Program Overview

Master of Science in Bioagricultural Sciences, Plan B, Pest Management Specialization

The M.S. in Bioagricultural Sciences, Plan B, Pest Management Specialization is a coursework and internship-based program that prepares students to work to sustain our food and fiber supply, provide agricultural biosecurity, and protect our natural ecosystems from pests, plant diseases, and weeds. Students complete coursework, an internship, and a professional paper.

Program Overview

• The program prepares students to work as extension educators, import/export inspectors, crop advisors, or in multiple industry roles focused on management of insects, plant diseases, and weeds in agricultural systems.
• Employment of students from our graduate programs is nearly 100%.

Course Requirements

• Course List Code | Title | Credits
  ---|---|---
  AB 551| Advanced Integrated Pest Management| 4
• Section 1. Core Foundation (15 credits)
  • BSPM 587| Internship 1| 3
  • BSPM 698| Research 2| 6
  • BSPM 792| 3| 2
• Section 2. Agricultural Biology Electives. Select 13-19 credits from this list. Do not exceed the number of 300/400-level credits permitted by the Graduate School for this degree.
  • AB 340| Insect Biotechnology|
  • AB 410| Understanding Pesticides|
  • AB 509| Herbicide Selectivity and Action|
  • AB 511| Microbiome of Plant Systems|
  • AB 515| Plant Biochemistry in Agriculture|
  • AB 521| Forest Health Issues|
  • AB 529| Pesticide Resistance Evolution and Management|
  • AB 554| Biology of Fungal Plant Pathogens|
  • AB 555| Topics in Plant Pathology--Plant Virology|
  • BSPM 302| Applied and General Entomology 4|
  • BSPM 308| Ecology and Management of Weeds 4|
  • BSPM 361| Elements of Plant Pathology 4|
  • BSPM 365| Integrated Tree Health Management|
  • BSPM 500| Foundations of Bioagricultural Sciences|
  • BSPM 502B| Topics in Plant Pathology: Plant Bacteriology|
  • BSPM 526/BZ 526| Evolutionary Ecology|
  • BSPM 528| Invasive Plants/Weeds–Ecosystems to Molecules|
  • BSPM 550| Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions|
  • BSPM 594| Independent Study|
• Section 3. General Electives. Select 0-6 credits from this list. Do not exceed the number of 300/400-level credits permitted by the Graduate School for this degree.
  • AGED 525| Agricultural and Extension Teaching|
  • AGRI 630| Integrated Decision Making/Management Skills|
  • AREC 478| Agricultural Policy|
  • HORT 515/AGRI 515| Urban Horticulture|
  • FW 567| Wildlife Disease Ecology|
  • NR 577| Wetland Ecology and Restoration|
• Program Total Credits: 34

Additional Requirements

• A minimum of 34 credits are required to complete this program.
• Internship placement to be selected in coordination with departmental program advisor and graduate advisor. Includes a professional development plan for the internship (3 credits).
• Includes a professional paper on topic related to student's specialization and approved by the student’s advisor and graduate committee (6 credits).
• Enroll in department seminar for 1 credit twice (2 semesters total, 2 credits total).
• If these Foundation undergraduate courses were not taken during the undergraduate degree, complete as part of the MS degree.

Graduate Degree Procedures

• Application for admission (online) - Six months before first registration
• Diagnostic examination when required - Before first registration
• Appointment of advisor - Before first registration
• Selection of graduate committee - Before the time of fourth regular semester registration
• Filing of program of study (GS Form 6) - Before the time of fourth regular semester registration
• Preliminary examination (Ph.D. and PD) - Two terms prior to final examination
• Report of preliminary examination (GS Form 16) - (Ph.D. and PD) - Within two working days after results are known
• Changes in committee (GS Form 9A) - When change is made
• Application for Graduation (GS Form 25) - Refer to published deadlines from the Graduate School Website
• Reapplication for Graduation (online) - Failure to graduate requires Reapplication for Graduation (online) for the next time term for which you are applying
• Submit thesis or dissertation to committee - At least two weeks prior to the examination or at the discretion of the graduate committee
• Final examination - Refer to published deadlines from the Graduate School Website
• Report of final examination (GS Form 24) - Within two working days after results are known; refer to published deadlines from the Graduate School website
• Submit a signed Thesis/Dissertation Submission Form (GS Form 30) to the Graduate School and Submit the Survey of Earned Doctorates (Ph.D. only) prior to submitting the electronic thesis/dissertation - Refer to published deadlines from the Graduate School website
• Submit the thesis/dissertation electronically - Refer to published deadlines from the Graduate School website
• Graduation - Ceremony information is available from the Graduate School website