You are in the official 2008-2009 General Catalog
for California State University, Fresno.

Department of Plant Science

Bachelor of Science Degree Requirements
Plant Science Major

Crop Production Management Option
Recommended curriculum for students interested in a foundation of agronomic, vegetable, tree fruit/nut, or ornamental horticulture crop production combined with a foundation in agricultural business; recommended curriculum for students interested in combining foundations in agricultural equipment, crop production, and agricultural business.

Major requirements (45 units)
PLANT 99, 100: SW 2, 100, 100L

• Choose one from MEAG 3 or 20
• Choose two from PLTH 103, 105, 106
• Choose 2 units from PLANT 180, 190, 194, 196, or VIT 196

After consultation with your adviser, choose courses below that best serve your career objectives. Courses from above cannot be double-counted below. 15 units must be from no more than two prefixes. Select 21 units (minimum 15 upper-division units) from CRSC, HORT, MEAG, OH, PLTH, SW, VIT; PLANT 107, 108, 134, 150.

Additional requirements (22-24 units)*
CHEM 3A, BIOL 11, AGEC 1 (or ECON 40), DS 71 (or MATH 75)

• Select one course from CHEM 3B, CHEM 8, PHYS 2A
• Select 18 units (15 upper-division) from the following:** AGEC 28, 31, 100, 110, 117, 120, 130, 150, 160, 163, 164

General Education requirements (51 units)
(Includes 12 upper-division units, to be taken no sooner than the term in which 60 units of coursework are completed.)

Note: Consult your departmental adviser for other G.E. courses that are recommended for the plant science major. No General Education Integration or Multicultural/International course offered by the Plant Science Department may be used to satisfy the G.E. requirements for majors in the department.

Electives (4-5 units)

Total units (120 units)*

__________

* This total assumes that CHEM 3A, BIOL 11, AGEC 1 (or ECON 40), and DS 71 (or MATH 75) are being used to satisfy 12 units of the G.E. requirement.

**Additional prerequisites may be required for some upper-division AGEC courses.

Plant Health Option
Recommended curriculum for students interested in obtaining a Pest Control Adviser's license, or who are interested in plant biotechnology or in pursuing a post-graduate degree in plant science.

Major requirements (57-58 units)
PLANT 99, 100, 150; PLTH 102, 103, 105, 106, 108; SW 2, 100, 100L; MEAG 20

• Choose one from SW 101, PLTH 104
• Choose 3 additional units from PLTH courses
• Select 15 units (minimum 9 upper division) from CRSC, HORT, OH, SW, VIT; PLANT 107, 108, 134
• Choose 2 units from PLANT 180, 190, 194, 196, or VIT 196

Additional requirements (7 units)*
CHEM 3A, BIOL 11, CHEM 8 and 150

General Education requirements (51 units)
(Includes 12 upper-division units, to be taken no sooner than the term in which 60 units of coursework are completed.)

Note: Consult your departmental adviser for other G.E. courses that are recommended for the plant science major. No General Education Integration or Multicultural/International course offered by the Plant Science Department may be used to satisfy the G.E. requirements for majors in the department.

Electives (0-2 units)

Total units (120 units)

__________

* This total assumes that CHEM 3A and BIOL 11 are being used to satisfy 6 units of the G.E. requirement.

Advising Notes

1. Students will be assisted in selecting an appropriate faculty adviser and be given the curriculum checksheet(s) from which to select a catalog year.
2. Meet with your academic adviser prior to registration each semester.
3. 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.
4. CR/NC grading is not permitted for courses included in the major.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. One semester prior to graduation, con-tact your academic adviser to prepare and file any necessary course substitutions with the Evaluations Office.
8. 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* (BIOL 11 or BIOL 10)

Select from the following (6 units)
PLTH 103: Economic Entomology* (BIOL 10, 11 or 12)
PLTH 105: Weeds* (BIOL 11 or BIOL 10 and CHEM 3A)
PLTH 106: Plant Pathology* (BIOL 10 or BIOL 11)

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 crop production and physiology, as well as experimental design, technical writing, and formal presentation of research results. This degree is for individuals seeking advanced knowledge in the plant sciences. The areas of emphasis include agronomy, pomology, horticulture, weed science, plant physiology, pest management, plant pathology, soils and irrigation. Coursework provides a broad understanding of most aspects of crop production and thesis research allows for specialization. Graduate courses are offered in the late afternoon or evening permitting students to earn their degree within two or three years if working closely with an adviser.

