Requirements for Admission to the MSA

Students seeking admission into the Master of Science in Agriculture (MSA) with a concentration in Agricultural Business and Economics, Animal Science, or Plant and Soil Science must meet the following additional specific program requirements:

• An undergraduate grade point of 2.75 or greater (on a 4.0 scale) or a 3.0 or greater on the last 60 hours of undergraduate work. Students judged to be deficient in some areas of undergraduate preparation may, at the discretion of their graduate advisor, be assigned undergraduate courses (6 to 12 hours) as a condition of admission.
• Contact information (including email and phone number) for three references.
• A statement of educational objectives and career goals (approximately 500 words).
• Indicate preference of either the Non-thesis or Thesis option.

Applicants not meeting the specified grade-point requirement may be granted conditional admission if they meet other Graduate Programs admission requirements. Students with an undergraduate GPA of 2.5 or greater (on a 4.0 scale) or a 2.75 or greater on the last 60 hours, may be granted conditional admission. Students admitted on a conditional basis must complete 12 hours of approved graduate level coursework within two semesters and earn a minimum 3.00 GPA with no more than three hours of “C” in the 12 hours.

Applicants meeting the minimum requirements for the program are not guaranteed acceptance into the program. Admittance to the College of Agriculture graduate program is a competitive process, and the number of students admitted to the program each term is dependent upon the quality of the applicants and the resources available within the College.

Courses in the Concentration Area

Each student, with the assistance and approval of their graduate advisor and graduate committee, will select courses leading to specialized training in Agricultural Business and Economics, Animal Science, or Plant and Soil Science, Agricultural Education, or Vocational-Technical Administration.

Thesis or Non-Thesis Option

Students pursuing the Thesis option will count six hours of thesis toward the degree. Students interested in pursuing a Ph.D. in the future should consult with their faculty advisor before choosing either the Thesis or Non-thesis option for the Master of Science in Agriculture degree.