Department of Agricultural Economics

Undergraduate Courses

AEC - 103: Agricultural Policy and Economy of Myanmar

[Selective], [1 Credits], [2nd semester]

General Information about Myanmar Economy, Historical Context of Myanmar’s Economic System, Contribution of Agriculture in Myanmar Economy, Investment in Myanmar Economy, Key Factors for Development of Agricultural Production, Resource Utilization in Agriculture Sector, National Economic Policies, Export and Import Policies, Importance of Agricultural Trade and Marketing in Myanmar Economy, Agriculture in National Export Strategy, Trade Patterns, Trade Volume and Destinations of Agricultural Products, Agricultural Development Strategy, Current Myanmar Livelihood Diversification.

AEC - 104: Introductory and Principles of Agricultural Economics

[Compulsory], [2 Credits], [3rd semester]

Introductory Economics and Agricultural Economics, The Firm: Decision Making Unit in an Economic System, Product Varies according to the Inputs Used, A Producer Chooses among Levels of Production, Cost Varies with Production, Market Demand for Farm Products affect Farm Income, Supply of Farm Products Varies, Elasticity and its Application, Price Determination.

AEC - 105: Mathematical Economics

[Selective], [2 Credits], [4th semester]

Introduction, Arithmetic, Introduction to Algebra, Graphs and Functions, Linear Equations, Quadratic Equations, Financial Mathematics.

AEC - 106: Macroeconomic Theories and Policies

[Compulsory/Selective], [3 Credits], [5th semester]

Macroeconomics- Concepts, Aims and Policy, The Measurement of Economic Activity, Modelling the Economy- The Circular Flow of Income, The Determination of Economic Activity, Aggregate Demand and Aggregate Supply, Management of the Economy – An Overview, Theory of Money, Inflation and Unemployment.

AEC - 107: Farm Management

[Compulsory / Selective], [3 Credits], [6th semester]

Introduction to Farm Management, Management and Decision Making, Farm Business Analysis, Economic Principles: Choosing Production Level, Economic Principle: Choosing Input and Output Combination, Cost Concepts in Economics, Whole Farm Planning, Managing Risk and Uncertainty.

AEC - 108: Agricultural Trade and Marketing

[Compulsory / Selective], [3 Credits], [6th semester]

Marketing Agricultural Commodities - Definitions, Why is Marketing Important? Approaches to the Study of Marketing, What is a Market? -Equilibrium Market Economy, Efficiency, Market Supply, Market Classification - Types of Markets, Efficiency of Perfect Competition, Profit Maximization for Pure Monopolist, Marketing Cost and Marketing Margin, Introduction to Economics of Trade - Overview of World Agricultural Trade, Important Issues, Terminology and Trade Policies, Gains from Trade - Absolute and Comparative Advantage, Production Possibility Frontier, Consumption Possibility Frontier, Gains from Trade; two goods.

AEC - 109: Socioeconomic Research Methodology

[Compulsory / Selective], [3 Credits], [7th semester]

Fundamental of Research Methodology, Some Basic Economic Concept, Estimating Prices of Agricultural Inputs and Products for Analysis of Agricultural Experiment, Factor Share in Agricultural Production: Definition, Estimation, and Application, Farm Household System, Studying Marketing System, Consumer Preference for Quality Traits of Food and Feed Grains: Hedonic Price Analysis, Domestic Resource Cost Analysis, SWOT Analysis.

AEC - 110: Survey Design

[Compulsory / Selective], [3 Credits], [7th semester]

Introduction to Research, Research Methodology, Sampling for Data Collection, Types of Data, Methods of Data Collection, Sampling Techniques, Data Collection and Survey Design.

AEC - 111: Time Series Analysis

[Compulsory / Selective], [3 Credits], [8th semester]

Introduction to Time Series Analysis, Index Numbers, Consumer Price Index, Moving Averages, Forecasting with Single Exponential Smoothing, Forecasting with Double Exponential Smoothing, Time Series Components, Stationarity and Transformation to Achieve Stationarity.

AEC - 112: Econometrics

[Compulsory / Selective], [3 Credits], [8th semester]

Introduction of Econometric and Steps in the Method of Analysis, Single-equation Regression Models, The Nature of Regression Analysis, Two-variable Regression Analysis: Some Basic Ideas, Two-variable Regression Analysis: The Problem of Estimation, Regression with a Single Predictor, A Straight-line, Regression Model, Method of Least Squares, The Sampling Variability of the Least Squares Estimators, Important Inference Problems.

AEC - 113: Natural Resource Management and Environmental Economics

[Compulsory], [3 Credits], [9th semester]

An Introduction to Natural Resource and Environmental Economics, Property Rights, Externalities, and Market Failure, Evaluating Trade-offs: Benefit-Cost Analysis and other Decision-Making Metrics, Valuing the Environment: Methods, Dynamic Efficiency and Sustainable Development.

