sale
Agribusiness Management Students in the News
October 18, 2021
Penn State student feels at home as a Beef-Sheep Center live-in worker
Blair Steele, a fourth-year student in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences, is using the knowledge and skills she has acquired from her work at Penn State's Beef-Sheep Center to advance her career goals.
Read More
March 4, 2019
Agribusiness student talks lab-grown meat with industry leaders
Tony Rice, a senior agribusiness management student in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, studied “meat” made in the lab and not from animals, and grew increasingly committed to understanding its potential to enhance agricultural production.
Read More
February 22, 2019
Penn State World Campus helps University stay true to founding mission
Penn State remains committed 164 years after its founding to providing an agricultural education — no matter where its students live.
Read More
November 5, 2018
Penn State agribusiness students gauge consumer acceptance of robotic lawnmowers
Will customers of lawn-mowing services accept robotic, autonomous lawnmowers cutting the lawns at their homes with no human operator nearby? Eichenlaub Inc., an upscale landscape firm in Pittsburgh, is counting on agribusiness management students in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences to find out.
Read More
Explore more
Resources
- Admissions
- Tuition and Financial Aid
- Scholarships
- Student Life
- Study Abroad
- Internships
- Entrepreneurship and Innovation
See the University Bulletin for details on program requirements, suggested academic plan, and more.
Contact
- Director of Student Recruitment and Activities
- Email mnm11@psu.edu
- Office 814-863-3942
