Master of Science (MSc) in Botany
Dunedin, New Zealand
DURATION
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
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EARLIEST START DATE
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TUITION FEES
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STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
Introduction
Master of Science (MSc) in Botany
The Master of Science (MSc) is a two-year degree which encompasses both coursework and research. The first year involves mainly coursework and preliminary research preparation. Students will have the opportunity to contribute to existing fields of research, or to begin to develop new areas.
Why study Botany?
Botany is an exciting and challenging degree taught by a team of excellent plant scientists.
You will learn about important, topical issues such as biotechnology, genetic modification, ecosystem services, sustainability and the ecological impacts of environmental change.
Studying Botany at Otago will enable you to examine New Zealand’s unique flora on land and in the sea. You will study its diversity and evolutionary history as well as how this flora may be affected by changing climatic conditions, ocean acidification, and invasive organisms. Botany courses will cover a wide range of topics from how photosynthetic organisms function to understanding their role in ecosystem processes. This will include the importance of plants in addressing some of the challenges and problems that face society in the 21st Century.
Botany courses have great field-trips focusing on various aspects of plant ecology, and allowing you to participate in hands-on study of our exciting natural environment.
The wide range of topics and skills learnt in Botany can lead to many different careers.
Admissions
Scholarships and Funding
Several scholarship options are available. Please check the university website for more information.
Curriculum
- The degree may be awarded in any of the subjects listed above. With the approval of the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Sciences) the degree may be awarded in a subject not listed above.
- The program of study shall be as prescribed for the subject concerned.
- A candidate whose qualification for entry to the program is the degree of Bachelor of Science with Honours or the Postgraduate Diploma in Science or equivalent may achieve the degree after a minimum of one year of further study, normally by completing a thesis or equivalent as prescribed in the MSc Schedule.
- A candidate may be exempted from some of the prescribed papers on the basis of previous study.
- A candidate shall, before commencing the investigation to be described in a thesis, secure the approval of the Head of the Department concerned for the topic, the supervisor(s), and the proposed course of the investigation.
- A candidate may not present a thesis which has previously been accepted for another degree.
- A candidate taking the degree by papers and thesis must pass both the papers and the thesis components.
- For the thesis, the research should be of a kind that a diligent and competent student should complete within one year of full-time study.
Subject areas
View the list of subjects offered for the Master of Science (MSc) and the Master of Applied Science (MAppSc).
- Anatomy
- Biochemistry
- Bioengineering
- Botany
- Chemistry
- Cognitive Science
- Computational Modelling (no new enrolments are currently being accepted)
- Computer Science
- Consumer Food Science
- Ecology
- Economics
- Electronics (no new enrolments)
- Energy Science and Technology
- Environmental Management
- Environmental Science
- Food Science
- Genetics
- Geographic Information Systems
- Geography
- Geology
- Geophysics
- Human Nutrition
- Immunology
- Information Science
- Marine Science
- Mathematics
- Microbiology
- Neuroscience
- Pharmacology
- Physics
- Physiology
- Plant Biotechnology
- Psychology
- Sport, Exercise and Health
- Statistics
- Surveying
- Toxicology
- Wildlife Management
- Zoology
Program Outcome
Level of Award of the Degree
The degree may be awarded with distinction or with credit.
Program Tuition Fee
Career Opportunities
There will always be jobs for plant scientists because plants are so fundamental to life on earth.
The world’s economies are highly dependent on plants and their associated habitats, not only for food production but also for timber, for the fibres and chemical compounds plants produce and for the ecological services they provide, such as removing CO2 from the atmosphere.
Plant scientists are employed around the world in industry, governmental and non-governmental organisations that seek to understand and conserve the natural environment, and to educate people about it.
Botany graduates are in high demand in industries such as biotechnology, horticulture, tourism and agriculture.
A Botany degree can also lead to a career in conservation, biosecurity, environmental education, environmental consultancy or academic research.
Our graduates take up positions in local and national government, for instance at the Department of Conservation, and Ministry of Primary Industries and Crown Research Institutes.
Program delivery
Application details
Applicants must apply online. They should also attach all the necessary supporting documents which includes scanned copies of their previous official academic transcripts (awards gained, marks, grades) with their application, and provide proof of their identity: this is usually achieved by providing a certified copy of the personal details page of their passport or a birth certificate (in English). Applicants must also submit detailed research proposal that shows they are familiar with current literature surrounding their topic; an up-to date curriculum vitae; and name of the academic staff member with whom they have been in contact; and with an approximate start date. They may also be required to submit an Educational Credential Evaluators report (ECE). As soon as applicants have completed their online application, their proof of identity document must be posted to International Office, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand. International student applications for semester 1/summer school study close: Oct-31; Semester 2 study close: Apr-30.