Plant Sciences
Admission Requirements
Plant Science graduate programs are open to all qualified graduates of universities and colleges of recognized standing. Applications must be submitted directly to the NDSU Graduate School. To be admitted with full status to the program, the applicant must meet Graduate School and department admission requirements.
B.S. to M.S. and M.S. to Ph.D. Eligibility
For admission requirements visit https://www.ndsu.edu/gradschool/apply
B.S. to Ph.D. Eligibility
For admission requirements visit https://www.ndsu.edu/gradschool/apply
Additionally, at the time of application, the applicant must:
- Have or be working toward a B.S. degree in the same or a closely-related field
- Have a cumulative GPA of 3.70 or greater
Additionally, applicants interested in the B.S. to Ph.D. track must:
- Use the Statement of Purpose portion of the application to succinctly describe qualifications for applying to the Ph.D. program as an undergraduate student, including describing preparation for an advanced degree in the chosen area of study and detailing a focused research interest
- Use the Statement of Purpose to identify a Department of Plant Sciences faculty member who has shown definite, written interest in serving as advisor and providing financial and academic support of Ph.D. studies
- Support the Statement of Purpose with a CV listing previous academic and research experiences
- Request three letters of support to accompany the application, two of which will be written by persons able to specifically provide support of the student’s potential to complete a Ph.D. program and why the B.S. to Ph.D. track is warranted
Financial Assistance
Correspondence with one or more departmental faculty members before and during the application process is not compulsorily but is encouraged. Applicants will not be considered without a department faculty member who has agreed to serve as the major advisor and can offer a Graduate Research Assistantship (GRA). To read more about our research teams and find faculty contact information, please visit https://www.ndsu.edu/agriculture/academics/academic-units/plant-sciences/research.
A twenty-hour (half-time) GRA is provided to each accepted M.S. Plan A and Ph.D. student based on scholarship and potential to undertake advanced study and research. The annual stipend varies based on the research project.
In addition to the stipend, graduate assistants who meet the hours worked and training requirements each semester receive a graduate tuition waiver. Students are responsible for differential tuition, student and course fees, and tuition for non-graduate level credits taken.
A limited number of Ph.D. Graduate Fellowships are available.
The Department of Plant Sciences has numerous annual scholarships of $500 to $1000 each for outstanding Plant Sciences graduate students.
Degree Requirements
In the first year, each M.S. or Ph.D. student, in conjunction with their advisor, will form a supervisory committee, create a plan of study that meets disciplinary requirements below as well the goals of the student, and develop a research proposal paper for submission to the department.
Master's Program
The M.S. program requires the completion of at least 30 credits, during which an overall GPA of 3.0 or better must be maintained. The M.S. degree may be earned by either of two options. The Plan A: Thesis Option emphasizes completion of a research project. The Plan B: Comprehensive Study Option requires more course work and instead of conducting research and presenting a thesis, the candidate presents a paper or papers to the supervisory committee, demonstrating ability for scholarly study and written expression.
Candidates working toward either Plan A or Plan B must pass an oral defense, present a public Exit Seminar on the thesis research or comprehensive study, and have their thesis/paper accepted by the Graduate School to complete the degree.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| M.S. Plan A - Thesis Option | 30 | |
| Required Courses | ||
| PLSC 724 | Field Design I | 3 |
| PLSC 790 | Graduate Seminar | 1 |
| PLSC 798 | Master's Thesis | 10 |
| Additional Credits (13 credits must be didactic**) | 16 | |
Students focusing on Plant Breeding and Genetics must take and earn a B or better in | ||
| Genetics & Plant Improvement | ||
| Intermediate Genetics | ||
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| M.S. Plan B - Master's Paper Option | 30 | |
| PLSC 724 | Field Design I | 3 |
| Additional 600-700 level courses (18 credits must be didactic**) | 23 | |
| PLSC 790 | Graduate Seminar | 1 |
| PLSC 797 | Master's Paper | 3 |
** Didactic credits are graduate courses numbered 601-689, 691; 700-789, 791; and 800-889, 891.
Doctoral Program
The Ph.D. program requires completion of at least 90 credits, during which time an overall GPA of 3.0 or better must be maintained. A Plant Breeding and Genetics subplan is available for doctoral students wishing to complete specific coursework, as listed below. To become a Ph.D. candidate, students are required to pass preliminary written and oral examinations directed to academic subject matter. Degree completion follows an oral defense of the dissertation, public Exit Seminar, and acceptance of the dissertation by the Graduate School.
Master of Science Doctoral Track
Qualifying M.S. students accepted will be allowed to use 30 credits from their completed Master’s degree toward the Ph.D., thereby completing at least 60 Ph.D. graduate credits rather than 90. No undergraduate courses (100-400) may be counted toward a Ph.D. degree.
Bachelor of Science Doctoral Track
Qualifying B.S. students accepted will be required to complete 90 graduate credits toward the Ph.D. degree. No undergraduate courses (100-400) may be counted toward a Ph.D. degree.
All B.S. to Ph.D. track students must create, defend, and submit a manuscript to a scientific journal by the end of their sixth semester (spring/fall). This manuscript may be used as a chapter in the dissertation.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| M.S. (thesis option) to Ph.D. | 60 | |
| Required Courses | ||
| PLSC 724 | Field Design I (if not part of M.S. Must earn B or better) | 3 |
| PLSC 790 | Graduate Seminar | 2 |
| PLSC 892 | Graduate Teaching Experience | 2 |
| PLSC 899 | Doctoral Dissertation | 20 |
| Additional didactic credits ** (12 credits must be 700-level) | 24 | |
Students focusing on Plant Breeding and Genetics must take and earn a B or better in | ||
| Genomics | ||
| Intermediate Genetics | ||
| Genetics & Plant Improvement | ||
| Additional credits | 9 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| M.S. (thesis option) to Ph.D. - Plant Breeding and Genetics Option | 60 | |
| 600 - 800 level graduate courses including: | 36 | |
| Genomics | ||
| Intermediate Genetics | ||
| Genetics & Plant Improvement | ||
| Field Design I (if not part of master's degree) | ||
| Plant Molecular Genetics | ||
| Advanced Plant Genetics | ||
| Advanced Plant Breeding | ||
| Population and Quantitative Genetics | ||
| PLSC 790 | Graduate Seminar | 2 |
| PLSC 892 | Graduate Teaching Experience | 2 |
| PLSC 899 | Doctoral Dissertation | 20 |
** Didactic credits are graduate courses numbered 601-689, 691; 700-789, 791; and 800-889, 891.