Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture Graduate Study Rules and Regulations 2011-2012 Updated 7/11

GRADUATE PROGRAMS IN HORTICULTURE The Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture at Purdue University offers graduate programs leading to the degrees of Master of Science (M.S.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in a number of commodity and discipline-oriented areas. Major research areas include plant physiology, plant molecular biology & cell physiology, plant breeding & genetics, environmental & production horticulture, weed science, and economics & marketing. A non-thesis option leading to the Master of Agriculture (M.Agr.) degree also is available. A 5 year B.S.-M.S. degree option is available for resident undergraduate students. HORTICULTURE GRADUATE REQUIREMENTS I.

OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPTS (Must be received first semester of residence)

Official transcripts from each university previously attended are required by the Graduate School. An official copy of the final transcript showing the date of graduation (with the title of the degree listed) is required before the end of the first semester of residence. In the case of applicants who have attended colleges or universities where the official transcripts are not printed in English, the official, original language transcripts must be accompanied by certified English translations. Students will not be allowed to register for subsequent semesters until this requirement has been met. II.

WRITTEN ENGLISH PROFICIENCY REQUIREMENT

Neither the Graduate School nor the department have formal requirements regarding written English proficiency. However, it is in the student's best interest to develop good writing skills. The major professor and thesis advisory committee are responsible for evaluating student performance, and recommending measures if necessary to improve written communication skills. Such measures could include formal courses offered by the Departments of English and Communication, seminar courses (HORT 69400, BTNY 69500, BIOL 69600, and others), scientific writing courses (BTNY 66000 - Scientific Writing), and independent study. III.

ORAL ENGLISH PROFICIENCY

It is University policy that all graduate teaching assistants whose native language is not English must demonstrate adequate oral English proficiency before being assigned duties involving direct instruction of students. The department regards this Oral English Proficiency as an essential requirement for all graduate students whether they will be functioning as a TA or not. Non-native English speaking graduate students will be required to pass an oral English screening test within the first month of their residence. Assessments will utilize the Oral English Proficiency Test, or OEPT administered by the Oral English Proficiency Program at Purdue (http://www.purdue.edu/OEPP). All graduate students in the department are required to pass the Oral English Proficiency test at the level required to function as a TA. Students who do not pass the screening test will be required to pass English 62000 (formerly English 001T) “Classroom Communication for International Teaching Assistants prior to receiving certification to become a teaching assistant. Failure to achieve certification may jeopardize a student's assistantship. IV.

FOREIGN LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

No foreign language is required except upon recommendation of the student's advisory committee. V.

HARASSMENT POLICIES Information on harassment policies can be found at the following websites: http://www.purdue.edu/policies/pages/human_resources/iv_7_1.html http://www.purdue.edu/policies/pages/human_resources/c_33.html

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V.

DEGREE AND REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS

In order for a degree to be granted by the Purdue University Graduate School, it is important for a significant component of that degree to be directed by Purdue graduate faculty; therefore, the following registration requirements exist. Registration is defined as formal enrollment in courses offered by Purdue University, including courses offered via distance learning technologies. Courses include all Purdue University graduate courses approved by the student’s graduate committee, including formal coursework and research credits. In fulfilling degree requirements, a maximum of 18 credit hours will be allowed from any one semester (9 credit hours for the summer session). If a student completes all the academic requirements but has insufficient Purdue University credits, a letter of explanation may be forwarded to the dean of the Graduate School, justifying the deficiency. If justification is sufficient, the dean of the Graduate School may waive part of the registration requirement. The total number of hours of academic credit used to satisfy degree requirements consists of all graduate course credit hours with a grade of C or better (B or better for 300- or 400-level courses) that appear on the plan of study and research credit hours with grades of S that appear on the Purdue transcript. 1.

2.

VI.

Master's Degree a.

At least one-half of the total credit hours used to satisfy degree requirements must be earned while registered at Purdue University.

b.

More than 50 percent of the Purdue credits must be earned through the campus where the degree is conferred.

c.

At least 30 total credit hours are required.

Doctor of Philosophy Degree a.

At least one-third of the total credit hours used to satisfy degree requirements must be earned while registered for doctoral study at Purdue University.

b.

At least 90 total credit hours are required.

c.

A master's degree or professional doctoral degree from any accredited institution may be considered to contribute 30 credit hours toward satisfying this requirement at the discretion of the student’s graduate program.

