You are in the official 2003-2004 General Catalog
for California State University, Fresno.
Department of Plant Science
Bachelor of Science Degree Requirements
Plant Science Major
Options: Agronomy, Horticulture, Plant Health, General Plant Science
Recommended curriculum for students interested in agronomy (crop science
and soil and water courses), horticulture (ornamental horticulture, horticulture,
viticulture, and some crop science courses), plant health, and general plant
science.
Major requirements (51 units)
Plant Science Core (30 units)
PLANT 99, 107; PLTH 103, 105, 106; SW 2, 100, 100L; MEAG 3
Choose one from CRSC 1, OH 1, HORT 1
Choose 2 units from PLANT 180, 190, 194, 196, or VIT 196
After consultation with your adviser, choose an option and courses
that best serve your career objectives. Core courses cannot be counted in
the option.
Option (21 units)
Agronomy Option (21 units)
Choose a minimum of 12 upper-division units from CRSC and/or SW courses
Choose a minimum of 9 units including one course from three different prefixes
(6 upper-division units): PLTH, SW, PLANT 108, PLANT 170T, and MEAG (excluding
MEAG 1S)
Horticulture Option (21 units)
Choose a minimum of 12 upper-division units from HORT, OH, VIT, CRSC 111
and CRSC 112
Choose a minimum of 9 units including one course from three different prefixes
(6 upper-division units): PLTH, SW, PLANT 108, PLANT 170T, and MEAG (excluding
MEAG 1S)
Plant Health Option (21 units)
Choose a minimum of 12 upper-division units from PLTH and/or SW courses
Choose a minimum of 9 units including one course from three different prefixes
(6 upper-division units): OH, HORT, CRSC, VIT, PLANT 108, PLANT 170T, and
MEAG (excluding MEAG 1S)
General Plant Science Option (21 units)
Choose from the following:
A minimum of 3 upper-division units from each of PLTH, SW
A minimum of 3 units from MEAG (excluding MEAG 1S)
A minimum of 6 units from OH, HORT, CRSC, PLANT 108, PLANT 170T, and/or
VIT
[18 units must be upper division]
Additional requirements (20-21 units)
CHEM 3A*, BOT 10*, AGEC 1*, CHEM 8 or 3B, BOT 130, BIOSCI 140A or PLANT
150, AGEC 76
Depending on career goals, choose either of the following:
Management courses**: AGEC 31 and select one from AGEC 110N, 117, 120, 130,
160, 164
Science courses: CHEM 150 and MICRO 20
General Education requirements (42 units)*
(Includes 12 upper-division units, to be taken no sooner than the term in
which 60 units of coursework are completed.)
Electives (0-6 units)
Note: Consult your departmental adviser for other G.E. courses
that are recommended for the plant science major.
Total units (122 units)*
__________
* This total assumes that CHEM 3A, BOT 10, and AGEC 1 are being used to
satisfy 9 units of the G.E. requirement.
**Additional prerequisites may be required for some upper-division AGEC
courses.
Advising Notes
- During the Add/Drop period of their first semester, students are required to attend a department undergraduate orientation session. Alternatively, they are required to meet with the department chair. In either case, they will be assisted in selecting an appropriate faculty adviser and be given the curriculum checksheet(s) from which to select a catalog year.
- Meet with your academic adviser prior to registration each semester.
- General Education courses designated as required by the department are prerequisites to many courses in the program of study. The General Education requirement of 51 units may be exceeded depending upon your selection of courses.
- CR/NC grading is not permitted for courses included in the major.
- Upper-division G. E. courses (i.e., 100-level courses) should not be attempted prior to the semester in which 60 lower-division units toward the degree have been completed.
- The upper-division writing skills requirement can be met by passing the university Upper-Division Writing Examination (UDWE) or by passing an approved upper-division writing skills course. One unit of credit (i.e., ENGL 100W) may be earned for passing the exam; 3 units of credit is earned by obtaining a letter grade of C or higher in an approved course, i.e., PLANT 110W. In either case, the requirement will have been met.
