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Plain Grading rubriс
After a successful completion of the course:
- Economic Literacy (understanding market structures, key players, trends)
- Analytical Thinking (identifying factors influencing markets)
- Critical Thinking (evaluating intermarket relationships, identifying causal links)
- Economic Literacy (understanding how markets interact)
- Analytical Thinking (applying models to real-world market changes)
- Quantitative Skills (using econometric/statistical tools for market analysis)
- Quantitative & Statistical Skills (apply econometric tools, interpret price trends and elasticities)
- Economic Literacy (knowledge of key stakeholders, supply chain structure)
- Analytical Thinking (mapping actors and their roles in trade)
- Economic Literacy (understanding WTO rules, agreements, and trade policies)
- Analytical Thinking (assessing the role of WTO mechanisms in trade disputes)
- Analytical & Quantitative Thinking (analyze impact of tariffs, model trade distortions)
- Critical Thinking (distinguishing legitimate NTBs from protectionist measures)
- Economic Literacy (understanding trade restrictions, compliance structures)
- Critical Thinking (assessing economic impacts of NTBs on stakeholders, analyzing trade distortions, policy effectiveness)
- Quantitative & Statistical Skills (applying models to measure welfare impacts)
- Economic Literacy (understanding regulatory differences and trade implications)
- Analytical Thinking (evaluating the role of private vs public standards), Economic Literacy (market regulations, compliance structures)
- Analytical Thinking (assessing value chain dependencies and efficiency), Statistical Skills (HHI, firm-level concentration measures, spatial economics)
- Economic Literacy (understanding logistics and coordination mechanisms), Analytical Thinking (mapping dependencies, trade relationships)
- Quantitative & Statistical Skills (interpreting economic models and their assumptions), Critical Thinking & Quantitative Analysis (policy evaluation, impact assessment)
- Critical Thinking (assessing robustness of model outcomes). Quantitative & Statistical Skills (econometric analysis, graphical/mathematical models)
- Communication Skills (oral and written, presenting economic findings clearly),
- Critical Thinking (synthesizing multiple economic concepts into a structured argument)
Learning outcomes | With grading scale explanations
1 -1.5
Sehr gut (Very good).
The performance meets the requirements to an exceptionally high degree and you demonstrated outstanding competence.
1.6-2.5
Gut (Good).
The performance is well above average and you have a strong grasp of the subject matter.
all expectations have been met in full
2.6-3.5
Befriedigend (Satisfactory).
The performance is at an average level and you have a reasonable understanding of the material.
3.6-4.0
Ausreichend (Sufficient).
You reached the minimum score to pass the exam, despite deficiencies.
an average work with some minor deficiencies
4.1-5.0
Nicht ausreichend (Insufficient).
Your performance doesn’t meet the requirements to pass.
deficient; minimum expectations have not been met, although the candidate has demonstrated a basic grasp of the main concepts
- can describe key European and global agricultural and food markets.
1.0-1.5 (Very Good): Demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of key European and global agricultural and food markets, including their structure, major players, and significant trends.
1.6-2.5 (Good): Shows a strong understanding of key markets, identifying major components and trends.
2.6-3.5 (Satisfactory): Provides a basic description of markets but may miss some details or show a less thorough understanding of the interdependencies.
3.6-4.0 (Sufficient): Offers a minimal description with some inaccuracies or omissions.
4.1-5.0 (Insufficient): Unable to adequately describe the markets, demonstrating a poor understanding of fundamental aspects.
- can explain the impact of interdependencies between agricultural and food markets.
1.0-1.5 (Very Good): Clearly articulates the complex interdependencies between various agricultural and food markets, detailing how changes in one market impact others, with strong examples.
1.6-2.5 (Good): Explains the interdependencies with good examples, showing how different markets are interconnected.
2.6-3.5 (Satisfactory): Identifies some interdependencies but may not fully explore the depth or complexity of the relationships.
3.6-4.0 (Sufficient): Offers a basic explanation with some inaccuracies and limited understanding of the impact.
