The qualifying examination will be taken no later than the fifth semester or seventh semester if the student has transferred from the MSc program or has been admitted directly to the PhD program with only a BSc. In addition, the advisory committee is required to submit a written evaluation of the student's performance in research and the student's potential as a researcher. In addition, a thesis seminar will be presented in conjunction with the final oral examination and thesis defence. Students will participate at least once in the Annual Poster Day sponsored by the Department and are encouraged to participate in Departmental colloquia. The PhD program is completed by the submission and successful defence of an acceptable thesis.
Emphasis is on current problems and research.
Demonstration and discussion of recent advances in methodology. A lecture and discussion course examining classical and molecular genetic investigations for understanding the genetic basis and regulation of physiological processes in plants. A directed field, laboratory, or library study of assigned problems. A student may not earn more than 1.0 credit in this course in one graduate degree program. The course involves lecture and discussions of fundamental and applied aspects of plant tissue culture.