Academic Programs Catalog

The Master of Science Degree in Global Plant Breeding provides opportunities for working professionals to obtain new knowledge in laws and regulations, design thinking and leadership, and global seed systems.
 
In addition to meeting the requirements of the University and of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, students must meet the requirements specified below.
 
Admission
 
The student must:

1. have earned a bachelor’s degree with a grade-point average of 3.0;
2. provide all undergraduate transcripts;
3. provide three letters of recommendation;
4. provide a personal statement describing the applicants interest and experience in plant breeding and their personal career goals;
5. provide a resume or test scores from a standardized graduate or professional school test such as the GRE, GMAT, MCAT, DAT, or LSAT, which may be waived if the applicant has a previously conferred graduate or professional degree;
6. provide test scores from an English proficiency examination if from non-English speaking country;
7. have completed at least one college level introductory course in Advanced Mathematics, Biology, and Genetics;
8. have completed 15 undergraduate credit hours in plant science course work.

Guidance Committee
 
The Global Plant Breeding Committee is composed of the director of the Global Plant Breeding program and two additional regular MSU faculty members.
 
Requirements for the Master of Science Degree in Global Plant Breeding
 
A minimum of 30 credits is required for the degree under Plan B (without thesis). The program is available only online.

1. 1. Complete all of the following courses (24 credits):
   1. CROP 441 Plant Breeding and Biotechnology (3)
   2. CROP 451 Biotechnology Applications for Plant Breeding and Genetics (3)
   3. CSS 815 Statistics for Plant Breeders (3)
   4. CSS 816 R Modules for Plant Breeders (2)
   5. CSS 817 Global Plant Breeding Regulations (2)
   6. CSS 818 Design Thinking and Leadership for Plant Breeders (2)
   7. CSS 830 Breeding for Quantitative Traits (3)
   8. CSS 831 Breeding for Biotic and Abiotic Stresses (3)
   9. CSS 832 Global Seed Systems (3)
2. 2.  Complete both of the following courses (6 credits):
   1. CSS 870 Capstone in Global Plant Breeding (3)
   2. CSS 890 Independent Study (3)
3. 3.  Final Examination: Students in the Plan B Global Plant Breeding Master of Science degree program are required to pass an oral evaluation in defense of their capstone course project. The final oral examination includes a public presentation, followed by a closed-door examination by the student’s Graduate Committee. The MS final exam includes all material from the student's coursework and final capstone project. In case of failure, one re-examination may be scheduled for the following semester. The final oral examination must be passed within five calendar years from the date of enrollment in the first course in the Global Plant Breeding degree program.
4. 4.  Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research (RECR) Requirement: The Department of Plant, Soil, and Microbial Sciences require all students to meet the minimum MSU requirements for Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research as follows:
   Year 1: Complete 3 CITI online modules within the first year of enrollment in their program. (https://grad.msu.edu/academics/research-integrity/recr-workshop-series)
   Year 2: Complete 3 additional CITI online modules. 
   Discussion-Based Training: Complete a minimum of 6 hours of discussion-based training by completing workshops offered by the Graduate School or discussions with the major professor, graduate committee, or courses.