4.1-5.0 (Insufficient): Fails to understand or explain the interdependencies, showing a lack of comprehension of how markets are connected.
- are able to analyse developments on agricultural and food markets based on economic theories.
1.0-1.5 (Very Good): Applies economic theories to analyze market developments, accurately explaining the causes and consequences of changes in prices, production, and trade, using appropriate economic models.
1.6-2.5 (Good): Uses economic theories to analyze market changes with good comprehension of the economic principles involved.
2.6-3.5 (Satisfactory): Applies economic theories to analyze market developments with some inconsistencies or oversimplifications of complex dynamics.
3.6-4.0 (Sufficient): Attempts to apply economic theories, but demonstrates limited understanding and inaccuracies.
4.1-5.0 (Insufficient): Unable to apply economic theories correctly or explain market developments, displaying minimal economic literacy.
- can describe the basic framework for international trade provided by the WTO.
1.0-1.5 (Very Good): Demonstrates a thorough understanding of the WTO framework, including its purpose, key agreements, and mechanisms for resolving trade disputes, particularly in the context of agriculture.
1.6-2.5 (Good): Explains the basic WTO framework for international trade with a good understanding of its function and key aspects.
2.6-3.5 (Satisfactory): Provides a basic description of the WTO framework, but may omit certain components or display a limited understanding of the complexities.
3.6-4.0 (Sufficient): Offers a limited description with some inaccuracies or omissions.
4.1-5.0 (Insufficient): Unable to describe the WTO framework, showing a basic lack of understanding of its purpose and key principles
- can explain the relevance, the international framework of NTB in agricultural and food markets.
1.0-1.5 (Very Good): Explains the international framework of non-tariff barriers (NTBs) in agricultural and food markets, clearly identifying various forms of NTBs, their impact, and how they are addressed within international trade agreements, with strong examples.
1.6-2.5 (Good): Explains the relevance and framework of NTBs with examples, showing a good grasp of the topic.
2.6-3.5 (Satisfactory): Identifies some NTBs, but may lack a deep understanding of their relevance and framework.
3.6-4.0 (Sufficient): Offers a limited explanation with some inaccuracies and limited understanding of NTBs.
4.1-5.0 (Insufficient): Unable to explain NTBs, displaying a poor understanding of their role in agricultural and food markets.
- are able to evaluate the welfare effects of NTB under different assumptions.
1.0-1.5 (Very Good): Evaluates the welfare effects of NTBs, clearly explaining how different assumptions and market conditions can lead to varying welfare outcomes for consumers, producers, and governments using appropriate models and diagrams.
1.6-2.5 (Good): Evaluates welfare effects of NTBs with sound comprehension of economic principles and the impacts on various stakeholders.
2.6-3.5 (Satisfactory): Identifies welfare effects, but may oversimplify the analysis or not fully explore the impacts under different scenarios.
3.6-4.0 (Sufficient): Attempts to evaluate welfare effects, but shows limited understanding and inaccuracies.
4.1-5.0 (Insufficient): Unable to evaluate welfare effects, demonstrating an inadequate grasp of basic welfare economics.
- comprehend the difference between private and public standards in world agricultural and food markets.
1.0-1.5 (Very Good): Demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of the differences between private and public standards, detailing their development, enforcement, and impact on trade and market dynamics.
1.6-2.5 (Good): Explains the differences between private and public standards, describing their purpose and impact in the context of global trade.
2.6-3.5 (Satisfactory): Identifies some differences, but may lack an understanding of their complexities.
3.6-4.0 (Sufficient): Offers a basic explanation with some inaccuracies and limited understanding of the impact.
4.1-5.0 (Insufficient): Unable to differentiate between private and public standards, displaying a poor understanding of their role in world markets.
- can explain and structure relevant actors of international agricultural and food markets.
1.0-1.5 (Very Good): Clearly identifies and structures the relevant actors in international agricultural and food markets (e.g., governments, traders, producers, consumers, NGOs), articulating their roles, interests, and influence, and their interactions within the global food system.
