Horticulture and Natural Resources

Concurrent BS & MS

The combined BS/MS program in Horticulture, Park Management & Conservation, or Wildlife & Outdoor Enterprise Management provides exceptional undergraduates with the opportunity to obtain both a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in 5 years, a shorter time than typically required to earn a BS plus MS if both degrees are pursued separately. Students can obtain their MS with the thesis or nonthesis option.

The curriculum will include both course work and research experience. Graduates will be well equipped either to seek careers in the private sector or pursue advanced degrees. The advantages of the combined degree to students seeking private sector employment may be entry level positions with higher-level responsibilities, higher pay, and opportunities for more rapid advancement.

Admission Requirements

The following requirements must be met before an individual can be admitted into this program.

  • The student must be seeking a BS degree from the Department of Horticulture and Natural Resources.
  • The student must have completed 45 to 90 hours toward the BS degree
  • The student’s cumulative undergraduate GPA must be 3.0 or higher
  • The student must be nominated by a Graduate Faculty member of the Department of Horituculture and Natural Resources at any time from the second semester of the sophomore year through the second semester of the junior year. A student may be nominated during the senior year with special permission from the Director of Graduate Programs.

Application Process

The application process is the same as for the traditional MS degree except that completion of the BS degree is not required. All application materials are submitted online.

  • K-State graduate application form completed online and submitted before semester of enrollment. Application fees are submitted with the application.
  • Applicant's statement of academic objective(s) and preferred primary advisor(s) must be submitted with application.
  • Three letters of reference are required.
  • Transcript(s) of all undergraduate work.

After admission to the program, students should view program requirements for the MS degree program. The student will work closely with her/his major professor to form a supervisory committee and file a program of study by the end of the first semester of the senior year. The student’s supervisory committee must approve the program of study, which is a statement of the student’s graduation requirements. The undergraduate advisor will continue to advise the student in academic progress toward the BS degree, and the major professor will supervise the student’s academic progress and research project for the MS degree. Research toward the MS thesis will begin as soon as possible, but will not begin later than the first semester of the senior year.

Should the student meet these requirements and be approved for admission by the Graduate Admission Committee, admission will be provisional, pending the award of the BS degree. The student must complete all of the undergraduate requirements, but up to nine (9) credit hours of graduate level classes taken for graduate credit may be applied toward the 120 credit hour requirement for the undergraduate degree, and can also count toward the 30 credit hours required for the MS degree. The BS and MS degrees will be awarded concurrently.

All graduate students are required to submit an Annual Progress Report to their advisors by no later than end of August.