M.S. Agriculture

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 o ne of several disciplines. Graduates are prepared for:

Students must select one of the above mentioned specializations as appropriate for their area of study. Although individual departments in the college do not offer advanced degrees, students may emphasize in their studies agricultural education, dairy products technology, international agriculture, agricultural engineering technology, soil science, crop science, food science and nutrition, forest and natural resources, irrigation, or water resources.

Additional graduate programs include: the M.S. Engineering with a specialization in Water Engineering Specialization that is offered by the Bioresource and Agricultural Engineering Department and the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department (see College of Engineering listings); and the M.B.A. with a specialization in Agribusiness that is offered by the Agribusiness Department and the College of Business (see College of Business listings).

Application filing periods are given on page 90 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, applic ants are encouraged to file during the initial filing period.

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 universit y 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 (refer to page 90). A change from po stbaccalaureate 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 classifi ed 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 unit s 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.

The College of Agriculture graduate program includes the following specializations: Agricultural Engineering Technology, Dairy Products Technology, Food Science and Nutrition, General Agriculture, International Agriculture Development, and Soil Sci ence. These specializations are founded on a core of courses which include thesis (required of all except agricultural educators) or internship (required of agricultural educators), a research methods or educational program development course, and one of the graduate seminars offered in the college. 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 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 o f 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.

Graduate students must file the formal program of study for the degree with the Graduate Studies 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 half of the minimum 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.

Students also should refer to the Graduate Program Guidelines obtainable from the college's Graduate Studies Coordinator.

All candidates must meet the current Graduation Writing Requirement; see page 94.

All students are required to pass both a written and an oral comprehensive examination which normally are given during the final quarter of the program of study. Successful completion of the written comprehensive examination is required before the stud ent may take the final oral comprehensive examination. For students in a thesis program, the final oral comprehensive examination will include, but not necessarily be limited to, a defense of the thesis.

Requirements of the various specializations are given in the curriculum display following this section. Please note that the General Agriculture Specialization is designed for either agricultural educators or others who seek graduate work (including th esis-directed research) in certain disciplines not having a specialized curriculum; these disciplines include crop science, forest and resources, and irrigation.

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08/13/97