Plant and Soil Sciences Graduate Program

MS student, Emily Kennebeck
MS student, Emily Kennebeck, is working on a NASA project to grow hydroponic lettuce and mustard greens under different CO2 levels and light qualities.

One graduate program. Two concentrations. Three degree options.


Plant Science
involves course work in plant molecular biology, plant breeding, plant pathology, plant tissue culture, horticulture, crop science, plant anatomy and/or plant physiology with thesis research in one of those areas.

Soil Science involves course work and thesis research in soil chemistry, soil fertility and management, soil physics, soil microbiology and biochemistry, environmental microbiology, soil and water quality and soil formation and biogeochemistry.

Degree options:

  • Ph.D. dissertation degree
  • M.S. thesis degree
  • M.S. non-thesis degree (full- or part-time)
Latest News
  • Leveraging landscape architecture for conservation

    May 30, 2024 | Written by Molly Schafer
    University of Delaware alumna Juliahna Mistretta is leveraging her landscape architecture degree for conservation. This summer, Mistretta will complete a master’s degree in global biodiversity conservation at the University of Sussex in Brighton, United Kingdom. As part of an effort to record the park's biodiversity, Mistretta collected and identified bats and beetles in Africa’s Kasanka National Park. Mistretta will combine her master's degree with her BLA from UD to create sustainable spaces that foster biodiversity and give back to the community.
  • Hands-on horticulture

    May 20, 2024 | Written by Molly Schafer | Photos by Jeremy Wayman and courtesy of UD Botanic Gardens
    UD Botanic Gardens prepares Delaware high school students to become the next generation of horticulturists.
  • Honorary degrees to be awarded

    May 09, 2024 | Written by UDaily Staff | Photo illustration by Christian Derr
    Don Sparks, the Unidel S. Hallock du Pont Chair in Plant and Soil Sciences and director of the Delaware Environmental Institute, is among those being awarded honorary degrees at the University of Delaware Commencement ceremony on May 25.

Application process update:  Due to coronavirus (COVID-19), the program of PLSC is waiving the GRE requirement for our graduate program.  If you wish to apply without a GRE score, please enter a future GRE exam date into the application.  It need not be a legitimate exam date.  Entering a future exam date causes the system to finish your application and send it on to our review committee where it will receive full consideration.