Plant Science & Technology, BS

The study of plants is crucial for the survival of humankind and of the planet. Our entire diet comes either directly or indirectly through plants, and plants are a key source of fuel and energy, medicines, and oxygen in the environment. Plants grown in cultivated environments have critical roles in sustaining life and in supporting our economy. 

Plant Science and Technology students will:

• learn about the biology of plants
• investigate the role of plants in food and industrial systems, and how these systems affect climate and resource management
• study the impact of biotechnology, automation, and artificial intelligence in crop production
• learn from experts in a wide variety of plant species such as grains, fruits, vegetables, herbs, ornamental crops, weeds, and plants that appear in agricultural ecosystems.  

This training will open up a wide range of careers in crop production, precision agriculture, biotechnology, and more.  Additionally, students will be well prepared to attend graduate school in many disciplines from agronomy and crop science to plant biotechnology.

Learn through hands-on, real-world experiences

Core coursework in Plant Science and Technology includes hands-on learning experiences. Examples include using remote sensing to collect data on plant performance, growing crops in hydroponics systems, pollinating plants to create genetic variation, and propagating herbaceous and woody plants.

In addition, students can apply their course learning to real life through research projects, independent studies, and internships with guidance from faculty and staff members. During their final year, majors complete a senior capstone course where they work closely with fellow students and a faculty or staff advisor on a semester-long project designed to bring together a number of aspects of their educational experiences. Through their capstone, students can choose to participate in hands-on projects. For instance, a student’s capstone could require they collect data on plant performance in a field or greenhouse and use those data to develop models that can predict future performance. Students can pursue complex scientific interests during their capstone such as studying the distribution of mineral content in crop seeds. Typically, the capstone project involves problem solving and data analysis in a real-world context.

Build community and networks

Students get to know faculty and instructors through the courses they take, and they can build their networks through independent studies, participation in seminars, paid work in a research or outreach program, field trips, student organizations, and attendance at conferences and workshops. Examples of student organizations include the Badger Crops Club and The People’s Farm. One of the strengths of our program is the opportunity to work with university research and outreach programs and experience scientific inquiry and the communication of scientific findings on real-world problems.

Customize a path of study

Plant Science and Technology students can select from a wide array of elective options to complete coursework that fits their interests and career goals. For some students, gaining experience in a variety of plant materials will be an important career objective, while for other students, exposure to fields such as economics, life sciences communication, foreign languages, or food science might be critical. The Plant Science and Technology major provides ample opportunities for students to identify electives that help build career skills and provide a well-rounded undergraduate experience.

Make a strong start

A number of first-year seminar courses are available to help new students understand academic programs, access student services, and develop time management and study skills.

Gain a global perspective

Many Plant Science and Technology majors study abroad to gain an international perspective and prepare to participate in today’s global economy. Students work with their advisor and the CALS study abroad office to identify appropriate programs. The Plant Science and Technology major is also home to a study abroad program in tropical agriculture that includes a fall semester course and a winter break study abroad experience in Central America.

To declare this major, students must be admitted to UW–Madison and the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS). For information about becoming a CALS first-year or transfer student, see Entering the College.

Students who attend Student Orientation, Advising, and Registration (SOAR) with the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences have the option to declare this major at SOAR.  Students may otherwise declare after they have begun their undergraduate studies. For more information, contact the advisor listed in the Contact Information box.

University General Education Requirements

All undergraduate students at the University of Wisconsin–Madison are required to fulfill a minimum set of common university general education requirements to ensure that every graduate acquires the essential core of an undergraduate education. This core establishes a foundation for living a productive life, being a citizen of the world, appreciating aesthetic values, and engaging in lifelong learning in a continually changing world. Various schools and colleges will have requirements in addition to the requirements listed below. Consult your advisor for assistance, as needed. For additional information, see the university Undergraduate General Education Requirements section of the Guide.

General Education

• Breadth-Humanities/Literature/Arts: 6 credits
• Breadth-Natural Science: 4 to 6 credits, consisting of one 4- or 5-credit course with a laboratory component; or two courses providing a total of 6 credits
• Breadth-Social Studies: 3 credits
• Communication Part A & Part B*
• Ethnic Studies*
• Quantitative Reasoning Part A & Part B*
• * The mortarboard symbol appears before the title of any course that fulfills one of the Communication Part A or Part B, Ethnic Studies, or Quantitative Reasoning Part A or Part B requirements.

