The Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics (AREC) at the University of Maryland offers rigorous, interdisciplinary graduate training designed to prepare the next generation of economists, policy leaders, and researchers. Our Master's and PhD programs focus on applying economic theory and quantitative methods to real-world challenges related to agriculture, energy, natural resources, the environment, and global development.
Students benefit from our department’s close-knit community, renowned faculty, and access to Washington, D.C.—a global hub for policy, research, and innovation.
Programs Offered:
→ Master of Science (MS) in Agricultural and Resource Economics
→ Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Agricultural and Resource Economics
Why Choose AREC at UMD?
→ Globally Recognized Faculty: Our faculty are leading scholars in environmental and resource economics, energy and climate policy, development, applied microeconomics, and agricultural policy.
→ Research Impact: AREC faculty hold competitive grants from the USDA, NSF, World Bank, and other top institutions, driving high-impact research that shapes policy.
→ Collaborative Environment: We offer mentorship-driven learning and small cohort sizes, ensuring meaningful faculty-student interaction and personalized guidance.
→ Strategic Location: Proximity to D.C. offers students unique internship and career opportunities in think tanks, government agencies, and international organizations.
→ Internationally renowned Energy and resource-focused Masters and PhD programs
Recent Faculty Honors:
→ USDA grant awards for research on climate change adaptation and pollinator habitats
→ Provost’s Excellence Award for Professional Track Faculty
→ Multiple editorial board appointments in top economic journals
Our Faculty
Our faculty are internationally prominent scholars in environmental and resource economics, agricultural economics, and development economics.
Policy Experience
The policy experience of the Department's faculty is equal to its scholarship in both quality and extent. Several faculty members have served on the staff of the President's Council of Economic Advisers. Other policy experience includes service as consultants to agencies and organizations like the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the World Bank, and the Inter-American Development Bank. The University's location in the Washington, D.C. metro area provides numerous opportunities for interaction with the World Bank, International Food Policy Research Institute, Resources for the Future, International Monetary Fund, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Agency for International Development, Food and Drug Administration, Inter-American Development Bank, Census Bureau, and a host of other such prestigious institutions and organizations.
For a full list of accomplishments, please visit Awards & Honors.
Excellence in Research
Department faculty members have received such international awards as Germany's Alexander von Humboldt Prize, the American Economic Association's John Bates Clark Medal, and the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association's Quality of Research Discovery and Publication of Enduring Quality Awards, among others.
Several have been elected fellows of such professional associations as the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association (formerly the American Agricultural Economics Association), the Association of Environmental and Resource Economics, the Econometric Society, and the American Statistical Association.
Department faculty members have served as presidents of the American Agricultural Economics Association and Association of Environmental and Resource Economists and as editors and associate editors of the Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, the American Journal of Agricultural Economics, the Journal of Public Economics, and Environment and Development Economics, among others.
One faculty member is currently a research fellow of the National Bureau of Economic Research.
Our Students
Graduate students work hand-in-hand with our faculty as research or teaching assistants as well as in other professional capacities. We engage new students with our robust mentoring program where current students serve as mentors to new students.
Students are encouraged to engage with various student-centered activities and become part of our vibrant community.
We work closely with our students to understand their needs and wants, and engage them with curricular and non-curricular opportunities to learn, experiment, and reach their goals.
Our Graduates
Our graduates are successful professionals and employed in the private and public sector with equal success. For more information, please visit Recent Graduate Placements.
Questions about the Department's graduate programs should be directed to the Graduate Assistant Director.
