Program Overview

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Introduction to the Botany MS Program

The University of WisconsinMadison offers a Master of Science degree in Botany, providing students with the opportunity to work with faculty and staff on a range of projects in plant biology. The program encompasses various levels of organization, from molecules to populations, communities, and lineages of organisms.

Research Areas

Major research areas in the Botany MS program include:

• Evolution and systematics
• Molecular, cellular, and developmental biology
• Plant biology
• Biochemistry
• Ecology The program also offers advanced instruction and research opportunities in phycology, bryology, mycology, ethnobotany, paleoecology, conservation and restoration ecology, taxonomy, genetics, and physiology.

Interdisciplinary Opportunities

Students interested in fields bordering botany can explore coursework, collaborative research, and seminars in various departments and schools, such as:

• Bacteriology
• Biochemistry
• Chemistry
• Engineering
• Entomology
• Forest and Wildlife Ecology
• Genetics
• Geography
• Geoscience
• Integrative Biology
• Physics
• Plant and Agroecosystem Sciences
• Plant Breeding/Plant Genetics
• Plant Pathology
• Statistics
• Soil Science
• The Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies Interdisciplinary work is highly encouraged, allowing students to broaden their knowledge and skills.

Graduate Study Requirements

Graduate study in the Department of Botany requires a combination of advanced coursework, participation in seminars, and original research. Course requirements follow one of four pathways:

• General botany
• Ecology
• Evolution
• Molecular, cellular, and developmental biology Students, in consultation with their faculty advisor, select a pathway that includes courses and research topics related to their interests, as well as training in various techniques and approaches needed to pursue research.

Admissions

Admission to the Botany MS program involves a two-step process between academic programs and the Graduate School. Applicants must meet the minimum requirements of both the Graduate School and the program. Key admissions requirements include:

• Fall Deadline: December 1
• Spring Deadline: The program does not admit in the spring
• Summer Deadline: The program does not admit in the summer
• GRE (Graduate Record Examinations): Not required
• English Proficiency Test: Refer to the Graduate School's policy
• Other Test(s) (e.g., GMAT, MCAT): The GRE subject test in Biology or in Cell and Molecular Biology is not required
• Letters of Recommendation Required: 3

Funding

Financial support is available to qualified graduate students in the form of teaching, research, and project assistantships and fellowships. Typically, there are approximately 35 graduate students who hold assistantships or fellowships in the botany department. Additional funding opportunities include:

• Advanced Opportunity Fellowships (AOF)
• External fellowships from professional societies and outside agencies
• Intradepartmental fellowships and awards

Graduate School Resources

The Graduate School provides information about tuition and fees associated with being a graduate student. Resources to help afford graduate study may include assistantships, fellowships, traineeships, and financial aid.

Program Resources

The botany department encourages students to pursue independent research soon after arriving. Students are eligible for a number of intradepartmental awards and grants. Graduate students who have a teaching, research, or project assistantship of at least a 33% appointment for a fall or spring term are eligible to receive remission of full tuition.

Minimum Graduate School Requirements

Review the Graduate School's minimum degree requirements and policies, in addition to the program requirements listed below.

Major Requirements

Mode of Instruction

The mode of instruction for the Botany MS program is face-to-face.

Curricular Requirements

University General Education Requirements include:

• Minimum Credit Requirement: 30 credits
• Minimum Residence Credit Requirement: 30 credits
• Minimum Graduate Coursework Requirement: 15 credits must be graduate-level coursework
• Overall Graduate GPA Requirement: 3.00 GPA required
• Other Grade Requirements: Students must earn a B or above in all pathway coursework
• Assessments and Examinations: A written thesis or research report based on work conducted in a formal research course and a final oral exam are required of all students who expect to continue for the PhD degree

Required Courses

Course requirements for the Botany MS program include:

• A minimum of 6 credits in graduate-level BOTANY courses
• Two seminar courses (at least one in BOTANY)
• Courses assigned by the Academic Advisory Committee and/or the student's MS committee
• Research courses
• Pathway courses (12-18 credits)

Pathways

The Botany MS program offers four pathways:

• General Botany Pathway
• Ecology Pathway
• Evolution Pathway
• Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology (MCDB) Pathway

Seminar Course Options

A list of available seminar courses is provided, including options from various departments such as Botany, Entomology, Genetics, Geography, and more.

Research Course Options

A list of available research courses is provided, including options such as Directed Study, Research-Phycology, and Research: Fungal Biology.

Graduate School Policies

The Graduate School's Academic Policies and Procedures serve as the official document of record for Graduate School academic and administrative policies and procedures.

Major-Specific Policies

Prior Coursework

No credits from other institutions are allowed to transfer toward the minimum credit requirement and the minimum graduate coursework requirement.

Probation

Refer to the Graduate School's probation policy.

Advisor / Committee

A major professor must be chosen as soon as possible after beginning graduate study and in all cases by the end of the first year.

Credits Per Term Allowed

The maximum credit load per term is 15 credits.

Time Limits

The master's degree should be completed within two and one-half years of study.

Grievances and Appeals

Resources for addressing concerns and appeals are provided, including the Graduate School, the Office of the Provost, and the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards.

Professional Development

The Graduate School offers professional development resources to help students build skills, thrive academically, and launch their careers.

Learning Outcomes

The Botany MS program aims to achieve the following learning outcomes:

1. Acquire and demonstrate fundamental understanding of the basic properties of plant life from the subcellular to the ecosystem level of organization.
2. Use critical elements of the methodological or theoretical framework in a specialized botanical subdiscipline to develop hypotheses, acquire scientific information, and interpret results in the context of the historical scientific literature.
3. Develop the skills of communicating scientific information, especially in written form.
4. Engage in the critical evaluation of botanical scientific data and its interpretation.
5. Recognize and apply ethical conduct in the collection, analysis, and presentation of scientific data.
6. Develop the skills essential to critical debate, discussion, and exchange of scientific information among peers and audiences of diverse intellectual and personal backgrounds.