Graduate Study

The Graduate Group in Plant Biology offers programs of study and research leading to M.S. and Ph.D. degrees. The program prepares students for careers in teaching and research at universities and colleges, government and industrial laboratories. The graduate curriculum provides both breadth in the discipline and in-depth study and research in one of four areas of specialization: cell and developmental biology; environmental and integrative biology; molecular biology, biochemistry and genomics; and systematics and evolutionary biology. These areas of specialization permit individual study and research into diverse aspects of plant biology, including anatomy, biochemistry, biotechnology, cell biology, cytology, developmental biology, ecology, genetics, genomics, molecular biology, morphology, paleo-botany, physiology, population biology, systematics, and weed science. The graduate advisor, the major professor, and the student will design a program of advanced courses to meet individual academic needs within one of the specializations.

Preparation

For both the M.S. and Ph.D. programs, a level of scholastic development equivalent to a Bachelor's degree in biological sciences from a recognized college or university is required. Courses in the following areas are considered to be prerequisites to the advanced degrees in Plant Biology: biology, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, introductory physics, genetics, plant development and structure, biochemistry, introductory plant physiology, calculus, introductory statistics, ecology/systematics/evolution, and cell/molecular biology. Limited deficiencies can be made up after admission.

Graduate Advisor

Please consult with the Plant Biology Graduate Group website.