College of Agricultural and Life Sciences Requirements

In addition to the University General Education Requirements, all undergraduate students in CALS must satisfy a set of college and major requirements. Courses may not double count within university requirements (General Education and Breadth) or within college requirements (First-Year Seminar, International Studies, Science, and Capstone), but courses counted toward university requirements may also be used to satisfy a college and/or a major requirement; similarly, courses counted toward college requirements may also be used to satisfy a university and/or a major requirement.

Quality of Work: Students must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.000 to remain in good standing and be eligible for graduation.

Residency: Students must complete 30 degree credits in residence at UW-Madison after earning 86 credits toward their undergraduate degree.

First Year Seminar: 1
International Studies: 3
Physical Science Fundamentals: 4-5
CHEM 103: General Chemistry I
or CHEM 108: Chemistry in Our World
or CHEM 109: Advanced General Chemistry
Biological Science: 5
Additional Science (Biological, Physical, or Natural): 3
Science Breadth (Biological, Physical, Natural, or Social): 3
CALS Capstone Learning Experience: included in the requirements of each CALS major (see “Major Requirements”)

Summary of Major Requirements

Foundation: 27-33 credits
Plant Science and Technology Core: 22-25 credits
Plant Science and Technology Electives: 15 credits
Capstone in Major: 2 credits
Total Credits: 66-75 credits

Plant Science & Technology Major Requirements

Mathematics
Complete one of the following (or requirement may be fulfilled by placement exam): 5-6 credits
MATH 112: Algebra & MATH 113: Trigonometry
MATH 114: Algebra and Trigonometry
MATH 171: Calculus with Algebra and Trigonometry I

Statistics
Complete one of the following: 3-4 credits
STAT 240: Data Science Modeling I
STAT 301: Introduction to Statistical Methods
STAT 371: Introductory Applied Statistics for the Life Sciences

Chemistry
Complete one of the following: 5-9 credits
CHEM 103 & CHEM 104: General Chemistry I and General Chemistry II
CHEM 109: Advanced General Chemistry

Biology
Complete one of the following sequences: 10 credits
Sequence 1: BIOLOGY/BOTANY/ZOOLOGY 151: Introductory Biology & BIOLOGY/BOTANY/ZOOLOGY 152: Introductory Biology
Sequence 2: BOTANY/BIOLOGY 130: General Botany, BIOLOGY/ZOOLOGY 101: Animal Biology, & BIOLOGY/ZOOLOGY 102: Animal Biology Laboratory
Sequence 3: BIOCORE 381: Evolution, Ecology, and Genetics, BIOCORE 382: Evolution, Ecology, and Genetics Laboratory, BIOCORE 383: Cellular Biology, & BIOCORE 384: Cellular Biology Laboratory

Economics
Complete one of the following: 4 credits
AAE 101: Introduction to Agricultural and Applied Economics
ECON 101: Principles of Microeconomics
ECON 111: Principles of Economics-Accelerated Treatment

Plant Science and Technology Core

Plant Science
Complete all of the following: 11 credits
PLANTSCI 110: Introduction to Plant Science and Technology
PLANTSCI 310: Plant Science and Technology in Cropping Systems
SOIL SCI 301: General Soil Science

Genetics
Complete one of the following: 3 credits
GENETICS 466: Principles of Genetics
PLANTSCI 338: Plant Breeding and Biotechnology

Systems
Complete one of the following: 3-4 credits
PL PATH 300: Introduction to Plant Pathology
PLANTSCI 300: Cropping Systems
ENTOM/ZOOLOGY 302: Introduction to Entomology

Environment
Complete one of the following: 3-4 credits
PLANTSCI 320: Environment of Cultivated Plants
BOTANY 500: Plant Physiology

Technology
Complete one of the following: 3 credits
PLANTSCI 340: Plant Genome Engineering and Editing
PLANTSCI 334: Greenhouse Cultivation & PLANTSCI 335: Greenhouse Cultivation Lab
BSE 305: Introduction to Precision Agriculture
BSE 380: Introductory Data Science for the Agricultural and Life Sciences