REGISTRATION PROCEDURES (Required each semester and summer session)

Any student (whether on appointment or not) must be registered for research during each semester or summer session when doing research utilizing faculty direction or consultation and/or requiring the use of University facilities. Research includes literature reviews and thesis writing. Registration is the responsibility of the student. Each semester and summer session students will be notified by the department's Graduate Coordinator on the deadlines for registering for classes. A Form 23A Advisor Schedule Recommendation Form will be available from the Graduate Coordinator. The Registration Pin # will be located on this form which will be needed to register courses. With the advice of the major professor, each graduate student will select courses to take. **Please note: Research Hours (HORT 69900 and HORT 69800) can only be entered and modified by the Graduate Registration

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Advisor. Registration information through the BANNER systems can be found at the following website: http://www.purdue.edu/registrar/ A new Form 23 “will be used to grant permission to add, drop, or modify a course when a student may no longer do it themselves on MyPurdue”. In addition, it may be used for various overrides, all listed in a box at the bottom left corner of the form. (Registrar's Form 23-available in the main office). (Example form is located in the appendix). Early registration is recommended. Late registration will result in additional fees. Questions regarding the registration process can be directed to the Graduate Registration Advisor located in Room 207 Horticulture. Graduate registration should reflect the student's academic activity as accurately as possible. Every student is subject to a maximum limit on total registration (course credits plus research credits) for a given session. A student with a research appointment is subject also to a minimum limit on research registration. The Graduate Coordinator will advise students on the correct maximum and minimum course and research credits to register for each semester and summer session to meet graduate appointment specifications. All doctoral and thesis option master's students (with the exceptions noted below in 1.) must be registered in the session of graduation. Nonthesis option master's student (with the exceptions noted below in 1.) must be registered in the academic session of graduation. 1.

Privileged Registration Privileged registration may be used only once and is intended to be used in the session of graduation. If a student does not complete all degree requirements during that session, he or she must register the next session under the normal registration guidelines. Graduate School approval is required for privileged registration. The completed Course Request (Registrar's Form 23) should be sent to the Graduate School prior to registration.

2.

a.

Examination Only Registration - students who register for "Examination Only" must submit a positive Report of the Final Examination and Thesis Receipt by the eighth week of the semester or the privileged registration must be revised to a normal registration.

b.

Degree Only Registration - students who seek to register for "Degree Only" must submit a positive Report of the Final Examination and a Thesis Receipt prior to the beginning of the session of "Degree Only" registration.

Research in Absentia A doctoral student who has completed the preliminary examination and wishes to leave the University and to continue doctoral candidacy should request to register for research in absentia. Check with the Graduate Coordinator on the restrictions and qualifications to register for research in absentia.

VII.

MAJOR PROFESSOR

Every student in a degree program is required to select a major professor who acts as the chair of the advisory committee and who agrees to supervise the student's graduate study, research, and writing. All uncommitted students should select a major professor at the earliest possible date, preferably by the end of the first semester of residence. The major professor/student relationship must be a mutually acceptable one.

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VIII. ADVISORY COMMITTEE The student and the major professor are responsible for the selection of an advisory committee. The duties of the committee are to assist the student in the preparation of the plan of study and to offer advice during the period of graduate work, including research and thesis preparation when these are required components of the student's degree program. Members of the advisory committee should represent the student's major and minor areas of specialization. At least one member of the committee should be from outside the department for both M.S. and Ph.D. degrees. The request to the dean of the Graduate School for appointment of the advisory committee is made on the same form and at the same time as the request for approval of the student's plan of study. The dean of the Graduate School may appoint additional members if it seems advisable. IX.

ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORTS AND ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETINGS

The department requires that graduate students meet with their advisory committee at least once each year.  Prior to the meeting, students should prepare a 1-3 page progress report summarizing their accomplishments and future research plans.  This progress report should be distributed to the advisory committee prior to the scheduled meeting.  The format of the annual committee meeting shall be dictated by the major professor and the advisory committee. However, it is recommended that the student give an oral presentation that includes an introduction of their thesis problem, a progress report, and their future plans. Time for discussion and committee input should be scheduled.  Students should bring a copy of the Horticulture and Landscape Architecture-Annual Progress Review of Graduate Staff form (available from the Graduate Coordinator) to the meeting. (Example is located in the appendix). At the conclusion of the meeting, a signed copy of the form with the advisory committee's comments and recommended date for the next meeting should be returned to the Graduate Coordinator. Copies of this form will be subsequently distributed to the student, major professor, advisory committee, and department head. The preliminary examination may substitute for an annual advisory committee meeting. Ph.D. students are required to successfully complete the preliminary examination prior to the end of the semester following the second year of residence. Students who fail to meet annually with their advisory committee, or do not complete their preliminary examination prior to end of the semester following their second year of residence, will not be allowed to register for the following term. Please be aware that non-registered students are not eligible for assistantships or fellowships. If students are unable to meet the above requirements due to extenuating circumstances, they and their major professor can jointly petition the department head in writing for an extension. This petition needs to include justification for failing to meet the requirements, and provide an alternate date for the examination or committee meeting. Signed approval by the department head is required for any waivers. X.

CHANGES TO THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Requests for changes in the advisory committee must be done electronically through myPurdue. Each request for a change must be accompanied by a rationale and be signed by the student and each committee member whose status is affected by the request. The request must be approved by the major professor, the head of the graduate program, and the school dean.

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XI.

FILING THE PLAN OF STUDY

Each graduate student admitted to a degree program must file a Plan of Study (POS). The Plan of Study includes a primary area and a related area or areas that are chosen on the basis of the student's interests and needs. It is to include the specific courses the student is expected to complete and other requirements of the particular degree being sought. The plan of study should be created as early as feasible in the student’s career but should be filed no later than the end of the second semester of residence. An official transcript, showing the completion of the undergraduate degree, must be on file in the Graduate School, and the English composition proficiency requirement must be satisfied before a plan of study can be approved. A plan of study is an academic contract between a student and the faculty members of the advisory committee. All departmental and Graduate School policies related to the filing of a Plan of Study must be adhered to explicitly. Students filing their plan of study should do so electronically through the MyPurdue portal. Information pertinent specifically to graduate students is located under the Academic link, then the Graduate School link. The Graduate School provides access to the Plan of Study Generator (POSG). XII.

