Agricultural Sciences (Ph.D.)
https://colsa.unh.edu/agriculture-nutrition-food-systems/program/phd/agricultural-sciences
The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Agricultural Sciences graduate program offered by the Department of Agriculture, Nutrition, and Food Systems (ANFS) is intended for students interested in careers in plant and animal agriculture, aquaculture, food production and distribution systems, and/or related fields.
Emphasis is placed on acquiring basic and practical knowledge and research experience in one or more of the diverse components of plant and animal agricultural systems including: breeding and genetics, physiology, environmental interactions, organismal health, agroecology, cultural systems, including field based, hydroponics, and aquaculture, as well as post-harvest practices. The agricultural sciences graduate programs prepare students to become highly knowledgeable and competent in professional fields related to agriculture, and leaders in collaborative and interdisciplinary efforts to address local, regional, national and/or global agricultural issues.
With a Ph.D. in Agricultural Sciences, students may pursue careers in plant and animal agriculture, aquaculture, food production and distribution systems, teaching, public service, research in federal, state, and private organizations, and/or related fields.
The Ph.D. program is thesis-based, with the expectation of generating and publishing substantial new knowledge in the field of interest.
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) graduate students work with their advisor and their Doctoral Guidance Committee to plan a program of study including the required core courses and competencies, and develop a viable research proposal. The Guidance Committee is normally established by the end of the first semester, and should meet by the end of the second semester. The student presents to the Guidance Committee a preliminary research proposal in which the soundness, originality, and feasibility of the planned research are clearly described. The Guidance Committee is responsible for approving the proposal, and also oversees the qualifying examination through which the student is admitted to doctoral candidacy. The Doctoral Dissertation Committee is established at this point. To earn the Ph.D. degree, students must complete an original dissertation project, present the results at a public seminar, pass an oral dissertation defense consisting of questions from members of the Dissertation Committee, and have the dissertation approved by the Dissertation Committee and accepted by the Graduate School.
Number of Credits Required
There is no specific credit requirement for the Ph.D., though students must take the required core courses and fulfill the competences stated in the following section. Up to 8 credits of graduate credit from another institution may be transferred, provided the credits were not counted toward another degree, and the course grade was a B or higher. Petitions requesting transfer credit must be supported by the advisor and graduate committee, and approved by the UNH Graduate School.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Course Requirements | ||
| ANFS 901 | Introduction to Agriculture, Nutrition, and Food Systems Graduate Studies 1 | 1 |
| ANFS 997 | Agriculture, Nutrition, and Food Systems Seminar 2 | 1 |
| Competency Requirements 3 | ||
| In addition, students will be expected to demonstrate competency in areas of experimental design and analysis, and in scientific writing and communication. Supportive course offerings include: | ||
| BIOL 811 | Experimental Design & Analysis | 4 |
| BIOL 902 | Writing and Publishing Science | 2 |
| BIOL 933 | 4 | |
| 1 | To be taken at the earliest opportunity: typically in the initial fall semester of the graduate program. |
| 2 | 1 cr per semester, to be taken at least three times by Ph.D. students. |
| 3 | Depending on the prior background of incoming students, one or both of these competency requirements may have been fulfilled through previous graduate or other course work or professional experience. |
Each student, in consultation with their graduate committee, will define one or more areas of informal specialization, and will take additional courses appropriate for their area(s) of specialization.
Additional Information/Requirements
All students in the Agricultural Sciences Graduate Programs are expected to present their research in public seminars (including the UNH Graduate Research Conference), and acquire teaching and/or mentoring experience.