Master of Science in Agriculture with a concentration in Engineering Technology

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Identify emerging techniques, skills, methods to help solve agricultural engineering problems with a degree from MS State Online. The Master of Science in Agriculture with a concentration in Engineering Technology can open a world of opportunity. The program is designed to prepare individuals for agricultural systems, technology, and business management careers within the agricultural industry and its associated business and industrial sectors. This online program requires a minimum of 30 credit hours of coursework, with at least 15 hours at the 8000-level, and does not require a thesis. Aside from the Concentration required courses, the student’s graduate committee will determine specific course requirements for the student’s program. Work with your advisor to customize your degree path today!

Program Structure

MAET Program: The Master of Agricultural Engineering Technology (MAET) program is administered by the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. The program is designed to prepare individuals for agricultural systems, technology, and business management careers within the agricultural industry and its associated business and industrial sectors. Students are prepared through courses in applied engineering principles and problem solving, technology and digital systems management, and management of agricultural enterprises.

Program Mission Statement: The mission of the MAET program is to develop advanced technological understanding and skills along with decision-making and leadership capabilities in agricultural professionals. The course of study is intended provide a robust agro-technical curriculum and learning opportunity offered through the framework of distance/online education to contemporary students and mid-career individuals in an effort to facilitate their advancement and provide a pipeline of professionals who can support the local and national agricultural industry and allied industries. This mission is also in fulfillment of and congruent with MSU’s overall mission as a land-grant university to “provide access and opportunity to all sectors of Mississippi’s diverse population” and to “offer excellent programs of teaching, research, and service”.

Educational Objectives/Core Competencies: The objective of the MAET program is to train individuals to operate and manage technologically based systems and businesses within the agricultural industry value chain. The program provides fundamental agribusiness and applied engineering technology training, principles, and knowledge for implementation of advanced technologies in current and emerging food and fiber production, processing, and logistics systems. Critical thinking, knowledge application, problem solving, and effective oral and written communication skills are core fundamentals of the program. Upon completion of the program, graduates should have the ability to:

Understand and apply the fundamental principles of science and mathematics as well as cutting-edge agricultural systems and technologies, agricultural enterprise, and economics towards management of agro-technical systems, processes, and businesses.
Use evidence based information to identify and think critically about agro-technical systems and industry problems.
Collect, analyze, and interpret data towards developing and implementing sound solutions and responses to complex problems and business decisions.
Demonstrate effective writing, speaking, presentation, and interpersonal skills needed to effectively communicate with industry professionals and stakeholders.
Understand and put into practice professional, ethical, and safety protocols
Provide leadership in an engineering technology-focused environment with the goal of maximizing productivity and profitability while ensuring sustainability of a business enterprise.

Course Code	Course Name	Credit Hours
Core Courses
ST 8114	Statistical Methods	4
Select one of the following:
ABE 8911	Agricultural and Biological Engineering Seminar	1
ABE 8921	Agricultural and Bio Engineering Seminar	1
	Graduate-level Coursework	25
	Total Hours	30

Course Rotation

Fall

ABE 6383
ABE 6473

Spring

ABE 6263
ABE 6163

Admissions Process

Applications for the degree programs are reviewed three times a year. The application deadlines for those semesters are as follows:

Fall Semester – August 1
Spring Semester – December 1
Summer Semester – May 15

Students seeking full admission into the Master of Science in Agriculture with a concentration in Engineering Technology program should apply as a classified student. Non-degree seeking students wishing to take classes offered through the program should apply as an Unclassified student.

An applicant for admission to graduate study must hold a bachelor's degree from a fully recognized four-year educational institution with unconditional accreditation with appropriate regional accrediting agencies. They must meet the Graduate School admission requirements and the Master of Science in Agriculture with a concentration in Engineering Technology program.

Regular admission to graduate study in the program requires a minimum grade point average (last four semesters of undergraduate work) of 3.00/4.00. When a student is deficient in one of the criteria cited, the student's application may be considered for admission based on the strength of other materials contained in the student's application.

Attention International Students

International students are required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and score above 550. Detailed information regarding international applications can be found in the Graduate Catalog. Questions regarding international applications can be addressed to the Office of the Graduate School at gradapps@grad.msstate.edu.

ETS provides home testing for the TOEFL iBT test, and MSU encourages students to take advantage of this testing option. For those students applying who have taken the TOEFL within five years of the semester they plan to enroll and are unable to access the TOEFL iBT test from home, we will accept your previous test scores.

Admission Options

Domestic/International Classified Admissions
Domestic Unclassified Admissions
International Unclassified Admissions

Provisional Admissions
Readmission
Transfer Credit

Domestic/International Classified Admissions

Submit online application. You will choose Master of Science in Agriculture with a concentration in Engineering Technology as your Program of Study and Online Education as your campus.
Statement of Purpose
TOEFL or IELTS scores are required for international students.
Three letters of recommendation
- You will be asked to submit three names and three email addresses of individuals you are using as references. Once you click submit, these individuals will be sent an email from MSU, which will provide a link to an online form for completing their recommendations.
One official transcript showing bachelor’s degree or progress toward degree. (For international students, please submit a copy in native language along with translated copies, if appropriate.)
One official transcript showing ALL work after bachelor’s degree. (For international students, please submit a copy in native language along with translated copies, if appropriate.)
- Electronic transcripts should be sent to: gradapps@grad.msstate.edu Mississippi State University, Graduate School. Only one copy of an electronic transcript is required.
- Paper Transcripts Address (USPS):
  Mississippi State University
  The Office of the Graduate School
  P.O. Box G
  Mississippi State, MS 39762
- Physical Street Address (for DHL, Fed Ex, UPS, DHS, etc.):
  Mississippi State University
  The Office of the Graduate School
  175 President Circle
  116 Allen Hall
  Mississippi State, MS 39762
Payment of $60 non-refundable application processing fee for domestic students.
Payment of $80 non-refundable application processing fee for international students.
Once you are admitted, you will receive an email with complete instructions on registering for classes and contacting your advisor