DEVELOPING THE PLAN OF STUDY

Since students enter this department with different professional objectives and varying degrees of academic preparation, there is no fixed requirement for number of credit hours of course work. The plan of study should involve courses leading to and including those at the highest level offered in the student's field of specialization. The following serves as a guideline in composing a plan of study: Candidates for the M.S. degree usually take at least 24 credit hours of graduate level courses. Candidates for the Ph.D. degree should complete the core requirements and complete additional courses at the highest level offered in the student’s field of specialization. Candidates for the M.Agr. degree must complete at least 33 credit hours of course work. The student's undergraduate record should be considered in preparing the graduate plan of study. Deficiencies should be corrected by the student taking undergraduate courses necessary for wellrounded scholastic development. One hundred- or 200-level courses may not appear on a plan of study and no more than a total of six credit hours of 300- and 400-level courses may be listed on a plan of study. Departmental requirements of 100- or 200-level courses or of 300- and 400- level course work in excess of six credit hours may be listed on the reverse side of the plan of study form along with other departmental requirements that are prerequisite or co-requisite to graduate degree study. Only grades of A, B, and C are acceptable on a plan of study. Courses taken for pass/not pass or satisfactory/unsatisfactory are unacceptable in fulfilling degree requirements. For additional requirements that depend on the status of the student when the course was taken are listed in Appendix A.

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XIII. Ph.D. CORE REQUIREMENTS Every Ph.D. student in the Horticulture and Landscape Architecture Department is required to take a minimal "core" of courses in addition to electives in her/his area of specialty. The following courses cover subject areas identified by the department as indispensable to the training of any Ph.D. in horticulture: HORT 60100 - Planning & Presenting Horticulture Research (1 credit) HORT 60200 – Horticulture Research Seminar (1 credit, pass/not pass, must be taken 2 times) HORT 60300 - Grants and Grantsmanship (1 credit) BCHM 56100 - General Biochemistry I or equivalent (3 credits) BCHM 56200 - General Biochemistry II or equivalent (3 credits) STAT 50300 - Statistical Methods for Biology or equivalent (3 credits) *HORT/BIOL 55100 – Cellular and Molecular Plant Physiology (3 credits) *BTNY/HORT 55300 - Plant Growth and Development or equivalent (3 credits) Genetics - an advanced course in genetics or plant breeding (3 credits) Appropriate courses include: AGRY 51100 - Population Genetics AGRY 52000 - Principles and Methods in Plant Breeding AGRY 53000 - Advanced Plant Genetics AGRY 60000 - Genomics AGRY 60500 - Advanced Plant Breeding BIOL 55000 - Plant Molecular Biology or equivalent. HORT 69500 - Dissertation Final Seminar (0 credit, pass/not pass) *First year graduate students are strongly encouraged to enroll in HORT 55100 and 55300 in their first year. These courses orient students to reading of primary scientific literature and to writing of critiques and summaries of that literature. As such, they constitute an important bridge between undergraduate and graduate studies. Equivalent courses taken elsewhere will substitute for any core course except the HORT 60100, 60200, 60300 series and 69500, which are specific to our department. Exceptions to this core must be petitioned for and approved by the Graduate Committee. It is to be emphasized that the above is a "minimum" core. Although not required, Ph.D. students in horticulture are encouraged to take additional courses in their area of specialization and to broaden their training. A list of potential electives are provided below. Students should consult with their major professor and advisory committee as they develop their plan of study. Selected elective courses suitable for graduate training in horticulture and plant biology. 1) Physiology/Biochemistry/Molecular Biology AGRY 52500 – Crop Physiology and Ecology (3 credits) BCHM 56500 – Biochemistry of Life Processes (2 credits) BCHM 63000 – Analytical Biochemistry (2 credits) BCHM 65900 – Structure, Function of Proteins (1 credit) BCHM 66000 – Structure, Function of Nucleic Acids (1 credit) BCHM 66300 – Membranes-Structure, Function, Control (1 credit) BCHM 66500 – Enzyme Kinetics (1 credit) BCHM 69300 – Molecular Mechanisms of Signal Transduction (2 credits) BIOL 51700 – Molecular Biology Proteins (2 credits) BIOL 55000 – Plant Molecular Biology (3 credits) BIOL 59500 – Developmental Biology (3 credits)

