Entomology and Plant Pathology Major, MS

Admission

For admission to the Master of Science program, a student must meet all requirements of the Graduate School of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and must have completed at least 24 credit hours of biological and physical sciences at the undergraduate level. Applicants should submit an online application, a nonrefundable application fee, official transcripts, and official scores from the general portion of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) to the Office of Graduate Admissions. International students, whose native language is not English, must submit official scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). The online application procedure will also direct the applicant to submit three letters of reference (and/or three Graduate Rating Forms) from persons capable of assessing the applicant’s suitability for graduate work, and a statement of career goals and interests in entomology, plant pathology, or bioinformatics and genomics. In the statement letter, the concentration of interest and preferred major professor should be indicated. Applicants are strongly encouraged to make contact with prospective major professors early in the application process. All materials must be submitted electronically directly to the Graduate School.

Requirements

The student and the major advisor will select a minimum of two additional faculty from the University of Tennessee, who hold the rank of assistant professor or above, to serve on the student’s thesis advisory committee. The committee should be formed during the first semester of the student’s program. The responsibility of this committee is to assist the student in planning a program of study and carrying out research, and to assure fulfillment of the degree requirements. If the student has a minor, one member of the committee must be a faculty member from the minor department to assist in designating courses required for the minor. An understanding of research ethics is also required. This departmentally-enforced requirement may be achieved through (CITI RCR) training, as evidenced by presenting a valid CITI RCR certificate to the EPP Director of Graduate Studies. In addition, students are expected to attend seminar (EPP 640 ) each academic semester of their MS program.
 

Thesis Option

Students must select from three concentrations: Bioinformatics and Genomics; Entomology; or Plant Pathology, and fulfill the course requirements accordingly. The program requires a written thesis based on original research, which has been approved by the student’s advisory committee, completion of a minimum of 24 credit hours of coursework for graduate credit, and 6 credit hours of EPP 500 . Included in the course requirements are two acceptable seminar presentations for one credit hour each. An oral final examination that covers the thesis and coursework is required, and must be passed to the satisfaction of the advisory committee after the thesis has been completed. A minor is not required, but may be selected at the option of the student. A minor includes 6 (minimum) to 12 (maximum) credit hours of graduate-level credit in the minor department.
 

Non-Thesis Option

There are no concentrations for the non-thesis option. In lieu of a thesis, students are required to complete a project/practicum and prepare of a written report summarizing the project findings. Students working on a project/practicum must complete 30 credit hours of graduate credit, which includes one to four credit hours of EPP 503 , and an acceptable seminar presentation for one credit hour. Final oral and written examinations covering the project and coursework are required, and must be passed to the satisfaction of the advisory committee after the project/practicum has been completed.
 

Non-Thesis Course Requirements:

Select at least 15 credit hours from EPP courses listed in the Graduate Catalog at the 500 level or above (excluding EPP 500 , EPP 502 , EPP 531 , EPP 570 , EPP 640 , and EPP 675 ).

Colloquium (EPP 570 ) (1 credit hour)

Graduate Seminar (EPP 640 ) (1 credit hour)

Non-thesis Project/Practicum (EPP 503 ) (1-4 credit hours)

Program Electives¹ (9-12 credit hours)

¹The remainder of coursework will be selected by the student in consultation with the major advisor and advisory committee. Students may elect to have a minor, including but not limited to Plant Sciences, Forestry, Fisheries and Wildlife, Wildlife Health, and Statistics. Course(s) in statistical analysis of biological data are highly recommended, but not required.

 

Bioinformatics and Genomics concentration (thesis option)

In addition to a solid biological background in entomology, plant pathology or a combination of the two, students will gain foundational knowledge in bioinformatics and genomics. Students concentrating in bioinformatics and genomics can study biological sequencing and analysis of DNA and RNA, epigenetics, metagenomics and metatranscriptomics, phylogenomics, genotyping by sequencing, differential gene expression, population genomics, gene interactions and/or proteomics.

