7. Course Requirements
A distinctive element of the Plant Pathology Graduate Program is a compulsory curriculum comprising a set of graduate-level courses in the Department of Plant Pathology (Table 1). Successful completion of the curriculum is required for Plant Pathology graduate students to achieve the program’s learning objectives (described above)
Table 1. Plant Pathology Graduate Curriculum (Course Requirements)*
| M.S. Students (Option A and B) | Ph.D. Students |
|---|---|
| Coursework (12-13 cr Option A, 15 cr Option B): PLPT 801 Biology of Pathogens, 3 cr PLPT 802 Ecology & Management of Plant Pathogens, 3 cr PLPT 891 Plant Disease Across Nebraska, 1 cr PLPT 968 Plant Pathology Seminar, 2** cr One course from the following***: PLPT 866 Plant Pathogenic Nematodes, 3 cr PLPT 867 Plant Associated Microbes, 4 cr PLPT 963 Genetics of Host-Parasite Interaction, 3 cr PLPT 965 Plant Virology, 3 cr |
Coursework (16-17 cr): PLPT 801 Biology of Pathogens, 3 cr PLPT 802 Ecology & Management of Plant Pathogens, 3 cr PLPT 891 Plant Disease Across Nebraska, 1 cr PLPT 968 Plant Pathology Seminar, 3** cr Two courses from the following***: PLPT 866 Plant Pathogenic Nematodes, 3 cr PLPT 867 Plant Associated Microbes, 4 cr PLPT 963 Genetics of Host-Parasite Interaction, 3 cr PLPT 965 Plant Virology, 3 cr |
| Minor: Both Option A and B may include a minor of at least 9 credit hours selected from and approved by the minor department. |
Minor: No minor is required for the Ph.D. |
| Remaining credit hours to meet total: Other courses as designated on Memorandum of Courses and/or PLPT 899 Masters Thesis, up to 10 cr per semester and maximum of 99 cr total**** |
Remaining credit hours to meet total: Other courses as designated on Program of Studies and/or PLPT 999 Doctoral Dissertation, up to 24 cr per semester and maximum of 99 cr total**** |
| Course credit hours in PLPT: 12* for Option A, 15 for Option B* Total credits required for Masters Option A: 30 Total credits required for Masters Option B: 30 |
Course credit in PLPT: 16-17* Total credits required for Doctorate: 90 |
*In addition to completion of these required courses, M.S. (Option I and II) and Ph.D. students must also meet other credit hour requirements as specified by UNL Graduate Studies
**PLPT 968 is a 1 credit hour course that must be taken multiple times to satisfy the total number of credits specified above
***For students transferring to the Plant Pathology Graduate Program from the SBS Specialization can subtract one course from this section and the overall PLPT credit requirement
****For students transferring to the Plant Pathology Graduate Program from the Specialization, AGRO 899 and 999 will be counted as equivalents towards the degree
7.1 Registration and Advising
Students should seek the advice of their Faculty Advisor and the Chair of the PPGC concerning registration for all coursework. If additional assistance is needed, support is also available from the Masters and Doctoral Programs Coordinators in Graduate Studies. Students should try to register before the beginning of each semester in order to avoid fees associated with late registration. Some courses require a permission code, which can be obtained from the Administrative Associate in the Department of Plant Pathology
7.2 Transfer Credit
Master’s students may transfer up to one half of the program (normally 15 to 18 hours), provided the courses are being transferred from an accredited institution, are graduate level with satisfactory grades, and have not been used for any other degree. Professional courses may not be transferred toward a graduate degree. All transfer credits must be approved by the academic department, typically the PPGC.
Doctoral students may use graduate credit hours received from an institution other than UNL to fulfill up to half of the total credit hours on the program of studies required by the Supervisory Committee to meet the degree requirements. The minimum number of credits required to obtain a doctorate at UNL is 90. These courses are reviewed by the Supervisory Committee at the time of the approval of the Program of Studies. All credits must be from graduate level, non-professional courses.
7.3 Departmental Seminar
All students in the Plant Pathology Graduate Program are required to participate in departmental seminars. In the case of schedule conflicts, a student may register for an alternative seminar with the approval of their Supervisory Committee.
7.4 Research Requirements
The subject of the thesis/dissertation should be chosen from the student’s area of interest that includes aspects of research with implications in plant pathology, and with input provided by the student’s Faculty Advisor and Supervisory Committee.
The research project enables the student to pursue their thesis/dissertation objectives and to satisfy the research objectives of their Faculty Advisor. The thesis/dissertation should reveal the student’s capacity to carry out independent study or research and should demonstrate the student’s ability to use the techniques employed in their field of investigation and to communicate research results. The expected end result is a thesis or dissertation for the student, completion of grant objectives for the professor, and manuscripts published in scientific journals jointly authored by the student and Faculty Advisor.
7.5 Residency Requirements
Departmental guidelines are the same as those stipulated by the UNL Graduate Studies.
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