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BIOL 59500 – Plant Cell Biology BIOL 62000 – Advanced Topics in Eukaryotic Cell Biology (3 credits) FNR 43400 – Tree Physiology (1 credit) HORT/FS 54100 – Postharvest Technology of Fruits and Vegetables (1 credit) HORT 59000 – Plant Environmental Stress Physiology (2 credits) HORT 64000 – Metabolic Plant Physiology (3 credits) 2) Genetics/Breeding AGRY 52000 – Principles and Methods of Plant Breeding (3 credits) AGRY 59800 – Genomics (3 credits) AGRY 59800 – Molecular Biology & Genomics (1 credit) AGRY 60500 – Advanced Plant Breeding (3 credits) BCHM 66800 – Regulation of Gene Expression in Eukaryotes (1 credit) BIOL 69500 – Advanced Eukaryotic Genetics (3 credits) 3) Statistics/Bioinformatics FNR 35500 – Quant. Methods Res. Mgr. (3 credits) STAT 51200 – Applied Regression Analysis (3 credits) STAT 51400 – Design of Experiments (3 credits) STAT 59800 – Bioinformatics Seminar (1 credit) STAT 59800 – Data Mining (3 credits) 4) Soils/Crop Science AGRY 51500 – Plant Mineral Nutrition (3 credits) AGRY 54000 – Soil Chemistry (3 credits) AGRY 56000 – Soil Physics (3 credits) AGRY 58500 – Soils and Land Use (2 credits) ENTM 51000 – Insect Pest Management (3 credits) FNR 32200 – Forest Soils (3 credits) HORT 51300 – Mineral Nutrition of Horticultural Crops (1 credit) 5) Pathology BTNY 52500 – Intermediate Plant Pathology (3 credits) BTNY 53500 – Plant Disease Management (3 credits) 6) Skills Development & Techniques AGRY 55500 – Soil & Plant Analysis (3 credits) AGRY 59800 – Genetics Math Introduction (3 credits) AGRY 59800 – Introduction to SAS Programming (1 credit) AGRY 59800 – Professional Presentation (1 credit) AGRY 59800 – Categorical Data Analysis (3 credit) BIOL 54200 – Analysis of Nucleic Acid Sequences (1 credit) BIOL 54200 – DNA Sequencing Lab (1 credit) BIOL 59500 – Intro. Clone & Blot (2 credits) BIOL 59500 – Meth. Meas Biophysical Chemistry (3 credits) BIOL 59500 – Transmission Electron Microscopy (1 credit) BIOL 59500 – Protein Structure & Sequence Analysis (1 credit) BIOL 69100 – Biological Research Methods (1 credit) BIOL 69100 – Biological Research Methods (1 credit)

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FNR 35100 – Aquatic Sampling Techniques (3 credits) FNR 35300 – Natural Resource Measurement (3 credits) HORT 59000 – Scanning Electron Mircoscopy Theory (1 credit) HORT 59000 – Scanning Electron Microscopy (2 credits) HORT 59000 – Transmission Electron Mircoscopy (2 credits) Most other courses will be program-specific for individual students, and are incorporated into the plan of study in consultation with the major professor and advisory committee. XIV. SEMINAR REQUIREMENTS HORT 60100 - Planning & Presenting Plant Science Research: This course is required of all new graduate students. The purposes are: (1) to acquaint students with the processes of scientific discovery and review, (2) to acquaint students with techniques used in presenting short scientific talks, as, e.g., at national meetings, (3) to expose students to procedures used in preparing scientific papers, proposals, etc. (4) to introduce students to the outcomes expected to be achieved by graduate education and the processes by which students are mentored and evaluated, (5) to help students begin formulating their research project proposal, (6) to acquaint students with guidelines for Biosafety and Responsible Conduct of Research and provide a forum for discussion of ethical issues confronting researchers, particularly those inherent in participating in extramurally-funded research, (7) to acquaint students with intellectual property issues involved in scientific research, (8) to acquaint students with core research facilities across campus, and (9) to expose students to discussions regarding the importance of diversity and an atmosphere of mutual respect to research excellence. This course is taken for a letter grade and carries one hour of credit. HORT 60200 - Horticulture Research Seminar: 1 credit hour-recurring, may be taken a maximum of three semesters for credit, Class meetings Thursday 3:30-4:30 PM (Departmental Seminar). One of the most important skills a scientist must develop is the ability to give seminar presentations and analyze information presented in seminars. This course is designed to help graduate students develop an appreciation for attending seminars and learning appropriate and effective presentation skills. HORT 60200 compliments HORT 60100 and HORT 60300 by extending the presentation and project development approaches learned so that students are better ready to prepare and defend their project proposals in HORT 60300. Enrollment is required for all Horticulture graduate students starting with their first fall semester in the Horticulture graduate program. M.D. students will be required to enroll in the course for a minimum of one semester. Ph.D. students will be required to enroll in the course for a minimum of two semesters. PhD students must complete this requirement before taking their preliminary exam. Students enrolled in HORT 60200 will attend ALL the departmental seminar series throughout the semester and prepare brief written summaries of six seminars attended and submit them to the course instructor. The format to be used in the preparation of summaries will be distributed to the students at the start of each semester. Summaries will be expected to include an analysis of the scientific content and the presentation approach of the speaker. Summaries are to be graded by the course instructor in conjunction with the departmental hosts for the seminar speakers. In cases where a student has a course conflict with the HORT 60200 meeting time, they can arrange with the instructor to substitute attendance at other seminars on campus. HORT 69500 - Thesis/Dissertation Final Seminar: Each student will present a departmental seminar summarizing their thesis research during the last semester of residence for the Ph.D. degree. This seminar will be presented as part of the HLA Departmental Seminar Series, Horticulture Research Retreat, Plant Biology postdoc/ graduate student series, or as an invited seminar in another department at Purdue. This seminar provides the student an opportunity to present research findings to staff,

