colleges for phd in horticulture

Apply     MyCAS

• 2017 Horticulture Seminar Series
• 2018 Horticulture Seminar Series
• 2019 Horticulture Seminar Series
• 2020 Horticulture Seminar Series
• 2021 Horticulture Seminar Series
• 2022 Horticulture Seminar Series
• 2023 Horticulture Seminar Series
• 2024 Horticulture Seminar Series
• Locations & Facilities
• eCampus Revenue Distribution
• Travel Procedure
• Space Policy
• Photocopier Policy
• Plotter Policy
• Office Policy
• Full Tenure Relinquishment
• Evaluation Guidelines & Procedures
• Policies & Procedures
• Horticulture Safety Program
• Strategic Plan
• Community Learning
• Landscape Plant Identification
• Master Gardener Program
• Nursery, Greenhouse, and Christmas Trees
• Permaculture
• Berries and Small Fruits
• Brown Marmorated Stink Bug
• Honey Bee Lab
• Nursery, Greenhouse, & Christmas Trees
• Oregon Wine Grapes
• Oregon Vegetables
• Small Farms
• Spotted Wing Drosophila
• Tree Fruits and Nuts
• Weed Science

How to Apply

• Ecological Management of Turf, Landscape, & Urban Horticulture
• General Horticulture (Online)
• Horticultural Research
• Plant Breeding & Genetics
• Sustainable Horticultural Production
• Therapeutic Horticulture
• Viticulture & Enology
• Organic Farming Systems (Online) Undergraduate Certificate
• Urban Agriculture (Online) Undergraduate Certificate Program
• Accelerated Master's Platform
• Internships & Report Requirements
• Research & Thesis Requirements

M.S. in Horticulture

Ph.D. in Horticulture

Financial Support

Graduate Courses

Graduate Student Handbook

• OSU Graduate School Success Guide
• Horticulture Graduate Student Council

Graduate Certificate (Online)

• Horticulture Courses
• Plant Breeding & Genetics Courses
• Scholarships
• Hort Student Resources
• Horticulture Club
• Current Academic Year Courses
• SUCCESS STORIES
• Administration & Advising
• Graduate Faculty
• Research Support
• Graduate Students
• Courtesy Status
• In Memoriam

pear_0073.jpg

The Ph.D. in Horticulture is granted for proven ability in research and scholarship. The student conducts research under the guidance of the major professor with input from the student’s doctoral committee. The doctoral committee consists of a minimum of five members of the graduate faculty, including at least two from the Department of Horticulture and a representative from the Graduate Council.

Requirements

• There is no rigid credit requirement; however the equivalent of at least three years of full-time graduate work beyond the bachelor’s degree (at least 108 graduate credits) is required.
• The equivalent of one full-time academic year in regular non-blanket course work (at least 36 graduate credits).
• A graduate student who holds an M.S. degree must file a study program with the graduate school by the end of one calendar year of enrollment as a Ph.D. student. This program is formulated and approved at a formal meeting of the student's doctoral committee prior to this date.
• No more than 15 hours of blanket-numbered courses (e.g., 501, 507, etc.), other than thesis (Hort 503), may be included in the program.
• HORT 507 (1 credit), Horticulture Seminar. The student presents a seminar at the regularly scheduled time of the department seminar (Tuesdays at 4:00 pm).
• HORT 511 (2 credits), Research and Educational Perspectives in Horticulture, to be taken the first Fall term of enrollment (not required if the student earned these credits as an MS student).
• A minimum of 6 credits of ENT/HORT 518, PBG/HORT 519, or HORT 520 (two credits per course).  At least one course should be related to the student's area of emphasis, but students are encouraged to enroll in other topic areas.
• Successful completion of an oral preliminary examination. In Horticulture it is the prerogative of a major professor to require a written comprehensive examination as well.
• Successful completion of a final oral examination, which includes a defense of the thesis.

Courses in the major, Horticulture, may be selected from those in Horticulture (i.e. with a Hort designation) as well as from those offered by many other departments and programs.

• Plant Breeding and Genetics

Learning Outcomes: 

Through successful participation and completion of a Doctoral degree in Horticulture students will gain an advanced understanding of horticulture and the interaction with related disciplines, and conduct original research that advances the field of horticulture. Students will be trained through disciplinary coursework and research experience to provide soil science expertise and will have the breadth of knowledge to be able to communicate with professionals from the broad range of specialties involved in horticultural systems management and research.

Outcome 1: SCHOLARSHIP

Graduates will have the ability to conduct original research that extends knowledge in the field of horticulture. This will be demonstrated through mastery and application of critical thinking in the design and conduct of original research, and application of standard and innovative theory and methods in both coursework and an individual thesis research project.

Outcome 2: KNOWLEDGE

Graduates will be able to demonstrate:

• In-depth disciplinary knowledge and capacity to apply that knowledge to horticultural systems issues at multiple scales and levels of biological organization.

• Skill in integrating horticultural systems concepts across multiple disciplines.

• Original and innovative contributions to the understanding of horticultural systems.

• The ability to employ technical knowledge and leadership skills to a horticulture research problem.

Learning outcomes specific to Horticulture students:

• Ability to perform basic analyses in horticulture.

• Ability to perform other basic tasks required of a professional horticultural researcher.

• Understand key linkages and interactions between horticulture and other biological and earth science processes.

• Ability to make original contributions to the understanding of horticultural systems.

These outcomes will be accomplished through successful completion of the coursework required for the degree and a dissertation research project.

Outcome 3: COMMUNICATION

Graduates will have the ability to communicate professionally and with the public about horticulture research and horticultural resources. They will gain skills and experience in communicating in both formal and informal venues with learners, practitioners and community members. This will be demonstrated through presentation of a thesis, a special non-thesis seminar and a teaching assignment.

Outcome 4: ETHICS AND DIVERSITY

Graduates will have a commitment to diversity and high ethical standards in scholarship, teaching and service. This will occur through participation and training in research methods courses, professional development courses, and seminars, workshops, or other activities focused on diversity and ethics. 

Outcome 5: BROADER IMPLICATIONS

Graduates will demonstrate awareness of the broader implications of their research. These broader implications can include the linkages and relationships between the student’s research and aspects of broader society such social relationships—including issues relating to diversity equity and inclusion, economics, and environmental impacts. This will be demonstrated through exploration of these issues in the thesis, as part of the thesis seminar, or during the final exam.

Learn more: 

Degree: Horticulture

Level: Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Department: Department of Horticulture

Class Location: Corvallis Campus

Contact Us: 

For more information or to review our admissions process , please contact: Elaine Clark Oregon State University 4017 ALS Building Corvallis, OR 97331-3002 Phone: (541) 737-5477 Fax: (541) 737-3479

Degree Requirements - OSU Catalog

John Lambrinos Director of Graduate Programs 4137 Ag Life Sciences Bldg Corvallis, OR 97331-3002 Phone: (541) 737-3484 [email protected]

Graduate Program

Accelerated Master's Platform in Horticulture

Graduate Courses AY 2023-2024

Graduate Student Success

Graduate News

Horticulture Graduate Council

Graduate School News

Horticulture Graduate Programs in America

1-25 of 30 results

Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Ithaca, NY •

Cornell University •

Graduate School

Cornell University ,

Graduate School ,

ITHACA, NY ,

College of Architecture and Urban Studies

Blacksburg, VA •

Virginia Tech •

• • Rating 5 out of 5   1 review

Master's Student: Professors are very knowledgeable about what they teach and the elective courses offered are diverse. ... Read 1 review

Virginia Tech ,

BLACKSBURG, VA ,

1 Niche users give it an average review of 5 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says Professors are very knowledgeable about what they teach and the elective courses offered are diverse. .

Read 1 reviews.

University of Florida College of Agricultural and Life Sciences

Gainesville, FL •

University of Florida •

• • Rating 4.67 out of 5   6 reviews

Alum: This is a program intended for people who have a purpose. Many enrolled already work full time and want a higher degree to boost payscale or in the case of teachers, allow them to teach higher education programs or develop new ones. For individuals seeking further education, this can be a great stepping stone, however be advised you need to work and seek your path, it will not be handed to you and there is little guidance without effort. Much of the course work is as described- intended for medical microbiology. Some classes are highly outdated and most geared towards academia not industry. I liked the ability to customize some of the coursework but was disappointed a dreadful career seminar I did not want to take was later removed as a requirement without compensation. I would have happily taken a credit even as an audit to learn. Be advised it can be challenging to develop relationships with professors and standout amongst large numbers of students online. ... Read 6 reviews

Blue checkmark.

University of Florida ,

GAINESVILLE, FL ,

6 Niche users give it an average review of 4.7 stars.

Featured Review: Alum says This is a program intended for people who have a purpose. Many enrolled already work full time and want a higher degree to boost payscale or in the case of teachers, allow them to teach higher... .

Read 6 reviews.

Graduate College of Education - San Francisco State University

San Francisco State University •

Graduate School •

SAN FRANCISCO, CA

School of Education - William Jessup University

Jessup University •

ROCKLIN, CA

University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences

SAN MARCOS, CA

• • Rating 4.5 out of 5   129

UW College of Agricultural & Life Sciences

Madison, WI •

University of Wisconsin •

University of Wisconsin ,

MADISON, WI ,

College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences - University of Georgia

Athens, GA •

University of Georgia •

University of Georgia ,

ATHENS, GA ,

College of Agriculture - Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN •

Purdue University •

Purdue University ,

WEST LAFAYETTE, IN ,

• Find college scholarships

College of Continuing and Professional Studies - University of Minnesota Twin Cities

Saint Paul, MN •

University of Minnesota Twin Cities •

University of Minnesota Twin Cities ,

SAINT PAUL, MN ,

College of Agricultural Sciences - Penn State

University Park, PA •

Penn State •

Master's Student: It's been a blast so far. I'm spending the summer in our Extension office and It has been an incredible experience of working hands on in the orchards working along side our community as well as stakeholders that share our common values and want the best of our knowledge shared with them. ... Read 1 review

Penn State ,

UNIVERSITY PARK, PA ,

Featured Review: Master's Student says It's been a blast so far. I'm spending the summer in our Extension office and It has been an incredible experience of working hands on in the orchards working along side our community as well as... .

School of Environment and Natural Resources - The Ohio State University

Columbus, OH •

The Ohio State University •

The Ohio State University ,

COLUMBUS, OH ,

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences - Texas A&M University

College Station, TX •

Texas A&M University •

Texas A&M University ,

COLLEGE STATION, TX ,

NC State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Raleigh, NC •

North Carolina State University •

North Carolina State University ,

RALEIGH, NC ,

College of Agriculture and Natural Resources - University of Maryland

College Park, MD •

University of Maryland - College Park •

• • Rating 4.5 out of 5   2 reviews

Master's Student: Working in a small department had perks and disadvantages. Due to the department size, students were able to make close connections with mentors and receive one-on-one attention to support individual graduate program goals. However, there was some level of "poaching" of other professors' research and there were definitely some professors and students who did not mesh well together. Overall though, I felt like I really grew as a student and person and was well-supported and actively encouraged throughout the great extent of my graduate degree. ... Read 2 reviews

University of Maryland - College Park ,

COLLEGE PARK, MD ,

2 Niche users give it an average review of 4.5 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says Working in a small department had perks and disadvantages. Due to the department size, students were able to make close connections with mentors and receive one-on-one attention to support individual... .

Read 2 reviews.

• Sponsored Find Student Loan Options
• Law Schools
• Public Administration Graduate Programs

College of Agriculture & Natural Resources - Michigan State University

East Lansing, MI •

Michigan State University •

Michigan State University ,

EAST LANSING, MI ,

Auburn University College of Agriculture

Auburn, AL •

Auburn University •

Graduate Student: I like that I am in the distance education program and can learn at my own pace while working full time ... Read 1 review

Auburn University ,

AUBURN, AL ,

Featured Review: Graduate Student says I like that I am in the distance education program and can learn at my own pace while working full time .

College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences - Washington State University

Pullman, WA •

Washington State University •

Washington State University ,

PULLMAN, WA ,

Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Fayetteville, AR •

University of Arkansas •

University of Arkansas ,

FAYETTEVILLE, AR ,

Kansas State University College of Agriculture

Manhattan, KS •

Kansas State University •

• • Rating 5 out of 5   2 reviews

Master's Student: The courses are challenging but the professors are very open to helping with students who are struggling and/or need extra time. I learned a lot during my time in the program. ... Read 2 reviews

Kansas State University ,

MANHATTAN, KS ,

2 Niche users give it an average review of 5 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says The courses are challenging but the professors are very open to helping with students who are struggling and/or need extra time. I learned a lot during my time in the program. .

