Graduate Student Handbook

Program Areas

A. Crop Science

Areas of study leading to advanced degrees (M.S., M.Agr., and Ph.D.) in Crop Science include crop breeding, genetics and cytogenetics (cereals, potatoes, grasses, oilseeds); crop physiology and biochemistry; forage and pasture management; crop production; new crop development; post-harvest seed technology; seed biology; seed crop physiology; seed production; weed biology; weed management and entomology. Graduate students are required to participate in the on-going research program with which their thesis is associated regardless of their funding source. This research is considered an essential part of the training program and an excellent opportunity for the student to apply knowledge gained in the classroom to field or laboratory situations.

B. Soil Science

Graduate programs in Soil Science lead to M.S., M.Agr., and Ph.D. degrees with specialization in various fields of soil science (environmental soil science, forest soils, nutrient cycling, soil geochemistry, soil conservation and land use, soil fertility and plant nutrition, soil genesis and classification, soil microbiology, soil physics, and water resources). Supporting course work is chosen for each student from the basic sciences and other related fields. Original research is an essential part of M.S. and Ph.D. thesis programs. Each program is individually designed by the student and his or her graduate committee. A non-thesis Environmental Soil Science M.S. degree that involves completion of a problem-solving project with wide-ranging course work also is available. The student chooses a major professor and representatives of the major and minor fields of study.