Degrees

Degrees offered

The Department of Agronomy offers MS (thesis / non-thesis) and PhD degrees in plant genetics and breeding, plant physiology, crop production, soil science, agroecology, land management, and climate. Our graduate programs emphasize developing and applying basic scientific principles to optimize agricultural systems management. We emphasize research with a global application as we hope to instill skill sets that allow for increased system resilience in response to the rapidly changing world.

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

Master's Degree Non-Thesis

• 30 credit hours, including 1 hour seminar
• 3 credit hours, but not more than 6 credits of special problems 
• Total of 36-39 credit hours

Master's Degree - Thesis

• 24 credit hours 
• 6 research credit hours
• Total of 30 credit hours

Doctoral Degree

Current students who do not have an approved plan of study by the graduate school will have the option to follow the current requirements or be included int he new plan. Students who have an approved plan of study by the graduate school do not qualify for this option. Students entering in January 2011 can only follow the new credit hour requirement. 

• 27 course credits
• 9 departmental core credits
• Total of 36 credit hours

^*Six credit hours may be independent study, but not with the student’s major professor. Students must have prior approval from the Agronomy Graduate Committee for independent study credits - provide objectives, syllabus and deliverables.