The globalization of agriculture, new technologies, nutritional and environmental consciousness, and U.S. and foreign policies are creating the need for industries to hire graduates with strong backgrounds in applied economics, business principles, and leadership. This major is designed for students interested in starting businesses, banking and lending, real estate, public policy, or marketing and trading. Students within this major select one of four options: Finance and Real Estate, Food Marketing Systems, Policy and Economic Analysis, or Rural Entrepreneurship.

The Finance and Real Estate option provides those students interested in pursuing careers in the either the banking or real estate industry tools for understanding issues unique to lending, real estate appraisal, real estate investment, development, and brokerage.

The Food Marketing Systems option provides those students interested in pursuing careers in the food marketing and sales sector of the food supply industry tools for understanding issues unique to the development, advertising, distribution, and sales of food products.

The Policy and Economic Analysis option provides those students interested in pursuing graduate or law degrees, as well as careers in local, state, and federal government and policy the tools for understanding the issues unique to in-depth examination of government policies and the economy.

The Rural Entrepreneurship option provides those students with interest in owning, managing, or lending to rural, innovative business enterprises the tools for understanding the issues unique to the start-up of rural, innovative businesses.