BS in Plant Pathology
How to Apply
All Plant Pathology BS students are also students in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. This means that students need to apply first to UW-Madison and secondly they need to be a CALS student. For more information on how to transfer or directly apply to CALS please visit the CALS Prospective web page.
To declare the Plant Pathology BS students will need to do so through the CALS Undergraduate Programs & Services office which is located at 116 Agricultural Hall, 1450 Linden Drive, Madison WI 53706.
Prospective students, who would like more information on the Plant Pathology BS, the department or would like to meet with someone in the department, should contact the Student Services Coordinator Sara Lorence (email or 608-262-9926).
Degree Options within Plant Pathology
The Department, through CALS, currently offers three undergraduate degrees:
- Bachelor of Science - Natural Sciences
- Bachelor of Science - Agricultural Sciences
- Bachelor of Science - International Agriculture and Natural Resources
Students completing the major under the Natural
Sciences program earn a Bachelor of Science-Natural
Sciences degree. The Natural Sciences program primarily emphasizes
basic biology, chemistry, and physical sciences requisite
for graduate study in plant pathology and related disciplines.
Students completing the major under the Agricultural Sciences program earn a Bachelor of Science-Agricultural Sciences degree. The Agricultural Sciences degree program stresses courses related to plant health, such as entomology, plant pathology, plant nutrition, soil science, and weed control.
Students completing the major under the International Agriculture and Natural Resources program earn a Bachelor of Science-International Agriculture and Natural Resources degree. The International Agriculture and Natural Resources program emphasizes international application of plant pathology.
In all curricula, students obtain additional training in related subject areas, such as bacteriology, biochemistry, genetics, mycology, and plant physiology.
Plant Pathology BS Degree Requirements
For the latest information regarding the Plant Pathology BS curriculum please visit the CALS Plant Pathology website. Here one will find the most up-to-date information and guides including curriculum sheets for both BS options and the four-year plan for the natural sciences option. The curriculum sheets include all of the courses that students need to take in order to satisfy the UW-Madison, CALS and Plant
For more information on the Plant Pathology major, CALS and UW-Madison requirements please also visit the UW-Madison Undergraduate Catalog.
Undergraduate Capstone Experience
The goals of the capstone experience are to:
- build interdisciplinary connections;
- build skills for teamwork;
- develop skills in problem solving and critical thinking;
- develop communication skills.
A faculty member will act as a capstone
advisor and work with students to develop the details and strategy
for the project. It is up to the student and advisor to narrow
the focus of each specific project.
To receive credit for the capstone experience students must register for Plant Pathology 699 Special Problems for 2 credits with their capstone advisor. Once a student has come to an agreement with their capstone advisor regarding the project details the advisor should contact the Student Services Coordinator (Sara Lorence, 608-262-9926) to get the student authorized for the correct section of Plant Pathology 699.
Examples of experiences students could participate in include:
- participation in a faculty members research program;
- reading and extending history of the discipline and the department;
- one or more integrated plant disease clinic-like experiences that involve receiving the problem from the client, processing the diagnosis, participating in the decision as to what to proscribe, and participating in the delivery of the recommended procedures or information;
- demonstrating a knowledge of information sources, types of sources, and their uses and values;
- demonstrating an understanding of where plant pathology fits in the broader plant and global health scene;
- attending professional meetings as part of the learning experience.
Undergraduate
Advising in Plant Pathology
Most undergraduate students are assigned to the general Plant Pathology undergraduate advisor Dr. Jeri Barak; however, if a student has been working in the lab of another Plant Pathology faculty member and wishes to have that faculty member as their advisor the student needs to notify the Student Services Coordinator (Sara Lorence or 608-262-9926).
Undergraduates in Plant Pathology are required to meet with their advisor before they can enroll for the upcoming term. A hold will be placed on student records until they meet with their advisor.
For more information about the Plant Pathology BS or the department in general, please contact either the undergraduate advisor, Dr. Jeri Barak, or the Student Services Coordinator, Sara Lorence.
More Information
For more information on other academic, co-curricular, financial aid and career opportunities and services available to Plant Pathology BS students, please visit the CALS Current Students website.
