Coordinator: Dr. Charles Burt

A description of paperwork and other requirements for the BRAE MS in Agriculture can be found here.

General Characteristics

Graduate studies in the College of Agriculture allow the student to pursue either a professional program designed to enhance the competencies of agricultural educators, or an academic program of graduate-level scholarly activities and research in one of several specializations. Graduates are prepared for:

• professional-level positions with business and industry, government, and foreign service in agriculture and related fields;
• agricultural teaching in secondary schools or community colleges; or
• continued graduate work at other institutions.

When to Apply

Application filing periods are given on page 86 of this catalog. To ensure adequate processing and full consideration, all application materials should be filed with the Cal Poly Admission's Office before the dates given below; nevertheless, applicants are encouraged to file during the initial filing period.

Fall Quarter - July 1
Winter Quarter - November 1
Spring Quarter - March 1
Summer Quarter - April 1

Prerequisites

Consideration for admission to this program as a classified graduate student requires a minimum grade point average of 2.75 in the last 90 quarter units attempted. An applicant not meeting these academic standards, but who meets the basic university standard of a grade point average of 2.5 in the last 90 quarter units attempted may be considered for admission as a postbaccalaureate student; such admission does not constitute admission to graduate degree standing. A change from postbaccalaureate status to graduate status requires application and additional processing through the university's admissions office.

An applicant meeting the grade point requirement for classified graduate status, but who is deficient in background courses in agriculture, natural resources and/or related support disciplines may be considered for admission as a conditionally classified graduate student. Before such a student is advanced to classified graduate status, deficiencies in prerequisites must be removed and satisfactory academic performance in a graduate program must be demonstrated by the completion of no fewer than 12 units of specified courses with a minimum grade point average of 3.0. Courses taken to remove deficiencies in prerequisites will not count toward the unit requirement for the degree.

All applicants who do not speak and write English as their primary language are required to complete the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), with a minimum score of 550, and the Test of Written English (TWE), with a minimum score of 4.5.

Programs of Study

There are three MS degrees in the College of Agriculture: MS in Agribusiness, MS in Forestry Sciences, and the MS in Agriculture. The MS Agriculture program includes the following specializations: Agricultural Education, Agricultural Engineering Technology, Animal Science, Crop Science, Dairy Products Technology, Environmental Horticultural Science, Food Science and Nutrition, Irrigation, Plant Protection Science, Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Management, and Soil Science. Although the program offers several specializations, there is a single degree; students may not earn more than one Master of Science degree in the College of Agriculture.

The Thesis

The thesis is based on independent, supervised research; students should contact individual departments to determine the availability of funding support for their research. The final copy of the thesis must meet the standards explained in the "Manual of Instructions for the Preparation and Submission of the Master's Thesis or Master's Project" available from the Cal Poly Research and Graduate Programs Office. At least one course in statistical methods and/or experimental design is required of students in a thesis curriculum.

Formal Study Plan

Graduate students must file the formal study plan for the degree with the Graduate Coordinator of the College of Agriculture no later than the end of the quarter in which the 12th unit of approved courses is completed. The formal program of study must include at least 45 units of committee-approved graduate coursework; at least 23 units required must be at the 500 level.

Students should refer to the course descriptions in this catalog for credit limitations of individual courses; for example, total credit for AG 500, Individual Study, is limited to six units. At least one course in statistical methods and/or experimental design is required of students in a thesis curriculum.

All candidates must meet the current Graduation Writing Requirement; see page 91. All students are required to pass an oral comprehensive examination which is normally given during the final quarter of the program of study. A written comprehensive exam may also be required by the master's degree committee, but this is optional. For students in a thesis program, the final oral comprehensive examination will include, but not necessarily be limited to, a defense of the thesis.