BS in Plant Sciences
Degree Program Description
From the food on our plates to the homes we live in to the fuel in our vehicles, plants impact all aspects of our daily lives. As an ever-growing human population continues to increase the demand for crops and other plant products, so too does the demand for plant scientists. Plant Sciences addresses the challenges from the field to the laboratory.
Students enroll in a generalized core curriculum of foundational courses, then further refine their expertise by choosing among three emphasis areas: Breeding, Biology & Biotechnology; Crop Management; and Horticultural Science and Design.
Major Program Requirements
Students earning a Bachelor of Science in Plant Sciences are required to complete all University general education, University graduation, and degree requirements, including selected foundational courses, which may fulfill some University general education requirements. Students earning a degree in Plant Sciences must select at least one emphasis area.
If you are planning to transfer courses (including AP credit) and would like to information on how they apply to this degree, you can email CAFNRadvising@missouri.edu for general recommendations.
| Foundational Courses | ||
| MATH 1100 | College Algebra | 3 |
| BIO_SC 1200 | General Botany with Laboratory | 5 |
| CHEM 1400 & CHEM 1401 | College Chemistry I and College Chemistry I Laboratory *Required for BBB & Crop Mang emphasis | 4 |
| or CHEM 1100 | Atoms and Molecules with Lab | |
| SOIL 2100 | Introduction to Soils | 3 |
| ABM 1041 | Applied Microeconomics | 3 |
| or ABM 1042 | Applied Macroeconomics | |
| or ECONOM 1014 | Principles of Microeconomics | |
| or ECONOM 1015 | Principles of Macroeconomics | |
| AGSC_COM 2220 | Verbal Communication in Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources | 3 |
| or COMMUN 1200 | Public Speaking | |
| Major Requirements | ||
| General | ||
| PLNT_SCI 1120 | Career Development | 1 |
| PLNT_SCI 2125 | Plant Structure and Function (Grade of C- or better is required) | 4 |
| PLNT_SCI 3210W | Principles of Weed Science - Writing Intensive | 4 |
| PLNT_SCI 3710 | Introductory Entomology | 3 |
| PLNT_SCI 4500 | Biology and Pathogenesis of Plant-Associated Microbes | 4 |
| Professional Development (Select One) | 3 | |
| AG_ED_LD 2250 | Introduction to Leadership | 3 |
| or AG_ED_LD 2260 | Team and Organizational Leadership | |
| or ENGLSH 2030 | Professional Writing | |
| or AGSC_COM 3210 | Fundamentals of Communications | |
| or AGSC_COM 3240 | Communicating on the Web | |
| Select one course (3 credit hours) from ACCTCY, ABM, ECONOM, FINANC, MANGMT, MRKTNG, or FINPLN | ||
| Emphasis Requirements | ||
| The BS in Plant Sciences consists of three emphasis areas: Breeding, Biology & Biotechnology; Crop Management; and Horticultural Science & Design. Each emphasis area has a list of required classes and electives in addition to Major Requirements. | ||
| Capstone Experience (select one): | ||
| PLNT_SCI 4940 | Internship in Plant Science | 3 |
| or PLNT_SCI 4950 | Undergraduate Research in Plant Science | |
| or PLNT_SCI 4975 | Advanced Landscape Design | |
| *PLNT_SCI 4975 is for Horticultural Science & Design students only | ||
| Total Credit Hours Required | 120 | |
For additional course options see General Education List at http://generaleducation.missouri.edu/courses/ eligible must include an “HFA” in appropriate column.
Semester Plan
Below is a sample plan of study, semester by semester. A student's actual plan may vary based on course choices where options are available.
| First Year | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
| BIO_SC 1200 | 5 | ENGLSH 1000 | 3 | ||
| PLNT_SCI 1120 | 1 | CHEM 1400 | 3 | ||
| MATH 1100 | 3 | CHEM 1401 | 1 | ||
| ABM 1041 | 3 | AGSC_COM 2220 | 3 | ||
| Humanities | 3 | State Requirement | 3 | ||
| Elective | 3 | ||||
| 15 | 16 | ||||
| Second Year | |||||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
| Professional Development Course | 3 | SOIL 2100 | 3 | ||
| Writing Intensive Course | 3 | PLNT_SCI 2125 | 4 | ||
| Behavioral or Social Science Course | 3 | Professional Development | 3 | ||
| Emphasis Area Course | 3 | Emphasis Area Course | 3 | ||
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 | ||
| 15 | 16 | ||||
| Third Year | |||||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
| PLNT_SCI 3210W | 4 | Emphasis Area Courses | 9 | Capstone: Internship or Research Experience | |
| Emphasis Area Courses | 9 | Electives | 6 | ||
| Elective | 3 | ||||
| 16 | 15 | 0 | |||
| Fourth Year | |||||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
| PLNT_SCI 4500 | 4 | PLNT_SCI 3710 | 3 | ||
| Capstone Course | 3 | Emphasis Area Courses | 6 | ||
| Emphasis Area Course | 3 | Elective | 3 | ||
| Electives | 5 | ||||
| 15 | 12 | ||||
| Total Credits: 120 | |||||
Degree Audit
The degree audit is an automated report reflecting a student’s academic progress toward the completion of a degree.
MU students can request a degree audit by logging in to myDegreePlanner. Students may also access myDegreePlanner via myZou, in the Student Center, click on the Academic Progress Tile, then select Request Degree Audit. The audit automatically pulls in the student’s MU course work, transfer courses and courses in progress. This is available to current students, admitted students, and those who last attended less than three terms ago.
Past MU students can request a degree audit by contacting the Academic Advising Unit of the division in which they were last enrolled at MU. For contact information, go to https://advising.missouri.edu/contact/.
Prospective students, can access a preliminary MU degree audit via https://www.transferology.com. Information on the college credits already earned will have to be manually entered before it can be evaluated against current degree requirements.
For additional details on degree audits, go to https://registrar.missouri.edu/degrees-audits/degree-audits/.
Major and Career Exploration
The University of Missouri has many resources to assist you in exploring majors and career possibilities. For guidance, visit the Majors and Careers website or view specific resources below.
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If you are considering a change of major or are exploring multiple majors, schedule an appointment with an advisor in the Discovery Center by calling (573)884-9700 or through MU Connect Discovery Center service in you success network.
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If you have decided on a major, visit an academic advisor in the School or College that you are interested in to discuss the process of declaring the major.
- If you would like to learn more about your career interests, abilities, values and talents, visit the MU Career Center. No Appointment is necessary to explore career options with one of our staff members.
- If you would like information about MU majors and degree programs, visit:
- the Degrees, Majors (Degree Programs), Emphasis Areas, Minors and Certificates page in the catalog,
- the MU Majors website.
For additional major and career exploration resources, visit Major & Career Exploration in the catalog.