PhD in Plant Medicine at University of Florida

University of Florida

United States of America, Gainesville

University Rank:#212

University of Florida offers the PhD of Plant Medicine as a full-time degree delivered on campus at its main campus in Gainesville , United States of America. Taught in English and completed over 5 years, the program equips students with the theoretical knowledge and practical skills required for plant medicine and related professional fields. The next available intake begins on January 9, 2027.

About PhD in Plant Medicine

Program Information

Coordinator: Amanda C. Hodges

Campus Program

The Doctor of Plant Medicine (DPM) program is an intensive doctorate-level graduate level training program for students interested in plant health diagnosis and management. Requirements for the degree can be found in the Graduate Degrees section of this catalog.

DPM students complete rigorous coursework and intensive internships. Only DPM students jointly enrolled in one of our discipline department M.S. programs complete a thesis. DPM students often participate in applied research within laboratory programs, and may participate in the publication of peer-reviewed scientific and extension papers. More information regarding the latest policies for the DPM program is available in the DPM graduate handbook.

The DPM program is a partnership among faculty mentors and teaching faculty within the following primary departments:

Entomology and Nematology Department
Department of Plant Pathology
Agronomy Department
Horticulture Sciences Department
Environmental Horticulture Department
Soil and Water Sciences Department
Food Science and Human Nutrition Department

Distance Program

The College of Agricultural and Life Sciences offers a distance education program leading to the D.P.M. degree for highly qualified students. The D.P.M. degree is awarded after a 3- to 4-year program of graduate student. Foreign languages are not required. The distance education program leading to a D.P.M. degree is administered by the Entomology and Nematology Department, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, and the Graduate School.

Admission: Students must meet the following minimum requirements:

Entrance requirements:

A graduate degree (Master's or Doctoral) with a concentration in plant health science, plant pathology, agronomy, horticulture, environmental horticulture, forestry, entomology, nematology, soil science or a similar field.
A passing score for the Certified Crop Advisor (CCA) exam administered by the Agronomy Society of America (ASA).
Completion of at least two years of full-time work in a professional job associated with the Plant Doctor (DPM/H) profession. Examples of professional jobs associated with the Plant Doctor profession include: crop consultant, industry scientist, extension specialist, diagnostician, identifier, survey specialist, plant pest risk analyst, plant health technician, or instructor.
A minimum score of a 300 on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Verbal and quantitative portions of the GRE should be approximately 150 each. Exceptions to the minimum may be considered by the DPM admissions committee.
International applicants must also have a TOEFL score above 80.
A graduate (Master's or Doctoral) grade point average of 3.0 or higher.
A passing score (80% or higher) on the Plant Pathology Written Comprehensive Exam. The exam must be completed in Gainesville, Florida.

Course requirements: Students enter the program with a Master's or Doctoral degree and must earn 60 credits. Transfer of graduate credits from another graduate degree are not allowed for the distance education program. All D.P.M. students must complete two substantial 3-credit internships. Signed approval by a student's Committee and the D.P.M. Director is required prior to registering for substantial internship credits.

Comprehensive examination: Both written and oral comprehensive examinations are required of all D.P.M. students. The written examination has three sections:

entomology/nematology,
plant pathology, and
plant/soil science.

Faculty from the appropriate disciplines are appointed by the D.P.M. Program Director and D.P.M. Competency Exam Coordinators to develop and grade the final written examination. Students enrolled in the distance education program must pass the plant pathology written competency area exam prior to admission. The two remaining sections of the written exam may be taken independently throughout the program at the discretion of the supervisory committee and the D.P.M. Director. Students are encouraged to complete the exam prior to the last full year of the D.P.M. program and his/her anticipated semester of graduation. Students should also complete the D.P.M. Competency Area Exams before the completion of a substantial internship. After a student passes all three sections of the final written examination (80% or higher is considered a passing grade), the supervisory committee administers an oral examination that tests the student's ability to diagnose and manage plant health problems. A student who fails to pass a comprehensive examination may retake an exam once with the recommendation of his/her supervisory committee.

For more information, please see the DPM website: http://dpm.ifas.ufl.edu.

SLO 1: Knowledge

Prevention, Diagnosis and Management of Plant Health Problems

Master the subject matter and concepts related to the prevention, diagnosis and management of plant health problems of all types

SLO 2: Skills

Solve Plant Health Problems

Integrate the subject matter and concepts learned during their program of study to solve plant health problems.

SLO 3: Professional Behavior

Exhibit professionalism in the practice of plant medicine by maintaining client confidentiality, keeping up to date on plant health management practices through continuing education and seeking the assistance of their colleagues when necessary.

Requirements and Admission Criteria for PhD in Plant Medicine at University of Florida

Entry Requirements

Applicants who should complete the SSAR:

Attended a high school regionally accredited in the United States for at least three years.
Attended a DODEA (Department of Defense Education Activity) school.

