Graduate admission is a collaborative effort between the UF Office of Graduate Admissions (https://admissions.ufl.edu/apply/graduate/) and the Agronomy Department. International applicants who are admitted to the Department will work with the UF International Center (https://internationalcenter.ufl.edu/) regarding their visa requirements. The Agronomy Department follows UF graduate admission policies and procedures so please review the graduate admission website to better understand all of the UF application process and requirements. The Agronomy Department recommends submission of a completed application at least six months prior to the intended term of admission.
The Agronomy Department offers flexible M.S. and Ph.D. program options to meet our students’ educational and career goals. It is important for applicants to understand the available options and choose a degree program (i.e., M.S. thesis or non-thesis or Ph.D.) and specialization (i.e., discipline area of interest within agronomy) that best meet their interests and needs. Master’s degree students can choose either thesis or non-thesis programs that are offered in-person or 100% on-line. A majority of on-line students enroll in the non-thesis option while most residential students conduct research and complete a thesis. Our Ph.D. is a research degree where students are in residence at UF and typically take both in-person and virtual courses. Both M.S. and Ph.D. students can choose a concentration in Agroecology if they wish (ADD Link to our concentrations). Our on-line non-thesis students are assigned an advisor based on their academic interests. ALL students seeking admission to a M.S. thesis or Ph.D. program must have an adviser identified before they can be officially admitted. Therefore, we encourage applicants to reach out to faculty whose research program best aligns with your academic and career goals.
The Agronomy Department offers that are available to on-campus students and self-funded distance students (Include the link to our programs here). Applicants to certificate programs must have an earned Bachelors’ degree from an accredited college or university. Applicants should have all documentation submitted for review at least one month before the beginning of the semester.
For admission without conditions into a graduate degree or graduate certificate program, UF Graduate Admissions (school code 5812) requires the UF application (https://admissions.ufl.edu/apply/graduate/), a $35 application fee, undergraduate upper-division GPA of 3.0, and official transcripts from every university or college that you have attended. Applicants who attended colleges outside the USA are required to provide an official diploma/diploma supplements, all academic credentials in the original language as well as official English translations, and in most instances, a language proficiency test that satisfies the UF Graduate School minimum score. Please refer to International Admissions for a comprehensive overview https://admissions.ufl.edu/apply/graduate/international.
In addition to the above, the UF/IFAS Agronomy Department requires the UF Application to include components on the application that might be listed as “optional.” They are:
Statement of Purpose (one-page essay)
Resume
Three Letters of Recommendation
Unofficial copies of transcripts and test scores
Make sure to indicate the that you are interested in when you complete your application. Once a non-thesis M.S. applicant’s packet is complete, it is evaluated by the Agronomy Admissions Committee for an admissions decision, and the applicant is contacted. For M.S. thesis and Ph.D. students, a completed packet is the first step toward admission. An admissions decision can be made only when a departmental faculty member has agreed to serve as the student’s adviser. In most cases, this means the faculty member has agreed to provide a stipend to the student and pay the student’s tuition.