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committee members, and fellow students, but is not part of the final examination. A separate 30 minute seminar will be also presented as part of the thesis defense final examination. This seminar is open to the university community and is required for both MS & PhD students. It is the responsibility of the student to register for HORT 69500 during the appropriate semester and arrange the seminar time with the departmental seminar chair and Graduate Coordinator before the beginning of the semester. This course is taken under the pass/not pass option. The Horticulture and Landscape Architecture Department sponsors a departmental seminar series each semester. Graduate students are expected to attend these and other seminars whenever possible to improve their general knowledge and aid in preparation for the preliminary examination. XV.

COURSE CHANGES TO THE PLAN OF STUDY

Changes to the plan of study can be done electronically MyPurdue portal. Each change requested must be accompanied by a brief rationale in the space provided. A request for changes to a plan of study must be signed by the student and approved by the major professor, the head of the graduate program, and the school dean. XVI. GRADES AND INDEX REQUIREMENTS A graduate student is expected to maintain a graduate cumulative index representing a B average or better. Indices below this level are marked "low" on the grade reports. If the cumulative grade point average of any horticulture graduate student falls below 3.0 during any semester, the student automatically will go on departmental probation. Should this occur, the student will be given one semester to raise the cumulative index to 3.0 or above; if this is not successfully achieved, the student will be terminated except under extraordinary circumstances. If the student receives an "unsatisfactory" grade for directed research (HORT 69800/69900), it will not count toward satisfying the residency requirement. Two consecutive unsatisfactory grades will result in termination from the department graduate program. Major professors reserve the right to dismiss students from their laboratories if they believe that the student's progress toward their degree is unsatisfactory. Note: The cumulative index is based on all graded Purdue courses taken as a graduate student except FR, GER, RUSS, or SPAN 60100, 60300, or 60500. If a Purdue course taken as a graduate student is repeated for a grade, the Registrar's Office will delete the first grade from a student's graduation index if that specific course was originally taken while the student was enrolled as a graduate student and is subsequently repeated for credit and a grade. Neither excess undergraduate Purdue courses nor courses transferred from another institution figure in the graduate cumulative index. XVII. THESES A master's or Ph.D. thesis is a document authored by an individual, describing results of original research undertaken by that individual, and asserting a position which that individual is willing to defend. All theses must meet the format requirements detailed in A Manual for the Preparation of Graduate Theses, available at: http://www.gradschool.purdue.edu/downloads/FinalThesis_Manual9Feb07.pdf. Thesis deposit procedures can be viewed at: http://www.gradschool.purdue.edu/thesis.cfm. In addition to stating general thesis format requirements established by the Graduate School, this manual delineates regulations concerning the use of copyrighted material in a thesis. In addition, copyrighted computer software programs may not be used without permission, and their use must be acknowledged. Questions about format requirements should be directed to the Thesis Format Office.

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A first draft of the thesis should be in the hands of the major professor at least six weeks before the end of the session in which conferral of the degree is expected. A typed copy of the thesis and three duplicate copies must be submitted to the major professor at least three weeks before the end of the session in which the degree is to be conferred. The thesis must bear the written approval of the professor who has directed the research before it is submitted to the final examining committee. Each member of the examining committee must receive a copy of the thesis at least two weeks before the date of the final oral examination. After the examining committee meets, the student should prepare a final copy of the thesis or dissertation. That copy, called the “deposit” copy should incorporate all editorial changes and modifications requested by the members of the examining committee. To schedule a final deposit appointment, or arrange for an in-house thesis preparation presentation, please call Mark Jaeger at 494-2600 (http://www.gradschool.purdue.edu/thesis.cfm). A final copy of the thesis should be provided to both the major professor and the head of the graduate program. A Thesis Receipt (G.S. Form 16) from the Thesis Format Office, acknowledging the proper deposit of the thesis, must be received by the Graduate School no later than 4 p.m. on the last working day of the academic session of graduation. A thesis may be held in confidential status for a limited period of time. (See the Graduate Coordinator for details.) XVIII. THESIS AND NONTHESIS MASTERS' DEGREE EXAMINATIONS M.S. or M.Agr. candidates will be examined on both major and minor areas of specialization (and the thesis research of M.S. candidates) during the session in which they plan to complete their degree requirements. The final examination will be conducted by the student's advisory committee with the major professor serving as chair. The examination will be open to all faculty, and appropriate notice of time and place of the dissertation seminar and final examination shall be circulated in the department at least five days prior to the examination. The 30-45 minute seminar portion of the final examination is open to the university community. Confidential information can be excluded from the opening presentation All examining committees are established following the same procedures. A Request for Appointment of Examining Committee (G.S. Form 8), signed by the major professor and the head of the graduate program, must be received by the Graduate School at least two weeks prior to the proposed examination date in order to give the dean of the Graduate School adequate time to appoint and arrange for additional members, if he or she wishes. At the conclusion of an examination, the committee chair will present the examination committee with the Report of Master's Examining Committee (G.S. Form 7). This report should be completed and presented without delay to the head of the graduate program for approval and prompt transfer to the Graduate School. In the case of a final examination, the report must be received by the Graduate School before 4 p.m. on the last working day of the academic session in which graduation is expected. After a satisfactory examination involving a thesis defense, each committee member must sign a Thesis Acceptance (G.S. Form 9) provided to the student by the Thesis Format Office when format approval is obtained. 1.

