The scholarly paper reports the results of a substantive analysis of a subject in the field of agricultural and resource economics. The definition of a suitable problem is the responsibility of the student, major professor, and Guidance Committee. In general, the paper should follow the format and style utilized by the American Journal of Agricultural Economics. An oral examination on the scholarly paper is required and is usually about 2 hours in length. It takes place after completion of the scholarly paper and is primarily a defense of the paper, but may cover the student's entire MS program. It is scheduled, administered, and evaluated by the student's Guidance Committee, under the direction of the major professor. Five working days before the examination, the Director of Graduate Studies will announce to the Department's graduate faculty the time and place of the oral examination as well as the name of the student and title of the scholarly paper. The Guidance Committee will receive a final copy of the paper at least 10 working days before the examination. Students failing the scholarly paper oral examination twice will be terminated from the Department's graduate program.
The student's major professor will convey in writing the results of the examination to the Director of Graduate Studies. Upon approval of the paper by the student's Guidance Committee, a copy of the paper must be placed on file in the office of the Director of Graduate Studies of the Agricultural and Resource Economics Department.