- One semester prior to graduation, contact your academic adviser to prepare and file an official Certification of Major Requirements form. Your Application for Graduation cannot be processed by the Evaluations Office until this form has been submitted.
- Students interested in becoming Certified Professional Agronomists, Crop Scientists/Specialists or Soil Scientists/Specialists should consult with their department faculty adviser for additional requirements for certification.
Plant Science Minor
The 21 units of courses will constitute a basic background in plant science.
The program is similar to the major core and provides students with an introduction
to the broad spectrum of plant science. Other majors in the School of Agricultural
Sciences and Technology, particularly the Agricultural Business and Education
majors, require students to be knowledgeable of plant science in order to
pursue their careers or teach the subjects of agricultural production. This
minor would be a way in which students could acquire those courses they
need and get credit for completing a program of study rather than only a
series of courses.
Select from the following (3 units)
PLANT 107: Plant Propagation
PLANT 196: Crop Project* (MEAG 3 and permission of instructor and appropriate
production course)
PLANT 150: Crop Improvement* (BOT 10 or BIOL 10)
Select from the following (6 units)
PLTH 103: Economic Entomology* (BOT 10 or BIOL 10 or ZOOL 10)
PLTH 105: Weeds* (BOT 10 or BIOL 10 and CHEM 3A)
PLTH 106: Plant Pathology* (BOT 10 or BIOL 10)
Select from the following (3 units)
SW 2: Agricultural Water
SW 100: Soils* (CHEM 3A)
Select from one of the option areas in Plant Science (9 units)
(at least 6 units must be upper division)
Total (21 units)
__________
*Course requires a prerequisite.
Note: The Plant Sciences Minor also requires a 2.0 GPA and 6 upper-division
units in residence.
Master of Science Degree Requirements
The Master of Science in Plant Science is a 30-unit program designed
to provide advanced studies and in -depth knowledge in the fundamentals
of plant physiology and experimental design, as well as technical writing
and formal presentation of research reports.
This degree is for individuals seeking career advancement in agronomy, agricultural
research and development, plant physiology, pest management, plant pathology,
and soils and irrigation. Graduate courses are offered in the late afternoon
or evening permitting students to earn their degree within two years when
working closely with an adviser.
Admission Requirements. The Master of Science in Plant Science assumes
preparation equivalent to a Bachelor of Science in Plant Science. The following
courses or equivalents are expected to be completed prior to enrollment
in courses to be applied to the master's program: BOT 10, 130; CHEM 3A,
8; GENET 120; PLTH 103, 105, 106; PLANT 99; SW 2, 100, 100L.
Students are required to submit in one complete packet the following materials
to the Department of Plant Science, Ag Building, Room 222:
- one complete set of transcripts of all prior college or university work
- school application to the master's degree program
- 500-word statement of purpose by the candidate
- three letters of recommendation from persons in a position to make an evaluation in support of program entry, and
- one copy of the Institutional Score Report of GRE scores.
All graduate applicants whose native language is not English, regardless
of citizenship, must demonstrate English language proficiency through an
official TOEFL report showing a minimum score of 550, unless they have a
baccalaureate degree from an institution of higher education in which English
is the language of instruction.
The packet of materials must be delivered to the Department of Plant Science
by the following deadlines:
Submit of Enrollment Packet by
Spring Semester: October 25
Fall Semester: March 15
Incomplete packets of materials will be returned to students for resubmission
the following semester. Required application materials are available in
the Department of Plant Science, Ag 222, (559) 278-2861.
A committee of department faculty will review all complete applications
which were received by the stated deadline. Written notification will be
sent, no later than the 15th day of the next succeeding month, regarding
whether or not admission has been granted. Admission to the M.S. in Plant
Science degree program is contingent upon admission to California State
University, Fresno. Students who have been denied admission to the graduate
program in plant science must appeal the decision in writing to the department's
graduate coordinator no later than two weeks following the date of the letter
of denial in order to be reconsidered by the faculty for admission during
the semester for which the application was originally submitted.
