Plant and Soil Sciences Graduate Program

MS student, Emily Kennebeck
MS student, Emily Kennebeck, is working on a NASA project to grow hydroponic lettuce and mustard greens under different CO2 levels and light qualities.

One graduate program. Two concentrations. Three degree options.


Plant Science
involves course work in plant molecular biology, plant breeding, plant pathology, plant tissue culture, horticulture, crop science, plant anatomy and/or plant physiology with thesis research in one of those areas.

Soil Science involves course work and thesis research in soil chemistry, soil fertility and management, soil physics, soil microbiology and biochemistry, environmental microbiology, soil and water quality and soil formation and biogeochemistry.

Degree options:

  • Ph.D. dissertation degree
  • M.S. thesis degree
  • M.S. non-thesis degree (full- or part-time)
Latest News
  • Davis and Khan with Nigerian farmers.

    Nigerian cropland expansion

    January 16, 2025 | Written by Adam Thomas
    In Nigeria, about 90 percent of the deforested area has been converted to cropland within years of forest loss. While this cropland expansion has allowed for individual farmers to grow greater amounts of certain crops, a study from faculty member Kyle Davis and doctoral candidate Bhoktear Khan shows that it does not necessarily lead to more food security or increased nutrition.
  • Landscape architecture students, Coastal Resilience Design Studio work a plan for Milton

    January 06, 2025 | Article by Tabitha Groh
    Landscape architecture majors worked as undergraduate Community Engagement Summer Scholars with the Coastal Resilience Design Studio (CRDS) on a community resilience plan for Milton. They worked on interdisciplinary teams that addressed the three branches of the Milford plan. The plan for Slaughter Beach led to the town being selected for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
  • Saving the Rodney Reservoir

    December 05, 2024 | Article by Tabitha Groh
    Green for the Greater Good, maintains their goal of keeping the Rodney reservoir safe, public and green. Over the past two years, the grassroots organization has engaged with academic experts from across the University, including Landscape Architecture, to help continue their work.

Application process update:  Due to coronavirus (COVID-19), the program of PLSC is waiving the GRE requirement for our graduate program.  If you wish to apply without a GRE score, please enter a future GRE exam date into the application.  It need not be a legitimate exam date.  Entering a future exam date causes the system to finish your application and send it on to our review committee where it will receive full consideration.