AEC - 114: Project Planning and Management

[Compulsory], [3 Credits], [9th semester]

Project Definition, The Planning Framework for Project Formulation, Types of Agricultural and Rural Investment Projects, Five Phases of PCM- Phase I: Preparation for Project Formulation, Phase 2: Reconnaissance and Preliminary Project Design, Phase 3: Project Design, Phase 4: Analysis of Expected Result, Phase 5: Writing the Project Formulation Document, Two Major Components of PCM, Characteristics of PCM, Logical Framework Approach of Project Management Stakeholder and Problem Analysis, Analysis of Objectives, Analysis of Alternative Strategies (Projects).

AEC - 115: Rural Development Policies

[[Compulsory], [3 Credits], [9th semester]

Introduction to Rural Development, Measures of Development, Some Paradigms of Rural Development, Determinants of Rural Development, Rural Development Policies, Policy Instruments of Rural Development, Planning of Rural Development.

M.Agr.Sc Degree Courses

AEC- 610 ECONOMICS OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION Credit-3

The emphasis of this course is on the process of production and conceptualizing supply forces as they operate in the agricultural sector of market economies. This entails development of basic microeconomic principles such as opportunity cost, optimal input and output combinations, and elasticities.

AEC-611 ADVANCED FARM MANAGEMENT Credit-3

Management principles but not on farming practice or technology. Functions of management, managerial decision making, appraising the current farm situation, planning changes in farm organization and methods, whole-farm planning, farm accounts for management use, and risk in farm management.

AEC- 616 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND AGRICULTURE Credit-3

Prerequisite: AEC 610. Introduction to the economic growth and development of the agricultural sector of the economy; theory, history and policy of economic development. Relation of human, capital and natural resources, technology, and institutions to income growth and distribution. Development planning in low-income countries.

AEC-620 AGRICULTURAL PRICE AND MARKET ANALYSIS Credit-3

Fundamental of price theory, and how these principles can be applied to problems in agriculture. The supply of agricultural products; the demand for agricultural products; the analysis of price determination in agriculture, describing the types and structures of agricultural markets, and market outlook and forecasting.

AEC-624 LAND ECONOMICS Credit-3

Prerequisite: AEC610. Principles governing the use of agricultural and forest land in Myanmar with emphasis on supply and demand, location, economic value and conservation. Role of individuals, groups and public and private agencies in land use planning. Project and program development and evaluation for suburban areas, water sheds, river basins, and other geographic and political areas.

AEC-630 ECONOMICS OF AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT Credit-3

Introduction to the economic growth and development of the agricultural sector of the economy, theory, history and policy of economic development. Relation of human, capital and natural resources, technology and institutions to income growth and distribution.

AEC-633 RURAL DEVELOPMENT POLICIES Credit-3

Problems and policies in rural development; agriculture-industry relationships; issues in rural development and population growth, employment, nutrition, farm size and productivity; land and income distribution; research policy and strategies of rural development.

AEC-640 AGRICULTURAL TRADE AND MARKETING Credit-3

Trade theory applied to international policies, agreements, and programs. Characteristic features of agricultural trade and marketing. Problems and issues relating to international trade in agricultural products.

AEC-650 PRINCIPLES OF RESOURCE ECONOMICS Credit-3

Principles of welfare economics and policy, the Pareto principle, the social welfare function and welfare maximization, the application of these principles to the analysis of problems and policies involving the allocation of land and agricultural resources.

AEC-651 NATURAL RESOURCE ECONOMICS Credit-3

Policies related to resource scarcity; resource use over time and economic growth; property rights and their attenuation; pollution, non-exclusive and non-rival goods, conservation and irreversibility.

AEC-660 PROJECT PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT Credit-3

The role of projects as a means of implementing development plans is outlined and the project planning process is studied in detail. Economics of project design and analysis, planning agricultural projects, planning the introduction of improved technologies.

AEC-661 BENEFIT COST ANALYSIS Credit-3

An appraisal and analysis of public sector investment projects. Fundamentals of welfare economics including derivation of analytical criteria from welfare principles, the methods and valuation of benefits and costs, practical calculation and application.

AEC-670 ECONOMETRIC MODELS AND METHODS Credit-3

Introduction to econometrics, including a survey of the classical econometrics models as well as the scope and method of econometrics. Emphasis on techniques and their uses.

AEC- 680 SURVEY DESIGN AND ANALYSIS Credit-3

Experimental design, types of data collection, levels of measurement, questionnaire preparation, simple, stratified, cluster and multistage designs, hypothesis testing, ratio estimation, use of pilot studies, and non-response problems.

AEC- 671 SPECIAL PROBLEM Credit-2

This course is not meant to be a substitute for conventional courses, but rather it is meant to provide an opportunity for students who have taken all the course in a particular subject area to extend their work in that area.

AEC-681 SEMINAR Credit-1

Role and importance of agricultural economics research; giving assignments of relevant topics to each and every candidate, and conducting seminars. Required by all postgraduate students in agricultural economics to discuss current literature and agricultural development (Compulsory credit).

