(SPESS)
The departmental-level academic course plan for each student will be developed in consultation with and approved by the student’s graduate advisory committee. The committee will include the student’s major professor and at least two additional members of the graduate faculty such that the LSU Graduate School’s requirements for graduate committees are satisfied.
A thesis is required for the degree. A minimum of 24 hours of credit at the graduate level must be earned including a maximum of six hours of credit for the thesis for a total of 30 hours credit. The curricular requirements include:
- At least 12 hours credit must be 7000 or above (not including thesis credits)
- At least one hour credit from seminar classes AGRO 7001 /HORT 7913 and one exit seminar (non-credit) are required
The student must pass a comprehensive oral examination (thesis defense). Students are strongly encouraged to publish manuscript(s) from their MS research in appropriate peer-reviewed, scholarly journals.
The non-thesis option MS degree, approved only under special circumstances, requires a minimum of 36 hours credit at the graduate level of well-defined course work. A non-thesis option MS is considered to be a terminal degree and the curricular requirements include:
- 18 hours of which must be 7000 or above
- Completion of a short project with a written comprehensive report
- Two semesters of seminar (two hours credit)
One semester service assisting in a laboratory course is recommended for non-thesis students. The student must pass a comprehensive oral examination.
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