University of Georgia - College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
M.S. in Plant Pathology
MSc
DURATION
3 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
Key Summary
About: The M.S. in Plant Pathology at The University of Georgia integrates coursework and thesis research across plant, microbial, and environmental sciences. With close to 30 faculty and over 60 graduate students within the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES), you can specialize in mycology, bacteriology, nematology, virology, molecular plant–microbe interactions, epidemiology, and integrated disease management. Prospective students are automatically considered for Graduate School, CAES, and departmental assistantships.
Career Outcomes: Graduates pursue roles in academia, Extension, industry (biotech, seed, agrichemical), government research (USDA-ARS), consulting, international policy work, and NGOs globally. Career opportunities include research scientist, Extension specialist, and consultant.
The M.S. (Master of Science) degree in Plant Pathology integrates coursework and research at the intersection of the plant, microbial, and environmental sciences. The program includes a wide range of opportunities in areas ranging from applied, field-based disease management research to lab-based approaches aimed at understanding plant pathogens and their interactions with host plants at the molecular level. Our goal is to support and encourage students seeking a career in government agencies, academic institutions, or the private sector by providing them with a holistic background in the many facets of plant pathology. The M.S. is a research degree requiring coursework plus original research leading to a thesis. We take great pride in the progress and development of our students and their integrative training and high-quality research.
With close to 30 faculty members and over 60 graduate students, the University of Georgia offers one of the largest and most holistic plant pathology graduate programs in the United States. Graduate students have the opportunity to specialize across the range of disciplines that comprise the contemporary field of plant pathology, including mycology, bacteriology, nematology, virology, virulence and resistance genetics, molecular plant-microbe interactions, epidemiology, and integrated disease management. Our faculty work closely with each student to design an individualized program that meets the student’s career goals.
Prospective students who are interested in financial support will be considered automatically for any Graduate School, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, and/or departmental assistantships for which they are eligible.
M.S. and Ph.D. students in plant pathology are typically supported through graduate assistantships or fellowships. These stipends originate from various sources, including faculty research grants, departmental funds, the UGA Graduate School, or various national or international fellowship organizations. When you apply to the Department of Plant Pathology, you will automatically be considered for all available funding sources for which you may qualify. For most assistantships and some of the fellowships that are available to our students, there is no distinction between domestic and international applicants. We do not typically accept M.S. or Ph.D. students unless we can identify assistantship or fellowship support for them.
As an additional benefit, students on a graduate assistantship only pay a nominal tuition of $25 per semester.
Our goal is to support and encourage students seeking a career in government agencies, academic institutions, or the private sector by providing them with a holistic background in the many facets of plant pathology.
With their broad-based training, our graduates are in high demand at universities (as research or Extension professionals), as industry researchers (e.g., in biotech, seed companies, or the agrichemical industry), in government (e.g., USDA-ARS or international research organizations), in private practice (e.g., as consultants), and in domestic or international NGOs.