Thesis Option Master's Degree

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A master's examination committee consisting of four or more members (rather than the required three) allows one member to withhold his or her signature of approval from the committee certification for a master's degree. The final examination committee may be identical to the advisory committee. The exact degree title must be designated on the Report of Master's Examining Committee (G.S. Form 7), and each member must make a recommendation regarding study toward the Ph.D. degree. Committee certification for a master's degree requires that at least three members of the committee concur that the student has satisfactorily completed the examination. If the committee decides that the examination is unsatisfactory and a second examination is to be requested, a new request (G.S. Form 8) must be submitted to the Graduate School. At least one session must intervene before the second examination is taken. 2.

Nonthesis Option Master's Degree The examining committee usually will be identical to the advisory committee, in which case, no additional request for appointment of a committee is required If, however, the examining committee is to be different from the advisory committee (e.g., when a committee member is unable to serve), appointment of a committee of at least three graduate faculty must be requested in the usual manner.

XIX. ADMISSION TO THE PH.D. PROGRAM Applicants may seek admission to the Ph.D. program in horticulture by any of several different avenues: The usual route will involve an intermediate M.S. program before pursuing the Ph.D. However, applicants with a clear career orientation in a technical specialty area in which postdoctoral training normally is required for professional employment may apply directly to the Ph.D. program without obtaining a master's degree. Alternatively, students accepted into a master's program wishing to change their career direction to one of those specialty areas normally requiring postdoctoral training, and who have demonstrated academic excellence and evidence of research progress during their current graduate program, may petition the department head to by-pass the M.S. and proceed directly to the Ph.D. degree. A master's student may petition for by-pass of the M.S. degree no earlier than the third semester of residence. The student also must have completed 10 credits of the Ph.D. core curriculum with a grade point average no less than 3.5/4.0. The applicant must submit a letter of intent, along with letters of support from the major professor and one advisory committee member. The applicant also must submit a report on the progress of her/his research progress. Completion of a M.S. program in any department at Purdue (including Horticulture & Landscape Architecture) does not automatically qualify an applicant for admission to the Horticulture Ph.D. program. Purdue M.S. graduates must apply to the Horticulture Ph.D. program like any external applicant, except that additional supporting documentation is required from the M.S. guidance committee. The following items are needed: new statement of intent, letter from major professor, current transcript. The file will be circulated through the admissions committee for approval. XX.

PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION

Ph.D. students are required to successfully complete a preliminary examination prior to the end of the semester following their second year of residency. Students who do not complete their preliminary examination in this timeframe will not be allowed to register for the following term. Non-registered students are not eligible for assistantships or fellowships. If students are unable to meet

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the above requirement due to extenuating circumstances, they and their major professor must jointly petition the department head in writing for an extension. This petition needs to include justification for failing to meet the requirement, and provide an alternate date for the examination. Signed approval by the department head is required for any waivers. The preliminary examination will be conducted after the student has completed a majority of the courses listed on the Ph.D. plan of study. As a basis for the examination, the student will develop a research proposal on their thesis topic. The format of the proposal is to be similar to a USDA competitive grant. Students are required to take the course, HORT 60300 - Grants and Grantsmanship, prior to writing their proposal. HORT 60100 will prepare students for developing specific aims of their research, and a project summary, which can in turn be used as a framework for the proposal developed in HORT 60300. The proposal completed in HORT 60300 will serve as the basis for the Ph.D. preliminary exam.  



 



The student will initiate the process for their preliminary examination by submission of a proposal abstract to the Graduate Coordinator. The abstract will be forwarded to members of the Graduate Committee and each member will approve the abstract and nominate an individual from the graduate committee to be preliminary examination chair, based on the subject matter of the proposal and the expertise of the nominee. Examination chair nominations from Graduate Committee members will be compiled by the Graduate Coordinator and forwarded to the Head of the Graduate Program for a decision. The Preliminary Examination Committee chair can not be the major professor of the student’s Ph.D. Advisory Committee. The student will meet with the preliminary examination chair to determine other members of the examining committee (other members are often the student’s Ph.D. Advisory Committee). The written proposal will then be graded by the preliminary examination committee and the chair will transmit the evaluations to the student within two weeks after submission. A minimum grade of B must be obtained before the oral examination can be scheduled. The student's major professor will review the proposal, but not grade it. After the committee review, the student will make necessary revisions, then submit the revised proposal to the Graduate Coordinator, and request an oral exam be held no sooner than two weeks after the request.