College of Arts and Sciences - University of Nebraska - Lincoln

Lincoln, NE •

University of Nebraska - Lincoln •

University of Nebraska - Lincoln ,

LINCOLN, NE ,

College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources - University of Nebraska - Lincoln

College of agricultural sciences and natural resources - texas tech university.

Lubbock, TX •

Texas Tech University •

Texas Tech University ,

LUBBOCK, TX ,

Colorado State University College of Agricultural Sciences

Fort Collins, CO •

Colorado State University •

Colorado State University ,

FORT COLLINS, CO ,

Oregon State University College of Agricultural Sciences

Corvallis, OR •

Oregon State University •

Oregon State University ,

CORVALLIS, OR ,

College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences - North Dakota State University

Fargo, ND •

North Dakota State University •

North Dakota State University ,

FARGO, ND ,

College of Agriculture and Applied Science - Utah State University

Logan, UT •

Utah State University •

Utah State University ,

LOGAN, UT ,

College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences - New Mexico State University

Las Cruces, NM •

New Mexico State University •

New Mexico State University ,

LAS CRUCES, NM ,

LaFetra College of Education

University of La Verne •

LA VERNE, CA

• • Rating 4.44 out of 5   9

Los Angeles College of Music

PASADENA, CA

• • Rating 4 out of 5   3

Jessup University

• • Rating 4.5 out of 5   6

Showing results 1 through 25 of 30

College of Agriculture & Natural Resources Department of Horticulture

Graduate program.

One of the strengths of the Horticulture Graduate Program is founded in the interdisciplinary and integrative nature of horticulture, allowing graduate students a great deal of flexibility in designing their individualized programs of study and research.

Students have access to state-of-the-art research facilities, including laboratories, greenhouses, growth chambers, and both on- and off-campus field research stations.

Horticulture faculty  develop and procure funding for individual and multidisciplinary team research projects, providing a wide range of opportunities for master's and doctoral students. To view the department's research areas, which includes a listing of faculty's specific focus, visit our Research Focus Area page .

A graduate degree in the Horticulture Graduate Program draws upon the expertise of roughly 30 faculty members in the Horticulture Department, as well as the advisory expertise of many faculty from across campus in basic plant biology, pathology, entomology, forestry, agronomy, genetics, biochemistry, marketing, food science, health and nutrition, engineering, etc.

Students also may study with Horticulture faculty through interdepartmental programs in Genetics, Plant Breeding and Genetics, Cell and Molecular Biology, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, and Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems .

At MSU , work towards the graduate degree involves training and experience in research, teaching and professional communications with peers, industries and the public. It is the goal of the Horticulture Graduate Program to produce the leaders of tomorrow who can integrate knowledge and resources from multiple disciplines to improve the performance, production, profitability, and environmental sustainability of high value crops.

Department Information

• What is Horticulture?
• Learning Outcomes and Assessment
• Faculty and Staff
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
• Certificate and Degree Programs
• Jobs & Internships
• Scholarships
• Student Horticulture Association
• Student Organic Farm
• Office for International Students & Scholars

Research Focus Areas

• Landscapes, Gardens and Urban Food Production
• Plant and Crop Physiology and Biochemistry
• Plant Breeding, Genetics, Genomics and Biotechnology
• Sustainable Crop Production, Food Systems and Agroecology

Our Gardens

• Welcome to the Gardens
• Garden Visitor and Tour Information
• Garden Programs
• Plan a wedding or event in the gardens
• Volunteer in the Gardens

• Skip to primary navigation
• Skip to main content

Ph.D. Horticulture

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in Horticulture program is designed to prepare students to become successful independent researchers to help meet the challenge of providing nutritious foods and sustaining an aesthetically-pleasing and healthy environment to support the health and well-being of the citizens of Texas and beyond. Our program provides an advanced science-based education for students through innovative teaching and directed horticultural research experiences. The program encompasses basic genetic, physiology, production, processing and utilization of horticultural products including fruits, vegetables, flowers, and landscape plants.

Ph. D. Program Details

For a PhD degree, a student with a Master’s degree must complete 64 hours, and a student with only a baccalaureate degree must complete 96 hours.

• Degree: Ph.D. in Horticulture
• Credit Hours: 36 total credit hours

NOTE: It is highly recommended that all graduate students in the Department of Horticultural Sciences have taken or will take 6 credit hours of 200, 300, 400, or 600 level HORT courses prior to admission. In the event that a student is deficient in HORT courses, the student’s committee can require the student to take an additional 6 credit hours of HORT (300, 400 or 600 level courses) as part of their degree  The courses must be approved by the Chair of the student’s Advisory Committee.  Any 300, 400, or 600 level courses may be applied towards the student’s Degree Plan with the Chair and Committee’s approval.  These 6 hours of HORT courses will be in addition to the 9 hour Master’s and 12 hour Doctoral requirement at the 600 level for all HORT graduate students.  If the student is deficient in the non-HORT supporting field courses (for example: chemistry, soils, plant physiology, etc.), the Chair will determine course prerequisites that need to be taken.

More information about the Department of Horticultural Science’s graduate faculty and their research can be found in Table 2 of the TAMU Graduate Horticultural Sciences Policy Handbook .

Degree requirements are posted in the official TAMU  Graduate Horticultural Sciences Policy Manual . Students must meet requirements set forth in the Texas A&M University catalog which is current in the year of their first registration, and the catalog is updated on an annual basis.  The official University Catalog for the current academic year can be accessed online.

Graduate Admissions

Texas A&M University is the premier choice to gain a graduate degree, thanks to our national academic ranking and high financial value. Joining the Aggie Family and gaining an advanced degree from Texas A&M puts you in the highest class of job candidates.

What Do I Need to Apply?

• Minimum GPR of 3.0 in the last 60 hours of undergraduate work, or 3.25 in 30 hours or more of graduate work.
• Application through the Texas A&M University GraduateCAS system
• Resume or Curriculum Vitae
• Statement of Purpose
• Three letters of recommendation, submitted online with your application.
• Official transcripts and records , sent to the Office of Admissions .

International Students

International students are required to verify English language proficiency using one of the methods outlined by the Office of Admissions details can be found at Texas A&M University Office of Admissions.

A member of Texas A&M AgriLife

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service | Texas A&M AgriLife Research | Texas A&M Forest Service | Texas A&M AgriLife Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Lab | College of Agriculture & Life Sciences

Graduate Program in Horticulture and Landscape Architecture

Welcome to the graduate program information page for the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture at Purdue University!

Our graduate program offers thesis-based Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Master of Science (M.S.) and Landscape Systems and Design Master of Science (M.S.) degrees. Reflecting the research interests of our faculty, graduate students in our program engage in projects that explore fundamental concepts of plant biology, applied aspects of horticulture, and landscape management. The research program in Purdue HLA is internationally recognized for its discoveries, extraordinary publication and extramural funding records, and the strong involvement of its excellent faculty in graduate student mentoring. Areas of concentration include plant molecular genetics and epigenetics, plant physiology and stress biology, plant genetics and breeding, plant cellular and developmental biology, sustainable production horticulture, bioenergy, contained environment growing, floriculture, weed science, turf management, horticultural marketing, landscape management, and horticultural social sciences.

Our goal is to prepare students through scholarly study and research experiences for professional careers in basic and applied plant science, with an emphasis on improving food, fiber, fuel, ornamental crops, and landscape management. We value diversity in our graduate program, and we recognize that diversity fosters creativity, drives scholarly dialogue, and enriches all activities in our department. We also recognize the unique needs and ambitions of our students. We are therefore committed to supporting the whole graduate education experience to create an environment that promotes student success and well-being. The personal, professional, and career development of each student is the central focus of our training and mentoring. We have implemented a holistic admissions process and we intentionally look to identify opportunities, programs, and initiatives that support students. Students participate in designing their thesis research and in the implementation of their course curriculum with plans of study tailored around each student’s needs, interests, and future career goals. HLA graduate students are encouraged to participate in a wide range of professional development offerings at Purdue and to be involved with departmental, college, and university-level organizations. HLA has a vibrant and welcoming graduate student association which provides incoming students an opportunity to connect with peers. Students are also able to expand their professional networks outside the university through interactions with seminar speakers, research collaborators, and colleagues at professional society meetings. We actively celebrate and promote the scholarly achievements of our students through a variety of platforms to increase their visibility in the department, university, and larger scientific community.

Faculty in the program conduct extramurally-funded research on such topics as:

• Controlled environment agriculture
• Horticultural Economics and Marketing
• Specialty crop production
• Landscape Systems and Design
• Plant breeding and genome engineering
• Plant secondary metabolism
• Improvement of postharvest fruit quality
• Plant mineral nutrition
• Mineral nutrient utilization from cellular to global scales
• Postharvest physiology
• Plant cell cycle regulation
• Plant epigenetics
• Plant interactions with soil microbial communities
• Regulation of plant architecture and reproduction
• Sustainable biofuel production
• Turf grass science
• Stress tolerance in crop plants
• Water utilization and stress responses
• Weed science in specialty crops and technology

Graduate Handbook - Rules and Regulations Visit Purdue

Graduate Curriculum

Students enter the graduate program with different professional objectives and varying academic backgrounds. Therefore, there are few required courses and credit requirements in our M.S. and Ph.D. degree programs. However, M.S. and Ph.D. students generally take 24 or more credit hours of coursework. Students are advised to work with the advisory committee that they select to schedule coursework that will complement their research plan. Graduate programs generally include required and elective course work and seminars, written and oral examinations, and original research guided by a major professor. Graduate student research projects are generally funded by extramural grants, which usually increase the resources available to the student researcher. Participation by graduate researchers at professional society meetings is actively encouraged and financially supported by the department.

Graduate Faculty

The Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture has an outstanding faculty representing a broad range of disciplines within horticulture and landscape architecture. These individuals can provide training opportunities in their areas of specialization. We recommend that potential students identify particular faculty members who share their academic interests and contact these individuals directly.

Graduate Faculty in Horticulture and Area of Specialization

Research Facilities

Modern research laboratories and state-of-the-art analytical equipment are available for graduate student research in the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, which also maintains greenhouses, controlled environment facilities, and several research farms.

Graduate students have access to one of the most extensive online libraries in the world and have access to extensive bioinformatics platforms, many of which have been developed at Purdue in collaboration with members of the HLA Department.

Financial Aid

Most HLA graduate students receive financial support in the form of research and teaching assistantships, fellowships and/or other awards covering living expenses while working on their degree. These assistantships are like fellowships in that students are paid to pursue their own research projects. The assistantship provides a base salary for each fiscal year period, along with a remission of all but a portion of fees, $298.00 for fall/spring per semester and $149.00 summer session. Research assistantships may be sponsored by grants or by the department. We try to provide all graduate students with the opportunity to be a Teaching Assistant for at least one semester; students selected to be Teaching Assistants will be provided a teaching assistantship for that semester at the same rate of pay as the research assistantship.

Application Procedures

Admission criteria and selection for fellowships and assistantships is based upon several criteria. These include: the student's academic background, grade point average, letters of recommendation, relevant experience, a written statement by the applicant, answers to department-specific questions, and the availability of a major adviser in an applicant's interest area.

Applicants whose native language is not English must take the TOEFL, even if they are already in the United States when they apply. Purdue University Graduate School applicants who take the TOEFL IBT must achieve the following minimum test scores: reading 19; listening 14; speaking 18 and writing 18. As an alternative to the TOEFL, the Graduate School accepts IELTS scores of 6.5 or higher.

Students who are interested in being considered for Purdue University-wide fellowships should apply by December 1st for summer or fall admission. Applications for the HLA Graduate Program are otherwise accepted and reviewed year round with support from any member of the graduate faculty. To obtain instructions on how to apply to this program, please go to the  Graduate School Application .

Contact Information

Related web sites.

• Purdue University Interdisciplinary Life Science Ph.D. program (PULSe)
• Graduate School Electronic Application
• Purdue University Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture
• Purdue University Graduate School
• Graduate School Calendar of Events

Purdue University

• Purdue Center for Plant Biology (CPB)

Living in Lafayette - West Lafayette

The home of Purdue University is Indiana’s Lafayette-West Lafayette area. Conveniently located one hour northwest of Indianapolis and two hours southeast of Chicago, Lafayette-West Lafayette offers a small-town atmosphere with convenient and easy access to major metropolitan cities.

• Graduate Staff Health Insurance
• Lafayette - West Lafayette Convention and Visitors Bureau
• West Lafayette Parks & Recreation
• Off-Campus Housing From Apartment List.com

Purdue University was founded in 1869 as a land grant institution. Today, Purdue University is one of the 25 largest universities in the nation and includes four campuses across the State of Indiana.

