Field of flowers in Ohio


Graduate Research Opportunities



Students have the opportunity to conduct research in diverse areas of contemporary plant biology, including plant genomics, transgenic plants, gene regulation and silencing, signal transduction, cell biology, development biology, metabolism, plant-microbe interactions, palebotany, physiological ecology, plant community ecology, conservation biology, and biology of aquatic and wetland ecosystem. Prospective students are encouraged to review information on faculty research programs, available through the Faculty list or by discipline on our Research page, and to contact faculty in areas of interest.


Curriculum
The Graduate Curriculum emphasizes flexibility while still providing a basic introduction to the two subdisciplinary divisions in the department, Ecology and Biodiversity, and Cell and Molecular Biology. Students design their research project and course work in association with their major advisor and advisory committee. The department encourages interdisciplinary education, and many students elect to work under the joint supervision of faculty in Plant Biology and in related departments.

Financial support for graduate education Graduate students in the department are supported on graduate stipends either through a departmental Research and Teaching assistantship (RA/TA), faculty grants, or through interdisciplinary training grants


  • Plant Biology faculty participate in the Biotechnology, GAANN and Genomics training grants, which provide highly competitive stipends for graduate education
  • USDA National Needs Fellowships for Ph.D. applicants are available in the area of plant-fungal interactions. The National Needs is a prestigious program to meet the nation's need for future researchers.
  • The NC State Graduate School Support Plant provides tuition and health insurance support in addition to the salary stipend.

Application Information

For more information concerning applying for graduate work in Plant Biology please contact Dr. Larry Blanton, Director of Graduate Programs, or Sue Vitello Student Services Coordinator.


Resources for Graduate Study