1.6-2.5 (Good): Explains and structures key actors in the global food markets and understands their main roles and relationships.
2.6-3.5 (Satisfactory): Identifies some actors, but may not fully explain their roles or interrelations, missing key players or their significance.
3.6-4.0 (Sufficient): Provides a basic description with some inaccuracies or omissions.
4.1-5.0 (Insufficient): Unable to identify or structure the relevant actors, showing a lack of understanding of the different stakeholders.
- can explain the need for coordination within food value chains depending on product and value chain characteristics.
1.0-1.5 (Very Good): Explains the critical need for coordination within food value chains, demonstrating a sophisticated understanding of how this coordination varies depending on product characteristics, value chain structure, and the requirements for food safety, traceability, and quality assurance.
1.6-2.5 (Good): Explains why coordination is needed within food value chains and how this is influenced by value chain characteristics.
2.6-3.5 (Satisfactory): Identifies the need for coordination, but may lack the depth or specificity, especially with respect to product or value chain attributes.
3.6-4.0 (Sufficient): Offers a basic explanation with some inaccuracies or omissions regarding the need for coordination.
4.1-5.0 (Insufficient): Unable to explain the need for coordination, showing a basic lack of understanding of value chain operations.
- can evaluate results of agricultural models.
1.0-1.5 (Very Good): Critically evaluates the results of agricultural models, demonstrating a thorough understanding of their assumptions, limitations, and implications for policy and decision making, interpreting model outputs and applying them to real-world scenarios with a high level of insight.
1.6-2.5 (Good): Evaluates the results of agricultural models with good understanding of their assumptions and limitations.
2.6-3.5 (Satisfactory): Evaluates results of models, but may miss key assumptions or limitations or struggle to apply insights to real-world scenarios.
3.6-4.0 (Sufficient): Attempts to evaluate results, but shows limited understanding and inaccuracies.
4.1-5.0 (Insufficient): Unable to evaluate results, showing minimal model literacy and an inadequate grasp of the relevance of model outputs
- are able to combine insights generated in class to a specific case and present/ discuss in class.
1.0-1.5 (Very Good): Demonstrates a remarkable ability to synthesize diverse insights from the course, applying them effectively to a specific real-world case study, and presenting the findings with exceptional clarity, insight, and engagement, effectively leading a class discussion that expands on the topic.
1.6-2.5 (Good): Combines insights effectively to a specific case and presents and discusses findings clearly.
2.6-3.5 (Satisfactory): Combines some insights and presents on a case study, but may have some weaknesses in analysis or presentation.
3.6-4.0 (Sufficient): Attempts to combine insights, but the presentation is unclear and demonstrates a limited understanding of the case.
4.1-5.0 (Insufficient): Unable to synthesize insights or present findings on a case study, demonstrating poor overall understanding of the material.
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Course topics | Grading scale
1 -1.5
Sehr gut (Very good).
The performance meets the requirements to an exceptionally high degree and you demonstrated outstanding competence.
1.6-2.5
Gut (Good).
The performance is well above average and you have a strong grasp of the subject matter.
all expectations have been met in full
2.6-3.5
Befriedigend (Satisfactory).
The performance is at an average level and you have a reasonable understanding of the material.
3.6-4.0
Ausreichend (Sufficient).
You reached the minimum score to pass the exam, despite deficiencies.
an average work with some minor deficiencies
4.1-5.0
Nicht ausreichend (Insufficient).
Your performance doesn’t meet the requirements to pass.
deficient; minimum expectations have not been met, although the candidate has demonstrated a basic grasp of the main concepts
1. Products/Supply, demand, trade of major food markets (European/global)
Demonstrates an exceptional understanding of the supply, demand, and trade dynamics of major food markets, both European and global. Can articulate specific details about key products like grains (wheat, rice, and maize), meats (beef, mutton/lamb, pork, and poultry), dairy products, and oilseeds. Shows detailed knowledge of trade patterns, including major exporters and importers. Understands the impact of trade policies and standards on market access.
