Agricultural and Food Economics (AFECO) University of Bonn

Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences / SE
Université Catholique de Louvain / BE
Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore / IT
Wageningen Universiteit / NL

Courses are exclusively held in English. German is recommended, but it is not required.

With an internationally focused postgraduate study programme, students will gain the necessary knowledge and skills for awareness, analysis and development of market activities along the agricultural/food value chain, from production on farms, via processing and trading, up to the consumption of food. They will be prepared for executive positions in businesses, organisations and political institutions within the global food system and its associated sectors as well as for research at the highest level. Due to the complexity of the food system and the variation of professional needs, the study programme offers options for several major and minor specifications:

The "Agribusiness" major specification covers the whole range of management issues within the agricultural and food sector. Students will gain in-depth problem solving knowledge in a multitude of fields including financial accounting and business analysis, production planning and investment appraisal, financial and risk management as well as quality management and marketing.

"Agricultural and Development Policy" as a major specification provides the basis for the sound understanding of economic behaviour in the agri-food sector and rural economies of developed and developing countries, and of the interaction within a globalised food system. Students will gain in-depth knowledge about the functions and impacts of agri-food and development policies and how changes herein affect the various actors along the food chain.

Courses in the "Market and Consumer Research" major specification apply the principles of economics and management to provide students with the skills for analysing food markets and consumer behaviour. Students gain insights with respect to food policy and trade issues, the management of risk in and the structure of food markets. In addition, students acquire comprehensive knowledge regarding theories and models of consumer behaviour as well as qualitative and quantitative market research tools and techniques.

The courses in the "Resource and Environmental Economics" specification address topics such as renewable and non-renewable resource use, valuation of environmental changes, direct and indirect influences of food demand on the environment, and national and international environmental policies in theory and practice.

This is an in-person study programme: students are required to be present in Bonn and attend the courses physically. Naturally, exceptions apply, as was the case during the COVID-19 pandemic; courses can then revert to online formats and/or hybrid formats.

We strongly recommend starting the AFECO programme in the winter semester (i.e. October), due to our programme structure.

For a start in the winter semester: 
The application period opens on 1 December (of the previous year) and closes on 15 July (of the same year). Early evaluations will be carried out on 15 February. (This is the recommended deadline for international students requiring an entry visa for Germany.) Applications submitted between 16 February and 15 July will be evaluated after 15 July.

For a start in the summer semester (i.e. April): 
The application period opens on 1 July (of the previous year) and closes on 15 January (of the same year). Early evaluations will be carried out on 15 September. (This is the recommended deadline for international students requiring an entry visa for Germany.) Applications submitted between 16 September and 15 January will be evaluated after 15 January.

This is a two-year (120 ECTS) MSc programme with a thesis, organised for students with BSc in Agriculture, Agricultural Economics, Food or Household Economics, Economics, Agribusiness or Business Management or related programmes. The study programme is instructed in English and organised in modules, which usually consist of units within a semester that have a thematic, methodical or systematic link. The programme requires strong basic undergraduate training in economics (please refer to our entry requirements).

Holders of the AFECO degree demonstrate the capability to work in an internationally-oriented and nationally-oriented environment, and they find employment opportunities in companies of the service industry like insurances and consulting firms or other business companies, associations, non-profit organisations, public authorities related to the agricultural and food sector, environmental protection or development cooperation. Such positions require specific competences that each student will develop depending on his or her affinities and capacities. The student is supported in his activities of individual profiling by a system of specifications, reflecting the whole range of related topics.

The first and second semesters are partly dedicated to the following compulsory modules: Methods of Empirical Research, Microeconomics, Organisational Management, and Risk Management in Agribusiness. From the first semester on, the student has the possibility to choose electives to focus on the major or minor specifications introduced below.

Possible major specifications (30 ECTS):

• Agribusiness
• Agricultural and Development Policy
• Market and Consumer Research
• Resource and Environmental Economics

Minor specification (18 ECTS) may be obtained:

• Development Economics
• Agro-Economic Modelling
• Any of the major specifications shown above can also be chosen as a minor specification.

Active learning by participating in research projects is part of our curriculum. Our students benefit as well from our international orientation: the double degree programme ("one study programme – two degrees") with the University of Wageningen/NL, the integration of AFECO Master's into the Erasmus Mundus Master's programme in "Agricultural, Food and Environmental Policy Analysis" offered jointly with our partner universities in Belgium, Italy and Sweden, and the Theodor Brinkmann Graduate School provide excellent opportunities at the highest international standard.

