About the Degree

A Master’s plan of study will be prepared early in the student’s program by the student and the major professor.  The plan of study is then reviewed by a committee consisting of the major professor and two other faculty members.  Included in the plan will be a section outlining how and when the student will obtain his/her recommended teaching experience.  A copy of the plan of study will go to the Department Chairman, the Teaching Committee Chairman, and the Graduate Committee Chairman.

All candidates for the M.S. degree in the Department of Agronomy are required to have completed the following courses by the time the M.S. exam warrant is requested:

• 1 year of general chemistry with labs
• 1 semester of organic chemistry with labs
• 4 semesters of biology distributed among three of the following four areas: Biochemistry, genetics, plant morphology, anatomy, or physiology taxonomy, evolution, or ecology

Requests for deviations from these requirements can be made to the Graduate Studies Committee by the student with permission and advice from their major professor.

Program Options

All candidates for the M.S. degree in the Department of Agronomy must satisfy the requirements of one of the following program options:

• Thesis required – 18 credits are required (not including Agronomy 990 credits) beyond the B.S. degree.  A formal thesis is to be prepared and filed in Memorial Library as outlined in the University of Wisconsin Graduate School Bulletin.  Students must also provide hard-bound copies of their thesis to their major professor.
• Comprehensive report required – 21 credits are required (not including Agronomy 990 credits) beyond the B.S. degree.  A comprehensive report (not a formal thesis) is to be prepared and filed with the department and with the major professor.

Exit Seminar

Students intending to terminate their graduate program at the UW with the M.S. degree are required to present an exit seminar, preferably prior to their M.S. oral exam.

M.S. Oral Exam

A comprehensive oral examination by a committee consisting of the major professor and two (or more) other faculty members must be satisfactorily completed before the M.S. degree is conferred.