On the West Lafayette campus, the University offers over 160 graduate programs with more than 600 research and study areas organized in 12 colleges and schools within the Graduate School. Approximately 46,000 students are enrolled at the West Lafayette campus, including over 10,000 graduate and professional students. In 2021, the College of Agriculture ranked as the #7 Agriculture program in the U.S.

• Data Digest
• Discovery Park
• Purdue Research Park

• Alumni and Giving
• Contact Us / Facilities
• JC Raulston Arboretum
• Undergraduate
• International Programs
• Scholarships
• Career Experiences
• Directory Listings
• Administration
• Adjunct Faculty
• EHRA Professionals
• Graduate Students
• Research Areas
• CALS Partnerships
• Labs & Field Stations
• Horticulture Portal
• Horticulture Activity Report
• Give Now 

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Once obtained, the PhD degree represents the ability of the recipient to conduct original research and scholarly work at the highest level without supervision. As stated in the NCSU Graduate Catalog, “The degree is not granted simply upon completion of a stated amount of course work, but rather upon demonstration by the student of comprehensive knowledge and high attainment in scholarship in a specialized field of study. The student must demonstrate this ability by writing a dissertation reporting the results of an original investigation and by passing a series of comprehensive examinations in the field of specialization and related areas of knowledge.”

To be admitted to the PhD program, you must have a BS and MS degrees from accredited institution(s). Occasionally, the department will admit a qualifying student directly into the PhD program after completing their BS degrees. These students must have obtained three or more years of professional experience in a related area of horticultural science after completion of their BS degree and high GPA/GRE scores.

The following links are vital information to the Doctor of Philosophy program.

Eligibility

Bachelor of science / master of science courses.

• Horticultural Science or Landscape Horticulture courses (in your area of interest)
• Background courses: advanced math, statistics, general and organic chemistry, and physics
• Biology courses: plant biology, botany, plant physiology, plant pathology, entomology, soils, genetics/genomics/biotechnology, and biochemistry

Basic requirements

• GPA of 3.0 or better for the BS and MS degree programs
• For non- native English speakers, minimum TOEFL scores of 80 or better
• A GPA of 3.0 must be maintained for all graduate course work during the degree program.
• All degree requirements must be completed within ten calendar years, beginning with the date the student takes courses carrying graduate credit applicable to their degree program. Students must be continuously enrolled for the duration of their program.
• Advisory committee of at least four graduate faculty members, and at least one member of the advisory committee must be from a different department. That member could represent the minor field, if declared. A Representative of the Graduate School will also be appointed by the Graduate School to serve on the committee.
• HS 601 Professional Presentation Skill
• Students are encouraged, but not required to take the Horticultural Science core courses
• As soon as possible after the appointment (or after completion of 18 credit hours of course work), the committee must meet with the student and prepare a Plan of Graduate Work, which must be approved by the DGP and the Graduate School. In addition to the proposed course work, the subject of the student’s dissertation must appear on the plan.
• Doctoral degrees at North Carolina State University require a minimum of 72 graduate credit hours beyond the Bachelor’s degree.
• For a student who has a Master’s degree from a university other than NC State, a maximum of 18 hours of relevant graduate credit from the Master’s degree may be applied toward this minimum, upon the recommendation of the student’s Graduate Advisory Committee. Therefore, the minimum credit-hour requirement, in this case, is 54 credit hours.
• If a student completes a Master’s degree at NC State and continues for a doctoral degree without a break in time, up to 36 credit hours taken while in Master’s status may be used to meet minimum requirements for the doctoral degree. Students cannot take 400-level courses or lower as part of the credit-hour requirement.
• A graduate course that was completed while enrolled in PBS status at NC State University may be considered for transfer to a doctoral program provided that it is a 500- or 700-level course and that the grade is B or better.
• All coursework scheduled in the graduate degree classification must be completed prior to graduation.
• Qualifying  Written Examinations  in the major and minor fields are scheduled no earlier than the end of the second year of graduate study and no later than one semester before the final oral examination.
• When all written examinations have been completed satisfactorily, the preliminary  Oral Examination  is scheduled for admission to candidacy. If student is awarded a graduate assistantship, she/he must complete the preliminary oral exam prior to the start of the eleventh (11th) semester
• All  PhD students  are expected to give two formal departmental seminars. The first will be early in their graduate program (usually the beginning of the third semester) and will focus on a review of the literature, proposed research, and research progress made to date. The second will be scheduled in conjunction with their  Final Oral Examination .

Additional Requirements

• Departmental Seminars
• Teaching Experience
• Outreach/Extension Experiences

The Doctor of Philosophy per semester graduate tuition and fee rates for North Carolina residents, starting Fall, 2023 is $5,850.13 for 9+ credit hours of coursework. Online courses and the MHS-DE degree option may be subject to different rates. Visit NC State’s Tuition and Fees page for detailed information about graduate tuition and fees.

Financial aid eligibility is determined by the Financial Aid Office. We encourage you to contact your financial aid counselor in the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid. Criteria for funding are based on academic merit, demonstrated financial need, and enrollment in multiple courses per semester. For additional information, please visit NC State’s Student Services Center website , or call (919) 515-2421 . NC State also offers a monthly payment plan .

Students pursuing this degree may be eligible for teaching assistantship funding. PhD students on Graduate Assistantships provided through the Graduate Student Support Plan (GSSP) will receive a stipend, tuition, and health insurance for a specified number of semesters. University fees are not covered by the GSSP, but some faculty advisors may have external funding to cover these costs.

Director of Graduate Programs

Dr. Gina Fernandez Professor and Director of Graduate Programs John D. and Nell R. Leazar Distinguished Professor Department of Horticultural Science 260 Kilgore Hall, Campus Box 7609 Raleigh, NC  27695-7609

• Name * First Last
• Master of Science (MS)
• Master of Horticultural Science (MHS)
• Doctorate (PhD)
• Your Message *
• Comments This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

• Graduate Programs
• Prospective Students
• Current Students
• Faculty & Staff
• Degree Programs >

PHD, Horticulture

We offer Master’s and Ph.D. programs. These are traditional academic degree programs, emphasizing scientific study and original research. Each program is tailored to meet the needs of the student. Graduates work in academia, government, and industry.

Degree Type: Doctoral

Degree Program Code: PHD_HORT

Degree Program Summary:

The Department of Horticulture offers graduate work leading to the Master of Science and the Doctor of Philosophy degrees. Active teaching and research programs are being conducted in ornamental horticulture, floriculture, fruits, vegetables, and nut crops. Students can focus on areas of specialization that include plant breeding, physiology, plant development, biotechnology, postharvest physiology, nutrition, biochemistry, integrated pest management, weed control, water relations, crop production and management, and product utilization. The department has about 40 full-time faculty members located at the Athens, Tifton and Griffin campuses, and various other locations in the state. The facilities available for graduate training include three well-equipped Experiment stations, the State Botanical Garden, and several field research centers that represent the climatic areas of the state. The department has strong interdisciplinary research programs with other departments in the University. Cooperative work is available with three federal research laboratories.

The Department of Horticulture consists of four units: a teaching / research unit located on the main campus in Athens, research unit located at the Georgia Station in Griffin and the Coastal Plain Station in Tifton, and and extension unit with faculty in Athens, Griffin, Tifton, and Bryon Ga.

The Department of Horticulture offers undergraduate majors in Horticulture and Landscape and Grounds Management. Within the Horticulture major, a student may select to concentrate in fruits / vegetables, turf management, ornamentals, or on a graduate school option. The department also offers a minor in horticulture which is awarded following the successful completion of 27 hours of horticultural courses. The graduate program offers programs of study which lead to the M.S. or Ph.D. degrees.

Georgia horticultural scientists use modern equipment and techniques to serve the fastest growing agricultural commodity in the state and nation. Georgia is the “Peach State,” as peach-growing technology evolved in the state during the early 1900s. Scientists conduct cultivar, pruning, root restriction, and cold hardiness studies to maintain Georgia’s ranking as the number two U.S. producer.

Georgia’s pecan industry leads the United States and the world in production. In the last 30 years, University of Georgia scientists have prompted a 50 percent increase in yield of pecans by furthering the understanding of the alternate-bearing habit and nutritional needs of pecan.

The value of the Georgia Vidalia sweet onion crop has doubled since the late 1980s. The new capability to store excess supply in controlled atmospheric storage, as discovered by our scientists, enables growers to store excess production and maintain stable prices. Cultural, biochemical, and genetic control of the characteristic flavor of Vidalia onions is currently being studied.

A two thousand percent increase in the value of the tomato crop in Georgia in the 1980s indicates the growth of the vegetable industry in the state. Current research is examining methods to control pests biologically, increase the stress tolerance of transplants, and increase cropping efficiency.

The ornamental horticulture industry is forecasted to be a billion dollar industry in Georgia by the year 2000. The growth of Atlanta, site of the 1996 Summer Olympics, has catalyzed the growth of the industry. Georgia scientists maintain their national leadership role in new pot, cut flower, and landscape plant selection, propagation, and production research.

Locations Offered:

Athens (Main Campus)

College / School:

College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences

147 Cedar Street Athens, GA 30602

706-542-3924

Department:

Horticulture

Graduate Coordinator(s):

H. Dayton Wilde

Phone Number:

706-542-5816

Search for another degree

Find your graduate program.

Offering 200+ degrees, certificates and programs of study, we’ll help you get started on your graduate journey.

 or 

Search by keyword, program of study, department or area of interest

Interested in earning both a bachelor’s & master’s degree in five years or less?

Learn more about Double Dawgs .

Unlocking potential. Building futures.

Apply Today

The Graduate School Brooks Hall 310 Herty Drive Athens, GA 30602 706.542.1739

• Administration
• Graduate Bulletin
• Strategic Plan
• Virtual Tour
• Request Information
• Requirements
• Application Fee
• Check Status
• UGA Main Campus
• UGA Gwinnett
• UGA Griffin
• UGA Atlanta-Buckhead

College of Agricultural Sciences

Ph.D. in Horticulture

In This Section

• Future Students
• Request More Info
• Apply Today

Doctor of Philosophy in Horticulture

The Doctor of Philosophy in Horticulture program develops a horticulture graduate student into a professional horticulturist on the highest plane. The Ph.D. is the highest earned degree offered by universities. It is only conferred for independent work of distinction in which the student displays original scholarship of marked ability and achievement. The Ph.D. program aims to:

• Provide an opportunity for advanced study and specialization in horticulture
• Assist the student in developing proficiency in independent scientific investigation
• Allow the student to rigorously acquire and develop new knowledge, technical skills, communication skills, and creative problem-solving capabilities that enable them to conduct advanced research in horticulture.
• The Ph.D. program requires that the student conducts an independent research investigation, reports the results in both a written dissertation and a peer reviewed publication, and defends the dissertation in a final oral exam, or defense.

Visit the Graduate Studies in Horticulture page on for more details

Browse Program of Study

Where You’ll Find Us

CSU Horticulture Center

A center for teaching, research and extension for horticulture and landscape programs.

Agricultural Research and Development Center

Work directly with crops and livestock at this research and teaching complex — one of ten around the state.

Learn More about ARDEC

Annual Flower Garden Trials

One of the top tourist attractions in Fort Collins. Explore more than 1,000 varieties at this campus flower garden.

Visit the Flower Trials Website

Related Interests

• Agriculture
• Business Management
• Floriculture

 Related Careers

• Biotechnologist
• Extension Specialist
• Floriculturist
• Fruit and Vegetable Producer
• Greenhouse Production Specialist
• Horticultural Therapist
• Plant Breeder

Graduate Student Program Contacts

Please reach out with questions about our graduate programs.

Jessica Prenni

Graduate program faculty chair.

[email protected]

Karen Allison

Graduate program coordinator.

[email protected]

Horticulture and Agronomy

Graduate Studies

• Doctor of Philosophy
• Master of Science

The Horticulture and Agronomy Graduate Group offers programs of study leading to the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees for students interested in the science and management of agricultural crops, including their ecology, physiology, genetics, and post-harvest management, as well as the interaction of agricultural crops with the environment. These programs are designed to focus on a cropping system, such as agronomy, environmental horticulture, pomology, vegetable crops, viticulture, and weed science. Within that cropping system, the student can specialize in one of a number of areas, including agroecology, biotechnology, breeding and crop improvement, crop physiology, crop production, floriculture, landscape horticulture, mineral nutrition, modeling, nursery production, pest management, plant growth and development, postharvest physiology, revegetation/restoration, and water relations. Research may be conducted within these areas with an applied or basic focus, but in association with a cropping system.

Graduate Program Requirements

Contact information.

