Plants in the greenhouse complex at Guterman Lab.

SIPS Degrees & Programs

Gain critical skills to advance your knowledge and address local and global challenges.

The School of Integrative Plant Science is the largest academic unit in Cornell's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. It is composed of five sections with interrelated activities in the plant sciences: Horticulture, Plant Biology, Plant Breeding and Genetics, Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology, and Soil and Crop Sciences.

Degree programs

students at dilmun hill student farm
Undergraduate

The Cornell CALS plant sciences major prepares students for careers or further study in fundamental biology, plant breeding, pest and disease management and production of plants for food, fiber and ornamental uses.

students looking at rice plants
Graduate - M.S./Ph.D.

Graduate study in SIPS is organized into five graduate fields. Collectively these fields provide unparalleled opportunities to connect disciplines, creatively solve problems and integrate complex systems. Includes graduate fields of Horticulture, Plant Biology, Plant Breeding, Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology, and Soil and Crop Sciences.

people driving a hemp harvester in the field
Graduate - Integrative Plant Science MPS

The Master of Professional Studies (MPS) degree in Integrative Plant Science is a one-year, course-based master's degree, ideal for individuals who are interested in in-depth study of the issues and advancements in plant and soil sciences.

Continuing education

Our school is committed to lifelong learning, offering a wide range of programming and skill building for children and adults alike. See featured education programs to take advantage of these opportunities, including online courses and seminar, garden tours and more.

News from the School of Integrative Plant Science

Learn about the many ways we are addressing some of the world's most urgent challenges.

no mow planting on libe slope with clocktower in background

News

Let the grass grow
Cornell urban grassland and landscape experts provide tips on how to mow less and save you money, fuel and time while yielding multiple environmental benefits -- including reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
  • School of Integrative Plant Science
  • Horticulture Section
  • Landscape
A man walking outside down a grassy lane between cassava fields

Spotlight

NextGen Cassava Impact: A Decade of Change
The Next Generation Cassava Breeding Project (NextGen Cassava) is blending advanced breeding technologies with equally sophisticated approaches to gathering market intelligence to serve a single purpose: meeting the everyday needs of millions of...
  • Global Development Section
  • School of Integrative Plant Science
  • Plant Breeding and Genetics Section
Cassava plant in hand

Spotlight

New Era of Cassava Breeding
Today, cassava is cultivated on millions of smallholder farms across sub-Saharan Africa and consumed daily in a wide range of African dishes. This versatile food crop can be harvested and boiled fresh or dried and processed into flour or cassava...
  • Global Development Section
  • School of Integrative Plant Science
  • Plant Breeding and Genetics Section
Cassava in a field

Spotlight

Smarter Cassava Breeding
At the start of the NextGen Cassava initiative, scientists were eager to unlock the genetic potential of cassava. But they were equally committed to exploring the preferences of people growing cassava. They wanted assurances that their advanced...
  • Global Development Section
  • School of Integrative Plant Science
  • Plant Breeding and Genetics Section

Land Acknowledgment

Cornell University is located on the traditional homelands of the Gayogo̱hó:nǫɁ (the Cayuga Nation). The Gayogo̱hó:nǫɁ are members of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, an alliance of six sovereign Nations with a historic and contemporary presence on this land. The Confederacy precedes the establishment of Cornell University, New York state, and the United States of America. We acknowledge the painful history of Gayogo̱hó:nǫɁ dispossession, and honor the ongoing connection of Gayogo̱hó:nǫɁ people, past and present, to these lands and waters.

This land acknowledgment has been reviewed and approved by the traditional Gayogo̱hó:nǫɁ leadership. Learn more from the American Indian and Indigenous Studies Program website.