Doctor of Philosophy in Plant Pathology

A student may pursue studies in one of several basic areas of plant pathology. These areas include fungal plant pathology, plant bacteriology, plant virology, diagnostics, control, and also molecular and biochemical aspects of host-pathogen systems, biological control of pathogens and weeds, epidemiology, etiology, genetics of host-pathogen systems, soil microbiology, and pathogen taxonomy. In Florida, the variety of cultivated plants, coupled with an environment ideal for plant disease development, offers the student opportunities to study diseases of many crops as they develop. First-hand knowledge can be gained of diseases of field, fruit, ornamental, pasture, range, turf, and vegetable crops in temperate, subtropical, and tropical environments. Students who anticipate study in plant pathology at the University of Florida should include in their undergraduate programs training in botany, chemistry (through biochemistry), genetics, and microbiology.

A recognized baccalaureate, graduate or professional degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or a comparable degree from an international institution. Applicants with a bachelor’s degree only, a minimum grade point average of B (3.0), calculated from all grades and credits after the semester where the applicant reached 60 semester hours or 90 quarter hours is required. Upper-division undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher for domestic applicantsFour-year baccalaureate degree (or its equivalent) from an accredited universityFor international students, official scores from a standardized test of English language ability, such as the TOEFL (iBT or PBT only) or IELTSPlease note that for the Major you should select ENTOMOLOGY AND NEMATOLOGY, and under Concentration select NO CONCENTRATION. For Location select Gainesville (select this if you will be on main campus OR at an REC location). Do not select “ARD – PS1” – this is for admission into the self-funded, non-thesis, online program.Please include the following in your online application:Three letters of recommendation from persons in a position to evaluate the student’s academic potential.One-to-two page Statement of Purpose written by the student, which should indicate previous training and experience, interests, and educational and career goals as an entomologist or nematologist.If the bachelor’s degree is in a non-science field, it should be supplemented with the following coursework:One year of general biology (two semesters)At least one semester of general chemistryAlgebra and trigonometryAt least one semester of physics (recommended)Introductory statistics (recommended)Direct Admission to the Ph.D. Program (without M.S. degree)Only the most academically talented students will be considered for acceptance into the research-intensive Ph.D. program without first completing the M.S. (thesis) degree. We believe that the M.S. degree is very good training for research and should not be bypassed, except in exceptional circumstances.The following academic and research achievements are highly recommended in order to be considered for direct admission to the Ph.D. program:Undergraduate GPA of at least 3.5In lieu of a M.S. thesis, students must document significant research-related activities and a solid understanding of the scientific process. Documentation should include multiple examples in the following categories: undergraduate thesis, peer-reviewed published