Texas A&M University

PHD, Horticulture

College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, Department of Horticultural Sciences

Texas A&M University - College Station

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in Horticulture program is designed to prepare students to become successful independent researchers to help meet the challenge of providing nutritious foods and sustaining an aesthetically-pleasing and healthy environment to support the health and well-being of the citizens of Texas and beyond. Our program provides an advanced science-based education for students through innovative teaching and directed horticultural research experiences. The program encompasses basic genetic, physiology, production, processing and utilization of horticultural products including fruits, vegetables, flowers, and landscape plants.

The Department of Horticultural Sciences is focused on improving the quality of life related to the aesthetic disciplines, the production of healthful fruits and vegetables, and improving the utility and sustainability of the built environment. The PhD in Horticulture prepares students to accomplish this mission by providing them with the knowledge, resources and skills to become productive researchers in the field of Horticulture. The program includes formal classroom training, basic and applied research opportunities, and public outreach opportunities through Extension programming. The PhD degree is obtained through appropriate course work, completion of research and other requirements, successful completion of university-directed administrative procedures, and successful defense of the dissertation. The research project and specific coursework will be outlined by the student with guidance from the student's graduate advisory committee members. Students completing a Doctor of Philosophy in Horticulture are prepared for teaching/research positions within academia or lead research positions in government or the private sector.

This program is offered as a cooperative program with Texas A&M University-Kingsville.

MAgr, Horticulture

Ms, horticulture, related programs, explore grad aggieland, texas a&m grad student achieves world first by growing chickpeas in moondust mixture.

By adding fungi and worm manure to simulated moondust, researchers managed to grow a small crop of the protein-rich legumes, offering hope for future lunar farming efforts.

Twenty-Seven

Every year for the past three years I have written a blog about my birthday. In past years, I wrote about my favorite candy or current obsessions. I wrote some about my cat, my family, my friends, and my community. With those blogs open in another tab, I sit here at twenty-seven years old, writing another year of what turns out to be much of the same “me.”

Imagining Animals Differently: Iris Murdoch on Disagreement and Moral Change

Graduate School

• Make a Gift

Home » Horticulture (Ph.D.)

Horticulture (Ph.D.)

The Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture encourages human engagement with the landscape and focuses on solving problems for people, agriculture, and the environment through scholarship and creativity fostered by teamwork and individual diversity.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Horticulture

Areas of study.

• Bioactive plant components
• Dietary intervention/cancer prevention
• Ecophysiology
• Environmental and stress physiology
• Floriculture
• Fruit/vegetables
• Germplasm conservation
• Greenhouse technology
• Landscape ecology
• Landscape/ornamental plants
• Landscape water conservation/xeriscapes
• Organic/sustainable production
• Plant antioxidants
• Plant tissue culture
• Potato breeding
• Potato production management
• Potato storage physiology
• Rhizosphere biology/ecology
• Turfgrass science
• Viticulture
• Contact your department representative or request more program information .
• Check out department requirements and resources from your department’s website.
• When you’re ready to take the leap, start your application .

Requirements

Coursework, credit requirements, and more information is available in the Colorado State University general catalog . Please contact your department representative with program-related questions.

Student Employment

Graduate students interested in employment positions (GTA, GRA, GSA appointments and hourly positions) should contact their advisor and their departmental graduate coordinator for the process to apply.

Financial Aid

• Financial aid resources available through the Office of Financial Aid website.
• Your department may have financial aid options available and please check our financial resource section for additional opportunities.

Ohio State nav bar

The Ohio State University

• Buckeye Link
• Find People
• Search Ohio State
• Degrees and programs
• Horticulture and Crop Science
• Doctor of Philosophy

Horticulture and Crop Science Doctor of Philosophy

Graduate students in horticulture and crop science have access to some of the highest quality faculty  and research experiences in the world. The graduate program provides training and leadership opportunities for the next generation of scientists who will address critical issues related to the production of food, feed, fuel, fiber and pharmaceutical crops in ways that are economically viable, socially acceptable and environmentally responsible.

Graduate students and faculty in the Department of Horticulture & Crop Science study fundamental and applied aspects of the biology, production and environmental impact of a wide range of crop and ornamental plants grown in Ohio and around the world. Students have the opportunity to work with major grain crops, such as corn, wheat, forages and soybean, as well as vegetable crops, fruits, berries, turfgrass, flowers, trees and ornamental landscape plants. Our graduate students and faculty have access to state-of-the-art resources for laboratory and field experimentation in genetics, breeding, horticulture, seed biology, agronomy, viticulture, weed ecology and turfgrass science. 

Optional Practical Training (OPT)

International graduates of this major are approved by the Department of Homeland Security for three (3) years of work permission in the United States after graduation. Visit the Office of International Affairs website for more information.

If you have a disability and experience difficulty accessing this content, please contact [email protected] .

Student Academic Services Building | 281 W. Lane Ave. | Columbus, Ohio 43210

Webmaster | Nondiscrimination notice | Annual Security Report | GP program resources

Privacy statement | Cookie settings

Texas A&M University Catalogs

Doctor of philosophy in horticulture.

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in Horticulture program is designed to prepare students to become successful independent researchers to help meet the challenge of providing nutritious foods and sustaining an aesthetically-pleasing and healthy environment to support the health and well-being of the citizens of Texas and beyond. Our program provides an advanced science-based education for students through innovative teaching and directed horticultural research experiences. The program encompasses basic genetic, physiology, production, processing and utilization of horticultural products including fruits, vegetables, flowers, and landscape plants.

Mission Statement

The Department of Horticultural Sciences is focused on improving the quality of life related to the aesthetic disciplines, the production of healthful fruits and vegetables, and improving the utility and sustainability of the built environment. The PhD in Horticulture prepares students to accomplish this mission by providing them with the knowledge, resources and skills to become productive researchers in the field of Horticulture. The program includes formal classroom training, basic and applied research opportunities, and public outreach opportunities through Extension programming.  The PhD degree is obtained through appropriate course work, completion of research and other requirements, successful completion of university-directed administrative procedures, and successful defense of the dissertation.  The research project and specific coursework will be outlined by the student with guidance from the student's graduate advisory committee members. Students completing a Doctor of Philosophy in Horticulture are prepared for teaching/research positions within academia or lead research positions in government or the private sector.

This program is offered as a cooperative program with Texas A&M University-Kingsville.

Steps to Fulfill a Doctoral Program

Program Requirements

• Student's Advisory Committee

Degree Plan

Transfer of credit, research proposal.

• Preliminary Examination

Preliminary Examination Format

Preliminary examination scheduling, report of preliminary examination, failure of the preliminary examination, retake of failed preliminary examination.

• Final Examination

Report of Final Examination

Dissertation, student’s advisory committee.

After receiving admission to graduate studies and enrolling, the student will consult with the head of his or her major or administrative department (or chair of the intercollegiate faculty) concerning appointment of the chair of the advisory committee. The student’s advisory committee will consist of  no fewer than four members of the graduate faculty  representative of the student’s several fields of study and research, where the chair or co-chair must be from the student’s department (or intercollegiate faculty, if applicable), and  at least one or more of the members must have an appointment to a department other than the student’s major department . The outside member for a student in an interdisciplinary degree program must be from a department different from the chair of the student’s committee.

The chair, in consultation with the student, will select the remainder of the advisory committee. Only graduate faculty members located on Texas A&M University campuses may serve as chair of a student’s advisory committee. Other Texas A&M University graduate faculty members located off-campus may serve as a member or co-chair (but not chair), with a member as the chair.

If the chair of a student’s advisory committee voluntarily leaves the University and the student is near completion of the degree and wants the chair to continue to serve in this role, the student is responsible for securing a current member of the University Graduate Faculty, from the student’s academic program and located near the Texas A&M University campus site, to serve as the co-chair of the committee. The Department Head or Chair of Intercollegiate faculty may request in writing to the Associate Provost and Dean of the Graduate and Professional School that a faculty member who is on an approved leave of absence or has voluntarily separated from the university, be allowed to continue to serve in the role of chair of a student’s advisory committee without a co-chair for up to one year. The students should be near completion of the degree. Extensions beyond the one year period can be granted with additional approval of the Dean.

The committee members’ signatures on the degree plan indicate their willingness to accept the responsibility for guiding and directing the entire academic program of the student and for initiating all academic actions concerning the student. Although individual committee members may be replaced by petition for valid reasons, a committee cannot resign  en masse . The chair of the committee, who usually has immediate supervision of the student’s research and dissertation or record of study, has the responsibility for calling all meetings of the committee. The duties of the committee include responsibility for the proposed degree plan, the research proposal, the preliminary examination, the dissertation or record of study and the final examination. In addition, the committee, as a group and as individual members, is responsible for counseling the student on academic matters, and, in the case of academic deficiency, initiating recommendations to the Graduate and Professional School.

The student’s advisory committee will evaluate the student’s previous education and degree objectives. The committee, in consultation with the student, will develop a proposed degree plan and outline a research problem which, when completed, as indicated by the dissertation (or its equivalent for the degree of Doctor of Education or the degree of Doctor of Engineering), will constitute the basic requirements for the degree. The degree plan must be filed with the Graduate and Professional School prior to the deadline imposed by the student’s college and no later than 90 days prior to the preliminary examination.

This proposed degree plan should be submitted through the online Document Processing Submission System located on the website  http://ogsdpss.tamu.edu . A minimum of 64 hours is required on the degree plan for the Doctor of Philosophy for a student who has completed a master’s degree. A student who has completed a DDS/DMD, DVM or a MD at a U.S. institution is also required to complete a minimum of 64 hours. A student who has completed a baccalaureate degree but not a master’s degree will be required to complete a 96-hour degree plan. Completion of a DDS/DMD, DVM or MD degree at a foreign institution requires completion of a minimum of 96 hours for the Doctor of Philosophy. A field of study may be primarily in one department or in a combination of departments. A degree plan must carry a reasonable amount of 691 (research). A maximum of 9 hours of 400-level undergraduate courses may be used toward meeting credit-hour requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy.

Additional coursework may be added by petition to the approved degree plan by the student’s advisory committee if it is deemed necessary to correct deficiencies in the student’s academic preparation. No changes can be made to the degree plan once the student’s Request for Final Examination is approved by the Graduate and Professional School.

Approval to enroll in any professional course (900-level) should be obtained from the head of the department (or Chair of the intercollegiate faculty, if applicable) in which the course will be offered before including such a course on a degree plan.

No credit may be obtained by correspondence study, by extension or for any course of fewer than three weeks duration.

For non-distance degree programs, no more than four courses may be taken by distance education without approval of the Graduate and Professional School and no more than 50 percent of the non-research credit hours required for the program may be completed through distance education courses.

To receive a graduate degree from Texas A&M University, students must earn one-third or more of the credits through the institution’s own direct instruction. This limitation also applies to joint degree programs. 

Courses for which transfer credits are sought must have been completed with a grade of B or greater and must be approved by the student’s advisory committee and the Graduate and Professional School. These courses must not have been used previously for another degree. Except for officially approved cooperative doctoral programs, credit for thesis or dissertation research or the equivalent is not transferable. Credit for “internship” coursework in any form is not transferable. Courses taken in residence at an accredited U.S. institution or approved international institution with a final grade of B or greater will be considered for transfer credit if, at the time the courses were completed, the courses would be accepted for credit toward a similar degree for a student in degree-seeking status at the host institution. Credit for coursework taken by extension is not transferable. Coursework  in which no formal grades are given or in which grades other than letter grades (A or B) are earned (for example, CR, P, S, U, H, etc.) is not accepted for transfer credit . Credit for coursework submitted for transfer from any college or university must be shown in semester credit hours, or equated to semester credit hours.

Courses used toward a degree at another institution may not be applied for graduate credit. If the course to be transferred was taken prior to the conferral of a degree at the transfer institution, a letter from the registrar at that institution stating that the course was not applied for credit toward the degree must be submitted to the Graduate and Professional School.

Grades for courses completed at other institutions are not included in computing the GPA. An official transcript from the university at which transfer courses are taken must be sent directly to the Office of Admissions.

The general field of research to be used for the dissertation should be agreed on by the student and the advisory committee at their first meeting, as a basis for selecting the proper courses to support the proposed research.

As soon thereafter as the research project can be outlined in reasonable detail, the dissertation research proposal should be completed. The research proposal should be approved at a meeting of the student’s advisory committee, at which time the feasibility of the proposed research and the adequacy of available facilities should be reviewed. The approved proposal, signed by all members of the student’s advisory committee, the head of the student’s major department (or chair of the intercollegiate faculty, if applicable), must be submitted to the Graduate and Professional School at least 20 working days prior to the submission of the Request for the Final Examination.

Compliance issues must be addressed if a graduate student is performing research involving human subjects, animals, infectious biohazards and recombinant DNA. A student involved in these types of research should check with the Office of Research Compliance and Biosafety at (979) 458-1467 to address questions about all research compliance responsibilities. Additional information can also be obtained on the website  http:// rcb.tamu.edu .