Applicants who should not complete the SSAR:

Attended a secondary school located outside the United States for more than one semester.
Studied a curriculum that did not follow the standard U.S. system.

Required: At least three full years of your most recent secondary school transcripts, including courses in progress (grades 9, 10 and 11 + senior schedule) in both the native language of instruction and a word for word certified English translation (if applicable). Unofficial transcripts are accepted electronically via the status Check Status page for the review process, while official transcripts and translations are required upon enrollment.

English Requirements

IELTSMin 6
TOEFLMin 80

English Program Requirements

All applicants, regardless of citizenship, must demonstrate English proficiency. English proficiency examination results, such as TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo English Test, are encouraged for non-native English speakers, but are not required for freshman admission. SAT or ACT results are required for all freshman applicants.

Tuition and Fee Information for PhD in Plant Medicine at University of Florida

How to Apply for PhD in Plant Medicine at University of Florida

Start by exploring our more than 250 degree programs to determine the application requirements and if additional items, such as transcripts, portfolios or recommendation letters, are needed in your application. Application deadlines also vary by department, so be sure to apply before the deadline.

Regardless of program, all graduate students apply using the UF graduate school application through CollegeNET. You will select your college and major within the application. Complete the application and pay the $30 non-refundable application fee. Review your application carefully before submission, as changes cannot be made once the application is submitted.

The Office of Admissions does not provide an application fee waiver. If needed, check directly with the program to which you are applying. Additionally, if your application is not considered because the application deadline is passed, UF will not issue you a refund for the application fee. It is important to know the application deadlines for the intended major.

If you are applying to more than one program, you must complete an application for each program and pay the non-refundable application fee

Official test scores must be sent to UF electronically by the testing agency.

GRE

Review your program requirements to determine if GRE scores are needed. Most applicants must submit GRE scores, but some programs in the College of the Arts do not require these. When using electronic delivery, select school code 5812 (University of Florida). UF does not superscore the GRE.

GMAT

All MBA applicants must submit satisfactory scores on the Graduate Management Admissions Test. GMAT scores may also be accepted by certain MHA, Sport Management, and Food and Resource Economics programs. Contact individual departments for specific requirements. When ordering your scores from GMAC, select the department you intend to apply to here at the University of Florida.

Fundamentals of Engineering

Some engineering programs will accept FE scores as a substitute for the GRE. Contact individual programs for requirements.

Exemptions

Applicants with a previous graduate or professional degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution may be exempt from the Graduate Record Exam or Graduate Management Admission Test at the program's discretion.

Verifying Receipt of Scores

Requested scores generally arrive to UF within 2-4 weeks

Send your transcripts to the UF Office of Admissions.

For the purpose of initial review, the Office of Admissions accepts unofficial transcripts. These can be uploaded through your Application Status page.

Applicants who receive an offer of admissions should arrange to have official transcripts sent to the UF Office of Admissions from each postsecondary institution attended. If you attended UF as your postsecondary institution, you do not have to order a transcript from the Office of the University Registrar. Official transcripts can be sent to UF in two ways: paper transcript received by UF in a sealed envelope or electronic transcripts sent from your institution directly to UF, which can save up to two weeks response time. UF accepts electronic transcripts through FASTER, Parchment, National Student Clearing House, ScribbleSoft, e-Scrip Safe, Credential Solutions, SCOIR or Transcripts Plus.

All academic credentials become property of the university. They will not be returned to you or forwarded to a third party. For diplomas and academic credentials that are only issued once, please send an attested or certified copy of the original.

Transcript updates can be found within your Application Status page. Transcripts uploaded or received by mail will display on the Application Checklist as Transcript - Under Review. Once the transcripts are reviewed, these checklist items will be removed, and the Awaiting Transcript checklist items will be updated accordingly. We process transcripts as quickly as possible. The Admissions Office prioritizes the review of transcripts needed for students to register for the current term.

Pursuant to Florida Statute, your application requires inclusion of all post-high school education and employment, as well as information about ongoing international affiliations and research funding. Ensure this information is included on your curriculum vitae (CV) or résumé that is uploaded within your graduate application.

If the program of interest requires recommendation letters, these should be submitted electronically through the admissions application. You must request these recommendations prior to submitting your application. You cannot add or delete recommendations once your application has been submitted. If your recommendation is supplied by paper or PDF, check with your academic program to inquire if this will be accepted.

You can check the receipt of materials by the Office of Admissions on the Check Status page. This page will only reflect information concerning materials forwarded directly to the Office of Admissions and does not include materials that are required to be sent directly to your academic unit.

Approximately 24-48 hours after submitting your online application, your 8-digit UF Identification Number (UFID) will be available on the status of your application. Use the same username and password used to submit your CollegeNET application.

Your UFID is unique to you and should be used in all email communication and any subsequent applications submitted. If you do not use your UFID in communications and submissions, it is difficult for us to match your test scores, transcripts, and financial aid information to your academic record.

PhD in Plant Medicine at University of Florida

University of Florida

United States of America, Gainesville