Soil Science MPS Concentration

Cornell’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) Master of Professional Studies (MPS) program is an accredited, course-based, one-year master’s degree program that emphasizes professional development and intellectual investigation in the areas of agriculture, life sciences and global development. (The Integrative Plant Science MPS program is STEM-designated degree program.)

Though similar to a Master of Science (M.S.) degree in its academic rigor, the MPS degree differs from a traditional M.S. degree in its structure and focus. An M.S. is research-based, with students building a thesis over the course of two or three years. In contrast, the MPS degree is a one-year, course-based program where students study the intricacies and in-depth questions of their field of study. Instead of a thesis or research project, MPS students complete a capstone project during their final semester. To understand this difference in greater detail, please visit our FAQ page.

MPS students are part of a community of diverse students and faculty who share common goals, connecting research and practice to solve complex problems. 

The Integrative Plant Science Master of Professional Studies program is a STEM-designated degree with coursework requirements that differ slightly from other MPS programs at Cornell.

Field of Integrative Plant Science Requirements:

• 13 credit minimum in Core Curriculum:
  • Professional Development (5 credit minimum)
  • Quantitative Literacy (2 credit minimum)
  • Capstone Project (2 – 6 credit maximum) note* if project is less than 6 credits, students must complete more credits in professional development and/or quantitative literacy
• 12 credit minimum in Concentration Curriculum:
  • These are courses specific to your concentration
• 5 credit minimum in elective courses:
  • While elective courses need to still be graduate level, there is flexibility to take courses across the university

CALS Requirements:

While completing the field requirements, the college requires that you complete:

• 30 credit minimum in graduate level courses (5000+)
• 20 credit minimum in CALS courses
• 18 credit minimum for letter grade
• Gym/language courses do not count towards degree

This project may be an action program, the development of a plan to address a pertinent problem, the development of materials or methodology suited to the student's situation, or the development and execution of research appropriate to the profession. A formal project report must be submitted to and approved by the candidate's faculty advisor. 

Browse recent projects.