Department of Plant and Soil Sciences

Plant and Soil Sciences (MS, PhD)

Telephone: (302) 831-8153
https://www.udel.edu/academics/colleges/canr/departments/plant-and-soil-sciences/graduate-programs/
Faculty Listing: http://canr.udel.edu/our-faculty/plsc-faculty/

Program Overview

The Department of Plant and Soil Sciences offers three degree options:

Ph.D. dissertation degree
M.S. thesis degree
M.S. non-thesis degree (full- or part-time)

Students choose between a concentration in Plant Science or Soil Science.

The Plant Science concentration involves coursework 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.

The Soil Science concentration involves coursework 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.

The objectives of the PLSC graduate programs are to 1) equip the student with the background and techniques necessary for degree completion, 2) provide the student with opportunities for advanced study in plant and soil sciences, and 3) prepare the student for job placement.

Research Facilities

The department maintains modern research facilities in Worrilow Hall, the Ammon Pinizzotto Biopharmaceutical Innovation Center, and the Harker Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Laboratory. Students have access to a variety of specialized equipment within individual faculty laboratories and shared core facilities, such as the Advanced Materials Characterization Laboratory, the Delaware Biotechnology Institute’s Bio-imaging Center, and the University of Delaware Soil Testing Program. Students also have access to state-of-the-art greenhouse and growth chamber facilities and the Delaware Agricultural Experiment Station Farm for research and instructional activities.

Requirements For Admission

Students seeking admission must provide a statement of research interests, a resume, transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended, three letters of recommendation, evidence of English language proficiency (non-native English speakers only), and a completed Graduate Studies application form. A member of the department also must agree to serve as the faculty advisor or rotation coordinator for the student prior to acceptance.

Financial Aid

Please refer to the Graduate Fellowships and Assistantships section for more information. Briefly, thesis/dissertation degree-seeking students are eligible for graduate research and/or teaching assistantships, as well as tuition waivers. Departmental financial support is limited. For non-thesis M.S. degree-seeking students, the programs are tuition based and no financial aid is provided.

Programs

Master’s

Plant and Soil Sciences (MS)

Doctorate

Plant and Soil Sciences (PhD)