Plant and Soil Sciences Graduate Program
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)
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Informing landscape decisions
September 18, 2025 | Written by Katie Peikes | Photo by Kathy F. AtkinsonAleena Sabir is a senior studying landscape architecture. Over the summer, she researched campus maintenance related to planting for UD’s grounds crew. She inventoried plants and worked to create a landscape maintenance plan related to species in an area of campus called The Grove. Her work is the start of a landscape maintenance plan that will directly impact campus. -
Student research yields fresh ideas for historic Wilmington burial ground
September 12, 2025 | Article and photo by Beth MillerUD junior Jackson Whitcomb, an honors student and landscape architecture major, focused his summer research project on Riverview Cemetery in Wilmington. In August, he presented findings and suggestions for new trees and other plantings, ideas for walking trails and improved burial aisles, as well as respectful ways to beautify areas. -
Alpine garden intern
September 04, 2025 | Written by Katie Peikes | Photos courtesy of Jackson FoxUD landscape architecture student gets hands-on experience with Colorado horticulture. Jackson Fox, University of Delaware Class of 2027, a Wilmington native, interned nearly 2,000 miles west of home at Betty Ford Alpine Gardens in Vail, Colorado. His internship focused on saving and showcasing alpine plants. The environment he worked in was very different from Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania, where he works seasonal jobs.
Important Links
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.