For an up-to-date description of plant biology major requirements, courses, and course sequences please refer to the program webpage at https://plantbiology.rutgers.edu/undergrad/plantbiology.
SEBS UNDERGRADUATE CORE CURRICULUM (39 credits)
Contemporary Challenges (6 credits) Two courses, one in each of the Contemporary Challenges areas: Diversities and Social Inequalities [CC-D] and Our Common Future [CC-O]
Experiential Learning (3 credits) Students must participate in a certified experience that meets this goal [EL]
Natural Sciences (6 credits) Students must take two courses, one each in two of the following areas: physical, biological, or environmental sciences [NS]
Historical Analysis (3 credits) Students must take one course [HST]
Social Analysis (6 credits) SEBS students must complete two courses, one in either social/cultural analysis or economic analysis, and one in governmental and regulatory analysis [SCL]
Arts and Humanities (3 credits) Students must complete one course [AH]
Writing and Communication (6 credits) Students must take 01:355:101 or its equivalent [WC] and one course that fulfills the learning goal, communicate effectively in modes appropriate to a discipline or area of inquiry [WCD].
Quantitative and Formal Reasoning (6 credits) Students must take two courses [QQ; QR]
Graduation Requirements for the Major: Proficiency in Plant Science
A. Plant Science Major Requirements (37-38 credits)
General Biology and Laboratory (all) (10 credits)1
01:119:115 General Biology I (4)
01:119:116 General Biology II (4)
01:119:117 Biological Research Laboratory (2)
General Chemistry and Laboratory (all) (9 credits)2
01:160:161 General Chemistry (4)
01:160:162 General Chemistry (4)
01:160:171 Introduction to Experimentation (1)
Experienced-Based Education (3 credits).3 Choose from the following (adviser approved):
11:776:495,496 Special Problems in Plant Science
11:554:487,488 George H. Cook Scholars Program
11:902:300,301,400 SEBS Internship I,II, Coop
11:550:240 Public Garden Management
11:020:321 Principles and Practice of Small-scale Organic Farming
Study Abroad
SEBS International Summer Study Abroad Program
ARESTY Research Assistant Program
Quantitative Skills (1-2 courses)4
All students are required to complete one to two math courses, precalculus or higher, depending on option. See option for specific requirements.
Professional Ethics (3 credits). Choose from the following:
01:730:107 Introduction to Ethics (3)5
01:730:249 Bioethics (3)
01:730:250 Environmental Ethics (3)
11:607:385 The Ethical Leader (3)
Soils (3-4 credits). Choose from the following:
11:776:102 Soil and Society (3)
11:776:404 Soil Management for Sports and Landscape Applications (3)
11:776:440 Soil Fertility (3)
11:375:360 Soils and Water (4)
11:375:453 Soil Ecology (3)
Plant Science Fundamentals (all) (9 credits)
11:776:210 Principles of Botany (3)
11:776:211 Introduction to Horticulture (3)
11:776:242 Plant Science (3)
B. Plant Science Option Requirements
One of the following three options is required:
1. General Plant Biology (research focus area) (54-59 credits)
2. Horticulture and Turfgrass Industry (53-55 credits)
3. Natural Products (54-57 credits)
B1. General Plant Biology Option (54-59 credits)
Quantitative Methods (all) (7-8 credits)
01:640:135 Calculus I (4) or equivalent
01:640:136 Calculus II (4) or equivalent or 01:960:401 Basic Statistics for Research (3)
Chemistry (all) (15 credits)
01:160:307 Organic Chemistry (4)
01:160:308 Organic Chemistry (4)
11:115:403 General Biochemistry (4)
11:115:404 General Biochemistry (3)
Physics (6-10 credits). Choose from the following sequences of courses:
01:750:193 Physics for the Sciences (4)
01:750:194 Physics for the Sciences (4)
or
01:750:201 Extended General Physics (5)
01:750:202 Extended General Physics (5)
or
01:750:203 General Physics (3)
01:750:204 General Physics (3)
Advanced Plant Science (all) (14 credits)
11:776:305 Plant Genetics (4) or 01:447:380 Genetics (4)
11:776:382 Plant Physiology (4)
11:776:452 Plant Tissue Culture and Engineering (3)
11:126:413 Plant Molecular Biology (3) or 11:126:481 Molecular Genetics (3)
Plant Science Electives (12 credits) (if not already used above)
A total of 12 credits from any 11:776:xxx course at the 200 level or above (see https://plantbiology.rutgers.edu/undergrad/plantbiology/courses/courselistings.html), including:
01:960:401 Basic Statistics for Research (3)
or adviser-approved elective
B2. Horticulture and Turfgrass Industry Option (53-55 credits)
Quantitative Methods (4 credits)5
01:640:115 Precalculus (4) OR higher
Business Courses (all) (9 credits)
11:373:121 Principles and Applications of Microeconomics (3)6
11:373:231 Introduction to Marketing (3)
11:373:241 Introduction to Management (3) OR 11:373:341 Management: Human Systems Development (3)
Applied Major Requirements (all) (16-18 credits)
11:776:302 General Plant Pathology (3)
11:776:382 Plant Physiology (4) OR 11:776:202 Applied Physiology of Horticultural Crops (3)
11:776:391 Weeds, Diseases, and Insects of Plants (3)
11:776:406 Plant Breeding (4)
11:776:306 Weed Science Management (3)
Plant Science Electives (24 credits) (if not already used above)
