Plant Biology (Master's) at Michigan State University

Programme overview

The Master of Science in Plant Biology at Michigan State University is offered by the Department of Plant Biology in the College of Natural Science. Students may emphasize areas such as anatomy, bryology, cell biology, ecology, genetics, molecular biology, morphology, mycology, paleobotany, physiology and taxonomy, with a programme of study arranged by a guidance committee including the major professor.

What you will study

Available under Plan A (thesis) or Plan B (non-thesis); students complete at least 30 credits including PLB 801 Foundations of Plant Biology, gain teaching experience by assisting in at least one course, and complete the Graduate School's Responsible Conduct of Research workshop series. A reading knowledge of a foreign language may be required.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Regular admission: bachelor's degree or equivalent with a 3.00 GPA, one year each of chemistry, mathematics and physics, and appropriate training in the biological sciences; provisional admission possible for those not meeting these. Applicants must be formally sponsored by one or more Plant Biology faculty members and should contact faculty well before the deadline. Application materials: MSU graduate application, academic statement, personal statement, three letters of recommendation, CV/resume, official transcripts, Faculty and Research Interest Form; GRE optional. International applicants: TOEFL iBT minimum 80 with no reading, listening or speaking subscore below 19 and no writing subscore below 22; or IELTS 6.5 with no subscore below 6.0; or Duolingo 110; plus financial affidavit and proof of financial support. Deadline: December 1, 2026.

Tuition is charged per credit, so the total depends on the modules you register for each year. Current fees are listed in the official fee schedule.

Graduate applicants can start in fall (late August), spring (January) or summer (May) in the MPH programme; intake terms for other graduate programmes are set by each department or program.

The graduate application fee is $75 for domestic and international applicants, with one fee per application; applicants may submit up to two applications to different graduate majors per semester. Applications are reviewed by the department or program, which sets its own deadlines.

MPH application deadlines (SOPHAS completion): fall May 18, spring October 18, summer February 15; MSU supplemental application: fall June 1, spring November 1, summer March 1.

Apply through the official page: https://admissions.msu.edu/apply/graduate-students

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