Examinations

Preliminary examination for doctoral students.

The student’s major department (or chair of the interdisciplinary degree program faculty, if applicable) and his or her advisory committee may require qualifying, cumulative or other types of examinations at any time deemed desirable. These examinations are entirely at the discretion of the department and the student’s advisory committee.

The preliminary examination is required. The preliminary examination for a doctoral student shall be given no earlier than a date at which the student is within 6 credit hours of completion of the formal coursework on the degree plan (i.e., all coursework on the degree plan except 681, 684, 690, 691, 692, 693, 695, 697, 791, or other graduate courses specifically designated as S/U in the course catalog). The student should complete the Preliminary Examination no later than the end of the semester following the completion of the formal coursework on the degree plan.

The objective of preliminary examination is to evaluate whether the student has demonstrated the following qualifications:

a.     a mastery of the subject matter of all fields in the program;

b.     an adequate knowledge of the literature in these fields and an ability to carry out bibliographical research;

c.     an understanding of the research problem and the appropriate methodological approaches.

The format of the preliminary examination shall be determined by the student’s department (or interdisciplinary degree program, if applicable) and advisory committee, and communicated to the student in advance of the examination. The exam may consist of a written component, oral component, or combination of written and oral components.

The preliminary exam may be administered by the advisory committee or a departmental committee; herein referred to as the examination committee.

Regardless of exam format, a student will receive an overall preliminary exam result of pass or fail. The department (or interdisciplinary degree program, if applicable) will determine how the overall pass or fail result is determined based on the exam structure and internal department procedures. If the exam is administered by the advisory committee, each advisory committee member will provide a pass or fail evaluation decision.

Only one advisory committee substitution is allowed to provide an evaluation decision for a student’s preliminary exam, and it cannot be the committee chair.

If a student is required to take, as a part of the preliminary examination, a written component administered by a department or interdisciplinary degree program, the department or interdisciplinary degree program faculty must:

a.     offer the examination at least once every six months. The departmental or interdisciplinary degree program examination should be announced at least 30 days prior to the scheduled examination date.

b.     assume the responsibility for marking the examination satisfactory or unsatisfactory, or otherwise graded, and in the case of unsatisfactory, stating specifically the reasons for such a mark.

c.     forward the marked examination to the chair of the student’s advisory committee within one week after the examination.

Prior to commencing any component of the preliminary examination, a departmental representative or the advisory committee chair will review the eligibility criteria with the student, using the Preliminary Examination Checklist to ensure the student is eligible for the preliminary examination. The following list of eligibility requirements applies.

Student is registered at Texas A&M University for a minimum of one semester credit hour in the long semester or summer term during which any component of the preliminary examination is held. If the entire examination is held between semesters, then the student must be registered for the term immediately preceding the examination.

An approved degree plan is on file with the Graduate and Professional School prior to commencing the first component of the examination.

Student’s cumulative GPA is at least 3.000.

Student’s degree plan GPA is at least 3.000.

At the end of the semester in which at least the first component of the exam is given, there are no more than 6 hours of coursework remaining on the degree plan (except 681, 684, 690, 691, 692, 693, 695, 697, 791, or other graduate courses specifically designated as S/U in the course catalog). The head of the student’s department (or Chair of the Interdisciplinary Degree Program, if applicable) has the authority to approve a waiver of this criterion.

Credit for the preliminary examination is not transferable in cases where a student changes degree programs after passing a preliminary exam.

If a written component precedes an oral component of the preliminary exam, the chair of the student’s examination committee is responsible for making all written examinations available to all members of the committee. A positive evaluation of the preliminary exam by all members of a student’s examination committee with at most one dissension is required to pass a student on his or her preliminary exam.

The student’s department will promptly report the results of the Preliminary Examination to the Graduate and Professional School via the Report of Doctoral Preliminary Examination form. The Preliminary Examination checklist form must also be submitted. These forms should be submitted to the Graduate and Professional School within 10 working days of completion of the preliminary examination.

The Report of the Preliminary Examination form must be submitted with original signatures of the approved examination committee members. If an approved examination committee member substitution (one only) has been made, that signature must also be included, in place of the committee member, on the form submitted to the Graduate and Professional School. The original signature of the department head is also required on the form.

After passing the required preliminary oral and written examinations for a doctoral degree, the student must complete the final examination within four years of the semester in which the preliminary exam is taken. Exams taken in between terms will expire at the end of the term that ended prior to the exam. For example, a preliminary exam taken and passed during the fall 2019 semester will expire at the end of the fall 2023 semester. A preliminary exam taken in the time between the summer and fall 2019 semesters will expire at the end of the summer 2023 semester.

First Failure

Upon approval of a student’s examination committee (with no more than one member dissenting), and approval of the Department and Graduate and Professional School, a student who has failed a preliminary examination may be given one re-examination. In accordance with Student Rule 12.5, the student’s department head or designee, intercollegiate faculty, or graduate advisory committee should make a recommendation to the student regarding their scholastic deficiency.

Second Failure

Upon failing the preliminary exam twice in a doctoral program, a student is no longer eligible to continue to pursue the PhD in that program/major. In accordance with Student Rule 12.5.3 and/or 12.5.4, the student will be notified of the action being taken by the department as a result of the second failure of the preliminary examination.

Adequate time must be given to permit a student to address inadequacies emerging from the first preliminary examination. The examination committee must agree upon and communicate to the student, in writing, an adequate time-frame from the first examination (normally six months) to retest, as well as a detailed explanation of the inadequacies emerging from the examination. The student and committee should jointly negotiate a mutually acceptable date for this retest.  When providing feedback on inadequacies, the committee should clearly document expected improvements that the student must be able to exhibit in order to retake the exam.  The examination committee will document and communicate the time-frame and feedback within 10 working days of the exam that was not passed.

Final Examination for Doctoral Students

The candidate for the doctoral degree must pass a final examination by deadline dates announced in the “Graduate and Professional School Calendar” each semester. The doctoral student is allowed only one opportunity to take the final examination.

No unabsolved grades of D, F, or U for any course can be listed on the degree plan. The student must be registered for any remaining hours of 681, 684, 690, 691, 692, 791 or other graduate courses specifically designated as S/U in the course catalog during the semester of the final exam. No student may be given a final examination until they have been admitted to candidacy and their current official cumulative and degree plan GPAs are 3.00 or better.

To be admitted to candidacy for a doctoral degree, a student must have:

1.       completed all formal coursework on the degree plan with the exception of any remaining 681, 684, 690 and 691, 692 (Professional Study), or 791 hours,

2.       a 3.0 Graduate GPA and a Degree Plan GPA of at least 3.0 with no grade lower than C in any course on the degree plan,

3.       passed the preliminary examination,

4.       submitted an approved dissertation proposal,

5.       met the residence requirements.

The request to hold and announce the final examination must be submitted to the Graduate and Professional School a minimum of 10 working days in advance of the scheduled date. Any changes to the degree plan must be approved by the Graduate and Professional School prior to the submission of the request for final examination.

The student’s advisory committee will conduct this examination. The final examination is not to be administered until the dissertation or record of study is available in substantially final form to the student’s advisory committee, and all concerned have had adequate time to review the document. Whereas the final examination may cover the broad field of the candidate’s training, it is presumed that the major portion of the time will be devoted to the dissertation and closely allied topics. Persons other than members of the graduate faculty may, with mutual consent of the candidate and the chair of the advisory committee, be invited to attend a final examination for an advanced degree. A positive vote by all members of the graduate committee with at most one dissension is required to pass a student on his or her exam. A department can have a stricter requirement provided there is consistency within all degree programs within a department. Upon completion of the questioning of the candidate, all visitors must excuse themselves from the proceedings.

The student’s department will promptly report the results of the Final Examination to the Graduate and Professional School via the Report of Doctoral Final Examination form. These forms should be submitted to the Graduate and Professional School within 10 working days of completion of the final examination. The Graduate and Professional School must be notified in writing of any cancellations.

A positive evaluation of the final exam by all members of a student’s advisory committee with at most one dissension is required to pass a student on his or her final exam. The Report of the Final Examination Form must be submitted with original signatures of only the committee members approved by the Graduate and Professional School. If necessary, multiple copies of the form may be submitted with different committee member original signatures. If an approved committee member substitution (1 only) has been made, his/her signature must be included on the form submitted to the Graduate and Professional School.

The ability to perform independent research must be demonstrated by the dissertation,  which must be the original work of the candidate . Whereas acceptance of the dissertation is based primarily on its scholarly merit, it must also exhibit creditable literary workmanship. The format of the dissertation must be acceptable to the Graduate and Professional School. Guidelines for the preparation of the dissertation are available in the  Thesis Manual , which is available online at  https://grad.tamu.edu .

After successful defense and approval by the student’s advisory committee and the head of the student’s major department (or chair of the intercollegiate faculty, if applicable), a student must submit his/her dissertation in electronic format as a single PDF file. The PDF file must be uploaded to the website,  https://grad.tamu.edu . Additionally, a signed paper approval form with original signatures must be received by the Graduate and Professional School. Both the PDF file and the signed approval form are required by the deadline.

Deadline dates for submitting are announced each semester or summer term in the Graduate and Professional School Calendar (see Time Limit statement). These dates also can be accessed via the website  https://grad.tamu.edu .

Each student who submits a document for review is assessed a one-time thesis/dissertation processing fee through Student Business Services. This processing fee is for the thesis/dissertation services provided. After commencement, dissertations are digitally stored and made available through the Texas A&M Libraries.

A dissertation that is deemed unacceptable by the Graduate and Professional School because of excessive corrections will be returned to the student’s department head or chair of the intercollegiate faculty . The manuscript must be resubmitted as a new document, and the entire review process must begin anew. All original submittal deadlines must be met during the resubmittal process in order to graduate.

Additional Requirements

Continuous registration, admission to candidacy.

• 99-Hour Cap on Doctoral Degree

Application for Degree

A student who enters the doctoral degree program with a baccalaureate degree must spend one academic year plus one semester in resident study at Texas A&M University. A student who holds master’s degree when he/she enters doctoral degree program must spend one academic year in resident study. One academic year may include two adjacent regular semesters or one regular semester and one adjacent 10-week summer semester. The third semester is not required to be adjacent to the one year. Enrollment for each semester must be a minimum of 9 credit hours each to satisfy the residence requirement. A minimum of 1 credit hour must be in a non-distance education delivery mode. Semesters in which the student is enrolled in all distance education coursework will not count toward fulfillment of the residence requirement.

To satisfy the residence requirement, the student must complete a minimum of 9 credit hours per semester or 10-week summer semester in resident study at Texas A&M University for the required period. A student who enters a doctoral degree program with a baccalaureate degree may fulfill residence requirements in excess of one academic year (18 credit hours) by registration during summer sessions or by completion of a less-than-full course load (in this context a full course load is considered 9 credit hours per semester).

Students who are employed full-time while completing their degree may fulfill total residence requirements by completion of less-than-full time course loads each semester. In order to be considered for this, the student is required to submit a Petition for Waivers and Exceptions along with verification of his/her employment to the Graduate and Professional School. An employee should submit verification of his/her employment at the time he/she submits the degree plan. See  Registration .

See  Residence Requirements .

All requirements for doctoral degrees must be completed within a period of ten consecutive calendar years for the degree to be granted. A course will be considered valid until 10 years after the end of the semester in which it is taken. Graduate credit for coursework more than ten calendar years old at the time of the final oral examination may not be used to satisfy degree requirements.

A final corrected version of the dissertation or record of study in electronic format as a single PDF file must be cleared by the Graduate and Professional School within one year of the semester in which the final exam is taken. Exams taken in between terms will expire at the end of the term that ended prior to the exam. For example, a final exam taken and passed during the fall 2022 semester will expire at the end of the fall 2023 semester. A final exam taken in the time between the summer and fall 2022 semesters will expire at the end of the summer 2023 semester. Failure to do so will result in the degree not being awarded.

A student in a program leading to a Doctor of Philosophy who has completed all coursework on his/her degree plan other than 691 (research) are required to be in continuous registration until all requirements for the degree have been completed. See  Continuous Registration Requirements .

• completed all formal coursework on the degree plan with the exception of any remaining 681, 684, 690 and 691, or 791.
• a 3.0 Graduate GPA and a Degree Plan GPA of at least 3.0 with no grade lower than C in any course on the degree plan,
• passed the preliminary examination (written and oral portions),
• submitted an approved dissertation proposal,
• met the residence requirements. The final examination will not be authorized for any doctoral student who has not been admitted to candidacy.

A student is required to possess a competent command of English. For English language proficiency requirements, see the Admissions section of this catalog. The doctoral (PhD) foreign language requirement at Texas A&M University is a departmental option, to be administered and monitored by the individual departments of academic instruction.

