Plant Biosciences Specialization

Major coursework

• HCS 2202: Form and Function in Cultivated Plants (4 credit hours)
• HCS 2204: Ecology of Managed Plant Systems** (3 credit hours)
• HCS 2205: Ecology of Managed Plant Systems Lab (1 credit hour)
• HCS 2260: Data Analysis and Interpretation for Decision Making (3 credit hours)
• HCS 3100: Intro to Agronomy (3 credit hours)
  • -or- 3200: Intro to Horticulture (3 credit hours)
  • -or- 3470: Intro to Turfgrass Mgmt. (3 credit hours)
• HCS 3220: Crop Origins and Diversity (2 credit hours)
• HCS 3310: Crop Responses to the Environment (3 credit hours)
• HCS 5325: Plant Genetics (3 credit hours)
  • -or- MOLGEN 4500: General Genetics (3 credit hours)
• HCS 5621: Physiology of Cultivated Plants (3 credit hours)
• HCS 5622: Biochemical Processes in Cultivated Plants (3-4 credit hours)
  • -or- BIOCHEM 4511: Introduction to Biological Chemistry (3-4 credit hours)
• ENR 3000: Soil Science (3 credit hours)
• ENR 3001: Soil Science Laboratory (1 credit hour)
• Select one capstone course (3 credit hours)
  • HCS 5100: Advanced Cropping Systems
  • HCS 5200: Advanced Horticultural Principles and Practices
  • HCS 5602: The Ecology of Agriculture

Major electives (select 10 credit hours)

• HCS 2307: Sustainable Agr Practical Exp (2 credit hours)
• HCS 3320: Plant Propagation (3 credit hours)
• HCS 3420: Seed Science (3 credit hours)
• HCS 3521: Greenhouse Systems and Management (2 credit hours)
• HCS 4193: Individual Studies (1-3 credit hours)
• HCS 4300: Hydroponic Crop Production (2 credit hours)
• HCS 4301: Hydroponic Crop Production Lab (1 credit hour)
• HCS 4520: Medicinal Plants (2 credit hours)
• HCS 4570: Turfgrass Management and Science (3 credit hours)
• HCS 4998, 4999, or 4999H^c: Undergraduate Research, Research with Distinction, or Honors Research with Distinction (1-6 credit hours)
• HCS 5097.01-.04 & 5797.01-.04: Study Abroad Pre-Departure & Study Abroad (4 credit hours)
• HCS 5100^d: Advanced Cropping Systems (3 credit hours)
• HCS 5200^d: Advanced Horticultural Systems (3 credit hours)
• HCS 5411: Domestication and Utilization of Agronomic Crops (3 credit hours)
• HCS 5412: Agroecology of Grasslands and Prairies (3 credit hours)
• HCS 5422: Biol & Mgmt. of Weeds and Invasive Plants (3 credit hours)
• HCS 5450: Vegetable Crop Production and Physiology (3 credit hours)
• HCS 5460: Fruit Crop Physiology and Production (3 credit hours)
• HCS 5602^d: Ecology of Agriculture (3 credit hours)
• HCS 5625: Applied Plant Biotechnology (2 credit hours)
• HCS 5825: Plant Breeding (2 credit hours)
• HCS 5887: Introduction to Experimental Design (3 credit hours)

Major-supporting coursework 

• BIOLOGY 1114: Biological Sciences: Form, Function, Diversity, and Ecology (4 credit hours)
• CHEM 2310 or 2510^e: Introductory Organic Chem or Organic Chem I (4 credit hours)

General education requirements

• GE Launch Seminar: GENED 1201 (1 credit hour)
• Writing and Information Literacy: Student Choice (3 credit hours)
• Mathematical & Quantitative Reasoning/Data Analysis: Major requirement: MATH 1130, 1148, 1150, 1151, or 1156* (or Student Choice – see below) (4-5 credit hours)
• Literary, Visual and Performing Arts: Student Choice (3 credit hours)
• Historical & Cultural Studies: Student Choice (3 credit hours)
• Natural Science: Major requirement: BIOLOGY 1113* (or Student Choice – see below) (4 credit hours)
• Social & Behavioral Sciences: Major requirement: AEDECON 2001 or ECON 2001.01* (or Student Choice – see below) (3 credit hours)
• Race, Ethnic and Gender Diversity: Student Choice (3 credit hours)
• Theme: Citizenship for a Diverse & Just World^a: Student Choice (4-6 credit hours)
• Theme: Student Choice^a: Student Choice (4-6 credit hours)
• GE Reflection: GENED 4001 (1 credit hour)

B.S. in Agriculture degree requirements

• College & Department Survey: FAES 1100 (0.5) & HCS 1100 (0.5) (1 credit hour)
• Oral Expression: AGRCOMM 3130 or COMM 2110 (3 credit hours)
• Additional Science: CHEM 1110, 1210, or 1220 (5 credit hours)
• Internship: FAES 3191 & HCS 4191.01 (2 credit hours)
• Minor Equiv.^b: Minor requirements below (15-18 credit hours)

Students interested in a Molecular Genetics enriched minor curriculum should plan to take MOLGEN 4500 and students interested in an advanced plant pathology (5000-level) minor curriculum should plan to take PLNTPTH 3001 and 3002.

