Graduate students in Botany work with faculty and staff on a range of projects in plant biology at all levels of organization — from molecules, through cells and organs, to populations, communities, and lineages of organisms. Major research areas include evolution and systematics; molecular, cellular, and developmental biology; plant biology; biochemistry; and ecology. We also provide advanced instruction and opportunities for research in phycology, bryology, mycology, ethnobotany, paleoecology, conservation and restoration ecology, taxonomy, genetics, and physiology. Increasingly, graduate student projects encompass two or more of these categories.
Students interested in fields bordering botany will find rich opportunities for coursework, collaborative research, and seminars in many other departments and schools such as Bacteriology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Engineering, Entomology, Forest and Wildlife Ecology, Genetics, Geography, Geoscience, Integrative Biology, Physics, Plant and Agroecosystem Sciences, Plant Breeding/ Plant Genetics, Plant Pathology, Statistics, Soil Science, and the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies. Interdisciplinary work is encouraged.
Graduate study in the Department of Botany requires a combination of advanced coursework, participation in seminars, and original research. Course requirements follow one of four pathways: general botany; ecology; evolution; or molecular, cellular, and developmental biology. The department encourages students to pursue independent research soon after arriving. In consultation with the faculty advisor, each student selects a pathway that includes courses and research topics related to their interests as well as training in the array of techniques and approaches needed to pursue research.
Admissions
Please consult the table below for key information about this degree program’s admissions requirements. The program may have more detailed admissions requirements, which can be found below the table or on the program’s website.
Graduate admissions is a two-step process between academic programs and the Graduate School. Applicants must meet the minimum requirements of the Graduate School as well as the program(s). Once you have researched the graduate program(s) you are interested in, apply online.
| Fall Deadline | December 1 |
| Spring Deadline | The program does not admit in the spring. |
| Summer Deadline | The program does not admit in the summer. |
| GRE (Graduate Record Examinations) | Not required. |
| English Proficiency Test | Refer to the Graduate School: Minimum Requirements for Admission policy: https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1241. |
| Other Test(s) (e.g., GMAT, MCAT) | The GRE subject test in Biology or in Cell and Molecular Biology is not required. |
| Letters of Recommendation Required | 3 |
Please submit all your application materials before the fall deadline to ensure full review of your application. Applications submitted after the above deadline through April 15 will be considered if space is still available. Space for students is typically limited by the department’s ability to provide financial support. To check if space is available, please email: gradinfo@botany.wisc.edu or contact faculty with whom you are interested in working to ask if they have graduate student funding available.
The Department of Botany will consider applicants for graduate degrees who surpass the minimum admissions requirements of the Graduate School. Neither the general Graduate Record Exam (GRE) nor the Graduate Record Exam subject test in Biology or in Cell and Molecular Biology is required. Admission is based on the applicant's statement of purpose, undergraduate record, letters of recommendation, experience in research, and the interests they share with one or more potential faculty advisors.
Courses may be required to address deficiencies in the following: GENETICS 466 Principles of Genetics or equivalent; CHEM 103 General Chemistry I and CHEM 104 General Chemistry II or equivalent; CHEM 341 Elementary Organic Chemistry or equivalent; a physics course including electricity and light; one semester of statistics; one semester of calculus. Contact the department for more information.
Funding
Graduate School Resources
The Bursar’s Office provides information about tuition and fees associated with being a graduate student. Resources to help you afford graduate study might include assistantships, fellowships, traineeships, and financial aid. Further funding information is available from the Graduate School. Be sure to check with your program for individual policies and restrictions related to funding.
Program Resources
Financial support is available to qualified graduate students in the form of teaching, research, and project assistantships and fellowships. Typically, there are approximately 35 graduate students who hold assistantships or fellowships in the botany department. In addition, graduate students are eligible for a number of intradepartmental awards and grants.
Graduate students who have a teaching, research, or project assistantship of at least a 33% appointment for a fall or spring term are eligible to receive remission of full tuition. Fellowships or traineeships that are payrolled through the university and that carry stipends equivalent to at least a 33% research assistantship also qualify for remission of nonresident tuition. Tuition remission is conditionally awarded at the start of the semester based on the expectation that actual earnings during the semester will be at least 33% of the full-time rate. All students pay segregated fees. The only exception is that fellowships paid through the Graduate School have segregated fees waived in addition to tuition.
