Master of Science In Plant Breeding: A New Distance Program In the Iowa State University Agronomy Department.

An online master’s degree program takes foresight and preparation to establish, and perseverance to maintain. A successful masters online degree program requires attention to changes in demographics, students’ needs, changing markets, and advancing technology.   An interdisciplinary working group is essential to encompass the responsibilities related to the function of such a program. The success of the Master of Science in Agronomy Program has created the model for a second Master’s degree program to be offered from the Agronomy Department at Iowa State University.  This creates an opportunity for students interested in attaining an advanced degree in Plant Breeding who would not otherwise have this alternative to an on-campus program.  The structure of the Master of Science in Plant Breeding Program closely resembles that of the successful Master of Science in Agronomy Program.  It will provide coursework in plant genetics and breeding, as well as statistics. The Master of Science in Plant Breeding Program’s first courses are being offered Fall 2011.