Horticulture Graduate Degree Requirements
A graduate degree in Horticulture requires:
- A broad understanding of a large body of knowledge in horticulture and
- A specialization within that body of knowledge.
To achieve the goals of graduate education, requirements for each degree are set by the Graduate School, the Department, and the student's Graduate Advisory Committee. The graduate student's Graduate Advisory Committee will be responsible for setting, assessing, and maintaining standards for each student's specialization. This will allow each student's program to be individualized for that student's particular needs and interests. Requirements for the area of specialization may be in whatever form the student's committee members feel is most appropriate and will include courses and independent research. Specific departmental requirements, which promote the broad understanding within Horticulture and set the tone for a positive educational climate are listed below.
Minimum Course Requirements
To assure a broad understanding of what constitutes the field of horticulture, all Horticulture graduate students will be required, at a minimum, to complete courses from each of the four groups below. Fulfillment of these requirements may occur before admission to our graduate program or while enrolled in our program. The Horticulture Graduate Steering Committee will determine which of these minimum group requirements have been met prior to enrollment and will inform the graduate student and the student's Major Advisor of any remaining deficiencies. The graduate student's Graduate Advisory Committee will advise the student regarding possible ways to fulfill remaining minimum requirements and will determine which of the courses taken to fulfill these minimum departmental requirements, if any, may be included in the student's graduate program of study.
Group M.S. Ph.D. 1. Applied Plant Sciences: Courses fulfilling this group must be junior level or above. Examples of courses in the applied plant sciences include, but are not limited to, Viticulture and Small Fruits (Hort 313), Olericulture (Hort 320), Ornamental Plant Production (Hort 438), Fruit Crops Management (Hort 521) 6
hours6
hours2. Basic Plant Sciences: Courses fulfilling this group must be junior level or above. Examples of courses in the basic plant sciences include, but are not limited to, Plant Biotechnology (Bot 325), Horticultural Crop Physiology (Hort 416), Plant Systematics (Bot 430), Genetic and Molecular Aspects of Plant Reproduction (Hort 505) 3
hours6
hours3. Research Foundation: Courses fulfilling this group must be junior level or above. Examples of courses that contribute to an understanding of the research foundation (analysis, methodology, or techniques) for graduate study include, but are not limited to, Biometry (Stat 412), Environmental Biophysics (Soils 414-5), Experimental Design (Stat 512), Experimental Methods in Plant Physiology (Bot 504) 3
hours6
hours4. Supporting Areas: Courses fulfilling this group can be introductory level or above. Examples of courses that contribute to an understanding of the agricultural disciplines that directly support undergraduate horticulture degrees include, but are not limited to, Introductory Soils (Soils 201), Agricultural Entomology (Ent 340), Integrated Pest Management (IPM 452), Plant Pathology (Pl P 429) 3
hours3
hours
Statewide Graduate Student Orientation Tour
Each fall, before classes begin, the department conducts an orientation tour of departmental research and extension stations statewide. All new students admitted since the previous fall semester are required to participate in this tour. Students will have an opportunity to visit horticultural industries on this tour, while becoming acquainted with statewide Horticulture and Landscape Architecture students, faculty, staff, and resources pertinent to the graduate program.
Graduate Teaching Requirements
In addition to graduate research, graduate students must fulfill a teaching requirement. All candidates for an advanced degree in horticulture shall include some type of teaching experience in their graduate program. Departmental teaching requirements are fulfilled under guidance of the student's advisor. This teaching requirement will be met by completing one of the following teaching duties in any semester of the candidate's graduate program:
- Prepare and give at least three one-hour lectures at the undergraduate or graduate level.
- Conduct a tutorial session involving at least three students meeting at least once a week for a period of no less than eight weeks.
- Assist with the preparation and conduct of at least six, two- or three-hour undergraduate laboratory periods.
- Prepare three asynchronous presentations equivalent to one-hour lectures on approved subjects. For example, a student might arrange to have slide presentations taped by Information Technology (IT) for possible use later in departmental programs or might prepare computer-assisted learning modules.
- Perform required teaching duties on a Graduate Teaching Assistantship for one semester.
Other Degree Requirements
Graduate students are required to attend horticultural seminars regularly and are encouraged to attend seminars from other departments periodically as part of their professional education. In addition, students are required to present two seminars during their program of study.
Other requirements, including Graduate Advisory Committee selection, research proposals, course requirements, and time limits, are listed in the Handbook for Current Graduate Students in Horticulture, which is given to new students when they arrive on campus, and in the WSU Graduate School's Policies and Procedures.
The progress of all graduate students is reviewed within the department twice each year to help the student keep informed of all requirements and make timely progress toward the completion of the degree requirements.