Assistantships and fellowships also provide eligibility for an excellent health insurance program, an extremely valuable benefit that provides single or family coverage that is more comprehensive than individuals can usually purchase on their own.
Minimum Graduate School Requirements
Review the Graduate School minimum degree requirements and policies, in addition to the program requirements listed below.
Major Requirements
Mode of Instruction
| Face to Face | Evening/Weekend | Online | Hybrid | Accelerated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | No | No | No | No |
Mode of Instruction Definitions
Accelerated: Accelerated programs are offered at a fast pace that condenses the time to completion. Students typically take enough credits aimed at completing the program in a year or two.
Evening/Weekend: Courses meet on the UW–Madison campus only in evenings and/or on weekends to accommodate typical business schedules. Students have the advantages of face-to-face courses with the flexibility to keep work and other life commitments.
Face-to-Face: Courses typically meet during weekdays on the UW-Madison Campus.
Hybrid: These programs combine face-to-face and online learning formats. Contact the program for more specific information.
Online: These programs are offered 100% online. Some programs may require an on-campus orientation or residency experience, but the courses will be facilitated in an online format.
Curricular Requirements
| Minimum Credit Requirement | 51 credits |
| Minimum Residence Credit Requirement | 51 credits |
| Minimum Graduate Coursework Requirement | 26 credits must be graduate-level coursework. Refer to the Graduate School: Minimum Graduate Coursework (50%) Requirement policy: https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1244. |
| Overall Graduate GPA Requirement | 3.00 GPA required. Refer to the Graduate School: Grade Point Average (GPA) Requirement policy: https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1203. |
| Other Grade Requirements | Students must earn a B or above in all pathway coursework and maintain a 3.00 GPA in all minor coursework. |
| Assessments and Examinations | The preliminary examination should be taken by the end of the fourth semester in residence and must be taken by the end of the fifth semester. The preliminary exam includes a written research proposal, an oral presentation of the proposal to committee members, and an oral exam. At least one semester of at least a 33% Teaching Assistantship appointment is required. During the final semester, candidates must present a department seminar on their dissertation research and complete a final oral exam. A written dissertation based on work conducted in a formal research course is required. All PhD dissertations must be deposited at the Graduate School. |
| Language Requirements | Language requirements are determined on an individual basis with the major professor and will depend on the area concentration within the department. |
| Graduate School Breadth Requirement | All doctoral students are required to complete a doctoral minor or graduate/professional certificate. Refer to the Graduate School: Breadth Requirement in Doctoral Training policy: https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1200. For an "Option A" minor, the department signs the minor agreement. For an "Option B" minor between two or more departments, the Botany chair signs the minor agreement. |
Required Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Botany 1 | ||
| A minimum of 6 credits in graduate-level BOTANY courses must be completed at UW–Madison. 1 | 6 | |
| Seminar | ||
| Two (2) seminar courses (at least one in BOTANY; see full list of seminars below). | 2–4 | |
| Committee Assigned | ||
| Courses assigned by the Academic Advisory Committee and/or the student’s PhD committee. | ||
| Breadth | 9 | |
| Research | ||
| See full list of research courses below. | ||
| Pathway 2 | ||
| Courses required for their selected pathway (see below). | ||
- 1
Seminars and research credits do not count toward the 6 credits in botany (BOTANY).
- 2
These pathways are internal to the program and represent different curricular paths a student can follow to earn this degree. Pathway names do not appear in the Graduate School admissions application, and they will not appear on the transcript.
A minimum of 51 credits in natural sciences (undergraduate and graduate program courses combined) is required.
