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The Plant and Soil Science Ph.D. program mandates 60 graduate-level credit hours post-bachelor's degree plus 12 dissertation credits, culminating in 72 total hours. Students can specialize in one of five tracks: crop protection, crop science, fibers and biopolymers, horticulture, or soil science, with this specialization selected during the preliminary exam. Should the preliminary admission assessment identify gaps in foundational knowledge, the graduate faculty may assign prerequisite courses. The advisory committee will guide language proficiency expectations and supplementary science coursework. Doctoral candidates must complete comprehensive written and oral exams administered by their graduate committee, evaluating their specialized expertise, interdisciplinary comprehension, scientific methodology grasp, and capacity for scholarly communication within their chosen discipline.