Graduate Program Admission Requirements
The official application deadlines are:
Fall semester matriculation: December 15 for priority funding consideration; March 15 for consideration for remaining open positions. Under special circumstances, applications may be considered until July 1.
Spring semester matriculation: September 1 for priority funding consideration; November 15 for consideration for remaining open positions. Under special circumstances, applications may be considered until January 15.
There is no special deadline to request admission with financial support, as it is the Department's policy NOT to accept a graduate applicant unless funding is available or provided by the applicant. We recommend prospective students identify a potential PLSC faculty advisor and reach out to them early to increase chances that funding is available.
Profiles for all PLSC faculty are located on the Departmental Website.
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Admission to the Plant and Soil Sciences (PLSC) graduate program is competitive. Those who meet the stated requirements are not guaranteed admission, nor are those who fail to meet all of those requirements necessarily precluded from admission if they offer other appropriate strengths.
Students are strongly urged to review the information presented on this page and the PLSC Graduate Programs Application and Admissions Procedure prior to submitting an application. Failure to follow the procedures outlined in these documents will result in your application being declined without review by the graduate admissions committee. No exceptions!
Departmental support for graduate teaching and research assistantships is extremely limited. Most graduate student financial support is contributed by the advising PLSC faculty member. As such, the PLSC graduate admissions committee will ONLY accept students who have identified a PLSC faculty member who is willing to advise the student and has the financial resources to support the student. The PLSC department can also support self-funded students; self-funded students cover all costs out-of-pocket including tuition, fees, and living expenses. Do NOT apply to the program unless you have encouragement from a PLSC faculty member or personal funds to support your graduate education in its entirety (if applicable). Include the name of the faculty advisor who encouraged you to apply or a statement of financial self-support in the essay portion of the application.
Note: Applications that do not identify a PLSC faculty member or indicate self-pay status in their essay will be declined admission without review by the graduate admissions committee. It is recommended that applicants contact faculty who are actively recruiting students and apply well in advance of application deadlines to increase the likelihood of obtaining a position in their area(s) of interest.
To officially apply for admission, see the Graduate College website for detailed instructions, web-based forms, and contact information.
Documents required for Departmental review include:
Statement of research interest(s); must include the name of the PLSC faculty member(s) who has provided the candidate with an informal commitment to serve as academic advisor (all applicants) and financial support (all students seeking financial assistance)
Resume
Official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate studies (minimum 2.5/4.0 cumulative and 3.0/4.0 within major; recommended minimum 3.0/4.0 cumulative and 3.5/4.0 within major).
Three letters of recommendation from individuals knowledgeable of the applicant’s academic preparation and potential ability as a graduate student
Results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL; IBT or paper-based), or IELTS (provisionally accepted). The most up-to-date information on English proficiency testing is available from the Graduate College.There are no exceptions to these English proficiency requirements. Students who do not meet these requirements may be eligible for conditional admission based on achieving English Proficiency (ELI-CAP). The ELI-CAP fees are not covered by the PLSC department; all costs would be covered by the applicant.
TOEFL IBT
Minimum score 79 (100 or higher for teaching assistantships)
Minimum speaking score of 18
TOEFL paper-based
Minimum score of 550 (600 for some programs) PBT
Minimum score of 61 (82 for some programs) PDT
Separate evaluation for Speaking Proficiency required
IELTS
Minimum score 6.5 (7.0 for teaching assistantships)
Minimum speaking score of 6.0
- (Optional - not required for admission) Results of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) taken within the previous five years
The values stated above for GPA are not absolute, provided the applicant can provide evidence of excellence in the other requirements or has desirable qualities that bear directly on the position being considered. Favorable qualifications would include, but are not limited to, undergraduate research experience, letters of reference, clear evidence of high motivation for the degree, and strong support from the proposed advisor.
The Graduate College has additional requirements not listed above. Photocopied scores are not acceptable for admission, but may be used during the initial stages of finding an advisor. Contact the current Academic Support Coordinator (gferry@udel.edu) with questions concerning specific Departmental requirements.
PRIOR DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
Applicants for the Ph.D. degree must have received at least one undergraduate degree with or without a subsequent master’s degree. An M.S. degree is strongly preferred but not required. Students without a master’s degree are encouraged to apply to the M.S. degree program.
Applicants for the M.S. degree (thesis and non-thesis) must have at least one undergraduate degree.
Since the PLSC Departmental focal areas are diverse, the course requirements for the M.S. and Ph.D. programs are tailored to the subject of interest. For example, a strong background in the sciences and possibly math will generally be viewed favorably for applicants interested in one of the Department’s science-oriented disciplines within Soil Science or Plant Science. Students applying to more design-oriented programs (e.g., Landscape Design) may benefit from having previously taken art- or design-related courses.