Shows a strong understanding of the supply, demand, and trade of major food markets. Can identify key products and their trade patterns, demonstrating a strong grasp of market dynamics. Understands the importance of food safety and agricultural health measures
Shows a reasonable understanding of basic concepts related to supply, demand, and trade in major food markets. Can identify some key products and their origins. Demonstrates basic understanding of the impact of standards on trade
Demonstrates a basic understanding of some of the elements of supply and demand in food markets, but may be limited in scope. Struggles to articulate trade patterns and their drivers. Understands that food safety and agricultural health measures are present
Shows a lack of understanding of the basic concepts of supply, demand and trade in food markets. Cannot identify key products or trade patterns. Unable to explain any significant impact of standards
Interdependencies between markets
Displays a comprehensive understanding of the interdependencies between agricultural and food markets, including how changes in one market can affect others. Can explain the relationships between commodity markets and processed food markets. Understands how factors such as climate change, population growth, and economic development can impact these interdependencies.
Demonstrates a good understanding of the interdependencies between agricultural and food markets. Can explain how changes in one market can influence others
Demonstrates a satisfactory understanding of basic interdependencies between agricultural and food markets
Demonstrates a limited awareness of the interdependencies between agricultural and food markets
Does not show an understanding of the interdependencies between agricultural and food markets
Pricing systems
Shows exceptional knowledge of pricing systems, including the factors that influence price determination. Can explain the concept of market equilibrium and how it is achieved. Demonstrates a deep understanding of the impact of government policies on prices, as well as the role of market structure.
Shows a good understanding of pricing systems, and can explain basic concepts such as market equilibrium and factors affecting price.
Has a basic understanding of how prices are determined, but may struggle with more complex concepts
Demonstrates a limited understanding of pricing systems and struggles to apply the core concept
Demonstrates a very limited or no understanding of pricing systems in the food market
Actors/Companies
Demonstrates an outstanding understanding of the key actors in agricultural and food markets, such as farmers, traders, processors, and retailers. Can provide in-depth information about major companies, like the ABCD traders (Archer Daniels Midland, Bunge, Cargill, and Louis Dreyfus Company) and their roles in shaping global commodity supply chains. Shows an advanced understanding of the influence of large companies, like Monsanto, on specific markets.
Demonstrates good knowledge of key actors in the food system, such as farmers, traders, and retailers. Can identify some of the major companies involved
Has a reasonable knowledge of main actors like farmers or retailers. Can identify some companies in the food and agricultural sector
Has some awareness of key actors but lacks detailed knowledge. Limited understanding of the companies in the agricultural and food markets
Fails to identify major actors and companies in the agricultural and food markets
2. Legal framework for international markets
Demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of the legal and regulatory landscape, including the nuances of international trade law, dispute resolution mechanisms, and the interaction between different legal frameworks.
Displays a strong understanding of the key legal frameworks and their impact on trade, including a grasp of how international laws are developed and enforced.
Shows a reasonable understanding of the main legal frameworks, but may lack details or nuances.
Has a basic awareness of legal frameworks but struggles to explain the complexities or the impacts on international trade.
Demonstrates a lack of understanding of the legal frameworks governing international trade.
WTO as the framework for global food markets
Exhibits a deep understanding of the WTO's role, its agreements, dispute settlement mechanisms, and how they shape global agricultural trade. Can analyse the impact of specific WTO agreements on different countries and sectors.
Shows a solid grasp of the WTO's functions, key agreements, and its role in shaping agricultural trade. Can explain the basic principles and the main areas of focus of the WTO.
Understands the basic purpose of the WTO and its general impact on trade, but may have gaps in their knowledge or details of the specific agreements.
Has a limited understanding of the WTO's role, with an inability to explain its main functions and key agreements, or the impact on real-world markets.
Demonstrates a lack of understanding of the WTO's role and its impact on global food markets.
