Degrees Offered:

Program Title	Ph.D.	Ed.D.	M.S.	M.A.	Master  of	M.Ed.	MFA
Horticultural Science	Y		Y		Y

GRADUATE FACULTY

J. L. Kornegay, Department Head

Director of Graduate Programs:
S. D. Clouse, Box 7609, 5-5360, steve_clouse@ncsu.edu, Horticultural Science

J.C. Raulston Distinguished Professor:  D. J. Werner
Phillip Morris Professor:  M. D. Boyette

Professors: J. R. Ballington, T. E. Bilderback, S. M. Blankenship, F. A. Blazich, S. D. Clouse, N. G. Creamer, J. M. Dole, W. C. Fonteno, L. E. Hinesley, W. E. Hooker, G. D. Hoyt, J. L. Kornegay, D. W. Monks, J. C. Neal, P. M. Perkins-Veazie, E. B. Poling, T. G. Ranney, J. R. Schultheis, S. E. Spayd, T. C. Wehner, B. E. Whipker, L. G. Wilson, F. H. Yelverton, G. C. Yencho, E. Young; Adjunct Professors: J. L. Gibson, M. S. McGinnis, P. S. Zorner; Emeritus Professors: W. E. Ballinger, A. A. DeHertogh, P. R. Fantz, R. G. Gardner, W. R. Henderson, T. R. Konsler, C. M. Mainland, T. J. Monaco, P. V. Nelson, D. M. Pharr, M. A. Powell, W. A. Skroch, C. R. Unrath; Associate Professors: W. G. Buhler, J. D. Burton, J. M. Davis, G. E. Fernandez, S. J. McArtney, M. L. Parker, B. R. Sosinski, A. M. Spafford, J. D. Williamson; Research Associate Professors: G. C. Allen; Assistant Professors: L. K. Bradley, A. F. Brown, B. Fair, C. Gunter, H. T. Kraus, A. V. Lebude, D. R. Panthee, J. T. Sherk; Research Assistant Professors: K. M. Jennings; Adjunct Assistant Professors: F. C. Wise

The NCSU Horticultural Science Graduate Program offers one of the most comprehensive programs in the country – providing students with a broad selection of courses and projects ranging from applied industry-oriented studies to molecular biology. Studies may focus on such commodity areas as floriculture, ornamental and landscape horticulture, pomology (fruit crops) and olericulture (vegetables) or on cross-commodity topics such as plant physiology, breeding and genetics, herbicide physiology and weed control, nutrition, propagation, tissue culture, growth regulators, postharvest physiology, environmental control, landscape horticulture and biochemistry.

Admission Requirements:  To be admitted, a student should have completed course work in physics, mathematics, chemistry, biochemistry, soils, plant pathology, genetics, plant physiology, entomology and several courses in horticulture. An applicant deficient in course work may be admitted on a provisional basis until the deficiency is made up. Applicants must provide the basic graduate record examination (GRE) scores, three letters of reference, two official transcripts for each prior degree, and a statement of career goals.

Master's Degree Requirements: The Master's degree is a research-oriented degree requiring 30 credit hours and a written thesis. Four credits of core courses (HS 701-707, 717) and one credit of HS 601 must be completed. Up to 6 of the 30 credits may be research credits (HS 695), but there is no requirement to enroll for research credit. At least 20 semester hours must be 500, 600 or 700 level courses, and 6 of these credits must be at the 700 level. 

For students wishing a more general educational background in horticultural science without the thesis requirement, the Master of Horticultural Science (M.H.S.) degree is offered. The M.H.S. requires 36 credit hours. Twenty credits must be at the 500-700 level. One credit of HS 601 and at least four and no more than six credits of HS 693 are required. Up to 16 hours of 400-level courses can be taken as a part of the M.H.S. program, however, you may only take six hours of HS 400-level courses. Students are encouraged, but not required, to fulfill the four credit Horticultural Science core course requirement (HS 701-707, 717).

Doctoral Degree Requirements: The Ph.D. program is designed for individuals desiring to pursue careers in research and teaching. A minimum of 54 credit hours beyond the Master of Science program is required. Three credits of the core courses (HS 701-707, 717) and one credit of HS 601 are required; HS 601 is not required if already taken during the MS.

Student Financial Support: The department has a limited number of  assistantships available on a competitive basis for promising students. Benefits include tuition and health insurance as covered under the Graduate School's Graduate Student Support Plan. Applicants are considered for assistantship support at time of application. Those interested should apply at least seven months prior to their anticipated enrollment date. Also, many faculty programs have research grant-funded assistantships; potential students should contact faculty directly whose programs are of interest.

Other Relevant Information: Facilities for graduate studies include 40,500 square feet of greenhouse space at the USTL and the nearby Horticultural Field Lab; the University Phytotron (available for controlled environmental studies on horticultural crops); 19 well-equipped laboratories; 14 controlled temperature storage rooms, an extensive collection of plant materials, both living and preserved; and a variety of climates and soils from coast to mountains in North Carolina on fifteen outlying research stations. North Carolina has a dynamic horticulture industry, ranking among the top ten in many of the commodity areas.

Click on Graduate Courses for current course information.

NCSU Graduate Catalog