Plant Science, M.Sc.
Plant Science
Head: Dr. Douglas Cattani (Acting)
Campus Address/General Office: 222 Agriculture Building
Telephone: 204-474-8221
Fax: 204-474-7528
Email Address: plantscience_gradstudies@umanitoba.ca
Website: umanitoba.ca/agricultural-food-sciences/plant-science
Academic Staff: Please refer to the Plant Science staff listing.
Plant Science Program Information
The Department of Plant Science offers programs leading to the Master of Science and the Doctor of Philosophy degrees.
Admission Information
Admission to the Faculty of Graduate Studies
Application and Admission Procedures are found in the Academic Guide.
Admission requirements for Master’s students are found in the Master’s Degrees General Regulations section of the Guide.
Plant Science M.Sc. Admission Requirements
Admission requirements are those of the Faculty of Graduate Studies.
Application Information
Students should complete and submit their online application with supporting documentation by the date indicated on the Plant Science M.Sc. program of study page.
Pre-Master's Option
This unit offers a Pre-Master’s program of study. The Pre-Master’s program of study is intended to bring a student’s background up to the equivalent of the required 4-year degree in the major department/unit, and to provide the student with any necessary prerequisites for courses to be taken in the Master’s program. Completing the Pre-Master’s program does not guarantee acceptance to the Master’s program.
Degree Requirements
Research and Thesis
The thesis route will include a thesis and a minimum of 12 credit hours of coursework of which 9 credit hours must be at the 7000 level and include PLNT 7250, a mandatory course.
Expected Time to Graduate: 2-2.5 years
Progression Chart
| Year 1 | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| GRAD 7300 | Research Integrity Tutorial | 0 |
| GRAD 7500 | Academic Integrity Tutorial | 0 |
| Select courses (0-9 credit hours) as determined by advisory committee and student 1 | ||
| GRAD 7000 | Master's Thesis 2 | 0 |
| Hours | 0 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| PLNT 7250 | Plant Science Seminar | 3 |
| Select courses (0-9 credit hours) as determined by advisory committee and student 1 | ||
| GRAD 7000 | Master's Thesis 2 | 0 |
| Hours | 3 | |
| Total Hours | 3 | |
| 1 | Credit hours as determined by advisory committee and student. Minimum credit hours required: 12. |
| 2 | Students must demonstrate their mastery of the field and that they are fully conversant with the relevant literature through their thesis. |
Registration Information
Students should familiarize themselves with the Faculty of Graduate Studies ‘GRAD’ courses applicable to their program. If you have questions about which GRAD course(s) to register in, please consult your home department/unit.
All students in the graduate program must meet with their advisor/advisory committee to determine courses. Courses must be listed on the departmental approval form (available from the Plant Science General Office) and written approval granted from both the advisor and the department head or designate. Registration revisions are to be dealt with and approved in like manner. Not all courses are offered each year.
Regulations
Supplemental Regulations
Students must meet the requirements as outlined in both Supplementary Regulation and BFAR documents as approved by Senate.
Supplementary Regulations
Individual units may require specific requirements above and beyond those of the Faculty of Graduate Studies, and students should consult unit supplementary regulations for these specific regulations.
Bona Fide Academic Requirements (BFAR)
Bona Fide Academic Requirements (BFAR) represent the core academic requirements a graduate student must acquire in order to gain, and demonstrate acquisition of, essential knowledge and skills.
All students must successfully complete:
- GRAD 7300 prior to applying to any ethics boards which are appropriate to the student’s research or within the student’s first year, whichever comes first; and
- GRAD 7500 within the first term of registration;
unless these courses have been completed previously, as per Mandatory Academic Integrity Course and Mandatory Research Integrity Online Course.
Students must also meet additional BFAR requirements that may be specified for their program.
General Regulations
All students must:
- maintain a minimum degree grade point average of 3.0 with no grade below C+,
- meet the minimum and not exceed the maximum course requirements, and
- meet the minimum and not exceed the maximum time requirements (in terms of time in program and lapse or expiration of credit of courses).