Admission Requirements. The Master of Science in Plant Science assumes preparation equivalent to a Bachelor of Science degree in Plant Science. The following courses or equivalents are expected to be completed prior to admission to the master's program:

3 units - Plant Physiology

3 units - Statistics

3 units - Soils

3 units - Plant Health (entomology, pathology, nematology, integrated pest management, biological control, etc.)

6 units - Physical Science (chemistry, physics, etc.) of which a minimum of 3 units must be in chemistry

9 units - Natural Science (biology, ecology, genetics, agricultural sciences, etc.)

Students who do not have all the prerequisite courses may be admitted to the program with conditionally classified standing and are expected to complete the prerequisites before being granted classified standing.

To apply, students must complete the online application at http://www.csufresno.edu/gradstudies/admission required for university admission, and must also submit the following materials to the Department of Plant Science, Ag Sciences Building, Room 222:

• one complete set of transcripts of all prior college or university work
• college 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 graduate study, and
• one copy of the Institutional Score Report of the GRE exam.

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 total score of 550 on the paper-based test or 66 on the Internet-based test, 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: September 30
Fall Semester: March 1

Admission as a classified student will be based on consideration of a combination of all the following criteria:

1. GRE scores, which must be submitted with application (suggested minimum scores of 480 verbal, 580 quantitative, and 4.0 analytical writing)
2. grade point average for the last 60 units (minimum 2.75 GPA)
3. college transcript verifying completion of prerequisite courses and conferral of the bachelor's degree
4. completed Department of Plant Science "Graduate Programs Admission Application"
5. three letters of reference, and
6. a typewritten statement of 500 words explaining the applicant's professional goals.

Classified standing will be granted to students who meet all of the admission criteria.

Conditional classified standing may be granted to applicants with a 2.5 to 2.74 GPA (last 60 semester units) and/or those required to complete prerequisite coursework. Prerequisite coursework is not included in the 30-unit master's program and students must achieve a 3.0 GPA on prerequisite coursework. Students must request classified standing in the program by the semester in which a minimum of 10 units to be used toward the degree are completed.

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 2-5 units of approved electives. Each student is also expected to complete thesis research (3 or 6 units of PLANT 299) 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 (2-5 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 or 6 units)
PLANT 299

Total minimum requirements (30 units)

Graduate Advising Notes

1. Several of the approved elective courses have prerequisites other than the courses listed as admission requirements.
2. To obtain the required college application form and more specific information concerning the Master of Science in Plant Science, interested students should refer to http://cast.csufresno.edu/PlantSci or call the department office at 559.278.2861. Upon acceptance to the Master of Science in Plant Science program, students should obtain the Graduate Student Handbook from the department office.
3. Upon acceptance into the M.S. in Plant Science program, students will be assigned an initial faculty adviser by the graduate program coordinators. Students may subsequently select a faculty adviser upon obtaining his/her approval and notifying the department office of that selection.
4. 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.
5. To progress through the graduate program, the student must (a) complete all prerequisite coursework, (b) attain classified standing, (c) maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0, (d) meet the university graduate writing requirement, (e) pass the department's qualifying examination, (f) file for advancement to candidacy, (g) complete the program requirements, (h) file a master's thesis committee assignment form, and (i) satisfactorily present and defend the thesis research results.
6. 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 (PLANT 299) and within the deadline.
7. Students must meet the university graduate writing competency requirement by passing the writing component of AGRI 220 or FN 200 ,which includes written certification by the instructor. See the Plant Science Department's Graduate Policy Manual and Student Handbook or the graduate program coordinators for details.
8. All students must successfully complete the department's qualifying exam. This exam is designed to be taken during the third semester of the M.S. program and after completion of AGRI 200, AGRI 201, and PLANT 257. Information on the department's qualifying exam is available from the Plant Science Department's administrative coordinator.
9. See Division of Graduate Studies section in this catalog for university requirements or visit www.csufresno.edu/gradstudies.

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