Master of Science in Agriculture -Plant Health Management

All graduates will be able to:

Meet an expanding demand for plant health management specialists to promote food security and food safety on a global scale, the PHM option is designed to provide students  with a foundational understanding of the essential components of plant protection through courses in the plant health management core, as well as a basic understanding of market  aspects of the business through courses in the management core.

To prepare students to become experts in professional fields related to agriculture. Students will:

1.  Expand breadth of knowledge and expertise in agricultural disciplines and closely related fields.
2.  Increase depth of knowledge and expertise in agriculture as related to the student's professional goals.
3.  Enhance ability to adapt to emerging changes in technology, economics, societal influences, and communication that have a dramatic impact on the agricultural  industry.

To prepare students to become outstanding educators or practitioners in agricultural disciplines. Students will:

1.  Develop critical thinking skills and ability to assess and comprehend societal problems, stakeholder concerns and scientific questions that formulate major issues to  be addressed through applied and/or basic research.
2.  Develop scientific literacy by independently assessing, interpreting, and summarizing literature and other sources of knowledge on the research topic.
3.  Develop research objectives and hypotheses through the use of logic and critical thinking.
4.  Propose, evaluate or execute experimental protocol regarding stated hypothesis.
5.  Collect, summarize, and interpret research data.
6.  Effectively communicate at different levels the results of research in written, graphic, and verbal modes.

To prepare students to become outstanding leaders and team players in collaborative and interdisciplinary application of their expertise to address local, regional, national and/or  global problems associated with agriculture. Students will:

1.  Acquire advanced knowledge and skills necessary to function as an effective leader, manager, or team player.
2.  Be able to identify, assess and address the interactions among the many issues associated with agriculture and society at large.
3.  Foster commitment to ethical behavior and appreciation for diversity, global cultures, traditions and perspectives.
4.  To provide students with an experiential-based research opportunity designed to translate content provided in coursework to reality. The program will:
5.  Identify adviser in the student's interest area.
6.  Provide guidelines for non-thesis projects, practicums, and thesis projects.

To both enhance the visibility and impact of graduate programs in agricultural sciences and provide students with a pathway for manifesting their career objectives. The program will:

1.  Increase the number and diversity of high quality applicants and students in the program.
2.  Strengthen the college's role in distance delivery by expanding access beyond Washington State boundaries.
3.  Place more WSU graduates in lead positions within agricultural related fields.