99-Hour Cap on Doctoral Degrees

In Texas, public colleges and universities are funded by the state according to the number of students enrolled. In accordance with legislation passed by the Texas Legislature, the number of hours for which state universities may receive subvention funding at the doctoral rate for any individual is limited to 99 hours. Texas A&M and other universities will not receive subvention for hours in excess of the limit.

Institutions of higher education are allowed to charge the equivalent of non-resident tuition to a resident doctoral student who has enrolled in 100 or more semester credit hours of doctoral coursework.

Doctoral students at Texas A&M have seven years to complete their degree before being charged out-of-state tuition. A doctoral student who, after seven years of study, has accumulated 100 or more doctoral hours will be charged tuition at a rate equivalent to out-of-state tuition. Please note that the tuition increases will apply to Texas residents as well as students from other states and countries who are currently charged tuition at the resident rate. This includes those doctoral students who hold GAT, GANT, and GAR appointments or recipients of competitive fellowships who receive more than $1,000 per semester. Doctoral students who have not accumulated 100 hours after seven years of study are eligible to pay in-state tuition if otherwise eligible.

Doctoral students who exceed the credit limit will receive notification from the Graduate and Professional School during the semester in which they are enrolled and exceeding the limit in their current degree program. The notification will explain that the State of Texas does not provide funding for any additional hours in which a student is enrolled in excess of 99 hours. Texas A&M University will recover the lost funds by requiring students in excess of 99 hours to pay tuition at the non-funded, non-resident rate. This non-funded, non-resident tuition rate status will be updated for the following semester and in all subsequent semesters until receipt of a doctoral degree. Please see the  Tuition Calculator  at the non-resident rate for an example of potential charges.

The following majors are exempt from the 99-Hour Cap on Doctoral Degrees and have a limit of 130 doctoral hours:

• Biochemistry
• Biomedical Sciences
• Clinical Psychology
• Counseling Psychology
• Genetics and Genomics
• Health Services Research
• Medical Sciences
• Microbiology
• Neurosciences (School of Medicine)
• Oral and Craniofacial Biomedical Sciences
• Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Public Health Sciences
• School Psychology

For information on applying for your degree, please visit the  Graduation  section.

• Visit the University of Nebraska–Lincoln
• Apply to the University of Nebraska–Lincoln
• Give to the University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Search Form

Agronomy and horticulture (phd), agronomy and horticulture , phd.

The Department of Agronomy and Horticulture offers graduate degree programs leading to a Ph.D. in plant and soil sciences.

Description

Agronomy is the application of plant and soil science to crop production. Agronomy emphasizes staple food crops, such as corn, rice, beans, and wheat, which are produced on a large scale and represent the foundation of our human food supply.

The Department's pride is its excellent teaching, research, and extension programs carried out by more than 70 faculty members in six core areas: landscape ecology and design; ornamental horticulture; plant breeding and genetics; soil and water sciences; turf/range/forage science; and weed science. The Department also conducts research nationally and internationally in plant physiology, viticulture, molecular biology, plant biotechnology, plant breeding, nutrient cycling and management, rangeland ecology and management, renewable bioenergy, soil and water management, and on the environmental impact and sustainability of agriculture.

The Department has well-equipped laboratories, modern greenhouses, growth chambers, and field facilities, including four district research centers spanning several ecoregions, available to graduate students. For instance, the Plant Sciences Program combines integrative curriculum with collaborative research in highly specialized facilities. And our outstanding field research facilities located in several agro-climatic zones across the state provide a unique ability to conduct research at a production-scale. This increases the relevance of the findings to real-world agro-ecosystems and gives students an opportunity to work in a more realistic production environment.

Many online courses are available.

Specializations

• Applied Ecology
• Agricultural Meteorology
• Crop Physiology and Production
• Environmental Studies
• Great Plains Studies
• Plant Breeding and Genetics

Agronomy And Horticulture

Graduate Chair

Sydney Everhart

• Range and Forage Science
• Soil and Water Sciences
• Weed Science

Applying for Admission

Standard requirements for all graduate programs.

• Application for Admission with $50 non-refundable application fee .

If International: Uploads must include all college- or university-level transcripts or mark sheets (records of courses and marks earned), with certificates, diplomas, and degrees plus certified English translations.

After admission: Official documents are required from all students who are admitted and enroll. Photocopies of certified records are not acceptable. International students enrolled in other U.S. institutions may have certified copies of all foreign records sent directly to the Office of Graduate Studies by their current school’s registrar office.

When sending TOEFL scores, our institution code is 6877 and a department code is not needed.

• If applicant is not a US citizen and expects an F or J visa: financial information .
• Applicants must also fulfill any additional requirements the department specifies at the time of application.

Program-Specific Admission Requirements

Additional requirements specific to this program.

• On the application's Additional Information page, list your publications, abstracts, invited presentations, teaching experience or other communication-related activities.
• On the application's Program Requirements page, attach a GRE score report on the Program Requirements page, and/or attach an Other Upload not covered in other areas of this application.
• Minimum English proficiency: Internet TOEFL 79, IELTS 6.5.
• Curriculum vitae
• Your professional goals and career aspirations and specifically what you plan to do with your degree.
• Background experiences, events, and/or education that have influenced your professional goals.
• How enrolling in this program in this department at Nebraska will assist you in meeting your professional goals.
• Three recommendation letters

Campus Address

279 Plant Science Lincoln NE 68583-0915

David Hyten Jr

Support Staff

Lisa Hilfiker

Related Programs

• Cert Grassland Management
• Cert Ornamentals, Landscape and Turf
• MS Agronomy
• MS Horticulture
• Cert Advanced Horticulture
• Cert Agronomy
• Cert Floriculture and Nursery Production Management

The University of Nebraska does not discriminate based on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and/or political affiliation in its programs, activities, or employment.

UNL Graduate Chairs and staff please complete the program update form to provide edits. Updates to graduate program pages are made on an annual basis in conjunction with the Graduate Application for Admission.

University of Florida

Horticultural Sciences

Program information.

The Horticultural Sciences (HOS) graduate program is administered jointly by the Environmental Horticulture (HSE) and Horticultural Sciences (HS) departments and offers graduate programs leading to the Master of Science (thesis or nonthesis options) and the Doctor of Philosophy degrees. The Department offers a combination bachelor’s/master’s degree program. Contact the graduate coordinator for information. Members of the program’s Graduate Faculty include department resident faculty and faculty at University of Florida Research and Education Centers located throughout Florida.

For admission to the HOS graduate program, apply to either the HS or HSE departments, depending on your career/research interest.

Requirements

A strong undergraduate or graduate background in horticultural, biological, agronomic, or other disciplines in the life sciences and undergraduate coursework in chemistry, physics, and mathematics. A prospective graduate student need not have majored in horticulture as an undergraduate or master’s student; however, students with curriculum deficiencies are required to take prerequisite subjects during the first year of graduate study. Undergraduate courses taken to correct curriculum deficiencies do not count for graduate program credit.

Specializations in the HS department focus on vegetable and fruit crops and include

• Plant Breeding and Genetics
• Crop Production and Nutrient Management
• Postharvest Biology
• Organic Sustainable Agriculture
• Weed Science
• Physiology and Biochemistry
• Plant Molecular Biology
• Protected Agriculture

Numerous HS and HSE faculty participate in the interdisciplinary Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology Program. Students interested in molecular biology/biotechnology may pursue molecular-oriented studies in any listed specialization. Students interested in full specialization in molecular and related disciplines should contact the Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology interdisciplinary program for specific requirements.

Specializations in the HSE department:

• Breeding and Genetics
• Restoration Ecology
• Floriculture
• Foliage Production
• Plant anatomy and development
• Plant Biotechnology
• Plant Restoration Conservation Biotechnology
• Stress Physiology
• Tissue Culture
• Turfgrass Science
• Woody Plants

Graduate School Degree Program Requirements Master of Science (Thesis Option)

Students must earn at least 30 credits as a graduate student at UF. No more than 9 of the 30 credits (earned with a grade of A, B+, or B) may be transferred from institutions approved for this purpose by the Dean of the Graduate School. A minimum of 12 credits is required in the Horticultural Sciences major; additionally, a maximum of 6 credits in HOS 6971 Research for Master's Thesis (1-15 cr.) - Master’s Research - may be counted toward the total credits. See here for information on M.S. graduate degrees .

A minor may be chosen in an academic unit other than the major. If a minor is chosen, at least 6 credits of course work are required in the minor field. Two 6-credit minors may be taken with the major academic unit’s permission. A 3.00 (truncated) GPA is required for minor credit. In addition, a representative from the department in which the minor is being received must be on the supervisory committee.

Master of Science Non-Thesis Option

This option offers additional training beyond the bachelor’s degree in a horticultural specialization. Essential elements of this program include a program of courses and a comprehensive written and/or final oral qualifying examination. There is no thesis requirement. A minimum of 30 credit hours of course work is required. Courses taken for program credit must be numbered 5000 or higher with at least 15 of these credits in the Horticultural Science major. With supervisory committee and college dean approval, 6 hours of 3000- or 4000-level undergraduate courses, taught outside the major department, may count toward the minimum requirements for the degree. Click for information on all graduate degrees .

A minor may be chosen in an academic unit other than the major. If a minor is chosen, at least 6 credits of work are required in the minor field. Two 6-credit minors may be taken with the major academic unit’s permission. A 3.00 (truncated) GPA is required for minor credit. In addition, a representative from the department in which the minor is being received must be on the supervisory committee.

Doctor of Philosophy

The Doctor of Philosophy is a research degree and is granted on evidence of general proficiency, distinctive attainment in a special field, and ability to conduct independent investigation as demonstrated in a dissertation presenting original research with a high degree of literary skill. Consequently, doctoral programs are more flexible and varied than those leading to M.S. degree programs. The Ph.D. degree requires at least 90 credits beyond the bachelor’s degree, although specific course requirements vary from field to field and from student to student. Up to 30 credits of master’s degree may be transferred to a doctoral program. Any credits counted from an M.S. degree program must have been earned within the previous seven years (or by petition). The Graduate Council does not specify the courses required for the Ph.D. degree.

General requirements for the program include

• a clear objective for research
• approval of the student’s entire supervisory committee
• an appropriate number of credits of doctoral research

Click for information on all graduate degrees .

With the supervisory committee’s approval, the student may choose one or more minor fields. Minor work may be completed in any academic unit outside the major, if approved for M.S. or doctoral programs listed in this catalog. The collective grade for courses included in a minor must be “B” (3.00) or higher. If one minor is chosen, the supervisory committee member representing the minor suggests 12 to 24 credits of courses numbered 5000 or higher as preparation for a qualifying examination. Part of this credit may have been earned in the M.S. degree program. If two minors are chosen, each must include at least 8 credits. Competence in the minor area is demonstrated by written examination by the minor academic unit, or by the oral qualifying examination. Minor course work at the doctoral level may include courses in more than one academic unit; if the objective of the minor is clearly stated and the combination of courses is approved by the Graduate School (this approval is not required for a minor in one academic unit). Further requirements for the Master of Science and the Doctor of Philosophy degrees are listed under those headings in the General Information section of this catalog.

Degrees Offered with a Major in Horticultural Sciences

• without a concentration
• concentration in Environmental Horticulture
• concentration in Horticultural Sciences
• concentration in Toxicology

Requirements for these degrees are given in the Graduate Degrees section of this catalog.

Horticultural Sciences Program Courses

Additional course offerings.

The following courses may be taken to contribute to the overall degree award requirements.

Botany Courses 

Environmental horticulture courses, horticultural sciences departmental courses, college of agricultural and life sciences courses, horticultural sciences (phd).

SLO 1     Knowledge         Describe and explain theories and concepts of the various disciplines of Horticultural Sciences including plant physiology and plant genetics as related to horticultural plant growth and development, and the integration of structure and function of the whole plant

SLO 2     Knowledge         Describe new techniques and technologies from associated disciplines

SLO 3     Knowledge         Evaluate horticultural systems, components and/or processes to meet industry and societal needs within realistic economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, manufacturability and sustainability constraints

SLO 4     Skills      Design and conduct experiments required for successful production of fruit and vegetable crops and analyze results

SLO 5     Skills      Communicate horticultural ideas, technical data and design information clearly and professionally to other students, scientists and the public

SLO 6     Professional Behavior    Display ethical behaviors, cultural sensitivity, teamwork skills and professional conduct

Horticultural sciences (MS)-Environmental Horticulture

SLO 1     Knowledge         Describe and explain theories and concepts the various disciplines of Horticultural Sciences including plant physiology and plant genetics as related to horticultural plant growth and development, and the integration of structure and function of the whole plant.

