The M.S. degree program in Plant Biology is designed to accommodate students of diverse academic backgrounds and with varied career plans. All students in the M.S. program are required to perform independent research and prepare a thesis. A minimum of 30 graduate credits are required of which nine must be in 600-level Plant Biology core courses, six to ten in M.S. thesis research, and four or more from journal clubs. The remaining graduate credits are elective. The candidate should select a faculty adviser ideally before entering the Program but no later than the end of the first semester, and thereafter prepare a thesis proposal. It is expected that the thesis will be of sufficient quality, originality, and substance as to warrant its publication in a peer-reviewed scientific journal. A final oral exam is based on the thesis research. It is expected that the student will finish the M.S. degree program in two years; funding is guaranteed for this period of time.