Department of Horticultural Science; College of Food, Agricultural, and Natural Resource Sciences; University of Minnesota

Course Program / Coursework (minimum of 30 semester credits)

Before 15 credits or 2 semesters have been completed, the student, with the advisor's recommendation, must submit a course program to the Master of Agriculture in Horticulture Degree Program Coordinator for review and subsequently approval by the Graduate Studies Committee (GSC). The Graduate Studies Committee may recommend revisions to the program as needed. An approved program may be amended if the student submits a petition, approved by the advisor, to the Program Coordinator for review and subsequent review and approval by the Graduate Studies Committee (GSC).

• The course program must include a minimum of 30 semester credits in 4000 level or above courses with a minimum of 15 credits in 5000 level or higher courses.

• The course program must include a minimum of 18 credits in residence.

• A minimum of 15 credits must be taken in horticulture core courses and a minimum of 12 credits in related fields.

• Up to 12 transfer credits, with a grade of B or better, taken prior to admission, may be used in partial fulfillment of the student's program requirements. All coursework transferred must have been graduate level (post-baccalaureate), taken for graduate credit, and completed no more than 3 years prior to admission to the program. Such coursework may include classes taken previously as an adult special, summer special, or Continuing Education and Extension (CCE) student, or graduate level classes from another institution, or any combination thereof.

• Students who have not completed relevant introductory coursework in soils, plant pathology, and entomology, either during or subsequent to completion of their Bachelor's degree, will be required to complete courses in these areas as part of their M.Ag. degree requirements. These courses are not prerequisites for admission to the Master of Agriculture in Horticulture program. In addition, depending on the specific courses included in the student's program, some additional prerequisite coursework may also be required over and above the 30 graduate credits required for the degree.

• All prerequisites associated with courses included in the student's course program must be completed as part of the student's degree requirements unless exempted in writing by the instructor for the course and approved by the student's adviser and the Program Coordinator prior to taking the course.

• Planning and implementation of the Integrating Project accounts for 3 of the minimum 30 credits required for the degree and are not considered part of the horticulture core course requirements.

• In general, all horticulture core courses must be taken A/N. Excluding credits associated with the Integrating Project, a maximum of 3 credits taken S/N may be applied toward the minimum requirements for the degree.

• A maximum of 3 credits of Hort 5090 (Directed Studies) may be applied toward the minimum horticulture core course requirements; additional credits may be taken over and above the minimum requirements.

• The student's course program must be approved by the advisor and then be transmitted to the Master of Agriculture in Horticulture Degree Program Coordinator for review and approval by the Graduate Studies Committee (GSC), the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS), and the College.

• Students must maintain a minimum grade point average of 2.8 or higher. Only coursework for which the student has earned a grade of B- or better will be counted toward the minimum of 30 semester credits required for the degree.

• Beginning with the semester of matriculation, students are required to register for a minimum of 6 credits per year or a cumulative total equivalent to 6 credits per year.

Integrating Project (3 semester credits)

The Integrating Project is intended as an individualized "capstone" experience. As such, the project focuses on the student's personal interests in horticulture and the integration of the knowledge gained from coursework, personal research, and the student's academic and professional experiences. The Integrating Project is drafted and completed during the student's participation in a 2-phase (planning and implementation), 3-credit course sequence taken as Hort 6001 (Master of Agriculture Project Planning; 1 credit) and Hort 6002 (Master of Agriculture Project Implementation; 2 credits):

Project Planning Phase - [1 credit of Hort 6001 (Master of Agriculture Project Planning) arranged with the advisor and the Integrating Project Instructor] - Before 20 credits are completed in the course program, the student, in consultation with the advisor and the Integrating Project Instructor, will develop a short proposal that provides background and a proposed plan to accomplish the project. The plan should outline the projected resources, information, and actions that will be required to complete the project.

• The student's Integrating Project proposal, approved by the advisor and the Integrating Project Instructor, must be submitted to the Master of Agriculture in Horticulture Degree Program Coordinator for review and subsequent approval by the Graduate Studies Committee (GSC). The proposal should clearly outline the objectives and rationale for the project and discuss how the objectives will be met (what will be done and how). The proposal should also indicate who the perceived audience is (who will benefit) and how they will benefit form the project proposed. Finally, the proposal should state what the final product will be (information sheet, research report, business plan, marketing strategy, etc.).

Project Implementation Phase - [2 credits of Hort 6002 (Master of Agriculture Project Implementation) arranged with the Integrating Project Instructor] - In this phase, the student will meet at a scheduled time at approximately monthly intervals with the Integrating Project Instructor and other Master of Agriculture students conducting their projects. The Integrating Project Instructor and student cohorts will initially review the proposals developed during the project planning phase, develop benchmarks to be achieved during the implementation phase, and facilitate and evaluate progress in achieving benchmarks. Upon completion, the project will be presented orally and summarized in an appropriate format. This will often be in a written format such as a report, case study, or business plan. Some projects may be presented using other media. Such presentations must be supported by written "program notes" and will include a short oral presentation. All Master of Agriculture presentations will be open to the public. The project and the oral presentation will be evaluated by fellow students in the course and by a panel of faculty members who will provide input to the Integrating Project Instructor in determining the grade for the project. In every respect, projects must meet the highest professional standards regarding content, style, and appearance. The 2 credits of Hort 6002 will be earned with a passing grade following the successful completion and presentation of the project.

• The Integrating Project should consist of a minimum of 200 hours of tangible work.

• All students will be required to prepare an abstract summarizing their project and its findings to be published on the Web.

• Completed projects should be submitted in both printed (2 copies) and electronic form.

Students must complete all requirements for the degree within five (5) years of admission to the Master of Agriculture in Horticulture program.