Bioagricultural Sciences M.S. – Pest Management Specialization

Learn to sustain our food supply and provide agricultural biosecurity

Insects, plant diseases, and weeds cause major annual losses in food production worldwide. The Pest Management M.S. degree is the only internship-based M.S. in the United States that provides training on all biotic stresses faced in food production, including entomology, plant pathology, and weed science.

The Pest Management M.S. degree is a Plan B MS coursework and internship-based program that prepares students to work to sustain our food and fiber supply, provide agricultural biosecurity, and protect our natural ecosystems from pests, plant diseases, and weeds. Students complete coursework, an internship, and a professional paper.

A career path with growing industry demand

There is a great need for people with advanced training in agriculture and food systems, and the number of people currently prepared to work in these fields is lower than the number of jobs available.

This program prepares students to work as extension educators, import/export inspectors, crop advisors, or in multiple industry roles focused on management of insects, plant diseases, and weeds in agricultural systems. Overall, employment of students from our graduate programs is nearly 100%.

Amy Charkowski

My research goal is to learn how necrotrophic bacterial pathogens cause disease in plants. My lab focuses on Pectobacterium and Dickeya, which are broad host range bacterial pathogens and we study how these bacteria infect potato and how to best detect these pathogens in potato and in the environment. We are also interested in other high impact potato pathogens, especially Potato virus Y, and are currently working on projects related to virus resistance and detection in potato.

Ada Szczepaniec

I have always been fascinated by pest outbreaks and drawn to the molecular interactions between arthropod herbivores and plants that underlie eruptive pest dynamics. I integrate molecular approaches with field and greenhouse research to promote deeper understanding of mechanisms that lower resistance of plants in managed landscapes. The goal of my work is to make meaningful contributions to extend this knowledge to plant protection and improve long-term sustainability of pest management.

Current work is focused on sustainable approaches to management of pests associated with new crops such as industrial hemp, direct and indirect host plant defenses against insects and mites and their mechanisms, and insecticide resistance..

Jane Stewart

My research interests include: understanding the biology, ecology and genetics of emerging tree/plant pathogenic fungi using population genetics and genomic methods, studying the interactions of plant and fungi that govern variation in host specialization, pathogenicity, and virulence, and understanding genomic drivers of fungal species delimitation and divergence with a focus on pathogens important to Colorado’s forests, shade and fruit trees, and forests worldwide.

Todd Gaines

My research goal is to support sustainable weed management that helps contribute to sustainable cropping systems. To that end, I am interested in research to identify the molecular and genetic basis of complex herbicide resistance mechanisms; utilizing next-generation sequencing to study complex traits in weeds; and developing molecular markers for rapid resistance diagnostics. Research projects in my lab study changes in evolutionary trajectories of weedy species due to human management (specifically herbicides and herbicide resistance evolution), and develop genomics and bioinformatics resources to study herbicide resistance traits in weedy species and crops.

Ana Cristina Fulladolsa

I am passionate about applying science to solve agricultural problems. Plant diagnostics gives me the opportunity to do exactly this! Each sample is unique and brings new questions. I enjoy discovering the answers and helping people find the best way to take care of their plants. I am dedicated to mentoring and teaching everyone that comes to the clinic. I love sharing science with people of all backgrounds and encourage curiosity for plant science among younger generations and the public.

Effective Fall 2023

Section 1: Core Foundation (15 credits)

• AB 551– Advanced Integrated Pest Management (4 cr.)
• BSPM 587– Internship¹ (3 cr.)
• BSPM 698– Research² (6 cr.)
• BSPM 792– Seminar³ (2 cr.)

Section 2: Agricultural Biology Electives. Select 13-19 credits from this list. Do not exceed the number of 300/400-level credits permitted by the Graduate School for this degree.

• AB 509– Herbicide Selectivity and Action
• AB 515– Plant Biochemistry in Agriculture
• AB 529– Pesticide Resistance Evolution and Management
• BSPM 361– Elements of Plant Pathology⁴
• BSPM 365– Integrated Tree Health Management
• BSPM 594– Independent Study

Section 3: General Electives. Select 0-6 credits from this list. Do not exceed the number of 300/400-level credits permitted by the Graduate School for this degree.

• AGED 525– Agricultural and Extension Teaching
• AGRI 630– Integrated Decision Making/Management Skills
• AREC 478– Agricultural Policy
• HORT 515/AGRI 515– Urban Horticulture
• FW 567– Wildlife Disease Ecology
• NR 577– Wetland Ecology and Restoration

Program Total Credits: 34

¹ Internship placement to be selected in coordination with departmental program advisor and graduate advisor. Includes a professional development plan for the internship (3 credits).

² Includes a professional paper on topic related to student's specialization and approved by the student’s advisor and graduate committee (6 credits).

³ Enroll in department seminar for 1 credit twice (2 semesters total, 2 credits total).

⁴ If these Foundation undergraduate courses were not taken during the undergraduate degree, complete as part of the MS degree.

Elective Options

• HORT 410– Postharvest Biology and Technology (3 cr.)
• HORT 412– Floriculture Crops (4 cr.)
• HORT 441– Turfgrass Science (3 cr.)
• HORT 453– Principles of Fruit Crop Management (3 cr.)
• HORT 462– Viticulture Practices in Grape Production (3 cr.)
• HORT 476– Environmental Plant Stress Physiology (3 cr.)
• HORT 511– Green Roof Culture (3 cr.)
• HORT 515– Urban Horticulture (3 cr.)
• HORT 576– Advanced Environmental Plant Stress Physics (3 cr.)
• SOCR 400– Soils and Global Change (3 cr.)
• SOCR 424– Topics in Organic Agriculture (3 cr.)
• SOCR 442– Forest and Range Soils (3 cr.)
• SOCR 460– Plant Breeding and Biotechnology (3 cr.)
• SOCR 580A7– Introduction to Environmental Data Science (2 cr.)
• AGED 510– American Agricultural Values and Ideology (3 cr.)
• AGED 520– 4-H and Youth Programs in Extension (3 cr.)
• AGED 525– Agriculture and Extension Teaching (3 cr.)
• AGED 600– Evalation and Applied Research in Extension (3 cr.)

Application Deadlines