The department offers graduate study leading to the following degrees:

• Master of Science in Agricultural Life Sciences with a concentration in Biochemistry, Entomology, or Plant Pathology
• Master of Agriculture in Agriculture with a concentration in Entomology or Plant Pathology 
• Doctor of Philosophy in Molecular Biology
• Doctor of Philosophy in Life Sciences with a concentration in Biochemistry, Entomology, or Plant Pathology

Master of Science in Agricultural Life Sciences with Entomology or Plant Pathology Concentration - Thesis
Coursework at 8000-level or higher    12
Other graduate-level coursework    10
EPP 8111    Seminar    1
EPP 8121    Seminar    1
EPP 8000    Thesis Research/ Thesis in Entomology and Plant Pathology    6
Total Hours    30

Provisional Admission

An applicant who has not fully met the GPA requirement stipulated by the University may be admitted on a provisional basis. The provisionally-admitted student is eligible for a change to regular status after receiving a 3.00 GPA on the first 9 hours of graduate courses at Mississippi State University (with no grade lower than a C). The first 9 hours of graduate courses must be within the student's program of study.  Courses with an S grade, transfer credits, or credits earned while in Unclassified status cannot be used to satisfy this requirement. If a 3.00 is not attained, the provisional student shall be dismissed from the graduate program. Academic departments may set higher standards for students to fulfill provisional requirements; a student admitted with provisional status should contact the graduate coordinator for the program’s specific requirements. While in the provisional status, a student is not eligible to hold a graduate assistantship.

Academic Performance

Maintenance of an overall GPA of 3.00 or greater is expected for students enrolled in M.S. or Ph.D. programs in the department. The student is allowed only two Cs. Any third C or the first grade below C (a D or F) is grounds for dismissal.

Admission Criteria

Prerequisites for admission include a bachelor’s or master’s degree in a physical or life science with a strong background in the program discipline of interest (biochemistry, molecular biology, entomology, or plant pathology). A graduate screening committee, composed of members of the Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology, and Plant Pathology faculty, screens all applicants. Final acceptance into a graduate program is contingent upon the availability of a suitable major professor. A minimum 2.75 overall grade point average on a 4.00 scale is required for admission. Test scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) are not a required component of a completed application, but may be submitted for consideration if a candidate feels they may help offset another component of the application, such as a low GPA. International students are required to have a TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score of 500 PBT (61 iBT) or an IELTS (International English Language Testing Systems) score of 5.5 (non-English speaking international students).

Tuition fee-2 years$50,000

Total fee-2 years$92,000