For students completing a Botany MS at UW-Madison, credits taken toward that program can be used to satisfy these requirements. These credits complete the following requirements:
- Courses required for their selected pathway (see below)
- Six (6) credits within the botany department (can also fulfill track requirements)
- Two (2) seminar courses (at least one in BOTANY; see full list of seminars below)
- Courses for the student’s minor field of study
- Courses assigned by the Academic Advisory Committee and/or the student’s PhD committee
- Research credits (see full list of research courses below)
Each graduate student in botany selects one of the following pathways1:
General Botany Pathway1
Complete one course from each of the following:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Genetics | ||
| BOTANY/PL PATH 563 | Phylogenetic Analysis of Molecular Data | 3 |
| Biochemistry, Cell or Molecular Biology | ||
| BOTANY/BIOCHEM 621 | Plant Biochemistry | 3 |
| Plant Physiology or Plant Developmental Biology | ||
| BOTANY 500 | Plant Physiology | 3-4 |
| Cryptogamic Botany | ||
| BOTANY/GENETICS/M M & I/PL PATH 655 | Biology and Genetics of Fungi | 3 |
| Plant Anatomy or Morphology | ||
| BOTANY 300 | Plant Anatomy | 4 |
| BOTANY 305 | Plant Morphology and Evolution | 4 |
| Ecology | ||
| BOTANY 802 | Physiological Plant Ecology | 3 |
| Evolution or Systematics | ||
| BOTANY/ENTOM/GENETICS/ZOOLOGY 820 | Foundations of Evolution | 2 |
- 1
These pathways are internal to the program and represent different curricular paths a student can follow to earn this degree. Pathway names do not appear in the Graduate School admissions application, and they will not appear on the transcript.
Ecology Pathway1
Complete a minimum of five courses as follows:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Ecology | ||
| Complete at least three courses (minimum 9 credits) in ecology; examples include: | ||
| BOTANY/F&W ECOL 455 | The Vegetation of Wisconsin | 4 |
| Evolution | ||
| Complete one course in evolution; example includes: | ||
| BOTANY/ENTOM/GENETICS/ZOOLOGY 820 | Foundations of Evolution | 2 |
| Elective | ||
| Complete one course in any of the following: systematics; cryptogamic botany; biochemistry, cell or molecular biology; plant physiology or plant developmental biology; plant anatomy or morphology; or genetics. | ||
| BOTANY/ENTOM/GENETICS/ZOOLOGY 820 | Foundations of Evolution | 2 |
| BOTANY/GENETICS/M M & I/PL PATH 655 | Biology and Genetics of Fungi | 3 |
| BOTANY/BIOCHEM 621 | Plant Biochemistry | 3 |
| BOTANY 500 | Plant Physiology | 3-4 |
| BOTANY 300 | Plant Anatomy | 4 |
| BOTANY 305 | Plant Morphology and Evolution | 4 |
| BOTANY/PL PATH 563 | Phylogenetic Analysis of Molecular Data | 3 |
- 1
These pathways are internal to the program and represent different curricular paths a student can follow to earn this degree. Pathway names do not appear in the Graduate School admissions application, and they will not appear on the transcript.
Evolution Pathway1
Complete a minimum of five courses, at least one from each of the following:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Evolution | ||
| BOTANY/ENTOM/GENETICS/ZOOLOGY 820 | Foundations of Evolution | 2 |
| Systematics or Cryptogamic Botany | ||
| BOTANY/GENETICS/M M & I/PL PATH 655 | Biology and Genetics of Fungi | 3 |
| Population or Quantitative Genetics | ||
| GENETICS 633 | Population Genetics | 3 |
| Ecology | ||
| BOTANY/F&W ECOL/ZOOLOGY 460 | General Ecology | 4 |
| Elective | ||
| Complete one course in any of the following: biochemistry, cell or molecular biology; plant physiology or plant developmental biology; or plant anatomy or morphology. | ||
| BOTANY/BIOCHEM 621 | Plant Biochemistry | 3 |
| BOTANY 500 | Plant Physiology | 3-4 |
| BOTANY 300 | Plant Anatomy | 4 |
| BOTANY 305 | Plant Morphology and Evolution | 4 |
- 1
These pathways are internal to the program and represent different curricular paths a student can follow to earn this degree. Pathway names do not appear in the Graduate School admissions application, and they will not appear on the transcript.
Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology (MCDB) Pathway1
Complete a minimum of five courses, at least one from each of the following:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Plant Anatomy or Morphology | ||
| BOTANY 300 | Plant Anatomy | 4 |
| Biochemistry, Cell or Molecular Biology | ||
| BOTANY/BIOCHEM 621 | Plant Biochemistry | 3 |
| Plant Physiology | ||
| BOTANY 500 | Plant Physiology | 3-4 |
| Plant Developmental Biology or Genetics | ||
| BOTANY/BIOCHEM/GENETICS 840 | Regulatory Mechanisms in Plant Development | 3 |
| Elective | ||
| Complete one course in any of the following: ecology; systematics; evolution; or cryptogamic botany. | ||
| BOTANY 802 | Physiological Plant Ecology | 3 |
| BOTANY/ENTOM/GENETICS/ZOOLOGY 820 | Foundations of Evolution | 2 |
| BOTANY/GENETICS/M M & I/PL PATH 655 | Biology and Genetics of Fungi | 3 |
- 1
These pathways are internal to the program and represent different curricular paths a student can follow to earn this degree. Pathway names do not appear in the Graduate School admissions application, and they will not appear on the transcript.
Seminar Course Options
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BOTANY/ATM OCN/CIV ENGR/ENVIR ST/GEOSCI/ZOOLOGY 911 | Limnology and Marine Science Seminar | 1 |
| BOTANY/PL PATH 930 | Seminar-Mycology | 1 |
| BOTANY 940 | Seminar in Plant Systematics and Evolution | 1 |
| BOTANY 950 | Seminar-Plant Ecology | 1 |
| BOTANY 960 | Seminar-Plant Physiology | 1 |
| BOTANY/ATM OCN/ENVIR ST/F&W ECOL/GEOG/GEOSCI/ZOOLOGY 980 | Earth System Science Seminar | 1 |
| ENTOM 901 | Seminar in Organismal Entomology | 1 |
| GENETICS 670 | Seminar in Clinical Cytogenetics | 1 |
| GENETICS 672 | Seminar in Laboratory Operations and Quality Control | 1 |
| GENETICS 673 | Seminar in Clinical Cytology | 1 |
| GENETICS/AN SCI/DY SCI 951 | Seminar in Animal Breeding | 0-1 |
| GENETICS 993 | Seminar in Genetics | 0-1 |
| GEOG 900 | Seminar in Geography | 1-3 |
| GEOG 901 | Seminar in Cultural Geography | 2-3 |
| GEOG 918 | Seminar in Political Geography | 2-3 |
| GEOG 920 | Seminar in Physical Geography | 1-3 |
| GEOG 930 | Seminar in People-Environment Geography | 2-3 |
| GEOG 970 | Seminar in Geographic Information Science | 1-3 |
| GEOG/ATM OCN/BOTANY/ENVIR ST/F&W ECOL/GEOSCI/ZOOLOGY 980 | Earth System Science Seminar | 1 |
| GEOG/A A E/ANTHRO/C&E SOC/HISTORY/LACIS/POLI SCI/PORTUG/SOC/SPANISH 982 | Interdepartmental Seminar in the Latin-American Area | 1-3 |
| GEOG/AFRICAN/ANTHRO/ECON/HISTORY/POLI SCI 983 | Interdepartmental Seminar in African Studies Topics | 3 |
| SOIL SCI 728 | Graduate Seminar | 1 |
| ZOOLOGY/ATM OCN/BOTANY/CIV ENGR/ENVIR ST/GEOSCI 911 | Limnology and Marine Science Seminar | 1 |
| ZOOLOGY/AN SCI/OBS&GYN 954 | Seminar in Endocrinology-Reproductive Physiology | 0-1 |
| ZOOLOGY 955 | Seminar-Limnology | 1 |
| ZOOLOGY 956 | Seminar-Ecology | 1 |
| ZOOLOGY 957 | Seminar-Evolution | 1 |
| ZOOLOGY 960 | Seminar in Cellular Biology | 1 |
| ZOOLOGY/ATM OCN/BOTANY/ENVIR ST/F&W ECOL/GEOG/GEOSCI 980 | Earth System Science Seminar | 1 |
| ENVIR ST/PUB AFFR/URB R PL 810 | Energy Analysis and Policy Capstone | 3 |
| ENVIR ST 900 | Seminar | 1-3 |
| ENVIR ST/ATM OCN 925 | Seminar-Climatology | 1-2 |