Courses
Plant Science
Reading or assignment or research on specific aspects of crop development, crop production, weed science, plant pathology, plant biochemistry or plant physiology.
PR/CR: A minimum grade of C is required unless otherwise indicated.
Prerequisite: written consent of department head.
An in-depth study of selected topics of current interest in the fields of plant breeding and genetics.
PR/CR: A minimum grade of C is required unless otherwise indicated.
Prerequisite: written consent of department head.
Detailed analysis of advanced genomic techniques, experimental approaches, and progress in current plant genomic projects.
Application of genetic mapping analyses for the dissection of traits in plant species. Linkage mapping, quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping, association mapping, and related analyses will be reviewed in detail. Emphasis will be placed on practical applications in genetic studies. The analysis and interpretation of real data will be conducted in computer tutorial sessions.
PR/CR: A minimum grade of C is required unless otherwise indicated.
Prerequisite: PLNT 4330 or consent of instructor.
Advanced training in modern methods of plant breeding.
PR/CR: A minimum grade of C is required unless otherwise indicated.
Prerequisite: PLNT 3520 or consent of instructor.
Principles of oral and poster presentations, visual aid design and organization are discussed and then applied by students in presentations of their current research, and agricultural issues. Course evaluated on a pass/fail basis.
Weed biology and ecology in the context of weed management, covering theory, current information, investigative approaches and experimental techniques. Topics explored include: weed population biology, modelling, weed community ecology, herbicide efficacy and herbicide resistant weeds.
PR/CR: A minimum grade of C is required unless otherwise indicated.
Prerequisite: PLNT 3540 or equivalent or consent of instructor.
The development of a research proposal, instruction and practice in scientific writing and presentation of a seminar. For Ph.D. students only. Course evaluated on a pass/fail basis.
Lectures, seminars and discussions relating epidemiological principles to plant disease development and control. The course examines in-depth the interrelationships of host, pathogen and environment. Measurement of epidemiological parameters is stressed in relation to disease assessment, disease forecasting and disease management.
An in-depth study of selected topics of current interest in the field of Crop Physiology.
PR/CR: A minimum grade of C is required unless otherwise indicated.
Prerequisite: written consent of department head.
Examination of current concepts of regulation and limitations of photosynthesis, nitrogen metabolism, and assimilate partitioning in field and horticultural crops. Content will include the mode of action of plant growth regulators and herbicides in these processes.
An in-depth study of selected topics of current interest in the field of Agronomy.
PR/CR: A minimum grade of C is required unless otherwise indicated.
Prerequisite: written consent of department head.
An in-depth study of selected topics of current interest in the field of Plant Pathology.
PR/CR: A minimum grade of C is required unless otherwise indicated.
Prerequisite: written consent of department head.
A lecture-seminar course to investigate environmental, crop management and genetic limitations to growth, yield formation, yield, water use efficiency and quality of field, forage and horticultural crops. Interactions will be stressed and emphasis will be placed on sustainable crop production systems. Simple and complex relationships will be demonstrated using models.
PR/CR: A minimum grade of C is required unless otherwise indicated.
Prerequisite: consent of instructor.
The theoretical basis of quantitative genetic variation. The genetic structure of plant breeding populations. Estimation, interpretation and use of genetic parameters in cross-pollinated and self-pollinated plant species. Variance components, genotype x environment interaction, inbreeding, heterosis, selection, heritability and combining ability.
An introduction to the theory, strategies, and practice of data management, analysis and utilization in molecular biology. Topics include DNA and protein sequence analysis, biological databases, genomic mapping and analysis of gene expression data. This course will include problem-solving exercises using Unix server-based software. Not to be held with PLNT 4610.
PR/CR: A minimum grade of C is required unless otherwise indicated.
Prerequisite: PLNT 2530 or PLNT 3140 or PLNT 4310 or the former PLNT 4540 or MBIO 3410 or consent of instructor.
Equiv To: PLNT 4610