Graduate Issues

Crop & Soil Sciences

Fall 2012

Miguel Cabrera - Graduate Coordinator

Vivienne Sturgill – Academic Advisor II

Overview

Graduate Student Population New GRE Test Admission Process Major Professor Responsibilities Graduate Areas of Emphasis

CRSS Student Population = 49*

Category Graduate Students

Female 14 (29%)

M.S 25

Ph.D 21

MPPM 3

*Includes 7 M.S. students and 5 Ph.D. students starting Fall 2012

Overview

Graduate Student Population New GRE Test Admission Process Major Professor Responsibilities Graduate Areas of Emphasis

New GRE Test

• Old GRE: 800 Verbal; 800 Quantitative• Old GRE: Maximum score – 1600

• New GRE: 170 Verbal; 170 Quantitative• New GRE: Maximum score - 340

Admission Criteria

GRE GPA GRE GPA

Dept 300 >=3.5

Grad. Sch. N.A >= 3.0

300 >= 3.0 295 >= 3.2 290 >= 3.4

N.A >= 3.0

Ph.D. Students M.S. Students

• Students with GPA > 3.5 and GRE > 305 can be nominated for a Graduate School Assistantship (February of each year)

Overview Graduate Student Population New GRE Test Admission Process Major Prof. Responsibilities Graduate Areas of Emphasis

Graduate Committee

Major Professor ?

Acceptable (Placed on website)

Not acceptable

Student application

Major ProfessorFunds

Not accepted

Graduate Student Admission Process

Graduate SchoolNot accepted

Accepted

Non-degree student?

3 Athens1 Griffin1 Tifton

Overview Graduate Student Population New GRE Test Admission Process Major Prof. Responsibilities Graduate Areas of Emphasis

Major Prof. Responsibilities

• Notify Graduate Coordinator (student arrival)

• Provide access to computer/printer

• Assist student with timely submission of:– Advisory Committee– Program of Study– Research Proposal

Submission DeadlinesAdvisory Committee & Program of Study

Research Proposal

M.S. Students 1st semester 2nd semester

Ph.D. Students 2nd semester 2nd semester

• Major Professors with students who do not meet deadlines may not receive cost-shared assistantships.

Advisory Committee

• M.S. – 3 members–One member can be non-UGA

• Ph.D. – 5 members–One member from another department–One member can be non-UGA

• Co-Major Professors count as 1 member

Program of Study• Requirements for all students

– At least one course in Statistics– CRSS 8100 Graduate Seminar

• Guided teaching experience (CRSS 7990/9990 or education course)–Mandatory for Ph.D. students–Suggested for M.S. students

• Continuous enrollment (at least 3 cr in two out of three semesters if not GRA)

• If GRA, 18 credit hours per semester

Submit Grades for Research Hours

• Submit grades online when requested• All terms, including summer!• Go to Registrar’s Office website• If grades are not submitted online,

forms have to be signed, faxed, etc.

ANNUAL GRADUATE STUDENT EVALUATIONDepartment of Crop and Soil Sciences

Due May 30Student Name Degree Objective Major Professor No of Semesters in Degree Program ______ 1. PROGRESS TOWARDS DEGREE (to be completed for all students by Advisory Committee) Advisory Committee selected, approved Program of Study approved Research Proposal submitted, approved

This student is making satisfactory progress towards degree. YES NO (please circle one)If NO above, please write a detailed description of why and/or how this student is NOT progressing, and suggest actions to be taken to remedy this situation during the following semester: __________ Major Prof.

2. COMPLETION OF GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIP DUTIES (to be completed by Major Professor for GRA and by supervising instructor for GTA)

This student is a GRA GTA (please circle one). Name of Supervising Instructor (if GTA): Brief description of specific assigned duties:

This student is satisfactorily completing all duties assigned as part of assistantship. YES NO.

If NO above, please write a detailed description why and/or how this student is NOT completing all duties assigned as part of assistantship, and suggest actions to be taken to remedy this situation during the following semester. For GTA, please attach copies of student evaluations completed for the course taught._________________________ Supervisor Signature I have reviewed this evaluation. My signature below does not necessarily signify concurrence.

_________________________ Student Signature

Progress towards degree

• Adequate progress towards degree:1) Satisfactory academic performance,

2) Compliance with departmental deadlines for submission of advisory committee, program of study, and research proposal,

3) Adequate research progress as assessed by the student’s Advisory Committee.

Exams• Graduate School has to be notified

of date of Preliminary Oral Exam at least 2 weeks in advance

• Not more than one negative vote is allowed for Preliminary Exams and Final Exams

• If the Major Professor’s vote is negative the student fails the exam

Overview Graduate Student Population New GRE Test Admission Process Major Prof. Responsibilities Graduate Areas of Emphasis

Graduate Areas of Emphasis• Students would like an area of

emphasis for their M.S. or Ph.D. degrees in Crop & Soil Sciences

• Graduate School allows Area of Emphasis with minimum of 9 credit hours of specified courses

Area of Emphasis: Soils• Select 9 credit hours out of the following courses:• CRSS 8000 Soil & Water Chemistry • CRSS 8600 Advanced Soil Physics: Numerical Methods • CRSS(ECOL) 8650 Nutrient Cycling Models • PBIO(CRSS)(FORS)(ECOL) 8850-8850L. Terrestrial

Biogeochemical Cycling• CRSS 6540 – Pedology• CRSS 6580 – Soil Erosion and Conservation• CRSS 6590 – Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition• CRSS 6600 - Soil Physics• CRSS 6610 – Soil Microbiology• CRSS 6670 – Environmental Soil Chemistry

Thank you!

Questions/Comments?

mcabrera@uga.edu

Undergraduate Issues

CRSS Enrollment Trends

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140

AthensGriffinTifton

# Students Enrolled/Yr

Major in Sustainable Agriculture

• Student demand• Currently dispersed in certificates and

programs throughout UGA and in units with minimal agricultural expertise

• Addition of several faculty with expertise in the area

Other Universities with Programs• University of Minnesota -Sustainable Agriculture

Minor• Penn State – Agroecology Major• Iowa State – Agroecology Area Emphasis• University of Kentucky – Sustainable Agriculture

major and minor• North Carolina State University – Agroecology

Concentration within Plant & Soil Science major• University of Maine – Sustainable Agriculture

Major• University of Wisconsin – Ecological Sciences

area of study within Agronomy

Draft of Program

• Crops (choose 3)– AESC 3080– AESC 4520– CRSS 4010– CRSS 4260– CRSS 4930– HORT 4430– HORT 4440

• Soils (choose 3)– AESC 3126– CRSS 3060– CRSS 4580– CRSS 4590

• Pest Management– ENTO (CRSS) 4740

• Policy (choose 2)– EETH(AESC) 4190– ENVM 3060– FANR 3200

• Human Dimensions (choose 2)– SOCI 3400– ANTH 4262– ANTH 4060

• Required Intern or Research project

• Electives– AESC 3020, 3030, APTC 4050,

CRSS 4340, ENTO 3740, ENVM 4380, PATH 3530

• AESC 4520 would be taught as summer field experience

Issues

• Impact on enrollment in other departmental majors

• Conflicts with other departments– Horticulture is looking to develop major in

Local Food Systems