Domestic Unclassified Admissions

Only NINE (9) hours of course work taken as an "Unclassified Student" can be applied toward a degree program. All Unclassified students should submit a classified application once they have reached the maximum of nine hours. Full admission into the Master of Science in Agriculture with a concentration in Engineering Technology online program will be based upon successful completion of all classified admissions requirements.

If you are applying unclassified, select "Graduate School - Unclassified" as the college.

Submit online application
One official transcript showing bachelor’s degree or progress toward degree. (For international students, please submit a copy in native language along with translated copies, if appropriate.)
One official transcript showing ALL work after bachelor’s degree. (For international students, please submit a copy in native language along with translated copies, if appropriate.)
- Electronic transcripts should be sent to: gradapps@grad.msstate.edu Mississippi State University, Graduate School. Only one copy of an electronic transcript is required.
- Paper Transcripts Address (USPS):
  Mississippi State University
  The Office of the Graduate School
  P.O. Box G
  Mississippi State, MS 39762
- Physical Street Address (for DHL, Fed Ex, UPS, DHS, etc.):
  Mississippi State University
  The Office of the Graduate School
  175 President Circle
  116 Allen Hall
  Mississippi State, MS 39762
Pay $60 non-refundable application processing fee

International Unclassified Admissions

If you are applying unclassified, select "Graduate School - Unclassified" as the college.

Submit online application
TOEFL or IELTS scores are required for international students.
One copy of academic records showing degree(s) (in native language along with translated copies if appropriate)
One official transcript showing bachelor’s degree or progress toward degree. (For international students, please submit a copy in native language along with translated copies, if appropriate.)
One official transcript showing ALL work after bachelor’s degree. (For international students, please submit a copy in native language along with translated copies, if appropriate.)
- Electronic transcripts should be sent to: gradapps@grad.msstate.edu Mississippi State University, Graduate School. Only one copy of an electronic transcript is required.
- Paper Transcripts Address (USPS):
  Mississippi State University
  The Office of the Graduate School
  P.O. Box G
  Mississippi State, MS 39762
- Physical Street Address (for DHL, Fed Ex, UPS, DHS, etc.):
  Mississippi State University
  The Office of the Graduate School
  175 President Circle
  116 Allen Hall
  Mississippi State, MS 39762
Must obtain application approval from the Dean of the Graduate School
Payment of $80 non-refundable application processing fee for international students.

Provisional Admissions

A student who has not fully met the requirements stipulated by the University and the department for admission to graduate study may be granted admission as a degree-seeking graduate student with provisional status. Such student must have as his/her initial objective advancement to regular status. A provisional student must receive a 3.00 GPA on the first nine hours of graduate level courses on the program of study taken at Mississippi State University (transfer hours or unclassified graduate hours will not apply) in order to achieve regular status. If a 3.00 is not attained, the provisional student will be dismissed from graduate study.

Readmission

Once enrolled in graduate study, a student who fails to meet the continuous enrollment requirement must complete an Application for Readmission to register for classes. Continuous enrollment is defined as enrollment in two of three semester terms (Fall, Spring, or Summer) with Fall enrollment required. Students who have not been enrolled for a period of three years or longer and are in good academic standing, are eligible to reapply to through the Lapsed Student Program. Readmission is not guaranteed and must be approved by the Department Head, Academic Dean, and Dean of the Graduate School. Interested students or academic departments should contact the Graduate School for more information.

Transfer Credit

Students may transfer up to twelve (12) hours of graduate level credits from regionally accredited institutions. The decision to grant transfer credit is made by the advisor and the student’s graduate committee. If you wish to transfer credits, contact your advisor. You will need to provide an official transcript showing the courses you wish to transfer.

Courses

ST 8114 Statistical Methods: 4 hours

(Prerequisite: MA 1313). Three hours lecture. Two hours laboratory. Fall and Spring semesters. Descriptive statistics; sampling distributions; inferences for one and two populations; completely random, block, Latin square, split-plot designs; factorials; simple linear regression; chi-square tests

ABE 8911 Agricultural and Biological Engineering Seminar: 1 hour

Discussion of research needs, review of literature, and development of research work plans

ABE 8921 Agricultural and Bio Engineering Seminar: 1 hour

Discussion of research needs, review of literature, and development of research work plans

ABE 8000 Thesis Research/ Thesis in Agricultural and Biological Engineering: 1-13 hours

Hours and credits to be arranged

Academic Advising

After gaining admission to the university, you must contact your advisor to determine the courses that are most appropriate for you to take. Approximately two months prior to the upcoming semester, your advisor will send an email to your MSU email account, making course recommendations based on your program of study.

Mississippi State University uses email as its official means of communication with all MSU students. Please check your MSU email account (NetID@msstate.edu) daily. Information on setting up your MSU email can be found at the link for student services.