Offered at: San Luis Obispo Campus
https://plantsciences.calpoly.edu/graduate-students
The MS in Agriculture program provides students with advanced knowledge and skills in their areas of interest to succeed in their future endeavors. The MS in Agriculture with a Plant Protection Science specialization is for students with undergraduate preparation in plant sciences, biology, or another directly applicable discipline. Graduates conduct applied research in pest or pathogen biology, sustainable pest management, biological control, and/or plant disease management. Students who complete a master’s degree at Cal Poly are well-prepared for jobs in industry, further graduate work at a Ph.D. institution, or teaching at a community college.
Requirements for Admission
Students apply via Cal State Apply and must submit a transcript, a personal statement addressing motivation for pursuing a Master’s in Agriculture at Cal Poly, and two letters of recommendation. In addition, applicants who did not obtain their undergraduate degree at Cal Poly are also required to submit scores from the GRE General test. Communicating with the Graduate Program Coordinator before applying is strongly recommended.
International Students must meet all the standard eligibility criteria and demonstrate proficiency in English (English Proficiency Exam Requirements)
Prerequisites: A bachelor’s degree from a closely related field.
Minimum GPA: Must have attained a minimum grade point average of 2.75 in the last 60 semester units attempted. An applicant not meeting these academic standards, but who meets the basic university standard of a grade point average in the last 60 semester units attempted may be considered for admission as a conditionally classified graduate student.
Application due date: Applications are accepted for Fall and Spring semesters. Please see Graduate Student Dates and Deadlines for application deadlines.
Advancement to Candidacy
Six units of graduate coursework completed with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher and completion of the CAFES Graduate Committee Form.
Culminating Experience
Thesis: Along with a faculty advisor, students will work on a specific research topic, preparing a written thesis, and present it to the public as a 45-minute thesis seminar, after which the thesis committee will have the opportunity to privately ask related questions as the student defends the thesis.
Program Learning Objectives
- Demonstrate expertise in plant protection science.
- Develop, test, or select appropriate technology in plant protection science based on current conditions and future needs.
- Demonstrate effective communication skills related to plant protection science research.
- Formulate decisions utilizing professional ethics within their respective disciplines.
- Examine the value and role of diversity of people and ideas when developing agricultural system solutions.
- Investigate plant protection science problems using critical thinking and derive appropriate solutions.
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| REQUIRED COURSES | ||
| ESCI 5501 | Research Planning | 3 |
| FSN 5505 | Orientation to Graduate Studies | 1 |
| or AG 5581 | Graduate Seminar | |
| PLSC 5599 | Thesis | 6 |
| STAT 5110 | Introductory Statistics for Graduate Students | 3 |
| STAT 5120 | Intermediate Statistics for Graduate Students | 3 |
| Approved Electives | ||
| Select from the following: | 14 | |
| Advanced Weed Management | ||
| Disease and Pest Control Systems for Ornamental Plants | ||
| Integrated Pest Management for Insects | ||
| Biological Control for Pest Management | ||
| Special Advanced Topics | ||
| Individual Study in Plant Sciences | ||
| Special Advanced Topics | ||
| Total Units | 30 | |