Graduate Program

The Division and MU

The Division of Plant Sciences maintains excellent graduate programs with classroom instruction and research supervision provided by leading scientists in the field. The DPS offers graduate programs leading to the Master of Science (M.S.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in Plant, Insect and Microbial Sciences. A student can select training from a wide range of courses and research programs to prepare for a career in research, teaching, industry and extension work. Students can follow a traditional curriculum or take advantage of the cross-disciplinary expertise that exists within the division.

The division is part of the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources at the University of Missouri-Columbia, known as MU. MU is one of only 32 elite public universities to be selected for membership in the American Association of Universities (AAU). AAU members are the nation's most prestigious research institutions. As a member of the AAU and a “Research I” university classified by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, MU is a premiere provider of graduate education.

Programatic Interactions

Students also benefit from interaction with closely allied academic units on and off campus. Students work with scientists in two campus-based USDA research units associated with the division: the Plant Genetics Unit and the Biological Control of Insects Research Laboratory. Additional opportunities exist for interaction with scientists at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in St. Louis. Numerous USDA and Danforth Center scientists hold adjunct appointments in the DPS. Students in the DPS are encouraged to interact with interdisciplinary programs on campus such as the Interdisciplinary Plant Group, the Molecular Biology Program, the Genetics Area Program, the Center for Agroforestry and the Missouri Precision Agriculture Center.

The Community

Columbia is consistently ranked in the top "Best Places to Live in the Nation" by Money Magazine in its annual survey of the 300 largest metropolitan areas. With a population of 85,000 full-time residents, Columbia offers big city amenities while preserving small town comforts. There are shops, restaurants, galleries, comedy clubs, concert halls, dance clubs, theatres and cafes waiting to be explored, and many are within walking distance of the MU campus.

For outdoor enthusiasts, Columbia offers a number of parks and trails for walking, jogging and biking. The MKT Nature and Fitness Trail is a 4.7 mile urban trail through the city's greenbelt. The trail connects to the KATY Trail State Park. Stretching 185 miles across the state, the trail is the largest rails-to-trails conversion in the nation. Additional outdoor recreational opportunities exist in the Mark Twain National Forest, about 20 miles east of Columbia, and throughout the Ozark Mountain region to the south. The Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri's premier recreation area, is only about an hour's drive away.

Columbia is conveniently located two hours from both St. Louis and Kansas City. Both cities have international airports and shuttle service, which makes Columbia an easy destination.