A Request for Appointment of Examining Committee (G.S. Form 8), signed by the major professor and the head of the graduate program, must be received by the Graduate School at least two weeks prior to the proposed examination date in order to give the dean of the Graduate School adequate time to appoint and arrange for additional members, if he or she wishes. The preliminary examination will consist of an oral defense of the student's research proposal; however, the examining committee may ask questions related to topics beyond the immediate scope of the proposal but within the area of specialization of the candidate. The entire process is designed to focus the student on their research, and evaluate their ability to understand current literature and utilize the scientific method. This process should also enable the advisory committee to be more involved and better informed of the student's research plans. However, the preliminary examination is intended to evaluate the capability of the student to formulate and explain research, not to evaluate their research progress. It will also permit the committee to identify student deficiencies at an early stage and if necessary, recommend either further course work or a re-evaluation of career goals. The student's major professor can attend the examination, but cannot participate in questions or answers and has no vote. The preliminary examination is not a committee meeting, but rather an examination to determine the suitability of the student to advance to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree. The oral examination will involve a presentation (no longer than 20 minutes) of the student’s research proposal followed by questions from the committee. The presentation should include a brief background, the central hypotheses to be tested, and a very brief experimental plan. The entire preliminary exam should last no more than 2 hours.

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At the end of the examination, the preliminary examination committee in closed session will determine whether or not the student is qualified and ready to undertake or continue research and proceed toward the Ph.D. degree. The committee should report the examination as "satisfactory" or "unsatisfactory" by completing the Report of Preliminary Examination (G.S. Form 10) immediately following the examination. Students who successfully pass the exam, are formally reclassified as a candidate for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Each member of the preliminary examination committee will complete the Outcomes rubric. The examination chair will prepare a summary that will be given to and reviewed with the student. Students who do not pass the preliminary examination will be placed on probation, and have one additional opportunity to pass the examination. If the examination is not passed by the end of the probationary period (six months), the student will be terminated from the graduate program. There must be at least one semester between the two examinations. In instances where extraordinary circumstances prevent a student from meeting this deadline, a student's major professor may petition the graduate committee in writing for a delay, and propose an alternative time schedule. Students enrolled in the department's Ph.D. program prior to January 1993 will have the option of meeting either the existing requirements or the old requirements for admission to candidacy. XXI. PH.D. FINAL EXAMINATION At least two academic sessions must elapse and be devoted to research between the preliminary and final doctoral examinations. After the research has been completed and the thesis written and presented to the committee, a final oral examination must be held in which the candidate defends the thesis and demonstrates to the examining committee the capabilities for which the Ph.D. degree is to be awarded. The examining committee usually consists of the advisory committee and the major professor. There must be at least four graduate faculty members on the committee. The examination will be open to all faculty, and appropriate notice of time and place of the dissertation presentation and final examination shall be circulated in the department at least five days prior to the examination. The 30 minute seminar portion of the final examination is open to the university community. Confidential information can be excluded from the opening presentation. A Request for Appointment of Examining Committee (G.S. Form 8), signed by the major professor and the head of the graduate program, must be received by the Graduate School at least two weeks prior to the proposed examination date in order to give the dean of the Graduate School adequate time to appoint and arrange for additional members, if he or she wishes. At the completion of the final examination, the committee chair should present the examination committee with a Report of the Final Examination (G.S. Form 11), which is sent to the department by the Graduate School upon approval of the request for an examining committee. Each member of the examining committee must indicate approval or disapproval and sign the report form. Only members of the approved examining committee may take part in the evaluation. No more than one dissenting vote is acceptable in certifying a candidate to receive the Ph.D. degree. A separate evaluation of the dissertation and defense will be completed by the examining committee. The major professor will discuss the outcomes of the dissertation and defense with the candidate to communicate what additional work the committee indicated needed to be completed before graduation. It is quite common for the exam committee to request that additional work be required on the dissertation for its acceptance and submission.

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If the examination is unsatisfactory, at least one semester must elapse before a final examination is repeated. A new request (G.S. Form 8) must be submitted. XXII. GRADUATE SCHOOL EXIT SURVEY REQUIREMENT Beginning in the Spring 2010 semester, graduate students will be required to complete the appropriate exit survey(s) before they can receive their thesis/dissertation deposit receipt and/or graduate. For master’s degree students, the appropriate survey is the Master’s Candidate Exit Questionnaire. For doctoral degree candidates, the appropriate surveys are: (1) the Survey of Earned Doctorates and (2) the Purdue University Graduate School Doctoral Candidate Exit Questionnaire. ***The completion of the survey(s) should be completed prior to scheduling an appointment to deposit the thesis or dissertation. XXIII. THESIS AND PUBLICATION REQUIREMENTS The Horticulture & Landscape Architecture Department expects each M.S. and Ph.D. thesis to result in at least one publication in a refereed journal. It is recommended that the thesis include an abstract, literature review (as Chapter I), manuscripts (Chapters II, III, etc.), literature citations, and appendices which might contain nonpublishable material, improvement of methods, etc. However, upon approval of the advisory committee, the literature review and/or appendices may be omitted. XXIV. REPORTING RESPONSIBILITIES In the event that a graduate student fails to meet scheduled deadlines, or fails to respond to repeated written reminders from the Graduate Coordinator, appropriate documentation will be submitted through the department head, with copies to the major professor, to the official file of that student, and dealt with accordingly. XXV.