Plant Science and Technology Electives

Major Depth
Complete 9 credits. A course completed to meet the Core requirements may not count as a major depth course.
PLANTSCI 227: Propagation of Horticultural Plants
PLANTSCI/PL PATH 262: Turfgrass Management Laboratory
PLANTSCI/LAND ARC 263: Woody Landscape Plant Identification, Culture, and Use
PLANTSCI 300: Cropping Systems
PLANTSCI 302: Forage Management and Utilization
PLANTSCI 320: Environment of Cultivated Plants
PLANTSCI 340: Plant Genome Engineering and Editing
PLANTSCI 334: Greenhouse Cultivation
PLANTSCI 338: Plant Breeding and Biotechnology
PLANTSCI 360: Genetically Modified Crops: Science, Regulation & Controversy
PLANTSCI 370: World Vegetable Crops
PLANTSCI 376: Tropical Horticultural Systems
PLANTSCI 378: Tropical Horticultural Systems International Field Study
AGROECOL 377: Global Food Production and Health
DY SCI 471: Food Production Systems and Sustainability
PLANTSCI 501: Principles of Plant Breeding
PLANTSCI 502: Techniques of Plant Breeding
PLANTSCI 550: Molecular Approaches for Crop Improvement
BSE 305: Introduction to Precision Agriculture
BSE 365: Measurements and Instrumentation for Biological Systems
BSE 380: Introductory Data Science for the Agricultural and Life Sciences
BSE 405: Artificial Intelligence in Agriculture
BOTANY 300: Plant Anatomy
ENTOM/ZOOLOGY 302: Introduction to Entomology
BOTANY 500: Plant Physiology
ENTOM 351: Principles of Economic Entomology
ENTOM/BOTANY/ZOOLOGY 473: Plant-Insect Interactions
GENETICS 466: Principles of Genetics
GENETICS/BIOCHEM 631: Plant Genetics and Development
PL PATH 300: Introduction to Plant Pathology
SOIL SCI 332: Turfgrass Nutrient and Water Management
PL PATH 315: Plant Microbiomes
PL PATH/BOTANY/ENTOM 505: Plant-Microbe Interactions: Molecular and Ecological Aspects
PL PATH 517: Plant Disease Resistance
PL PATH 559: Diseases of Economic Plants

Major Breadth
Complete 6 credits.
AAE 319: The International Agricultural Economy
AAE 320: Agricultural Systems Management
AAE 322: Commodity Markets
AAE 323: Cooperatives and Alternative Forms of Enterprise Ownership
AAE 419: Agricultural Finance
AAE 422: Food Systems and Supply Chains
BIOCHEM 501: Introduction to Biochemistry
BSE 301: Land Information Management
BOTANY 305: Plant Morphology and Evolution
BOTANY 400: Plant Systematics
BOTANY 401: Vascular Flora of Wisconsin
BOTANY/ANTHRO/ZOOLOGY 410: Evolutionary Biology
BOTANY 422: Plant Geography
BOTANY/AMER IND/ANTHRO 474: Ethnobotany
COMP SCI 220: Data Science Programming I
F&W ECOL/ENVIR ST 100: Forests of the World
F&W ECOL/C&E SOC/SOC 248: Environment, Natural Resources, and Society
F&W ECOL/ENVIR ST/GLE/GEOG/GEOSCI/LAND ARC 371: Introduction to Environmental Remote Sensing
GEN BUS 310: Fundamentals of Accounting and Finance for Non-Business Majors
GEN BUS 311: Fundamentals of Management and Marketing for Non-Business Majors
LSC 270: Marketing Communication for the Sciences
GENETICS 545: Genetics Laboratory
GEOG/ENVIR ST 309: People, Land and Food: Comparative Study of Agriculture Systems
GEOG/BOTANY 338: Environmental Biogeography
GEOG/ENVIR ST 339: Environmental Conservation
PLANTSCI 121: Colloquium in Plant Science and Technology
PLANTSCI 234: Herbaceous Ornamental Plant Identification, Culture, and Use
PLANTSCI 240: The Science of Cannabis
PLANTSCI/PL PATH 261: Sustainable Turfgrass Use and Management
AGROECOL/HIST SCI 301: (Horti)Cultural Roots: Human Histories of Plants and Science
PLANTSCI 230: Wines and Vines the World
HORT/PLANTSCI 350: Plants and Human Wellbeing
PLANTSCI 351: A Deeper Look at Plants and Human Wellbeing
PLANTSCI 372: Seminar in Organic Agriculture
PLANTSCI 380: Indigenous Foodways: Food and Seed Sovereignty
LAND ARC 260: History of Landscape Architecture
PL PATH 311: Global Food Security
SOIL SCI 323: Soil Biology
SOIL SCI/ENVIR ST 324: Soils and Environmental Quality
SOIL SCI 327: Environmental Monitoring and Soil Characterization
SOIL SCI/ENVIR ST 575: Assessment of Environmental Impact
SOIL SCI 585: Using R for Soil and Environmental Sciences
SOIL SCI 621: Soil and Environmental Chemistry

