Plant Pathology and Microbiology

Academic Programs

Undergraduate Programs

The Plant Pathology and Microbiology Department co-administers the Interdepartmental Undergraduate Program in Microbiology.

Graduate Programs

M.S. and Ph.D. programs are offered in Plant Pathology. Students in interdepartmental programs such as; Bioinformatics and Computational Biology; Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; Genetics; Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology; Plant Physiology; Microbiology; Sustainable Agriculture and Toxicology also earn their degrees with faculty in Plant Pathology. Graduate students in our Department are offered a complete curriculum in Plant Pathology and related fields, a broad array of thesis and dissertation research areas, and opportunities for national and international professional interaction.

Requirements for the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees can be found in the Graduate Student Handbook.

Courses offered are described in the ISU Course Catalog. Topics range from how pathogens spread in the field to how they interact with plants at the molecular level. Courses also are available in related fields such as plant breeding, microbiology, genetics, molecular biology, bioinformatics, and statistics. Course requirements are designed to give you maximum flexibility in tailoring a graduate program to your needs.

Research opportunities are summarized on the Research page of this website. Individual programs of our faculty span both basic and applied aspects of plant pathology, and are carried out in the field and laboratory. A variety of plant-pathogen systems are studied at the population, organismal, and molecular levels. Unique opportunities are also available for interdepartmental research. Included are the Plant Breeding Program and the interdepartmental Seed Science Center. Expanding cooperation between the public and private sectors, including international agribusiness leaders such as Pioneer Hi-bred International and Monsanto, also makes Iowa State one of the most exciting places to pursue graduate research.

Opportunities for professional interaction include presenting your work at meetings of the American Phytopathological Society and the International Society for Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions, and others, as well as participating in extension activities.

To apply:
To take the first step toward an advanced degree in Plant Pathology that will help you to achieve your career goal, apply online; or to receive more information please write or call:

Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology
351 Bessey Hall
Ames, Iowa 50011-1020
(515) 294-1741
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