Launching officially in Fall 2025, the Data Analytics for Applied Economics and Agribusiness minor is the first of its kind to be offered at the undergraduate level at the University of Florida.  

Department faculty designed this new minor to emphasize both data analytics and quantitative skills. This minor and its associated courses were meticulously crafted to equip University of Florida undergraduate students with the skills necessary to become competitive job seekers in a society that is undergoing rapid technological advancement. 

“We chose to develop this minor to expose students to programming languages, the use of AI, and quantitative techniques that could be applied to agricultural and resource decision making,” said Misti Sharp, undergraduate coordinator for the Food and Resource Economics Department. “We know that employers are increasingly looking for these skills in undergraduates and our faculty are already using these techniques in our research programs. It was the perfect opportunity to bridge our expertise to undergraduate students who are interested in having these skills.”

While students in the Food and Resource Economics major are eligible, they must ensure at least 6 credit hours of difference from the minor. The highly applied nature of the coursework makes this new minor an excellent option for students looking to create a technical foundation for both graduate school and careers in industry. 

My decision to pursue the Data Analytics for Applied Economics and Agribusiness minor stems from my interest in being able to translate data and research into actionable insights that can contribute to solutions, said undergraduate student Kimberly Miranda-Ramos. The minor provides experience with tools like Excel and R, helping me analyze and interpret datasets. Gaining these skills will give me a strong foundation for graduate school and for any career I decide to pursue in the fields of agricultural or sustainable economics!

With over 20,000 job openings for data scientists projected each year, the sector’s rapid growth makes students who develop skills in data analytics highly marketable. Beyond careers in data science, the minor  provides transferable skills, making graduates highly attractive candidates for any number of analyst or business management roles.   

Data Analytics for Applied Economics and Agribusiness is open to all on-campus students and consists of 6 required courses, along with three approved Data Science Elective credits. 

Required Courses 

• Introduction to Agricultural Computer Applications (1 Credit) 

• Quantitative Methods in Food and Resource Economics (3 Credits) 

• Agricultural Data Analysis in Food and Resource Economics (3 Credits) 

• Computational Analysis in Food and Resource Economics (1 Credit) 

• Data Analytics in Agribusiness Using R (1 Credit) 
• Machine Learning in Applied Economics and Agribusiness (3 credits)

While this minor is available to FRE students, we also wanted to provide an opportunity for those outside of FRE who want to add applied quantitative analysis to their toolkit, Sharp said. It is hard to find classes that not only teach you how to use analytical tools but also teach you the scenarios in which these tools will be applicable. This minor is highly applied meaning students will not only gain exposure to tools but also opportunity for application which can be a demonstration of skills to employers seeking students for analyst roles.

For those interested in learning more, please reach out to the Food and Resource Economics Undergraduate Coordinator Misti Sharp for more information.  

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