SLO 2     Knowledge         Evaluate and advance horticultural systems, components and/or processes to meet industry and societal needs within realistic economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, manufacturability and sustainability

SLO 3     Knowledge        Describe techniques and technologies from associated disciplines as applied to Environmental Horticulture

SLO 4     Skills      Design, conduct, and evaluate experiments or study required to advance or improve production and/or management of horticultural crops and analyze results

SLO 5     Skills      Communicate in written and oral form horticultural ideas, technical data and design information clearly and professionally to other students, scientists and the public

SLO 6     Professional Behavior    Display ethical behaviors, cultural sensitivity, teamwork skills and professional conduct

Horticultural sciences (MS)-Horticultural Sciences

SLO 1          Knowledge        Describe and explain theories and concepts the various disciplines of Horticultural Sciences including plant physiology and plant genetics as related to horticultural plant growth and development, and the integration of structure and function of the whole plant

SLO 2             Knowledge       Describe new techniques and technologies from associated disciplines

SLO 3             Knowledge        Evaluate horticultural systems, components and/or processes to meet industry and societal needs within realistic economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, manufacturability and sustainability constraints                        

SLO 4 HS              Skills     Design and conduct experiments required for successful production of fruits and vegetables and analyze results

SLO 5 HS              Skills     Communicate horticultural ideas, technical data and design information clearly and professionally to other students, scientists and the public

SLO 6 HS              Professional Behavior   Display ethical behaviors, cultural sensitivity, teamwork skills and professional conduct

Print Options

Print this page.

The PDF will include all information unique to this page.

This PDF includes all graduate catalog information.

Best Horticulture colleges in the U.S.

Best horticulture colleges in the u.s. for 2024.

North Carolina State University at Raleigh offers 9 Horticulture degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a large city. In 2022, 71 Horticulture students graduated with students earning 32 Bachelor's degrees, 13 Associate's degrees, 12 Certificates, 8 Master's degrees, and 6 Doctoral degrees.

Iowa State University offers 5 Horticulture degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a small city. In 2022, 46 Horticulture students graduated with students earning 35 Bachelor's degrees, 7 Doctoral degrees, and 4 Master's degrees.

Kansas State University offers 4 Horticulture degree programs. It's a large, public, four-year university in a small city. In 2022, 37 Horticulture students graduated with students earning 22 Bachelor's degrees, 8 Doctoral degrees, and 7 Master's degrees.

Michigan State University offers 6 Horticulture degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a small city. In 2022, 52 Horticulture students graduated with students earning 28 Bachelor's degrees, 21 Certificates, and 3 Master's degrees.

University of Georgia offers 6 Horticulture degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a midsize city. In 2022, 42 Horticulture students graduated with students earning 25 Bachelor's degrees, 11 Master's degrees, and 6 Doctoral degrees.

Utah State University offers 6 Horticulture degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a small city. In 2022, 22 Horticulture students graduated with students earning 9 Associate's degrees, 6 Bachelor's degrees, 6 Certificates, and 1 Master's degree.

University of Florida offers 4 Horticulture degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a midsize city. In 2022, 50 Horticulture students graduated with students earning 22 Doctoral degrees, 16 Master's degrees, and 12 Bachelor's degrees.

Purdue University-Main Campus offers 5 Horticulture degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a small city. In 2022, 26 Horticulture students graduated with students earning 23 Bachelor's degrees, 2 Doctoral degrees, and 1 Master's degree.

Cornell University offers 7 Horticulture degree programs. It's a very large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a small city. In 2022, 24 Horticulture students graduated with students earning 11 Doctoral degrees, 7 Master's degrees, and 6 Bachelor's degrees.

Auburn University offers 3 Horticulture degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a small city. In 2022, 22 Horticulture students graduated with students earning 17 Bachelor's degrees, and 5 Master's degrees.

Top schools offering Horticulture degrees in the U.S.

Horticulture.

• Landscaping and Groundskeeping Schools
• Horticultural Science Schools
• Turf and Turfgrass Management Schools
• Viticulture and Enology Schools
• Plant Nursery Operations and Management Schools
• Ornamental Horticulture Schools
• Greenhouse Operations and Management Schools
• Agricultural and Horticultural Plant Breeding Schools

List of all Horticulture colleges in the U.S.

100 Best colleges for Horticulture in the United States

Updated: February 29, 2024

• Art & Design
• Computer Science
• Engineering
• Environmental Science
• Liberal Arts & Social Sciences
• Mathematics

Below is a list of best universities in the United States ranked based on their research performance in Horticulture. A graph of 13.5M citations received by 410K academic papers made by 457 universities in the United States was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

1. University of California - Davis

For Horticulture

2. Cornell University

3. University of Florida

4. Michigan State University

5. University of Wisconsin - Madison

6. Iowa State University

7. University of Georgia

8. University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign

9. North Carolina State University at Raleigh

10. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

11. Washington State University

12. University of California - Berkeley

13. Oregon State University

14. Texas A&M University - College Station

15. Pennsylvania State University

16. Ohio State University

17. University of California - Riverside

18. Purdue University

19. University of Nebraska - Lincoln

20. University of Arizona

21. Kansas State University

22. Harvard University

23. Rutgers University - New Brunswick

24. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

25. University of Kentucky

26. University of Missouri - Columbia

27. Colorado State University - Fort Collins

28. University of Washington - Seattle

29. University of Maryland - College Park

30. Yale University

31. University of Massachusetts - Amherst

32. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

33. North Dakota State University

34. University of California - Los Angeles

35. University of Arkansas

36. Auburn University

37. University of California-San Diego

38. Stanford University

39. Duke University

40. Mississippi State University

41. Oklahoma State University

42. Clemson University

43. University of Idaho

44. Utah State University

45. Johns Hopkins University

46. University of Tennessee - Knoxville

47. University of Utah

48. University of Pennsylvania

49. University of Texas at Austin

50. University of Chicago

51. Montana State University

52. Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College

53. University of Hawaii at Manoa

54. University of Connecticut

55. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

56. Washington University in St Louis

57. Texas Tech University

58. University of Delaware

59. University of California - Irvine

60. California Institute of Technology

61. Columbia University

62. University of Pittsburgh

63. New Mexico State University

64. Tufts University

65. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

66. New York University

67. University of Iowa

68. Arizona State University - Tempe

69. University of Maine

70. University of California - San Francisco

71. University of Colorado Boulder

72. South Dakota State University

73. Princeton University

74. Boston University

75. University of Illinois at Chicago

76. University of California - Santa Barbara

77. University of Miami

78. University of Vermont

79. Vanderbilt University

80. University of Nevada - Reno

81. University of Southern California

82. Ithaca College

83. University of Wyoming

84. Southern Illinois University - Carbondale

85. University of Montana

86. University of California - Santa Cruz

87. University of Virginia

88. Emory University

89. Case Western Reserve University

90. Rockefeller University

91. Northwestern University

92. Medical University of South Carolina

93. West Virginia University

94. Northern Arizona University

95. University of Rochester

96. University of Mississippi

97. Brigham Young University - Provo

98. Dartmouth College

99. Urbana University

100. University of Kansas

The best cities to study Horticulture in the United States based on the number of universities and their ranks are Davis , Ithaca , Gainesville , and East Lansing .

Biology subfields in the United States

Colleges Offering a Horticulture Major

Looking for colleges with a Horticulture Major? See a list of colleges with Horticulture here to evaluate admissions data, tuition, rankings and more.

To unlock full rankings, SAT/ACT scores and more, sign up for the U.S. News College Compass !

Here are the best colleges with a Horticulture Major

• Princeton University
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Harvard University
• Stanford University
• Yale University
• University of Pennsylvania
• California Institute of Technology
• Duke University
• Brown University

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Champaign, IL

• #35 in National Universities  (tie)

The University of Illinois is located in the twin cities of Urbana and Champaign in east-central Illinois, only a few hours from Chicago, Indianapolis and St. Louis. The school's Fighting Illini participate in more than 20 NCAA Division I varsity sports and are part of the Big Ten Conference. The university boasts one of the largest Greek systems in the country, and almost a quarter of the student body is involved. It’s not hard to find something to do on campus with more than 1,600 student organizations, including professional, political and philanthropic clubs. All freshmen are required to live on campus.

(out-of-state)

(fall 2022)

SAT, GPA and More

Purdue University--Main Campus

West Lafayette, IN

• #43 in National Universities  (tie)

Purdue University's West Lafayette, Indiana, campus is the main campus in the Purdue University system, which encompasses four other campuses throughout the state. About 20% of students are affiliated with Greek life, and Purdue offers a wide range of activities and organizations. Performance groups include the "All American" Marching Band, six jazz bands and two symphony orchestras. The Boilermakers, Purdue’s athletic teams, compete in the Division I Big Ten Conference and are well known for their dominant men’s and women’s basketball teams. The Boilermaker Special, Purdue’s official mascot, is a railroad locomotive cared for and maintained by the student-run Purdue Reamer Club. Although no students are required to live in university housing, about one-third of undergraduates live on campus.

Texas A&M University

College Station, TX

• #47 in National Universities  (tie)

Ready to be an Aggie? All students assume the nickname at Texas A&M, an academic and athletic powerhouse in central Texas. Once an all men’s school called the Agricultural and Mechanical College – now shortened to A&M – the university today is coed and offers a wide variety of majors and activities. Students can choose from more than 1,000 clubs and organizations, including nearly 60 fraternities and sororities. About 10% of students go Greek. More students, about 25%, play in Texas A&M intramural sports leagues, one of the largest programs in the country. The school’s varsity sports compete in the NCAA Division I Southeastern Conference, cheered on by mascot Reveille IX, a collie. Miss Rev, as the collie is known, is also the highest-ranking member in the school’s Cadet Corps, the largest ROTC program in the nation (not including programs at service academies). First-year students interested in community service can get involved right away through the Freshmen in Service and Hosting program (FISH). All students can give back during The Big Event, the largest single-day, student-run volunteer effort in the country in which more than 22,000 Aggies work to improve the nearby cities of College Station and Bryan. For many students, these communities are also home; freshmen are not required to live on campus and many choose to live in College Station or Bryan.

University of Georgia

At its founding, The University of Georgia made history as the first public, state-supported college in America. These days, the school is known for its vibrant student community. UGA’s college town of Athens was rated among the best college towns in the country by U.S. News, and the competitive Bulldogs sports teams compete in the NCAA Division I Southeastern Conference. There are more than 700 student clubs and organizations, including more than 60 Greek chapters that involve around 25% of UGA students. Community service is a particularly big focus, with student-run philanthropies such as UGA Miracle, a yearlong fundraiser and 24-hour Dance Marathon for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. First-year students must live on campus, but Atlanta is 60 miles away for those itching for a road trip.

Michigan State University

East Lansing, MI

• #60 in National Universities  (tie)

Michigan State University was the first land-grant institution in the country and became a model for similar schools. Michigan State is also home to one of the nation's only environmental journalism organizations, a solar car racing team and a student-run organic farm. Its graduate programs include the highly ranked College of Education and the well-regarded Eli Broad College of Business.

The Pennsylvania State University--University Park

University Park, PA

There is rarely a dull moment on The Pennsylvania State University campus, also known as Happy Valley. With around more than 1,000 clubs and organizations, there are broad opportunities to get involved in campus life. The school mascot is the Nittany Lion, and teams compete in the Division I Big Ten Conference. The football team plays in Beaver Stadium, which is one of the largest arenas in North America, which seats nearly 107,000 fans. Penn State is home to a thriving Greek system with more than 70 sororities and fraternities. More than 16,000 students volunteer in THON, the largest student-run philanthropy in the world. Students raise money for pediatric cancer research and awareness throughout the year and participate in a 46-hour dance marathon - no sitting or sleeping allowed. Freshmen must live in one of five housing areas on campus. Across the street from campus is State College, a bustling small town with an array of coffee shops, restaurants, shops and bars populated mostly by students. Surrounded by mountains, the school is also close to skiing, snowboarding and hiking opportunities.

University of Massachusetts--Amherst

Amherst, MA

• #67 in National Universities  (tie)

Students at the University of Massachusetts—Amherst can choose from more than 100 majors or can design their own. The school’s University Without Walls program offers flexible course schedules for adult students.

