Graduate Program - Application Information

Applicants are considered for admission to the Master of Science program if they have (or are enrolled in the final year of) a bachelor’s or equivalent degree comparable to degrees granted by the University of Illinois. Applicants for the Doctor of Philosophy program must also have received or be in the process of completing a master’s degree.

In addition, a grade point average of 3.0 (A=4.0) for the last two years of undergraduate study and any graduate work completed is a minimum requirement for admission.

Students pursuing studies in agricultural and consumer economics should have completed at least:

• 12 semester hours of economics or agricultural economics
• Introductory statistics
• Mathematics through integral calculus

In some cases, applicants may take preparatory classes before beginning graduate study or in the early phase of their graduate programs.

For admission, international applicants whose native language is not English must provide:

• A Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL iBT) score of at least 88 (230 computer-based and 570 paper-based)
  
  - or -
• An International English Language Testing System (IELTS) academic examination overall score of at least 6.5 with a minimum sub-section score of 6 in each of the four modules (speaking, listening, writing, and reading)

The following enhance an applicant's credentials:

• Strong letters of reference
• Evident motivation to undertake graduate study
• Good preparation in economics and quantitative methods
• High scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
• Relevant experience

In addition to superior academic preparation, applicants should have an interest in studying and researching in an area of strength within the department.