A candidate for the Ph.D. degree in Plant and Soil Science must meet all University, College, Division, and Program requirements as outlined in the WVU Graduate catalog.
Program Requirements
All Ph.D. degree candidates are required to follow a planned program of study. The student develops the plan of study during their first year in the program in conjunction with the graduate committee. The plan must be approved by the Director of the Division and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs of the Davis College.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 is required in all courses applied toward degree requirements. | ||
| Course Requirements as determined by the Plan of Study | ||
| Seminar (AEM, AGRN, ENTO, GEN, HORT, PPTH) * | 5 | |
| Research (AEM, AGRN, ENTO, GEN, HORT, PPTH) | 6 | |
| Candidacy Exam | ||
| Dissertation | ||
| Dissertation Defense | ||
| Total Hours | 11 | |
- *
A student must be enrolled in Seminar all semesters in residence.
Doctoral students must satisfactorily complete a set of core courses before they will be admitted to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree. All core courses will be at the 600 or 700 level, except where indicated below. Certain course requirements may be waived if the student has received equivalent training in prior coursework. Additional coursework pertaining to the student’s area of specialization will be determined by the student’s major professor and graduate committee.
Major Learning Outcomes
Plant and Soil Science
- Students will acquire fundamental knowledge of their area of emphasis and associated fields in plant and soil science.
- Students will acquire detailed knowledge of their particular subdiscipline or research area, including the scientific literature fundamental to their discipline and the ability to stay current o n scientific literature.
- Students will acquire technical skills in the field or laboratory.
- Students will develop the ability to communicate in writing and orally about scientific concepts and the results of their research.
- Students will develop the ability to design, conduct, and interpret the results of experiments.