2025-2026 Graduate Catalog
Ness School of Management and Economics
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Joseph Santos, Ness Endowed Director
Nicole Klein, Associate Director
David Davis, Professor and Graduate Coordinator (Economics)
Ekaterina Koromyslova, Associate Professor and Graduate Coordinator (Operations Management)
Ness School of Management and Economics
Harding Hall
605-688-4141
The Ness School of Management and Economics offers both an M.S. in Economics and an M.S. in Operations Management.
The M.S. in Economics prepares students for professions in business and government as well as for advanced studies in economics and finance. The program offers two curriculum options: an economic theory option and an applied business-economics option.
The economic theory option includes courses in advanced microeconomics, macroeconomics, and econometrics; additionally, this option emphasizes applied economic research - students complete a six-credit research thesis. Students customize their plans of study with elective courses in business economics, agricultural marketing, general economics, and agricultural and resource economics. A number of research and teaching assistantships and scholarships may be available to qualified students enrolled in this curriculum option.
The applied business-economics option includes courses in advanced managerial economics, advanced business decision science, financial management, strategic marketing, and a strategic business decision capstone. Students customize their plans of study with elective courses in finance, marketing, entrepreneurship, agricultural business and marketing, accounting, and risk management. Coursework is offered in flexible formats, including hybrid, evening and online courses, which allow students to complete this option in 12 or 24 months, depending on work and other commitments.
The M.S. in Operations Management (MSOM) is a program for professionals interested in expanding their ability to manage technical functions in an organization as the next logical step in their career path. It provides courses in project management, operations management, and leadership. Students select elective courses in the categories of resources, operations, and analysis.
Students in either program may elect to pursue the traditional thesis route which is valuable for individuals who anticipate future graduate work toward achieving the terminal degree in a related field. Alternatively, a non-thesis program provides more coursework in lieu of the research component.
The programs also offer an accelerated master’s degree to qualified undergraduate students who maintain an overall undergraduate cumulative GPA of at least 3.5; these students may begin their graduate studies while they complete their undergraduate degree. Students may apply for admission to the accelerated master’s degree program once they have completed 60 undergraduate credits.
Graduate Faculty
Whoi Cho, Assistant Professor
Rohini Daraboina, Assistant Professor
David E. Davis, Professor and Graduate Coordinator
Matthew A. Diersen, Griffith Chair in Agricultural Finance and Professor
Xiaozhou Ding, Assistant Professor
Matthew Elliot, Associate Professor
Michelle Fleig-Palmer, Associate Professor
Hailong Jin, Associate Professor
Jaehyeon Kim, Assistant Professor
Nicole Klein, Associate Director and Professor
Ekaterina Koromyslova, Associate Professor and Graduate Coordinator
George Langelett, Professor
Andrea Leschewski, Associate Professor
Shirley Liu, Assistant Professor
Huitian Lu, Professor
Brittany McKnight, Assistant Professor
David Palmer, Professor
Oscar Sarasty, Assistant Professor
Sarah Sellars, Assistant Professor
Craig Silvernagel, Milton Nies Endowed Faculty Scholar and Associate Professor
Joseph M. Santos, Ness Endowed Director and Professor
Nacasius Ujah, Associate Professor
Evert Van der Sluis, Professor
Tong Wang, Associate Professor
Zhiguang Wang, Everett and Bernetta DuBois Endowed Professorship in Business Finance and Investments Analysis and Professor
Biying Yang, Assistant Professor
Jason Zimmerman, Professor
Programs
Master’s Degrees
Certificates
Student Support and Engagement Opportunities
The Ness School of Management and Economics prides itself on providing excellent academic programs and offering high-quality services to students. A limited number of research and teaching assistantships and scholarships may be available to qualified students. The Management and Economics Graduate Student Association (MEGSA) supports graduate-student engagement opportunities.
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