Areas of Study

Graduate Studies

Our inter-departmental graduate programs offer a place for students to conduct original research, work on exciting projects, and hone their horticultural skills. Students may work towards their Ph.D. or their M.S. degree in one of the programs listed below. Many of our students qualify for graduate assistantships, which help to cover the cost of attending.

Expand all

MPS in Horticulture

The Master of Professional Studies in Horticulture is designed to enhance the capacity of those currently working in the horticulture industry, and provide the knowledge base needed by others interested in beginning new careers, starting their own business, or pursuing personal interests in horticulture. Many MPS students are working professionals and maintain full-time jobs while taking classes part time in pursuit of the degree.

Applied Plant Sciences

Biological solutions to real-world problems come to life in the Applied Plant Sciences (APS) graduate program. Administered jointly by the Department of Agronomy and Plant Genetics and the Department of Horticultural Science, this program allows graduate students to create an integrated, individualized program combining a breadth of courses from several disciplines.

Plant and Microbial Biology Graduate Program

The Plant and Microbial Biology graduate program (PMB) allows students to explore every aspect of plant and microbial life, from molecular biology to genomics to ecosystem science. By integrating expertise from premier faculty across diverse departments, PMB creates a remarkably interdisciplinary educational and richly collaborative research environment that empowers students to conduct groundbreaking original research and become true innovators in the cutting edge of modern-day biology.

Conservation Sciences

The Conservation Sciences program educates students about conservation. This program provides students with sound training in the biological sciences and exposes students to the social, political, and economic sciences that relate to both the recognition and the solution of conservation problems.

Applied Economics

The Applied Economics (APEC) program prepares students for a variety of employment opportunities from faculty positions in the U.S. and abroad to administrative positions with government agencies, international organizations, and private sector firms. Many APEC M.S. graduates continue their studies in the Ph.D. program.