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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Community conservation
January 28, 2026 | Written by by Katie Peikes | Photos courtesy of Brian Griffiths and by Dylan Francis, Elizabeth Benson and Wilfredo Martinez | Photo illustration by Katie YoungBrian Griffiths, a UD Class of 2016 alumnus with degrees in plant science and environmental engineering, has made a career out of going to the Peruvian Amazon and supporting rural and Indigenous communities with wildlife management goals. A trip to the Peruvian Amazon in his undergraduate years set him on a career path exploring conservation, and how humans are connected with their natural world. -
Helping gardens and interns grow
January 16, 2026 | Written by Michele Walfred | Photos by Katie Young and Michele Walfred and courtesy of Andrew AdamsUniversity of Delaware Botanic Gardens Nursery and Collections Manager Andrew Adams oversees a diverse botanical selection that comprises 11 specialty gardens across 15 acres — soon to be 16 — when the Townsend East Lawn and Garden project is complete. Adams credits his own academic career path at UD directly to his UDBG intern experiences in 2016. -
Alumnus Mark Richardson integrates conservation and plant collections
December 19, 2025 | Written by Molly Schafer | Photos courtesy of The Morton Arboretum and New England Botanic Garden at Tower HillUniversity of Delaware plant and soil sciences alumnus Mark Richardson is the new vice president of collections and horticulture at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois, a world-renowned center for scientific research that studies trees and how to sustain them. With an eye on global plant conservation, Richardson encourages the horticulture field to fully integrate science and conservation efforts into public gardens and plant collections.
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.