TEACHING ASSISTANT OPPORTUNITIES

Teaching opportunities are available for students who would like to assist with an undergraudate course. Each course has a set number of hours per week. The following is a list of the undergraduate courses needing assistants. HORT 10100 - Fundamentals of Horticulture HORT 20100 - Plant Propagation HORT 21700 - Woody Landscape Plants HORT 30100 - Plant Physiology HORT 40100 - Horticultural Production Technologies

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GRADUATE STUDENT CHRONOLOGICAL CHECKLIST*,** TIMING

ITEM

During FIRST month of residence:

1. Satisfy Oral English Proficiency requirement (see page 1).

During FIRST semester of residence:

2. Submit official transcripts to the Graduate School (see page 1). 3. Satisfy Written English Proficiency requirement (see page 1).

During SECOND semester:

4. Select advisory committee and file plan of study (see pages 3-4).

EVERY year:

5. Meet with your advisory committee members at least once a year. Prior to the meeting, students should prepare 1-3 page report summarizing their accomplishments and future research plans. A copy of the proposal is filed with the student's graduate records along with a copy of the completed annual report form (see page 4).

THIRD or FOURTH semester:

6. Change of degree program (M.S. to Ph.D.) must be approved by the graduate committee. Application for such changes must be accompanied by recommendations from the student's advisory committee (see pages 11-12).

END OF SECOND year:

7. M.S. examination (see pages 10-11).

Prior to the end of the semester following the SECOND year of residence.

8. Ph.D. preliminary examination (see pages 12-13).

TWO WEEKS PRIOR to Ph.D. preliminary examination:

9. Request to the Graduate School for Ph.D. preliminary examination committee approval (see page 12).

END OF SESSION in which degree is expected:

10. All course work completed; incomplete grades removed from record. 11. Seminar on thesis research - HORT 695 (see pages 9). 12. Ph.D. final examination (see pages 13-14).

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TWO WEEKS PRIOR to final:

13. Final examination request filed (see page 10 for M.S.,M.Agr.; page 13 for Ph.D.). 14. Seminar abstract to seminar committee chair (see page 9).

BEFORE END OF LAST SESSION:

15. Final examination passed and reports filed with Graduate School. 16. Thesis submitted to library, major professor, and department head (see page 10).

*

HORT 60100 and 60200 are required of all M.S. and Ph.D. students. HORT 60100 must be taken in the first Fall semester of residence. HORT 60200 must be taken with HORT 60100 or the 3 semesters following completion of HORT 60100. **

HORT 60300 is required of all Ph.D. students and must be taken before completion of the fourth semester of residence and prior to taking the Ph.D. preliminary exam.

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APPENDIX A Additional requirements applicable to any plan of study depending on the status of the student when the course was taken are as follows: 1.

Courses Taken Over Five Years Ago

Course credits earned by a student whose graduate study and/or professional activity has been inactive for five years or more cannot be used on a plan of study for an advanced degree. A plan of study approved prior to such a period of inactivity is invalid. 2.

Courses Taken in Postbaccalaureate Status at Purdue University

Although there is no limit to the number of course credit hours that an individual may accumulate while registered in this classfication, no more than 12 hours of credit earned in postbaccalaureate status may be used on a plan of study. However, if an application to a degree program is approved during the session in which a person is enrolled for the 12th credit hour as a postbaccalaureate student, all credits taken prior to and during that session will be eligible for inclusion on a plan of study for a degree program, providing the courses are appropriate to the degree program and the courses and grades are acceptable first to the department and then to the Graduate School. Please note that the above limitation on course credit hours taken in postbaccalaureate status that can be used on a plan of study will be modified if excess undergraduate credit also is to be applied to the plan of study. 3.

Courses Taken as Excess Undergraduate Credit

Course credits earned while an undergraduate at Purdue University or other accredited institutions of higher learning may be applied toward an advanced degree if these credits are in excess of any requirements for the baccalaureate degree. Such credits must be certified as available for graduate credit by the institution from which the student received the baccalaureate degree, but will be accepted only if: (1) the student had senior standing when taking the course, (2) the student received a grade of B or better, (3) the course was designated as a graduate course, and (4) the course was taken at the graduate level. The sum o f the credits earned as undergraduate excess and the credits earned in postbaccalaureate status that can be used on a plan of study is limited to 12 credit hours except as stated in 2. above. 4.

Courses Taken as a Graduate Student at Other Accredited Institutions of Higher Learning

Subject to the restrictions stated below, credits earned for graduate study at other universitites may be applied toward an advanced degree. Only credit hours associated with graduate courses for which grades of B or better were obtained will be eligible for transfer. 5.

Requirements Applicable to a Master's Plan of Study

Course work used to satisfy the requirements of one master's degree may not be used on the plan of study for another master's degree. 6.

Requirements Applicable to a Ph.D. Plan of Study

Course work from one (and only one) master's degree may be used on the plan of study for a doctoral degree.

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