University of Delaware

• #76 in National Universities  (tie)

For students interested in attending the University of Delaware, it pays to live in the state. The University of Delaware admits all Delaware residents whose academic records predict success, and about 65 percent who apply will be accepted. About half (45-55 percent) of all out-of-state applicants are admitted. For all who receive admission, there are more than 400 student clubs and organizations on the school’s lush campus in downtown Newark. Nearly 20 percent of students are involved in the school's large Greek system, which has about 40 fraternities and sororities. The Fightin' Blue Hens sports teams, named after a Delaware Revolutionary War battalion with the same nickname, compete in the NCAA Division I Colonial Athletic Association. The mascot is a costumed bird named YoUDee, and a group of live Blue Hen chickens reside on the school farm. Freshmen must live on campus, unless they commute from a parent's local home. When students want to leave campus, Wilmington is about 12 miles away. Philadelphia is a 45-mile drive and Baltimore is 55 miles away. The University of Delaware ran the nation's first study abroad program in 1923, and, these days, about a third of undergraduates opt to spend time in another country.

Clemson University

Clemson, SC

• #86 in National Universities  (tie)

Clemson University is a land-grant institution that conducts research for the betterment of the community. Students and faculty are involved in projects ranging from improving irrigation systems to lowering youth bullying rates in South Carolina schools. Sports and the color orange are a big part of Clemson, and the Clemson Tigers compete in the NCAA Division I Atlantic Coast Conference. Students can participate in more than 400 student clubs and organizations, with about 25 percent of students involved in the Greek system. Freshmen are required to live in university housing, and nearly half of all students choose to live on campus. Notable alumni include former U.S. Sen. Strom Thurmond, former Washington Redskins center Jeff Bostic and PGA Tour golfer Lucas Glover.

Brigham Young University

• #115 in National Universities  (tie)

Student life centers on religion and responsibility at Brigham Young University, a school founded and supported by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. There are more than 300 clubs on campus and a student volunteer coalition completes community service projects around campus. There is no Greek system at BYU. The BYU Cougars mainly compete in the NCAA Division I West Coast Conference. The football team is known for the number of players drafted by the NFL: about 140 players and counting. All BYU students can participate in the intramural sports, and about 40% choose to do so. Freshmen do not have to live on the Provo, Utah, campus, though the school encourages it. All students live according to a strict honor code, which prohibits – among other things – camping with members of the opposite sex and growing a beard without a doctor's approval. Extramarital and gay sex are also prohibited. Situated at the base of the Wasatch Mountains, the campus is close to plentiful climbing, hiking and biking opportunities. Provo is also home to the Missionary Training Center, where students of the Latter-day Saints faith can enroll to learn and grow before serving at least 18 months around the world.

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

• View all journals
• Explore content
• About the journal
• Publish with us
• Sign up for alerts
• CORRESPONDENCE
• 02 April 2024

How can we make PhD training fit for the modern world? Broaden its philosophical foundations

• Ganesh Alagarasan 0

Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Tirupati, India.

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

You have highlighted how PhD training assessment has stagnated, despite evolving educational methodologies (see Nature 613 , 414 (2023) and Nature 627 , 244; 2024 ). In particular, you note the mismatch between the current PhD journey and the multifaceted demands of modern research and societal challenges.

Access options

Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals

Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription

$29.99 / 30 days

cancel any time

Subscribe to this journal

Receive 51 print issues and online access

$199.00 per year

only $3.90 per issue

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Nature 628 , 36 (2024)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-024-00969-x

Competing Interests

The author declares no competing interests.

Related Articles

See more letters to the editor

• Research management
• Scientific community

The neuroscientist formerly known as Prince’s audio engineer

Career Feature 14 MAR 24

This geologist communicates science from the ski slopes

Career Q&A 11 MAR 24

No installation required: how WebAssembly is changing scientific computing

Technology Feature 11 MAR 24

Allow researchers with caring responsibilities ‘promotion pauses’ to make research more equitable

Correspondence 02 APR 24

Impact factors are outdated, but new research assessments still fail scientists

World View 02 APR 24

How scientists are making the most of Reddit

Career Feature 01 APR 24

Adopt universal standards for study adaptation to boost health, education and social-science research

Africa’s postdoc workforce is on the rise — but at what cost?

Career Feature 02 APR 24

Faculty Positions, Aging and Neurodegeneration, Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine

Applicants with expertise in aging and neurodegeneration and related areas are particularly encouraged to apply.

Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China

Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine (WLLSB)

Faculty Positions in Chemical Biology, Westlake University

We are seeking outstanding scientists to lead vigorous independent research programs focusing on all aspects of chemical biology including...

School of Life Sciences, Westlake University

Faculty Positions in Neurobiology, Westlake University

We seek exceptional candidates to lead vigorous independent research programs working in any area of neurobiology.

Seeking Global Talents, the International School of Medicine, Zhejiang University

Welcome to apply for all levels of professors based at the International School of Medicine, Zhejiang University.

Yiwu, Zhejiang, China

International School of Medicine, Zhejiang University

Nanjing Forestry University is globally seeking Metasequoia Scholars and Metasequoia Talents

Located next to Purple Mountain and Xuanwu Lake, Nanjing Forestry University (NJFU) is a key provincial university jointly built by Jiangsu Province

Nanjing, Jiangsu, China

Nanjing Forestry University (NFU)

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Quick links

• Explore articles by subject
• Guide to authors
• Editorial policies

Orange Coast College Horticulture Hosting Spring Plant Sale April 5 & 12

• News Release

The Graduate College at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

2024 research live winners.

The Graduate College is pleased to announce the winners of the 2024 Research Live! competition.

Now in its ninth year, Research Live! is a fun, fast-paced competition that celebrates graduate student research at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Twelve finalists shared their passions in three minutes or less at the Campus Instructional Facility Atrium on Tuesday, April 2. 

The winners are: 

The Visionary Award : $200 Vincent  Carlson , Theatre, "Shatterpoints: An Adaptation Theory"

The Storyteller Award : $200 Vignesh  Srinivasakumar , Computer Science, "AI Teaches AI to Teach"

The Impact Award : $200 Satinderpal  Kaur , Entomology, "Flooding, Food Security and Plant-insect Interactions"

The Design Award : $200 Andrew   Freeman , Electrical Engineering, "Breaking the Ice: Fast and Reliable Aircraft Wing Deicing"

The People's Choice Award : $200 Dhanush Gandavadi , Bioengineering, "Origami for Cancer Therapy"

The Grand Prize : $500 Kyle  Timmer , Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, "A Biomimetic Scaffold to Improve Rotator Cuff Shoulder Repair"

Learn more about Research Live! and see the complete list of finalists.

14 college majors where the typical graduate is making at least $100,000 by the middle of their careers

• The New York Fed analyzed the mid-career wages of college graduates with a bachelor's degree.
• Those graduates aged 35 to 45 with one of 14 majors had a median wage of at least $100,000 a year. 
• Nine of those 14 college majors were related to engineering .

When undergraduate college students choose their majors , there can be several factors that go into their decisions.

But if maximizing one's future earnings is high on their priority list, some areas of study have a better track record than others .

A New York Fed analysis of 2022 American Community Survey data found that college graduates who majored in one of 14 areas of study had a median mid-career wage of at least $100,000 a year. The NY Fed defined mid-career as people between the ages of 35 and 45. The analysis only included people with a bachelor's degree — no additional graduate school education — and used what's noted as people's first major.

One general area of study accounted for nine of the 14 spots: engineering.

Chemical engineering majors had the top median mid-career wage of $133,000, per the analysis. Computer engineering, aerospace engineering, electrical engineering, and mechanical engineering rounded out the top five.

Related stories

Eight of the top 10 median wages for people aged 22 to 27 — defined as early-career wages — with a bachelor's were also types of engineering. Computer engineering just surpassed the median wage of chemical engineering for early-career professionals with a bachelor's. None of these median wages were six figures. Computer engineering came closest with a median of $80,000.

As college tuition rates have risen in recent decades, many Americans have taken on a considerable amount of student debt . The average list price for tuition at public and private colleges has grown from roughly $16,000 and $41,000, respectively in 2002-03 to $23,000 and $53,000 in 2022-23, according to a College Board analysis. The average American consumer with student loans had a debt balance of roughly $39,000 as of the third quarter of last year, per Experian data.

This changing landscape has caused some people to question whether college is a worthwhile investment . In response to these concerns, some high school graduates have gone straight to the workforce , while others have opted for alternative paths, like community college or trade schools .

Not all job openings require someone to have a particular level of education anymore. Kelli Jordan, vice president of IBMer Growth and Development, previously told Business Insider that "more than half of our US job openings don't have a bachelor's degree requirement."

Sometimes a college degree is preferred for a job seeker. Automaker Stellantis said in a previous statement that "most non-bargaining unit positions (salaried) require an associate's or bachelor's degree," but also noted that "for some positions, a degree might be a preferred qualification which would open those up to people who can demonstrate proficiency in other ways."

While many young people will continue pursuing four-year degrees, their future earnings potential could play a bigger role in some of their decisions.

The five non-engineering majors that came with the highest mid-career median wages in the New York Fed analysis were computer science, finance, economics, construction services, and business analytics.

Seventy-three majors were included in the analysis results. College graduates who majored in early childhood education had the lowest median mid-career wage, at $48,000 a year. Other types of education majors had relatively low mid-career median wages, such as the secondary education major.

Across all the majors, the median mid-career wage was $80,000 a year. Meanwhile, the wage for early-career workers was $50,000 a year.

• Main content

Education | Johns Hopkins graduate student workers union…

Share this:.

• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)

Baltimore Sun eNewspaper

• Anne Arundel County
• Baltimore City
• Baltimore County
• Carroll County
• Harford County

Breaking News

Education | key bridge collapse live updates: patapsco not contaminated, tests show; weather delays ship container removal, education | johns hopkins graduate student workers union reaches tentative agreement with university.

The Johns Hopkins University graduate student workers union reached a tentative agreement with the private university Friday.

Members of the Teachers and Researchers United, or TRU, are Ph.D. students who teach or conduct research while earning their degrees. They will vote to ratify the contract over the next month, which sets a minimum stipend of $47,000, guarantees stipends for four years of a five-year degree and provides up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave.

“It’s definitely a relief to get to this point,” said Andrew Eneim, a fifth-year Ph.D. student and TRU member who’s helped organize the union for the past four years. “It’s why we did all this work in the first place.”

If the agreement is approved, TRU members would become some of the highest-paid graduate workers compared with the cost of living in the country, Eneim said. TRU’s 22-member bargaining committee and Hopkins representatives agreed to the tentative contract.

A Hopkins spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Graduate workers are paid stipends for teaching and research. But work opportunities are limited, and the stipend amount could vary depending on the field of study and department. That created a $20,000 disparity between the lowest- and highest-paid graduate workers, Eneim said, a gap that would be closed by the agreement. Workers would be guaranteed funding for teaching assistants, research assistants and fellows for at least four years depending on their department.

“Everybody is getting paid fairly, and there aren’t these tiers that the university created in the past,” Eneim said.

More than 3,300 Hopkins Ph.D. students voted to unionize with a 97% vote in February 2023. TRU is affiliated with the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America and began bargaining with the university last May.

Graduate student unions have been around since the 1970s, but there’s been a surge in organizing at elite, private universities. The National Labor Relations Board in 2021 reversed a rule that had excluded undergraduate and graduate students from filing a petition to the board, opening the door for TRU to become an official union.

As a private institution, Hopkins is subject to the National Labor Relations Board’s federal jurisdiction. Conversely, the University of Maryland, a public university, does not have collective bargaining rights.

TRU members can’t strike or promote a work slowdown or stoppage as part of the agreement that would expire in June 2027.

Stipends would start at $47,000 in July and increase to $52,000 by July 2026. Graduate workers would each receive a one-time $1,000 signing bonus if the contract is ratified.

Along with the university covering health insurance premiums for dependent children and spouses, employees would receive a subsidy of $4,500 per child annually for children aged 6 and under. Employees with children aged 6 to 18 would be eligible for a $3,000 subsidy per child annually. There is an annual maximum of $12,000 per family.

Those with adult dependents would be eligible for an annual $3,000 subsidy per dependent.

International students would be able to apply for an $80,000 yearly fund to cover visa renewal fees, as well as being eligible for 14 days of leave to maintain immigration status.

Other highlights of TRU’s agreement include the right to peacefully protest without being met by force, free local transit passes for Baltimore and Washington, timely resolution of sexual harassment/Title IX complaints, explicit performance standards and just process in discipline and discharge procedures, and the use of progressive discipline, not law enforcement, in cases of mental health crises and drug abuse.

“We have work to do in the coming weeks to inform our members and ratify what we believe to be the best contract in higher ed labor,” Wisam Awadallah, a TRU member, said in a statement.

More in Education

SUBSCRIBER ONLY

Carroll county times | 2 more books banned in carroll public school libraries, bringing total to 11.

News Obituaries | John Barth, innovative postmodernist novelist and Johns Hopkins emeritus professor, dies

Education | Cecil County superintendent, county executive continue to clash over schools budget in contentious news releases

Education | Bakery in Odenton extends a helping hand with career classes