Faculty at the Institute for Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics train students in modern plant breeding methods and conduct basic research on the genetics of crop traits important to agriculture and humankind. An overall core curriculum for each degree ensures broad training, while providing the flexibility to emphasize topical areas of greatest interest to individual students. Each student will conduct their thesis work under the supervision of his/her major professor and an advisory committee. Admitted students will receive competitive assistantships and a waiver of tuition.
This major is part of a Double Dawgs pathway: Agriscience and Environmental Systems BSA(Plant Breeding and Genetics)/Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics MS Applied Biotechnology BSAB (Plant Science)/Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics MS For more information, go to doubledawgs.uga.edu
Graduate Coordinator, Esther van der Knaap esthervanderknaap@uga.edu 706-542-4682 Administrative Manager, Stacey Gay pbgg@uga.edu 703-542-5607
31 hours
Meeting the admission criteria Preferably have a GPA of at least 3.0 for a Master’s degree. Foreign applicants have to take the TOEFL (Test Of English as a Foreign Language); minimum scores for this test are 80 for the internet-based test (with minimum of 20 on the speaking and 20 on the writing portion), 213 for the computer-based test and 530 for the paper-based test The availability of a faculty member able to serve as Major Professor and the availability of assistantship funds
| PBGG(CRSS) 6000 | Plant Breeding Practicum | 3 |
| PBGG(CRSS)(HORT) 4140/6140 | Plant Breeding | 3 |
| PBGG 7000 (6 hours) | Master's Research | 1-18 |
| PBGG 7300 (3 hours) | Master's Thesis | 1-9 |
| PBGG(CRSS)(HORT) 8861 | Plant Breeding Genetics and Genomics Research Seminar | 1 |
Choose 1 course(s) from the following:
| FANR 6750-6750D | Experimental Methods in Forestry and Natural Resources Research | 4 |
| STAT 6315 | Statistical Methods for Researchers | 4 |
Elective Plant Breeding Courses:
| PBGG(HORT) 8102 | Breeding Ornamental Plants | 1 |
| PBGG(CRSS)(HORT) 8140 | Advanced Plant Breeding | 3 |
| PBGG(CRSS)(HORT) 8870 | Translational Genomics | 3 |
| PBGG(CRSS)(HORT)(PBIO) 8871 | Genome Analysis and Comparative Genomics | 1 |
| PBGG(CRSS)(HORT)(PBIO) 8872 | QTL Mapping and Discovery | 1 |
| PBGG(CRSS)(HORT) 8873 | Biotech Breeding | 2 |
| PBGG(CRSS)(HORT) 8874 | Genomic Selection | 1 |
| PBGG(CRSS)(HORT)(PBIO) 8875 | Genome-wide Association in Plants | 1 |
| PBGG(CRSS)(HORT) 8900 | Emerging Topics in Plant Breeding Genetics and Genomics | 1-3 |
Genetics and Genomics Courses:
| GENE 4200/6200 | Advanced Genetics | 3 |
| HORT(ECOL)(PBGG) 8390 | Conservation of Plant Genetic Resources | 3 |
| PBGG(CRSS) 8890 | Plant Cytogenetics: Behavior and Evolution of the Plant Genome | 3 |
| PBIO(CRSS) 4500/6500 | Introduction to Gene Technology | 3 |
| PBIO(GENE)(PATH)(BCMB)(MIBO) 8960 | Genetics of Yeast and Filamentous Fungi | 4 |
Plants and Their Environment Courses:
| ENTO(CRSS)(PATH) 4250/6250 | Pesticides and Transgenic Crops | 3 |
| ENTO(CRSS)(PATH) 4740/6740 | Integrated Pest Management | 3 |
| PATH 6280-6280L | Diagnosis and Management of Plant Diseases | 4 |
| PATH 8240-8240L | Plant Nematology | 4 |
| PATH 8400 | Host-Pathogen Interactions | 3 |
Biometry and Bioinformatics Courses:
| BINF 6003 | Introduction to Computer Programming for Biologists | 1 |
| BINF(BCMB) 4005/6005 | Essential Computing Skills for Biologists | 2 |
| FANR 6750-6750D | Experimental Methods in Forestry and Natural Resources Research | 4 |
| BINF(PBIO) 4550/6550 | Concepts in Bioinformatics and Omics | 3 |
| PBIO(BINF)(FANR) 4700/6700 | Computational Plant Science | 3 |
| STAT 4230/6230 | Applied Regression Analysis | 3 |
| STAT 6315 | Statistical Methods for Researchers | 4 |
| STAT 4360/6360 | Statistical Software Programming | 3 |
Biochemical and Molecular Genetics Courses:
| BCMB(ENTO)(BTEC) 4200/6200 | Biotechnology | 3 |
| BCMB 6000 | General Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | 3 |
| BCMB 4010/6010 | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I | 4 |
| BCMB 4020/6020 | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology II | 3 |
Electives for professional development:
| ALDR 7500E | Leading Team and Organizational Development | 3 |
| CRSS 7990 | Supervised Teaching Practicum in Crop and Soil Sciences | 1-3 |
| EDHI 9010 | Academic Programs in Higher Education | 3 |
| GENE 8650 | Responsible Science | 1 |
| GRSC 8510 | Professional Development for Integrated Plant Sciences (IPS) Students | 1 |
| GRSC 8550 | Responsible Conduct of Research | 1 |
| PBGG(CRSS)(HORT) 8860 | Plant Breeding Genetics and Genomics Communication Seminar | 1 |
| PBGG 9980 | Graduate Internship in Plant Breeding, Genetics, and Genomics | 1-3 |
| PBGG 9990 | Supervised Teaching Practicum in Plant Breeding, Genetics, and Genomics | 1-3 |
| PBIO 8200 | Grant Writing with a Focus on Plants and Microbes | 2 |
| PBIO 8820 | Plant Genetics and Molecular Biology Seminar | 1-2 |
| PBIO 8930 | Science Writing for General Audiences | 3 |
| GRSC 7001 | GradFIRST: First-year Research and Scholarship Training Seminar | 1 |
Program requires 21 hours of coursework, 12 of which are graduate level courses only (not from split undergraduate/graduate courses, e.g., 4100/6100).
M.S. students can only transfer 6 graduate course credits from another institution.
PBGG Travel Awards NAPB Borlaug Scholars Program E. Broadus Browne Award for Outstanding Graduate Research FFAR Fellowship Funding Opportunities John Ingle Innovation in Plant Breeding Awards
PBGG Graduate Student Association leadership Planning committees for yearly PBGG Retreat and Boerma Lecture Series Plant Center Symposium Student recruitment activities and organization through PBGG and IPS Soft skills workshops
PBGG Graduate Student Association
MS, Plant Breeding Genetics and Genomics PHD, Plant Breeding Genetics and Genomics