This program provides students desiring advanced training or a broad-based education in agricultural sciences a course of study leading to a non-thesis master’s degree. The Master of Science in Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences program requires a total of 30 hours of graduate level work with a minimum of 15 semester hours in the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences.

The student’s graduate committee will outline the total program of study, including work outside the general fields of agriculture, based upon individual needs. An applicant must meet all of the requirements for admission to the Graduate School. The program’s supervisory committee provides guidelines to determine the student’s eligibility to enter the program and whether any course deficiencies should be assessed. The student and the Program Chair, with approval of the Dean of the Graduate School, select a major adviser. The major adviser should be from the department in which the heaviest concentration of agricultural courses (at least nine hours) will be developed. The major adviser, in consultation with the student, will recommend additional faculty members to serve on the student’s graduate committee, including one member from the program supervisory committee and one from outside of the department of major interest.

Each student will complete one three-hour special problem in which a technical paper will be developed. A student cannot receive credit for more than six hours of special problems or directed study for this degree.