Division of Applied Social Sciences- University of Missouri

Division of Applied Social Sciences- University of Missouri DASS develops and empowers decision makers who manage the global food and natural resource systems a

Our division's purpose is to develop and empower decision makers who can manage the global food and natural resource systems and lead rural communities. Our mission is to be the leading institution in outreach-driven education and research that integrates science-based information into public and private decision making. While much of our focus is on issues of concern to Missouri, we do work that

directly affects national policy. We also are involved internationally on a significant scale. The Division of Applied Social Sciences (DASS) is one of six academic units within the MU College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR). DASS is home to the following academic program areas: Agricultural and Applied Economics, Agricultural Education and Leadership, Science and Agricultural Journalism, and Rural Sociology.

NEW Research Assistantship: Agricultural Prices and Agribusiness (with Dr. Jason Franken)The Division of Applied Social ...
12/05/2025

NEW Research Assistantship: Agricultural Prices and Agribusiness (with Dr. Jason Franken)

The Division of Applied Social Sciences (DASS) at the University of Missouri is seeking to recruit an incoming Ph.D. student to work as a Research Assistant (RA) with Dr. Jason Franken starting Fall 2026. The position will focus on research in agricultural prices and agribusiness, with potential areas including cooperative organizations, marketing contracts, price risk management, supply chain and market analysis, and related empirical applications in U.S. agriculture. The ideal candidate will have experience and/or strong interest in agricultural prices-related research, agribusiness analysis, quantitative methods, applied econometrics, and a demonstrated work ethic and motivation for research.

To express interest in this RA opportunity, applicants should mention this position and explain their interest in the academic statement portion of their application to the Ph.D. program in Applied Economics in DASS at the University of Missouri. M.S. applicants may also apply, with the possibility of transitioning to the Ph.D. program at a later stage. Application materials of interested candidates who meet the program’s admission standards will be reviewed by the Graduate Studies Committee, which will then share admissible files with Dr. Franken for further consideration. The RA appointment is for an average of 20 hours per week and includes a competitive stipend, tuition waiver, and health insurance.

For priority consideration, applicants should submit their complete application by January 15, 2026.

Please direct inquiries about this position to Dr. Jason Franken at [email protected]. To learn more about admission requirements and to apply, please see https://cafnr.missouri.edu/academics/degrees-programs/agricultural-and-applied-economics-graduate-studies/

NEW Research Assistantship: Farm Finance (with Dr. Alejandro Plastina)The Division of Applied Social Sciences (DASS) at ...
12/05/2025

NEW Research Assistantship: Farm Finance (with Dr. Alejandro Plastina)

The Division of Applied Social Sciences (DASS) at the University of Missouri is seeking to recruit an incoming Ph.D. student to work as a Research Assistant (RA) with Dr. Alejandro Plastina starting Fall 2026. The position will focus on research in farm finance, with potential areas including farm income, financial stress, and the impacts of policy decisions, innovations, and external events on the financial health of U.S. farms. The ideal candidate will have experience and/or strong interest in farm finance–related research, and quantitative analysis using farm-level data, and a demonstrated work ethic and motivation for research.

To express interest in this RA opportunity, applicants should mention this position and explain their interest in the academic statement portion of their application to the Ph.D. program in Agricultural and Applied Economics in DASS at the University of Missouri. Application materials of interested candidates who meet the program’s admission standards will be reviewed by the Graduate Studies Committee, which will then share admissible files with Dr. Plastina for further consideration. The RA appointment is for an average of 20 hours per week and includes a competitive stipend, tuition waiver, and health insurance.

For priority consideration, applicants should submit their complete application by January 15, 2026.

Please direct inquiries about this position to Dr. Alejandro Plastina at [email protected]. To learn more about admission requirements and to apply, please see: https://cafnr.missouri.edu/academics/degrees-programs/agricultural-and-applied-economics-graduate-studies/.

NEW Research Assistantship: Agricultural Policy (with Dr. Alejandro Plastina)The Division of Applied Social Sciences (DA...
12/05/2025

NEW Research Assistantship: Agricultural Policy (with Dr. Alejandro Plastina)

The Division of Applied Social Sciences (DASS) at the University of Missouri is seeking to recruit an incoming Ph.D. student to work as a Research Assistant (RA) with Dr. Alejandro Plastina starting Fall 2026. The position will focus on research in agricultural policy, with potential areas including farm policy design and evaluation, risk management, conservation incentives, farm-level decision-making, and related empirical applications in U.S. agriculture. The ideal candidate will have experience and/or strong interest in agricultural policy analysis, quantitative methods, and a demonstrated work ethic and motivation for research.

To express interest in this RA opportunity, applicants should mention this position and explain their interest in the academic statement portion of their application to the Ph.D. program in Agricultural and Applied Economics in DASS at the University of Missouri. Application materials of interested candidates who meet the program’s admission standards will be reviewed by the Graduate Studies Committee, which will then share admissible files with Dr. Plastina for further consideration. The RA appointment is for an average of 20 hours per week and includes a competitive stipend, tuition waiver, and health insurance.

For priority consideration, applicants should submit their complete application by January 15, 2026.

Please direct inquiries about this position to Dr. Alejandro Plastina at [email protected]. To learn more about admission requirements and to apply, please see: https://cafnr.missouri.edu/academics/degrees-programs/agricultural-and-applied-economics-graduate-studies/

05/07/2025

Explore how the Division of Applied Social Sciences (DASS) at Mizzou prepares future leaders through hands-on programs in Agribusiness Management, Agricultural Education, Personal Financial Planning and Hospitality Management. Watch our video to see how we turn passion into purpose!

Thank you to all the students, faculty, MFA Incorporated and all who were able to make this video possible.

04/28/2025
04/09/2025

Established in 1993 by the National Association of Graduate-Professional Students, National Graduate and Professional Student Appreciation Week aims to recognize the contributions, impact, and value of graduate and professional students. […]

04/08/2025

Combine your passion for math and finance with your passion for people in the University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources perso...

Agriculture isn’t just about the fields or livestock-it’s about smart business too! Learn more about an Ag Business Mana...
04/01/2025

Agriculture isn’t just about the fields or livestock-it’s about smart business too! Learn more about an Ag Business Management degree in the video below.

At the University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, you can acquire a solid foundation of business and economic skills as well ...

To our Facebook followers – We want to share that our division will take a hiatus from posting actively to our DASS Face...
03/29/2021

To our Facebook followers – We want to share that our division will take a hiatus from posting actively to our DASS page. We made this decision following a need to focus our limited resources on other efforts at this time.

We thank you for engaging with us here on Facebook. To keep up with the latest happening within our division, we invite you to follow our LinkedIn page at https://www.linkedin.com/company/mudass.

Address

316 Mumford Hall
Columbia, MO
65211

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Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

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