| ENVIR ST 950 | Environmental Monitoring Seminar | 2 |
| F&W ECOL/AGROECOL/ATM OCN/BOTANY/ENTOM/ENVIR ST/GEOG/ZOOLOGY 953 | Introduction to Ecology Research at UW-Madison | 1-2 |
| GEOSCI 920 | Seminar in Glacial and Pleistocene Geology | 1-3 |
| GEOSCI 929 | Seminar-Hydrogeology | 1-2 |
| GEOSCI 970 | Seminar-Geochemistry | 2 |
| ATM OCN 900 | Seminar-Meteorology | 1-2 |
| ATM OCN/ENVIR ST 925 | Seminar-Climatology | 1-2 |
| ATM OCN 965 | Seminar-Oceanography | 1-2 |
| M S & E 900 | Materials Research Seminar | 1 |
| M&ENVTOX 800 | Seminar | 1 |
| PLANTSCI 920 | Seminar in Plant Science and Technology | 1 |
| PLANTSCI 957 | Seminar in Plant Breeding and Plant Genetics | 1 |
Research Course Options
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BOTANY 990 | Research-Phycology | 1-12 |
| BOTANY 993 | Research: Fungal Biology | 1-12 |
| BOTANY 994 | Research-Plant Systematics | 1-12 |
| BOTANY 995 | Research-Plant Ecology | 1-12 |
| BOTANY 996 | Research-Plant Physiology | 1-12 |
| BOTANY 999 | Independent Work | 1-3 |
Graduate School Policies
The Graduate School’s Academic Policies and Procedures serve as the official document of record for Graduate School academic and administrative policies and procedures and are updated continuously. Note some policies redirect to entries in the official UW-Madison Policy Library. Programs may set more stringent policies than the Graduate School. Policies set by the academic degree program can be found below.
Major-Specific Policies
Prior Coursework
Graduate Credits Earned at Other Institutions
No credits from other institutions are allowed to transfer toward the minimum credit requirement and the minimum graduate coursework requirement.
Undergraduate Credits Earned at Other Institutions or UW-Madison
No credits from an undergraduate degree are allowed to transfer toward the minimum graduate degree credit requirement and the minimum graduate coursework requirement.
Credits Earned as a Professional Student at UW-Madison (Law, Medicine, Pharmacy, and Veterinary careers)
No credits from a UW-Madison professional degree are allowed to transfer toward the minimum credit requirement and the minimum graduate coursework requirement.
Credits Earned as a University Special Student at UW–Madison
No credits earned as a UW–Madison Special student are allowed to transfer toward the minimum residence credit requirement, the minimum credit requirement, or the minimum graduate coursework requirement.
Probation
Refer to the Graduate School: Probation policy.
Advisor / Committee
A major professor must be chosen as soon as possible after beginning graduate study and in all cases by the end of the first year. A vice major professor is required.
Students meet with an advisory committee before their first semester and with their thesis committee by the end of their first year to plan their coursework.
Students are required to conduct a yearly progress report meeting with their thesis committee after passing the preliminary examination.
Credits Per Term Allowed
15 credit maximum. Refer to the Graduate School: Maximum Credit Loads and Overload Requests policy.
Time Limits
The doctoral degree is typically completed within five to six years. Refer to the Graduate School: Time Limits policy.
