2 Tracks
This degree program offers both a Thesis and Non-Thesis option
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Graduate courses to choose from over multiple departments
Overview
The Master of Science degree in Agronomy prepares students for leadership roles in areas of food, feed, fiber, bioenergy, shelter, and aesthetic space plant production.Students who complete the degree have the knowledge and skills for positions in industry, local-state-national governmental agencies, and non-government organizations dealing with crop production issues. Graduates are often employed by private companies, crop consulting firms, state agricultural experiment stations, cooperative extension service, USDA-ARS, farmer cooperatives, and state departments of agriculture and other related agencies.
Applicants must have an accredited bachelors degree and meet admission requirements for graduate study at Texas A&M University.
Thesis Option
A minimum of 32 semester credit hours of approved courses and research is required for the thesis option Master of Science degree.
An acceptable thesis is required for the Master of Science degree for a student who selects the thesis option program. The finished work must reflect a comprehensive understanding of the pertinent literature and express in clear English, the problem(s) for study, the method, significance and results of the student’s original research.
For thesis option students, the final examination covers the thesis and all work taken on the degree plan and at the option of the committee may be written or oral or both.
Non-Thesis Option
A minimum of 36 semester credit hours of approved coursework is required for the Non-Thesis option. Additionally, for non-thesis option students, a final comprehensive examination may still be required.A student pursuing the non-thesis option is not allowed to enroll in 691 (research) for any reason and 691 may not be used for credit toward a non-thesis option Master of Science degree. A maximum of 4 credit hours of 684 (Professional Internship), 8 credit hours of 685 (Directed Studies), and up to 3 credit hours of 690 (Theory of Research) or 695 (Frontiers in Research) may be used toward the non-thesis option Master of Science degree. In addition, any combination of 684, 685, 690 and 695 may not exceed 25 percent of the total credit hour requirement shown on the individual degree plan. All requirements for the non-thesis option Master of Science degree other than those specified above are the same as for the thesis option degree.