Admission as a classified student will be based on consideration of a combination
of all the following criteria:
- GRE scores, which must be submitted with application (suggested minimum scores of 480 verbal and 580 quantitative)
- grade point average for the last 60 units (minimum 2.75 GPA)
- college transcript verifying completion of prerequisite courses and that bachelor's degree was conferred
- completed School of Agricultural Sciences and Technology "Graduate Programs Admission Application"
- three letters of reference, and
- a typewritten statement of 500 words explaining the applicant's professional goals.
Conditional classified standing may be granted by the department to applicants
who have a minimum GPA of 2.5 (last 60 semester units) and who have 9 or
fewer units of prerequisite courses to complete. Students must achieve a
3.0 GPA on prerequisite coursework.
Students must achieve classified standing in the program by the semester
in which a maximum of 10 units to be used toward the master's degree are
completed.
Students are not normally accepted into the Master of Science in Plant Science
degree program if they have more than 10 units of prerequisite courses to
complete. Prerequisite coursework cannot be used to fulfill the 30 unit
master's program requirements. Potential graduate students who have 10 or
more units of prerequisite courses to complete are encouraged to enroll
as unclassified postbaccalaureate students in plant science at California
State University, Fresno and apply to the master's program when they have
9 or fewer units of prerequisite courses to complete. Students must achieve
a 3.0 GPA on prerequisite coursework.
Students completing prerequisite coursework, following admission as unclassified
postbaccalaureate students in plant science, must achieve a grade of C
or better in required prerequisite coursework to qualify for admission to
the master's degree program.
Program Requirements
All students must complete a 13-unit common core. Students must also
complete 9 units of additional requirements, including one course from each
of three sets of courses, as well as 5 units of approved electives. Each
student is also expected to complete a 3-unit thesis in consultation with
a thesis committee.
Core (13 units)
AGRI 200, 201, 220; PLANT 257, 270
Additional requirements (9 units)
Three courses, one from each of three sets:
Set A: PLANT 252, 254, 255
Set B: PLANT 258, 261
Set C: PLANT 253, 256
Electives (5 units)
In consultation with their advisers, students select additional courses
from the three sets listed above, and/or from the department's approved
electives list.
Culminating experience (3 units)
PLANT 299
Total minimum requirements (30 units)
Graduate Advising Notes
- Several of the approved elective courses have prerequisites other than courses listed as admission requirements.
- To obtain the required school application form and more specific information concerning the Master of Science in Plant Science degree, interested students should call or write the department office. Upon acceptance in the Master of Science in Plant Science program, students should obtain the Graduate Student Handbook from the department office.
- Upon acceptance into the M.S. in Plant Science program, students will be assigned an initial faculty adviser by the department chair. Students may subsequently select a faculty adviser upon obtaining his/her approval and notifying the department office of that selection.
- Elective courses are selected in consultation with the student's faculty adviser from the three sets of courses listed under additional requirements. They may also be selected from the department's list of approved electives, consisting of chemistry, biology and plant science courses.
- To progress through the graduate program, the student must: (a.) Maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 (b.) Complete all prerequisite coursework (c.) Attain classified standing (d.) Meet the university graduate writing requirement (e.) Pass the department qualifying examination (f.) File for advancement to candidacy (g.) Complete the program requirements (h.) File a master's thesis committee assignment form (i.) Satisfactorily present and defend the thesis research results
- Advancement to candidacy requires the completion of 9 program units in residence, meeting the university graduate writing requirement, and filing a Petition for Advancement to Candidacy a minimum of one semester prior to enrollment in thesis and within the deadline.
- Students must meet the university graduate writing competency requirement by passing the writing component of AGRI 220 or FN 200. (See Plant Science Department graduate policy manual or graduate program coordinator for details.)
- All students must successfully complete the department qualifying exam. This exam is designed to be taken during the third semester the student is in the M.S. program or after completion of AGRI 200, AGRI 201, and PLANT 257. Information on the department qualifying exam is available from the Plant Science Department's secretary.
- See Division of Graduate Studies section in this catalog for university requirements.
Plant Science Courses