AEC-691 Research paper (international/domestic) Credit-1

AEC-699 MASTER'S RESEARCH Credit-16

Writing up the thesis, submission and successfully defending it.

Ph.D. Degree Courses

AEC-711 Rural Development Policies 3 credits

This course emphasizes on the theoretical for the agricultural and rural issues which will focus on agricultural economics and rural economics; approaches to rural development in a historical prospective; meaning of rural poverty; explanation of rural poverty; vicious cycle of poverty; and policies and strategies for rural development. The economic growth and development of the agricultural sector of the economy, theory, history and policy of economic development would be learnt from other developed countries and developing countries. Relation of human, capital and natural resources, technology and institutions to income growth and distribution would be included in the actual problems and policies in rural development; agriculture-industry relationships; issues in rural development and population growth, employment, nutrition, farm size and productivity; land and income distribution; research policy and strategies of rural development all themes are concerned by the sustainable way of natural resource management.

AEC-712 Economic Development 3 credits

This course is designed to gain an understanding of economic development problems and their solutions. Theories on economic growth and development will be offered. Patterns of economic development in an historical and dynamic context will be examined. Economic development models of selected countries will be asked to present. The central role of agriculture and the problem of technological change in agriculture will also be examined. Other topics such as neo-classical growth models, domestic and international economic policies, international trade, foreign aid, external debt, technology transfer, rural-urban migration and income distribution will be included.

AEC-713 Risk management in Agriculture 3 credits

This course aims to provide the students to understand the nature of agricultural decision making under uncertainty. The concept of rational choice in a risky environment and its foundations in theories of probability and risk preference explained in this course. Moreover, methods for analysis of risky decisions that can be used in agriculture and the planning procedure for risk management in agricultural can be learned. Indeed risk and uncertainty are inescapable in all walks of life, because every decision has its consequences in the future; it can never be absolutely sure what those consequences. It is often said that the business with profit is the reward for risk-bearing therefore, no risk means no gain. The task is to management risk effectively within the capacity of the individual, business, or group to withstand adverse outcomes

AEC-714 Agricultural Marketing and Trade Policies 3 credits

The first part of the course deals with the evolution of marketing channels and their relationship to logistics, the marketing process and the task of logistics as a marketing function. Agricultural value chain analysis in developing countries will also be discussed. The course will cover the problems and issues that are unique to marketing service organizations. The second part of the course covers the trade issues assuming perfectly competitive markets, before going on to consider trade models that assume imperfect competition. It will offer the current issues in international trade, including trade policy, with reference to different trade paradigms. In this course, students learn trade theory and explore trade laws, which will help them become successful in international trade.

AEC-715 Advanced Natural Resource Management and Environmental Economics

3 credits

Unsustainable use of resources, deforestation and climate change are all issues at the top of the environmental agenda. An understanding of the interactions between the environment and resources, environment and economics is essential for developing appropriate policies to address local and global environmental issues in the long term. The current emphasis on sustainable management across the countries is an outcome of an increasing knowledge of the impact of modern society on the environment. As a result, there is an urgent international need for people with the ability to apply economic principles and techniques to support decision making for the effective and efficient management of natural resources and the environment. This course, therefore, offers graduates with an understanding of the multifaceted relationship between environmental issues and the impact of economic decision making. Students critically judge alternative environmental measures and develop the ability to identify and recommend suitable solutions for effective environmental management. The course consists of six modules; (1) Principle of sustainability (2) Environmental valuation (3) Financial and economic appraisal for environmental management (4) Environmental policy and risk governance (5) Environmental econometric and (6) Natural resource management.

AEC-716 Advanced Economic Welfare Analysis for Agriculture and Resource 3 credits

Focusing Theory of economics welfare and measurement of welfare, price and income changes for agricultural household (household and consumer behavior), welfare measurement for the firm and aggregation of welfare measure in agricultural commodity market, environmental goods and welfare, are included in this course and enhancing the applications in welfare evaluation of agricultural and resource policies. The course is related to the intermediate level microeconomics and macroeconomics courses.

AEC-717 Advanced Supply Chain Management 3 credits

Focusing how to design, manage, and monitor such supply chains, the course discusses the transaction cost economics perspective, competitive advantage perspective, resource dependence perspective, power perspective and performance perspective for the supply chain management. The course is related to the intermediate level trade and marketing course.

AEC-718 Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis in Agricultural and Resource Economics

3 credits

Quantitative analysis focuses the use of simulation models as a tool in decision making of production firms and agricultural and resource management, solving problems on construction and analysis of appropriate simulation models. Qualitative analysis focuses on the quantitative modeling of optimization behavior in solving real-world problems by the hermeneutic, phenomenology and heuristic research, naturalistic inquiry, ethnomethodology, and participatory action research, etc. The course is related to the intermediate level econometrics course.

AEC-719 Impact Evaluation Analysis on Social Science 3 credits

The course focuses on impact evaluation analysis of panel regression, propensity score matching, instrumental variables, difference-in-difference estimation, regression discontinuity design, and synthetic control groups. The course is related to the intermediate level econometrics course.