A total of 24 credits from any 11:776:xxx course at the 200 level or above (see https://plantbiology.rutgers.edu/undergrad/plantbiology/courses/courselistings.html), including
01:960:401 Basic Statistics for Research (3)
or adviser-approved elective
B3. Natural Products Option (54-57 credits)
Students must complete required courses below AND one area of specialization
Required courses
Quantitative Methods (all) (7-10 credits)5
01:640:115 Precalculus (4) or higher AND
01:960:401 Basic Statistics for Research (3) OR
01:960:211,212 Statistics I, II (3,3) (must take both in series)
Business Courses (3 credits)
11:373:121 Principles and Applications of Microeconomics (3)6
Geography Courses (3 credits). Choose from the following:
01:450:211 Environment, Society, and Social Justice (3)
01:450:306 Global Ecosystems and Biodiversity (3)
Major Option Requirements (all) (14 credits)
11:776:205 Introduction to Ethnobotany (3)
11:776:312 Medicinal Plants (3)
11:776:313 Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Laboratory (1)
11:776:382 Plant Physiology (4)
11:776:438 Plants and Human Health (3)
Areas of Specialization
One of the following areas of specialization is required:
a. Ethnobotany and Global Health (27 credits)
b. Production of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (27 credits)
a. Ethnobotany and Global Health
Required (3 credits). Choose one of the following:
11:776:390 Hemp and Medical Cannabis (3)
11:776:400 Fungi in the Environment (3)
11:776:410 Plants and Innovative Technologies for Bioenergy (3)
Electives (24 credits). Choose from the following (if not used above):
11:776:201 People-Plant Relationships (3)
11:776:221 Principles of Organic Crop Production (3)
11:776:302 General Plant Pathology (3)
11:776:305 Plant Genetics (4)
11:776:390 Hemp and Medical Cannabis (3)
11:776:400 Fungi in the Environment (3)
11:776:406 Plant Breeding (4)
11:776:410 Plants and Innovative Technologies for Bioenergy (3)
11:776:415 Fungi and Human Health (3)
11:776:439 Nursery Crop Production (3)
11:776:442 Agroecology (3)
11:776:495,496 Special Problems in Plant Science (1-3)
11:020:436 Sustainable Agriculture (3)
11:216:217 Principles of Natural Resource Management (4)
11:216:369 Analytical Methods Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources (3)
11:216:411 Plant Diversity and Evolution (3)
11:216:412 Plant Diversity and Evolution Lab (1)
11:370:406 Medical and Veterinary Entomology (3)
11:373:362 Natural Resource Economics (3)
11:373:363 Environmental Economics (3)
11:375:201 Biological Principles of Environmental Sciences (3)
11:400:422 Food Safety: Fads, Facts, and Politics (3)
11:709:201 Culinary Nutrition (3)
11:709:255 Nutrition and Health (3)
11:709:363 World Food Customs and Nutrition (3)
or other adviser-approved electives
b. Production of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants
Required (3 credits). Choose one of the following:
11:776:390 Hemp and Medical Cannabis (3)
11:776:410 Plants and Innovative Technologies for Bioenergy (3)
11:776:439 Nursery Crop Production (3)
Electives (24 credits). Choose from the following (if not used above):
11:776:221 Principles of Organic Crop Production (3)
11:776:302 General Plant Pathology (3)
11:776:305 Plant Genetics (4)
11:776:310 Plant Propagation (3)
11:776:311 General Plant Pathology Laboratory (1)
11:776:321 Greenhouse Systems Management (3)
11:776:341 Fruit Production (3)
11:776:390 Hemp and Medical Cannabis (3)
11:776:406 Plant Breeding (4)
11:776:410 Plants and Innovative Technologies for Bioenergy (3)
11:776:439 Nursery Crop Production (3)
11:776:495,496 Special Problems in Plant Science (1-3)
11:020:215 Applied Practical Applications in Agriculture and Food Systems (3)
11:020:321 Principles and Practices of Small-Scale Organic Farming (3)
11:020:340 Indoor Cultivation of High Value Crops (4)
11:020:442 Entrepreneurial Agriculture (3)
11:216:274 Field Techniques (4)
11:216:332 Plant Ecology (4)
11:216:411 Plant Diversity and Evolution (3)
11:216:412 Plant Diversity and Evolution Lab (1)
11:370:350 Agricultural Entomology and Pest Management (3)
11:373:205 Small Business Essentials (3)
11:400:422 Food Safety: Fads, Facts, and Politics (3)
11:550:235 Herbaceous Plants in the Landscape (3)
or other adviser-approved electives
Unspecified Electives (2-11 credits)
In addition to courses meeting the above requirements, students can take other courses offered by the university, for which they meet the course eligibility requirements, to bring their total number of credits to the minimum of 120 (matriculated 2018 or later) or 128 (matriculated prior to 2018) required for graduation.
1 Satisfies SEBS Natural Sciences [NS] - Biological Sciences requirement
2 Satisfies SEBS Natural Sciences [NS] - Physical Sciences requirement
3 Satisfies SEBS Experience-Based Education [EBE] requirement
4 Depending on option, satisfies one to two courses of SEBS Quantitative [QQ] and/or Formal Reasoning [QR] requirements
5 11:730:107 Introduction to Ethics satisfies SEBS Arts and Humanities Human Experience [AHo] requirement
6 11:373:121 Principles and Applications of Microeconomics satisfies SEBS Social Analysis [SCL] - Economic Analysis requirement
