PhD: Life Sciences Agricultural Education

Admission Requirements

The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) exam is helpful for all applicants but is not required.  It is expected that applicants should be near completion of a M.S. degree in agricultural, leadership, and community education, rural sociology, agricultural and/or applied economics, or an agricultural field closely associated with a graduate degree in this discipline.

Students should have a 3.0 GPA or greater and strong scientific writing and communication skills.

The department strongly recommends that international students submit results for completed GRE examination. The results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is also required for applicants who did not receive their bachelor's degrees from an Anglophone university and whose first language is not English. A minimum TOEFL score of 550 (paper-based test) or 213 (computer-based test) is required. 

Advisors, Advisory Committees, and Plans of Study

All students are assigned a faculty advisor (major professor) prior to, or immediately after, initial enrollment. Assignments should be mutually agreeable to both student and faculty member. A primary consideration for matching students with advisors is that the students research interest match well with the advisors research expertise. 

Within the first two semesters of enrollment, each student should work with his/her faculty advisor to establish an advisory committee. A doctoral committee should consist of four members: two of which should be from the department, one being their faculty advisor. The committee will assist in the development of a program of study and completion of the dissertation research project.

Full-time credit hour loads are 12 hours in fall and spring semesters (in addition to courses audited). Typically, students will register for 6 to 9 hours of formal coursework (2 to 3 classes) during fall and spring semesters (or less during the latter stages of a graduate program), and for sufficient hours of Research and Dissertation (Ph.D.) credits to complete the 12-hour, full-time load. Note that this is required for payment of assistantships.

The department requires all doctoral students to complete 12 course credit hours in ALCE or LDRS. These courses must be included on your plan of study. This requirement ensures all students acquire a strong foundation in agricultural, leadership, and community education.

Complete information on completing the Ph.D. program is found in the department’s graduate handbook.