Plant Biology - PhD

The Department of Plant Biology is administered jointly by the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources and the College of Natural Science. Plant Biology is the branch of natural science that deals with all aspects of the biology of plants, encompassing all levels of biological organization from molecules to the ecosystem. Plant biology concerns itself with the study of the structure, function, evolution, physiology, molecular biology, biochemistry, genetics, and systematics of all taxonomic groups of plants and fungi. Plant biology is central to the wide divergence of disciplines that make up modern plant science at Michigan State University and deals with the relationships between plants and society. Students in this program can study all aspects of plant biology and they are trained to integrate information between different hierarchies of biological organization while at the same time developing a deep understanding of their area of specialization.

The Department of Plant Biology offers both an M.S. and a Ph.D. degree, and it is possible for students to get dual degrees or certifications by fulfilling requirements in various other programs offered by the University. Our graduate students are supported by many national and international fellowship programs, by university, college, and departmental level fellowships, teaching and research assistantships, and by grants to individual faculty members. We urge applicants to review carefully the research interests of the faculty, and to contact those faculty members with whom they might like to work, well in advance of the application deadline (December 1), to inquire about possible sponsorship.