Grievances and Appeals
These resources may be helpful in addressing your concerns:
- Bias or Hate Reporting
- Graduate Assistantship Policies and Procedures
- Hostile and Intimidating Behavior Policies and Procedures
- Employee Assistance (for personal counseling and workplace consultation around communication and conflict involving graduate assistants and other employees, post-doctoral students, faculty and staff)
- Employee Disability Resource Office (for qualified employees or applicants with disabilities to have equal employment opportunities)
- Graduate School (for informal advice at any level of review and for official appeals of program/departmental or school/college grievance decisions)
- Office of Compliance (for class harassment and discrimination, including sexual harassment and sexual violence)
- Office Student Assistance and Support (OSAS) (for all students to seek grievance assistance and support)
- Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards (for conflicts involving students)
- Ombuds Office for Faculty and Staff (for employed graduate students and post-docs, as well as faculty and staff)
- Title IX (for concerns about discrimination)
L&S Policy for Graduate Student Academic Appeals
Graduate students have the right to appeal an academic decision related to an L&S graduate program if the student believes that the decision is inconsistent with published policy.
Academic decisions that may be appealed include:
- Dismissal from the graduate program
- Failure to pass a qualifying or preliminary examination
- Failure to achieve satisfactory academic progress
- Academic disciplinary action related to failure to meet professional conduct standards
Issues such as the following cannot be appealed using this process:
- A faculty member declining to serve as a graduate student’s advisor.
- Decisions regarding the student’s disciplinary knowledge, evaluation of the quality of work, or similar judgements. These are the domain of the department faculty.
- Course grades. These can be appealed instead using the L&S Policy for Grade Appeal.
- Incidents of bias or hate, hostile and intimidating behavior, or discrimination (Title IX, Office of Compliance). Direct these to the linked campus offices appropriate for the incident(s).
Appeal Process for Graduate Students
A graduate student wishing to appeal an academic decision must follow the process in the order listed below. Note time limits within each step.
- The student should first seek informal resolution, if possible, by discussing the concern with their academic advisor, the department’s Director of Graduate Studies, and/or the department chair.
- If the program has an appeal policy listed in their graduate program handbook, the student should follow the policy as written, including adhering to any indicated deadlines. In the absence of a specific departmental process, the chair or designee will be the reviewer and decision maker, and the student should submit a written appeal to the chair within 15 business days of the academic decision. The chair or designee will notify the student in writing of their decision.
- If the departmental process upholds the original decision, the graduate student may next initiate an appeal to L&S. To do so, the student must submit a written appeal to the L&S Assistant Dean for Graduate Student Academic Affairs within 15 business days of notification of the department’s decision.
- To the fullest extent possible, the written appeal should include, in a single document: a clear and concise statement of the academic decision being appealed, any relevant background on what led to the decision, the specific policies involved, the relief sought, any relevant documentation related to the departmental appeal, and the names and titles of any individuals contributing to or involved in the decision.
- The Assistant Dean will work with the Academic Associate Dean of the appropriate division to consider the appeal. They may seek additional information and/or meetings related to the case.
- The Assistant Dean and Academic Associate Dean will provide a written decision within 20 business days.
- If L&S upholds the original decision, the graduate student may appeal to the Graduate School. More information can be found on their website: Grievances and Appeals (see: Graduate School Appeal Process).
Other
Assistantships are only available for thesis MS and PhD degrees.
Professional Development
Graduate School Resources
Take advantage of the Graduate School's professional development resources to build skills, thrive academically, and launch your career.
Learning Outcomes
- Demonstrate a fundamental breadth of understanding of the basic properties of plant life from the subcellular to the ecosystem level of organization, and an ability to integrate acquired botanical expertise with knowledge of related disciplines including, but not limited to, mathematics, physical sciences, and other life sciences.
- Apply all elements of the methodological or theoretical framework within a specialized botanical subdiscipline to skillfully develop and execute original research, thereby demonstrating intellectual and technical competency appropriate to that subdiscipline.
- Achieve a professional level of proficiency communicating scientific research proposals and/or results in written format.
- Develop skills in oral presentation of scientific research data to peers and general audiences.
- Evaluate, critique, and apply critical thinking skills to the generation of hypotheses, analysis of data, and interpretation of scientific results in botany and related disciplines.
- Value and promote professional ethics in the collection, analysis, storage, and presentation of scientific data.
- Engage in critical and respectful debate, discussion, and exchange of scientific information among peers and audiences of diverse intellectual and personal backgrounds.
- Appreciate the importance of professional service.