Tariff barriers
Demonstrates an in-depth understanding of tariffs, their impact on trade, various types of tariffs, and how they interact with other trade policies, and can assess the effectiveness and limitations of tariffs as a trade tool.
Shows a strong understanding of tariffs and their impact on trade, and can differentiate between various types of tariffs, including ad valorem, specific, and compound tariffs.
Shows a reasonable understanding of tariffs, but may lack detail about different types or the full scope of their impact.
Has a basic understanding of tariffs, but may struggle to understand different types of tariffs or how they influence markets.
Demonstrates a lack of understanding of tariffs and their role in international trade.
Non-tariff barriers.
Exhibits a comprehensive understanding of non-tariff barriers, their complexity, and their impact on agricultural trade. Can explain how technical barriers, sanitary and phytosanitary measures (SPS), and other non-tariff measures operate and their implications for global trade.
Displays a solid understanding of non-tariff barriers and their impact on trade, including examples of technical barriers and SPS measures. Can discuss the difficulties in quantifying these impacts.
Shows a reasonable understanding of non-tariff barriers but may lack detail about specific types or their effects on trade.
Has a basic understanding of non-tariff barriers but is unable to identify specific types and the complexities of their impact on the market.
Demonstrates a lack of understanding of non-tariff barriers.
Relevance and evaluation of Non-Tariff Trade Barriers in agricultural and food markets
Demonstrates a nuanced understanding of the complexity of non-tariff barriers, and can evaluate them in the context of market access, food safety, and sustainability, and can differentiate between legitimate and protectionist non-tariff measures.
Shows a strong grasp of how non-tariff barriers affect different actors in food markets. Can discuss the trade-offs between legitimate concerns such as food safety and their potential to be misused as trade barriers.
Shows a reasonable understanding of the relevance of non-tariff barriers but may not fully comprehend their complexity or the nuances of evaluating them.
Has a basic awareness of the relevance of non-tariff barriers in agricultural and food markets, but struggles to understand the trade-offs and their overall impact.
Demonstrates a lack of understanding of the role and evaluation of non-tariff barriers in agricultural markets.
Private Standards. Private versus public standards in agricultural and food markets
Demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of the interaction between private and public standards, can differentiate between the drivers, objectives, and limitations of private and public standards, and can discuss how these standards impact market access, food safety, and sustainability.
Shows a strong understanding of private standards and their role alongside public standards. Can discuss the advantages and disadvantages of private standards versus public standards.
Shows a reasonable understanding of private standards but may lack detail on their differences from public standards.
Has a basic understanding of private standards but lacks the ability to critically compare with public standards or the market consequences.
Demonstrates a lack of understanding of private standards and their interaction with public standards.
3. Spatial and enterprise concentration in the agricultural up- and downstream sector
Demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of the patterns of concentration, including both spatial and enterprise dimensions, and can analyse the drivers and consequences of concentration in both up- and downstream sectors.
Shows a strong grasp of how concentration manifests in the agricultural sector, both spatially and at the enterprise level. Can explain the key factors influencing these patterns.
Shows a reasonable understanding of concentration, but may lack detail about how it manifests spatially or in terms of specific business types.
Has a basic awareness of concentration but struggles to explain the drivers and impacts in the agricultural sector.
Demonstrates a lack of understanding of spatial and enterprise concentration in the agricultural sector.
Global Value Chains
Exhibits a deep understanding of global value chains, can identify the key actors and their roles, and can analyse the power dynamics and economic relationships within these chains, and also how it influences the global distribution of food and resources.
Shows a solid grasp of the concept of global value chains. Can explain the different stages and key players involved and can identify how it influence food distribution.
Understands the basic concept of global value chains, but may lack detail on the specific relationships or power dynamics.
Has a limited understanding of global value chains and is unable to explain the key stages or the main actors, or how they influence food distribution.
Demonstrates a lack of understanding of global value chains.
Concentration (business level)
Demonstrates an in-depth understanding of the concept of business concentration, including metrics like the Hirschmann-Herfindahl Index (HHI), can evaluate how concentration affects competition, and explain the impact on market power and pricing.
