Soil Science - PhD

Plant, Soils and Climate Degree Programs and Specializations

The Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees are offered as follows:

(1) Plant Science with specializations in crop physiology; crop production and management; molecular biology; plant breeding and cytology; plant biotechnology and tissue culture; plant nutrition; space biology; weed science; and bioinformatics and computational biology;

(2) Soil Science with specializations in soil and water chemistry; soil biochemistry & ecology; soil conservation systems; soil fertility and plant nutrition; soil physics; soil-plant-water relations; soil taxonomy and genesis; molecular biology; and soils and irrigation;

(3) Climate Science with specializations in climate dynamics, hydroclimate modeling, micro-meteorology, and turbulence in plant canopies

(4) Ecology interdepartmental degree program see description and requirements at https://www.usu.edu/ecology/students.

The Climate Adaptation Science Specialization is offered as an interdepartmental program. 

Course Requirements

Students upon admission are expected to have courses or knowledge equivalent to an undergraduate BS degree in the program or a closely related field. Course requirements leading to MS or PhD degrees are developed jointly by the student and the student’s supervisory committee. Each student must have a Program of Study approved by their supervisory committee. Course selections reflect areas of specialization. Designation of a specialization is optional.  Official specializations will appear on transcript. There are additional specific departmental requirements regarding physical sciences, biological sciences, and mathematics courses, which differ depending on the program and area of specialization.

Required of all programs and degree types:

Degree Verification 

A bachelor’s degree from an accredited U.S. college or university or a similarly recognized international university is required for admission to and completion of a graduate program.

Overall Graduate GPA at least 3.0 and no grades of C- or lower; 

Graduate students are required to maintain at least a 3.0 GPA for degree-program courses. Grades of C- or lower will not be accepted for a graduate degree. 

Course Number Acceptability

The Program of Study for a master’s degree or a doctoral degree, if the student has a master’s degree, must include at least 15 semester credits at the level of 6000 or above. 
For a doctoral degree, if the student does not have a master’s degree, the Program of Study must include at least 30 credits at the level of 6000 or above. 

Credits in the following areas are not acceptable in a degree program: foreign languages (unless included in an approved Program of Study), continuing graduate advisement, individual home study, military science, and courses numbered below 3000.

Matriculation Start Semester 

A master’s degree must be completed within six years of entering the degree program. Additional time may be requested by the student’s committee and submitted to the Vice Provost of Graduate Studies for review. 

A doctorate must be completed within eight years of entering the degree program. Additional time may be requested by the student’s committee and submitted to the Vice Provost of Graduate Studies for review. 

Coursework Validity

The minimum requirement for a master’s degree is 30 semester credits.

Doctoral degrees generally require 30-60 academic credits beyond a master’s degree or 60 - 90 academic credits beyond a bachelor’s degree. The credit amounts are determined by the approved Program of Study.
 

USU Residency Requirement 

Doctoral students:

At least 33 semester credits for a doctoral (Ph.D.) must be taken from Utah State University and be part of an committee-approved and a School of Graduate Studies-approved Program of Study. At least three semesters, two of which must be consecutive, of full-time registration in residence at Utah State University, is required.

Master’s students: 

At least 24-semester credits for a master’s degree must be from a committee-approved and a School of Graduate Studies-approved Program of Study from Utah State University.

Thesis/Dissertation Research Credits 6970/7970

Doctoral students:

A minimum of 12 dissertation credits (7970) is required if the student has a master’s degree, and a minimum of 18 is required if the student has a bachelor’s degree.

Master’s Plan A students:

The Plan A option requires the preparation and defense of a thesis. Students are required to complete a minimum of 6 semester credits of thesis research (PSC 6970) with a maximum of 15 thesis credits applied toward a Program of Study. 

Master’s Plan B students:

A Plan B option requires the production and defense of a paper or project. A minimum of two credits of thesis research (PSC 6970) are required, but no more than three thesis research credits can be included in an approved Program of Study.

Professional/Plan C students cannot use any thesis/dissertation credits.

Required for all defense degrees:

Successful defense and submission of the thesis or dissertation to the library.

Master’s forms: Approval of the following academic forms is required for master’s students by the School of Graduate Studies (SGS): 

• Supervisory Committee
• Program of Study
• Thesis/Project Approval
• Appointment for Examination
• Record of Examination
• SGS and library review and approval (Plan A)
• Library review and approval (Plan B)

Doctoral forms: Approval of the following academic forms required for doctoral students by the School of Graduate Studies (SGS):

• Supervisory Committee
• Program of Study
• Application for Candidacy (includes proposal)
• Appointment for Examination
• Record of Examination
• SGS and library review and approval