Thesis Option
A minimum of 24 hours of graduate course work is required in the program of study, exclusive of 6 hours of 500 Thesis. The program of study is subject to the approval of the student’s advisory committee, and must meet the following requirements: 3 hours of ESS 503 (must be taken 3 times during the course of the program, the last of which must be in the student’s final semester before graduation); 12 hours from courses numbered above 503; 9 hours from courses within the major (excluding courses numbered 500, 502, and 503).
The student must pass a final oral exam (administered by the advisory committee) that integrates the student’s thesis and course work. The student is expected to be conversant in the soil and environmental sciences, particularly in the thesis and allied areas.
A student who has started a degree program under the thesis option is not eligible to transfer to the non-thesis option after the end of the first semester of graduate study or after receiving a graduate assistantship stipend for more than one semester.
Non-Thesis Option
A minimum of 33 hours of graduate course work is required. The program of study is subject to the approval of the student’s advisory committee and must meet the following requirements: 3 hours of ESS 503 (must be taken three times during the course of the program, the last of which must be in the student’s final semester before graduation); 3 hours of ESS 593; 19 hours of courses numbered above 503 (exclusive of ESS 593); and 12 hours of courses from within the major.
In lieu of a thesis, studenta are required to by participating in a single research program for a period of 12 weeks (3 hours of ESS 593). The advisory committee approves the research problem. Satisfactory completion of this requirement requires a written, original research report that is acceptable to the student’s committee.
A comprehensive written examination integrating the student’s course work and research problem must be passed. The exam is developed and administered by the advisory committee.
A student who has started a degree program under the non-thesis option may transfer to the thesis option upon approval of a potential major professor and the department head.