Shows a strong understanding of how to measure concentration, using tools like the HHI and can explain its effect on competition and market dynamics, including how it affects pricing and availability.
Shows a reasonable understanding of business concentration, but may not grasp the nuances of the measures used, such as the HHI or the implications for competitiveness.
Has a basic understanding of the concept of business concentration but is unable to explain how to measure it or its impact on markets or market power.
Demonstrates a lack of understanding of business concentration.
Spatial concentration
Exhibits a comprehensive understanding of spatial concentration, and can analyse the factors that cause geographic clustering of agricultural activities, its impact on regional development, and the vulnerability associated with the dependencies that arise.
Displays a solid understanding of how agricultural activities can be geographically concentrated, and how this influences the development of regions, and the potential impacts on trade and supply chain security.
Shows a reasonable understanding of spatial concentration, but may lack detail about the specific factors involved or their implications on regions.
Has a basic understanding of spatial concentration but struggles to explain the factors that lead to it or its impact.
Demonstrates a lack of understanding of spatial concentration in the agricultural sector.
4. Basics of modelling agricultural markets. Modelling food markets
Demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of various modelling approaches (e.g. mathematical, graphical), their underlying assumptions, and their limitations. Can critically evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of different models in different contexts, and apply models to real-world scenarios.
Shows a strong grasp of the fundamental concepts of agricultural and food market modelling, and can explain the basic structures and assumptions. Can apply these models to standard situations and identify their limitations.
Shows a reasonable understanding of the basics of market modelling, but may struggle with the details of different approaches, their assumptions, and their real world applications.
Has a basic awareness of market modelling, but struggles to explain the different approaches, their limitations, or their applications in a practical context.
Demonstrates a lack of understanding of the basics of agricultural and food market modelling.
Approaches / limits / applications
Exhibits a deep understanding of diverse modelling approaches, such as econometric, mathematical, and graphical models. Can articulate the specific limitations of each approach. Can thoroughly discuss a model's suitability for different research questions, policy analysis, and real-world applications.
Shows a solid grasp of the various approaches to modelling markets, their advantages and limitations. Can explain how to select the appropriate model depending on the context and what it is meant to analyse.
Understands the basic approaches to market modelling, but may struggle to distinguish between them, explain the specific limits of each approach, or how they apply to different situations.
Has a limited understanding of modelling approaches and struggles to identify their limits or their practical applications.
Demonstrates a lack of understanding of different modelling approaches, their limits and applications in the agricultural sector.
Welfare Analysis
Demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of welfare analysis in the context of food markets. Can critically evaluate different measures of welfare (e.g., economic surplus), assess the distributional impacts of policy interventions, and interpret welfare changes within supply and demand frameworks.
Shows a strong grasp of welfare analysis, can explain the concept of economic surplus and how it is used to evaluate the outcomes of market transactions and policy impacts. Can illustrate how these changes are represented in supply and demand curves.
Shows a reasonable understanding of welfare analysis, but may struggle with the interpretation of economic surplus and its application to policy changes.
Has a basic understanding of welfare analysis but is unable to explain its principles in relation to market changes, and the implications of different policies.
Demonstrates a lack of understanding of welfare analysis and how it applies to food markets.
Measuring Competitiveness
Exhibits a deep understanding of various methods used to measure competitiveness at the micro and macro levels. Can critically evaluate the usefulness and limitations of each indicator, and apply them in different contexts. Is able to analyse both price and non-price factors that influence competitiveness.
Shows a solid grasp of methods to measure competitiveness and can explain the major indicators. Can use the indicators to analyse the competitiveness of a specific industry or country.
Understands the basic approaches for measuring competitiveness, but may struggle to apply them correctly or interpret the results in a meaningful way.
Has a basic understanding of competitiveness, but is unable to explain the different methods used to measure it or how to interpret the results.
Demonstrates a lack of understanding of the concept of competitiveness and its measurement.
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