• EEOB 3310.01 or .02: Evolution (4 credit hours)
• EEOB 3410: Ecology (4 credit hours)

Select an additional 7-10 hours from supporting electives below

• HCS/AGSYSMT 3585: Digital Agriculture** (3 credit hours)
• HCS/AGSYSMT 3586: Digital Agriculture Laboratory** (1 credit hour)
• AGSYSMT 5560: UAS and Remote Sensing in Agriculture (3 credit hours)
• CHEM 2520: Organic Chemistry II (4 credit hours)
• CHEM 2540: Organic Chemistry Laboratory I (2 credit hours)
• CHEM 2550: Organic Chemistry Laboratory II (2 credit hours)
• EEOB 3320: Organismal Diversity (3 credit hours)
• EEOB 4240: Ecology and Evolution- Plants and People (3 credit hours)
• EEOB 5450: Population Ecology (3 credit hours)
• ENR 3321: Biology and Identity of Woody Forest Plants (3 credit hours)
• ENR 3700: Introduction to Spatial Information for ENR (3 credit hours)
• ENR 5261: Environmental Soil Physics (3 credit hours)
• ENR 5263: Biology of Soil Ecosystems (3 credit hours)
• ENR 5273: Environmental Fate & Impact of Contaminants in Soil & Water (3 credit hours)
• ENR 5274: Ecosystem Simulation (3 credit hours)
• ENTMLGY 4000: General Entomology (3 credit hours)
• ENTMLGY 5420: Insect Behavior (3 credit hours)
• ENTMLGY 6410: Insect Ecology & Evolution (3 credit hours)
• GEOG 5900: Weather, Climate, & Global Warming (3 credit hours)
• MOLGEN 4501: General Genetics Laboratory (1 credit hour)
• MOLGEN 4502: Expanded General Genetics Laboratory (2 credit hours)
• MOLGEN 5623: Genetics and Genomics (2 credit hours)
• MOLGEN 5630: Plant Physiology (3 credit hours)
• MOLGEN 5643: Plant Anatomy (3 credit hours)
• MOLGEN 5701: DNA Transactions and Gene Regulation (3 credit hours)
• MOLGEN 5735: Plant Biochemistry (3 credit hours)
• PLNTPTH 3001: General Plant Pathology (3 credit hours)
• PLNTPTH 3002: General Plant Pathology Lab (2 credit hours)
• PLNTPTH 5010: Phytobacteriology (2 credit hours)
• PLNTPTH 5020: Introductory Plant Virology (2 credit hours)
• PLNTPTH 5030: Plant Nematology (2 credit hours)
• PLNTPTH 5040: Science of Fungi: Mycology Lecture (3 credit hours)

Credit breakdown

• General Education (33-38 credit hours)
• Degree Requirements (26-29 credit hours)
• Major Supporting Courses (8 credit hours)
• Major (45-46 credit hours)
• Open Electives (0-9 credit hours)
• Minimum Total Credit Hours (121 credit hours)

Please note

• * Indicates a pre/corequisite course for this major that also satisfies this GE category. If a student makes an alternative selection in this GE category, they must also complete this course.
• ^a Students complete either a 4-credit course or two 3-credit courses in each of two General Education Theme areas: Citizenship for a Diverse & Just World (required), and the student’s choice of available GE Themes. If any major-required courses are identified as a GE Theme course, one course in each GE Theme area may double count in the GE and major hours. Theme courses are identified with a ** symbol.
• ^b Students in this program complete a group of courses called a minor equivalent. Declaring an additional minor is not required.
• ^c Only up to 6 credits of any combination of 4193, 4998, 4999, or 4999H can count towards major electives.
• ^d Review prerequisites.
• ^eStudents interested in a chemistry-enriched minor curriculum should plan to take CHEM 1220 and CHEM 2510.
  • CHEM 2310: prerequisites: CHEM 1110, 1220 (122), 1250 (125), 1620, or 1920H
  • CHEM 2510: prerequisites: CHEM 1220 (123), 1620 or 1920H (203H)

Read all policies and general requirements for undergraduate degree programs and minors/minor equivalents