Doctor of Philosophy
Purpose
- To meet the needs of individuals desiring graduate study in Agronomy as preparation for faculty positions in academic institutions or as research scientists in federal agencies or in the private sector.
General Requirements
- A minimum of 90 total credit hours.
- 30 credit hours from the Masters of Science degree program may be counted toward the 90 credit hours unless the degree was in a different discipline. To obtain credit hours from a master's degree, a Transfer of Credit of Graduate Courses for all Degrees form must be completed by the major professor and submitted to the Graduate Coordinator.
- A minor is required and includes a minimum of 12 credit hours at 5000 level or higher. If two minors are chosen, a minimum of eight hours is required for each minor field.
- The number of credit hours in the major should exceed that of the minor(s). Major courses are limited to 5000 and higher Agronomy courses and others specifically approved for this purpose as listed in the Graduate Catalog.
- All candidates for the Ph. D. degree will normally obtain teaching experience, the specifics of which are determined by the supervisory committee. It is recommended that at least one credit of AGR 6940 Supervised Teaching will be included in the program of study.
- All other required courses not in the major or minor should be listed as Foundation and Supporting Work on the student's Form 2.
Required Courses
- At least two credits in AGR 6933 Graduate Agronomy Seminar.
- Other courses as specified by the supervisory committee.
Period of Concentrated Study
- Candidates must satisfy the minimum residence requirements by completing beyond the Master's degree either (1) 30 semester hours in one calendar year or (2) 36 semester hours in no more than four semesters within a period of two calendar years on the Gainesville campus of the University of Florida.
Foreign Language
- No foreign language is required; however, the supervisory committee may require a foreign language if the members believe the language study would enable the student to be better prepared for his/her anticipated career objective.
Computer Literacy
- The supervisory committee should insure that the degree program includes training in appropriate data analyses and word processing software.
Qualifying Examination
- The qualifying examination should be given as soon as the supervisory committee believes a student has completed an appropriate portion of course work, generally not earlier than the last semester of their first full year. Scheduling the qualifying exam early in a program allows the committee to recommend remedial course work if the student performs marginally on the qualifying exam. The qualifying examination must be held at least two semesters prior to the receipt of the degree by a full-time student or a calendar year before receipt of the degree if the student is on less than a full-time basis. The semester in which the qualifying examination is passed is counted for this purpose if the examination is held and the Admission to Candidacy form is submitted during the first half of that semester. The examination should consist of a written portion given by each committee member and an oral examination by all members of the supervisory committee in assembly. All Agronomy Graduate Faculty Members and Deans of the Graduate School, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, and IFAS Research also may participate in the oral portion. Such examinations cover all major and minor subjects. The Graduate Coordinator should be informed of the scheduling of the qualifying exam at least 10 working days prior to the exam date in order to allow time for notification of the Agronomy Graduate Faculty and the Dean of the Graduate School and for preparation of the Admission to Candidacy Form. After being signed by all supervisory committee members and participating faculty, the Admission to Candidacy Form must be returned to the Graduate Coordinator.
Final Examination
- A final comprehensive oral examination given by the supervisory committee must be passed by all candidates not later than the deadline for each semester as published by the Graduate School. A list of deadline dates may be obtained at the Graduate Coordinator's Office anytime during each semester. The examination will cover the candidate's dissertation as required, his/her field of specialization, and other such areas as considered appropriate by the supervisory committee. An announcement of the final exam must be submitted through the Graduate Coordinator's office at least 10 working days prior to the examination date. The exam should normally be scheduled during the semester in which the student receives the degree and in no event can this examination be held earlier than six months before the degree is conferred. All committee members must be in attendance for the examination and sign the Report on Thesis or Dissertation and/or Final Examination form which is then submitted to the Graduate Coordinator.
Supervisory Committee
- A minimum of five members, with four selected by the major professor and one appointed by the department. All members of the supervisory committee must be members of the Graduate Faculty and at least two members, including the major professor, must be from the Agronomy Department. There must be one member representing each selected minor field of study.
