Plant and Soil Science, M.S.

Plant and Soil Science

Before being recommended for admission to a masters degree program with a major in this department, students may be requested to provide evidence of proficiency in background for graduate work or may be required to take (without graduate credit) such undergraduate leveling courses as may be designated by the department.

Master of Science degree students may pursue either the thesis or non-thesis option. The thesis option (24 hours of graduate coursework plus 6 hours of thesis) is designed for students who intend to pursue a Ph.D. An oral exam over the research is required for the thesis option. The non-thesis option (36 hours of graduate coursework) is considered a terminal degree. An oral exam is required during the graduating semester for the non-thesis option.

This degree is available at a distance; it requires a minimum of 36 hours of graduate coursework without a thesis. Students must take the last 6 semester credit hours from Texas Tech, and an oral exam is required during the semester of graduation.

Graduation requirements include a minimum cumulative Texas Tech University GPA of 2.0 for all courses, including repeated courses, attempted in the degree program in which students seek graduation. To obtain a degree granted by the university, at least 25 percent of the total semester credit hours must be earned through instruction offered by Texas Tech University. Students in their semester of graduation must be enrolled in a minimum of one credit-bearing semester hour.

• Applicant attended four (4) consecutive long semesters of credit-bearing/non-development/non-ESL courses at an accredited post-secondary school in the U.S.
• Attended two (2) consecutive years of high school in the United States.
• Attended two (2) consecutive years of high school with U.S. accreditation or within an English proficiency exempt country
• Applicants from the below English Proficiency exempt countries (must provide proof with passport)

• Unofficial copies of transcripts, and test scores are required for application evaluation purposes. If admitted, you will be required to submit official transcripts, diplomas/degree certificates, and test scores. Please do not send official transcripts until you have received a notice of acceptance from Texas Tech Graduate School.
• Provide Program Materials: In addition to transcripts and test scores, most Texas Tech graduate programs require supplemental materials for admission review. These materials may include (but are not limited to) items such as a statement of purpose, recommendations, writing samples, creative portfolio, etc. Supplemental materials are reviewed by the department only, not the Office of Graduate Admission. Please refer to the homepage of your intended graduate department as well as the instructions on the "Program Materials" quadrant on our online application to verify which supplemental materials are needed. You may also find the required material here.
• While you will be able to add to certain segments on the application (e.g. test scores) post submission, you will not be able to make revisions once the application has been submitted.
• Submitting incorrect information on your application or failing to include important details can delay the admissions process.