Application Process

1. Choose one of the subspecialties within the following research areas to begin your inquiry about assistantship availability:
Crop Science (crop physiology, plant breeding, plant molecular biology)
Soil Science (chemistry, physics, fertility and crop nutrition, microbiology, precision farming, water relationships)
Pest Management (entomology, nematology, plant pathology, weed science)
The list of faculty and their disciplines can be viewed at: Plant Science Faculty

2. Contact researchers directly (by E-mail) who are involved in your area of interest to determine assistantship availability. Please do not contact everyone in the department because that indicates that you are uncertain of which area you would like to conduct research and it will diminish your chance of obtaining an assistantship. Send the researchers a short resume, approximate overall grade point average (4.0 scale) in pertinent courses, your TOEFL scores, and GRE scores if taken.

Applicants must obtain a promise of an assistantship in order to be accepted into a graduate program in the Plant Science Department. An applicant will not be admitted if a promise of an assistantship is not secured when the formal application is sent to the Graduate School.

3. Only after a research faculty member agrees to provide you with an assistantship (usually by E-mail correspondence), should you formally apply to the Graduate School for admittance. To obtain the application form, scroll to the bottom of the page http://www3.sdstate.edu/academics/graduateschool/ under a section entitled "MORE INFORMATION". Access the link "Graduate School Forms and Documents".

U.S. Citizens: Under the "Forms" section of this page, access the link "SDSU GradSchool USA.pdf". It will contain a Graduate School application form and the necessary documentation to complete your application. The link for "Personal Reference Form.doc" should also be accessed in the "Forms" section. Print the form and distribute it to two reference sources.

International Citizens: Under the "Forms" section of this page, access the link "SDSU GradSchool International.pdf". It will contain a Graduate School application form and the necessary documentation to complete your application. The link for "Personal Reference Form.doc" in the "Forms" section should also be accessed. Print this form and distribute it to two reference sources. International students should also contact the SDSU Office of International Affairs at the e-mail address: intlstud@adm.sdstate.edu to determine visa requirements or immigration status.

4. Before sending in the completed application form to the Graduate School, include a short letter of introduction with the name of the advisor who has agreed to provide you with an assistantship and the amount of the assistantship. Send the application materials and the $35 application fee by regular post or airmail to the Graduate School. This should be accomplished as soon as possible so that your application can be processed quickly. The completed "Graduate School Personal Reference Form" can be mailed separately by your reference sources. Please make arrangements for the official transcripts, GRE scores and TOEFL scores (if applicable) to be sent to the graduate school.

Application Approval

1. All application materials should be sent to the SDSU Graduate School directly for processing.

2. When these materials and the application fee are received, the application is forwarded by the Graduate School to the Plant Science Graduate School Application Screening committee. The applicant will be recommended for admission when all minimum criteria are met and an assistantship has been offered to the applicant (by prior correspondence with a researcher).

3. A letter of acceptance will be sent by the Graduate School. The advisor who has offered the assistantship will interface with the International Affairs Office to expedite completion for the I-20 form for international students.

Contact Dr. Howard Woodard, our Graduate Program Coordinator for further information

Plant Science Department
Box 2207-A
South Dakota State University
Brookings, SD 57007-1096
Phone: 605-688-4774
E-Mail: Howard_Woodard@sdstate.edu

This page is maintained by

Dr. Thomas Chase (605-688-5550) and Dr. Thomas Schumacher (605-688-4762)