Capstone in Major
Complete the following: 2 credits
PLANTSCI 510: Senior Capstone Experience

Total Credits: 66-75

1. Define biological processes related to plant growth, development, and productivity and explain their role in plant and agroecosystem sciences
2. Apply scientific and technological concepts and critical thinking skills to analyze global issues in plant and agroecosystem sciences
3. Communicate solutions to complex problems in the field of plant science and technology to diverse audiences composed of peers, scientists, and/or professionals

This sample four-year plan is a tool to assist students and their advisors.  Students should use their DARS report, the degree planner, Guide requirements, and the course search & enroll tools to make their own four-year plan based on their placement scores, credit for transferred courses and approved examinations, and individual interests.

Note: Math course selection is based on placement scores. Plant Science and Technology majors must complete MATH 112 & MATH 113 or MATH 114 or satisfy the math requirement by placement exam.

Advising

Each student receives one-on-one guidance from their professional advisor. Academic advisors will help students build an individualized, four-year plan. Many Plant Science and Technology majors complete certificates or double majors.

Career Opportunities

The knowledge and skills developed through the Plant Science and Technology major prepare students for a wide variety of careers. The program is designed to allow students to pursue their interests and career goals. Some of the areas students may work in include: crop production and consulting, precision agriculture, biotechnology, state and federal agencies, and other policy positions. Students may also continue their education in graduate programs in several different plant science programs that incorporate a wide range of interests such as crop science, agronomy, horticulture, and plant biotechnology.

Career Advising

Students are encouraged to begin the career exploration process early in their UW-Madison journey by working with advisors, faculty, and CALS Career Services. These resources can help students reflect on their values, identify career goals, and outline strategies to achieve them. CALS Career Services advisors can help students one-on-one with their career goals, resume and cover letter help, interview prep, and more.

Research Experience

Students are encouraged to get involved with plant science and technology research on campus. Students primarily find research opportunities by directly contacting faculty or searching on the Student Job Center.

Internships

Plant Science and Technology students have many opportunities for hands-on experience through internships. On campus, students can get experience by working at one of the green spaces on campus. Some examples are Allen Centennial Garden, D.C. Smith Greenhouse, the Wisconsin Crop Innovation Center, Walnut Street Greenhouses, and UW Student Organic Farm. Students can also intern off-campus. Some examples are working at an agricultural business, a farm, a non-governmental organization, or one of the Agricultural Research Stations. Students can connect with their advisor or CALS Career Services to learn more about internships.

Student Organizations

Connect with other Plant Science and Technology students and those interested in plants and technology by joining a student organization. Organizations of particular interest to Plant Science and Technology students include Badger Crops Club, UW Campus Food Shed, and Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS).  A list of organizations is available on the Department of Plant and Agroecosystem Sciences website.

Global Engagement

Plant Science and Technology students can study or intern abroad through one of UW-Madison’s 260+ programs. Visit our Major Advising Page to learn more about studying abroad as a Plant Science and Technology major.

Plant Science and Technology students have access to hands-on experiences on and off campus at UW-Madison facilities such as:

• Agricultural Research Stations – there are over 10 research stations across the state of Wisconsin that are used by faculty, staff, and students to conduct research
• Allen Centennial Garden – a free, public garden that is located right down the street from the Department of Plant and Agroecosystem Sciences. The garden hosts events, classes, festivals, workshops, and more.
• CALS Greenhouses – located right on campus, a variety of Wisconsin agricultural crops are studied here.
• D.C. Smith Greenhouse – an instructional greenhouse that grows plants for departments and programs of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. Many classes are also taught in the greenhouse.
• UW Arboretum – located off campus on Seminole Hwy, the UW Arboretum’s mission is to “Conserve and restore Arboretum lands, advance restoration ecology, and foster the land ethic.”
• Wisconsin Crop Improvement Center (WCIC) – located off campus in Middleton, the WCIC is a 100,000 square foot agricultural biotechnology/greenhouse complex. The building houses a state-of-the-art transgenic plant laboratory which supports unprecedented scientific advancement opportunities to improve plants for humans, livestock, and the environment.

Scholarships

College of Agricultural and Life students receive more than $1.25 million annually in scholarship awards. Plant Science and Technology majors can apply for these scholarships through a single application in the Wisconsin Scholarship Hub (WiSH). To learn more about college scholarships please visit the CALS scholarship website.