Each year, AFECO students have the possibility to participate in a thematic excursion outside of Germany. Students must prepare themselves for this excursion, during which they will interact with professionals in various fields of agricultural and food economics. This experience will enable them to apply their acquired knowledge from an international/regional perspective.

The AFECO programme offers students the opportunity to spend the second year of the programme abroad via its two double-degree programmes.

Internships are usually not required in any of the compulsory parts of the study programme, but they are encouraged. As for the support for students in their profiling activities, the programme adviser will assist students in finding an appropriate internship.

Students can elect to follow a "practice-oriented" specialisation (along the four majors outlined above), in which case an internship becomes compulsory.

No tuition fees

The University of Bonn is a public university, meaning that it does not charge tuition fees. However, all students must pay the so-called social contribution (= semester fee) of about 330 EUR per semester. It includes among other things a student transit pass for public transport and a statutory accident insurance.

Compared to the rest of Europe, living in Germany is not very expensive; in fact, it is only slightly above the EU average. The cost of living for students in Bonn is around 800 EUR to 1,000 EUR, with apartment rent accounting for the largest share.

Please note that all of the requirements must be fulfilled and are strictly enforced when reviewing the applications. The requirements are:

• A BSc degree or equivalent in study programmes linked to agricultural sciences, agribusiness management, agricultural economics, food and household economics, economics, business management, or similar, with a minimum amount of 42 ECTS in economics-related courses
• 5 ECTS in microeconomics and 5 ECTS in statistics
• A GPA of "good", second-class upper division, B+ or equivalent grade in other grading systems (2.5 in the German system)
• English proficiency (details below)

English language test (TOEFL 575, TOEFL iBT 90/120, IELTS 6.5, Cambridge B2 or comparable)
German: not a prerequisite, but recommended

We strongly recommend starting the AFECO programme in the winter semester (i.e. October), due to our programme structure.

For a start in the winter semester: 
The application period opens on 1 December (of the previous year) and closes on 15 July (of the same year). Early evaluations will be carried out on 15 February. (This is the recommended deadline for international students requiring an entry visa for Germany.) Applications submitted between 16 February and 15 July will be evaluated after 15 July.

For a start in the summer semester (i.e. April): 
The application period opens on 1 July (of the previous year) and closes on 15 January (of the same year). Early evaluations will be carried out on 15 September. (This is the recommended deadline for international students requiring an entry visa for Germany.) Applications submitted between 16 September and 15 January will be evaluated after 15 January.

No

It is possible for students to get a job as a teaching or research assistant ("Studentische Hilfskraft"), e.g. helping run experiments in practical courses of the BSc programmes). The contracts provided by the institute are focused on the study activities and include accompanying labour activities, e.g. of 10 hours per week. Bonn itself offers numerous other jobs (in bars, filling stations, restaurants, shops, etc.)

Students of the University of Bonn can apply for a room in a dormitory of the Studierendenwerk Bonn (further information: https://www.studierendenwerk-bonn.de/en/accommodation/). 

For further information on housing in Bonn, please visit our website: www.uni-bonn.de/en/university/university-life/living-in-bonn. 

International applicants who are admitted to the Master’s programme can apply for a dorm room through the programme coordinator and the international affairs unit of the department. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee that all students will be allotted a room, as demand exceeds supply.

The University of Bonn has a central career service, which provides advice and support about choosing a career and applying for jobs. Moreover, international students can join the iStart career programme, which teaches participants tangible knowledge and valuable skills that will enable them to write successful applications for jobs in Germany. The programme is geared toward giving students a successful career path both during and after their studies, thus making it easier for them to enter the job market.

The University of Bonn offers different support programmes for international students. The Welcome Days before the start of every semester are an opportunity for new students from abroad to gather information on the most important issues, such as enrolment, registration with the local authorities, and opening a bank account. Getting to know fellow international and German students during recreational activities is another benefit of the Welcome Days.
The Study Buddy programme matches newly arrived international students (mentees) with a University of Bonn student (buddy) who helps them as they start their studies and adjust to life in Bonn. The buddies give tips, advice and assistance that make it easier for their mentees to become familiar with the university and get settled in Bonn.

The MSc AFECO offers its own Welcome Week (at the start of the winter semester) and runs its own study buddy programme to help students come to and start in Bonn.