Nov 27, 2024  
2024-2025 Graduate Catalog 
    
2024-2025 Graduate Catalog

Agriculture, PhD


Program Description


Students enrolled in the Agriculture Doctor of Philosophy program select from two concentrations: Agricultural Systems Management or Agricultural Education. For more information, please visit the departmental website https://www.clemson.edu/cafls/departments/agricultural-sciences/index.html.

Summary of Degree Requirements


This degree requires a minimum of 30 credits beyond the master’s degree, and at least 60 credits beyond the bachelor’s degree. A minimum of 12 credit hours of non-research coursework and a minimum of 18 hours of dissertation research are required.

Coursework leading to the Agriculture PhD degree is planned to give students a comprehensive knowledge of this field of specialization and a mastery of the methods of research. This degree is not awarded solely on the basis of coursework completed, residence, completion of preliminary or comprehensive examinations, or other routine requirements. The final basis for granting this degree is a student’s grasp of the subject matter across a broad field of study, competence in planning and conducting research, and ability to express themselves adequately and professionally, both orally and in writing. Ultimately, only a student’s advisory committee can certify that s/he has earned this degree.

Core Coursework


Agricultural Education Concentration


Agricultural Systems Management Concentration


The course requirements for the PhD in Agricultural Systems Management concentration cover a diverse subject matter with respect to expertise. Subject matter covered under this program ranges from natural resources, power and machinery, instrumentation, and controls, to precision agriculture. With this diverse subject matter, students have flexibility in their curriculum to take courses in their subject area with the approval of the major advisor. The basic statistics and methodology courses meet the fundamentals all students need and then based on the dissertation focus, other courses are selected to meet the needs of individual students.