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Botany and plant pathology are concerned with the study of plants at all levels of biological organization, from molecular and cellular processes to the global ecosystem. This breadth of field reflects the wide range of issues and problems that confront plant biologists. In addition to addressing fundamental questions in plant biology, plant scientists in the 21st century will be called upon to provide information useful for producing food, fiber, and medicine for an increasing population, and for increasing our understanding of the diversity of plant and ecological systems and their interactions with humans. Students studying botany and plant pathology at OSU receive the basic science background necessary for such contributions, and may choose to focus in a particular area within plant science.

The undergraduate program in the Department of Botany and Plant Pathology is designed for students who wish to receive a BS in Botany degree and for students pursuing degrees in other fields that require a knowledge of plant biology. For example, students who have an undergraduate major in biology or environmental sciences may wish to emphasize botany courses in their upper-division course work.

Completion of the undergraduate curriculum in botany can qualify students for graduate work in various areas of plant biology and plant pathology, and for positions in state and federal agencies, and industries concerned with plants and their products.

Prospective botany majors should obtain a strong background in the biological and physical sciences at the high school level. Specifically recommended are a minimum of three years of high school mathematics, including algebra, geometry, and some exposure to trigonometry, one year of chemistry, one year of biology, one year of physics, and courses designed to develop computer and writing skills. Students without an adequate background in mathematics and science may make up these deficiencies early in their college careers.

Major Code: 515

The required curriculum meets the course requirements of the university and the College of Agricultural Sciences and provides for a broad background in plant science. Completing an option and engaging in an experiential learning activity allows students to fulfill their individual education goals and prepare for career aspirations.

All Botany undergraduate majors are required to do the following:

1. Complete the core course curriculum meeting the requirements of the university, College of Agricultural Sciences, and Botany academic requirements.
2. Select and complete the course curriculum of a 21-credit option to obtain advanced scientific background and skills in a particular area of plant science. Students may select a pre-determined botany option from the catalog or create a customized option with approval of a BOT advisor. Course work delivered in the options provides students with advanced knowledge and skills related to the study of plants and plant-like organisms in natural and managed ecosystems and in the laboratory.
   1. Comprehensive Botany
   2. Customizable Option
   3. Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation
   4. Molecular, Cellular, and Genomic Botany
   5. Plant Pathology
3. Participate in an experiential learning and subsequent student seminar. Every Botany major is required to have an experiential learning (EL) component in their curriculum that is not part of a scheduled academic course. The EL component can take many forms but must involve a minimum of 60 hours of work and must have a substantial educational objective that is related to the BOT degree. Academic credit is not required but may be earned by enrolling in research (BOT 401) or internship (BOT 410). Paid and voluntary positions are both acceptable. To meet the requirement, the student and the EL supervisor must make a written agreement that is approved by a Botany advisor. After completion of the EL project, the student is required to participate in a 1-credit student seminar during Fall term of the senior year (BOT 407), to reflect on the EL project and to incorporate it into future career planning activities.

This outline is generally valid for students pursuing any of the botany options. Certain major requirements can be fulfilled by taking courses from each SELECT menu, such as the Math requirement, Additional Quantitative Skills, WIC, and Non-vascular plants. For clarity, the term-by-term map does not show all of these choices, which are dictated by a student’s math placement, interests, and option. At least one of each type of course requirement is shown in the plan, and the full menus are provided at the end of the term-by-term. Students should be aware that some of these courses are needed to fulfill requirements for specific options. Students should also be aware that the Experiential Learning requirement should be completed before the start of the senior year.