Core Curriculum
The student’s thesis advisory committee may decide that foundational knowledge of plant pathology and/or entomology is necessary. In this case, students may need to enroll in or audit EPP 313 and/or EPP 321. A student with prior course work and/or experience may petition the EPP faculty for a course exemption(s). An exemption may be granted by majority vote on the basis of documentary evidence, or written and/or oral exams.

Required:

1.	Core Bioinformatics and Genomics courses
	EPP 622  (3 credit hours) Select a minimum of nine credit hours from EPP courses listed in the Graduate Catalog (excluding EPP 500 , EPP 502 , EPP 503 , EPP 640 , EPP 675 , and EPP 622 ) Select a minimum of six credit hours from CBE 672  (3), LFSC 507  (3), LFSC 520  (4), LFSC 521  (4), and MICR 540  / LFSC 517  (3)
2.	Colloquium (EPP 570 ) (1 credit hour)
3.	Graduate Seminar (EPP 640 ) (2 credit hours for thesis)
4.	Thesis (EPP 500 ) (6 credit hours)
5.	3 credit hours in a statistics course is highly recommended and usually will be required by the student’s advisory committee

Entomology concentration (thesis option)

Entomology is an interdisciplinary science that specializes in plant, human, and animal health with a focus on problematic and beneficial insects. Students who wish to prepare for further graduate studies or careers as researchers, teachers, Extension specialists, regulators, or practitioners of plant/human/animal health or insect pest management may choose the Entomology concentration.

Core Curriculum
The thesis advisory committee may decide that foundational knowledge of entomology is necessary. In this case, students may need to enroll in or audit EPP 321. A student with prior course work and/or experience may petition the EPP faculty for a course exemption(s). An exemption may be granted by majority vote on the basis of documentary evidence, or written and/or oral exams.

Required:

1.	Core Entomology courses
	EPP 548  (3 credit hours) Select one course (3 credit hours) from EPP 530 , EPP 552 , and EPP 561   Select a minimum of one course (3 credit hours) from EPP 508 , EPP 523 , EPP 525 , EPP 530 , EPP 552 , EPP 561 , EPP 570 , EPP 630 , and EPP 640
2.	Colloquium (EPP 570 ) (1 credit hour)
3.	Graduate Seminar (EPP 640 ) (2 credit hours)
4.	Program electives1 (12 credit hours)
5.	Thesis (EPP 500 ) (6 credit hours)

¹ The remainder of coursework will be selected by the student in consultation with the major professor and thesis advisory committee. Students may elect to have a minor that will complement the concentration, including but not limited to Plant Sciences, Forestry, Fisheries and Wildlife, Wildlife Health, and Statistics. Course(s) in statistical analysis of biological data are highly recommended, but not required.

 

Plant Pathology concentration (thesis option)

Plant Pathology is an interdisciplinary science that specializes in plant health with a focus on the organisms that cause plant disease. Students who wish to prepare for further graduate studies or careers as researchers, teachers, Extension specialists, regulators, or practitioners of plant health management may choose the Plant Pathology concentration.

Core Curriculum
The thesis advisory committee may decide that foundational knowledge of plant pathology is necessary. In this case, students may need to enroll in or audit EPP 313. A student with prior course work and/or experience may petition the EPP faculty for a course exemption(s). An exemption may be granted by majority vote on the basis of documentary evidence, or written and/or oral exams.

Required:

1.	Core Plant Pathology courses
	EPP 505  (3 credit hours) Select one course (3 credit hours) from EPP 514 , EPP 515 , EPP 520 , and EPP 521   Select a minimum of one course (3 credit hours) from EPP 508 , EPP 512 , EPP 514 , EPP 515 , EPP 520 , and EPP 521
2.	Colloquium (EPP 570 ) (1 credit hour)
3.	Graduate Seminar (EPP 640 ) (2 credit hours)
4.	Program Electives1 (12 credit hours)
5.	Thesis (EPP 500 ) (6 credit hours) or Non-thesis Project/Practicum (EPP 503 ) (2-4 credit hours)

¹The remainder of the coursework will be selected by the student in consultation with the major professor and advisory committee. Students may elect to have a minor that will complement the concentration. Including but not limited to Plant Sciences, Forestry, and Statistics. Course(s) in statistical analysis of biological data are highly recommended, but not required.