Master of Science in Plant and Soil Science

The M.S. Degree in Plant and Soil Science is designed to further the specialized professional training of students through formal courses while at the same time teaching the student how to conduct research and present pertinent results.

About This Program

In the Plant and Soil Science M.S. program, students may specialize in one of the following areas: Plant Breeding, Tissue Culture, Biotechnology, Plant Genetics and Cytogenetics, Molecular Genetics, Crop Production, Sustainable Agriculture, Seed Science and technology, Plant Physiology, Plant Pathology, Horticulture, Forestry, Entomology, Environmental Science, Remote Sensing, Soil Chemistry, Soil Fertility, Soil Microbiology or Soil (Genesis, Morphology and Conservation). In addition to selected courses in the department, students can take courses in related subjects such as such as Biology, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Mathematics, Computer Science, Food Science and Agricultural Economics. In addition, a minor is offered in Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems.

A student in the M.S. degree program will be knowledgeable about their chosen area of specialization in the Plant and Soil Science Graduate Program in the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences. This knowledge will be acquired primarily through satisfactory completion of required coursework, attendance at Departmental seminars, and research. Additionally, our students will develop the ability to learn independently by determining, finding, and using necessary resources. Our students will also develop the ability to make decisions and judgments based on their knowledge. Furthermore, the student will be capable of addressing a research problem/project through a series of sustained, logical experiments, the writing of scholarly research that reflects and is a direct result of research conducted by the graduate student during his or her matriculation, bring his or her work to a satisfactory conclusion in the form of a M.S. thesis/report. Finally, it is expected that the thesis/master’s research report will be of publishable quality and, as a minimum, will be communicated through at least one oral presentation or poster session at a scientific meeting.


ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Students seeking admission to the Plant and Soil Science M.S. program should submit the following to the Alabama A&M University School of Graduate Studies:

Alabama A&M University Requirements

• Completed “official” Alabama A&M University Application for Admission to Graduate Studies and a non-refundable application fee

• Official transcripts from each collegiate institution attended sent directly to the School of Graduate Studies from the collegiate institution (Note: International students seeking admission must have their transcripts evaluated by World Education Services (WES) or a current member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation).

• Two letters of recommendation that speak to the applicant’s potential for successful completion of the graduate program to which he/she is applying (usually, letters of recommendation are from the applicant’s former professors or employers/supervisors in a field closely related to the graduate program the applicant is seeking admission).

•  A current resume or vita

• For international students seeking admission to the Plant and Soil Science M.S. Program, the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Testing System (ELS) Certification Examination is required if an applicant is from a country where English is not the official language or if an applicant’s degree is from an institution where English is not the language of instruction

• Minimum scores of 500, 61, and 5.5 are required for the TOEFL (paper-based test), TOEFL (internet-based test), and ELS Certification Examination, respectively.

Plant and Soil Science M.S. Program Requirements

• Minimum GPA of 2.75 (3.00 in the student’s major area of concentration)

• Application must include a letter with statement from a faculty member in the applicant’s area of study at Alabama A&M University that the faculty member agrees to serve as the major professor of the applicant (Plant and Soil Science Faculty Members: https://www.aamu.edu/academics/colleges/agricultural-life-natural-sciences/departments/biological-environmental-sciences/faculty-staff.html

Career Fields

• Plant Genetics and Research
• Research Scientist
• Geneticist
• Seed Scientist
• Soil Scientist
• Conservationist
• Ecologist