Skip to main content
Skip to main menu Skip to spotlight region Skip to secondary region Skip to UGA region Skip to Tertiary region Skip to Quaternary region Skip to unit footer

Slideshow

Banner Image:
Environmental research portrait of Distinguished Research Professor Winner Kelly Dawe.

Plant Biology - B.S.

About this Degree

The Plant Biology major is aimed at giving students a broad understanding of plant and/or fungal biology relevant to current environmental and societal challenges, and thus relevant to jobs. The plant biology major includes several core classes similar to a biology major (e.g. genetics, evolution) but provides the flexibility to build an interdisciplinary program of study from a broader range of courses and pursue an emphasis in either ecology/environment or biotechnology/bioinformatics/genomics. Advanced plant biology classes are typically small and promote interactive learning with combinations of lab and lecture experiences. Independent research is a central theme in our department, because directed study in the field or laboratory with a faculty member gives the student first-hand experience with the scientific process and builds skills relevant for careers in science.

The Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree with a major in Plant Biology is a liberal arts degree with a concentration in the plant sciences. It prepares students for ecologically or biotechnology oriented careers focusing on the plants that are foundational to earth’s biota and essential for supplying the world with food, fuel, and fiber

 

What you will learn

The best way to learn about science is to help professionals as they acquire new knowledge in the laboratory or at field sites. Plant Biology faculty welcome undergraduate participation in research projects. By working "in the trenches" along side faculty, graduate students and research fellows, undergraduates discover how science is really done, and at the same time, receive academic credit for their efforts.

Careers in Plant Sciences are numerous and diverse. They include research at universities, government laboratories and at biotech companies; teaching at the high school, college or university level; management and interpretaion as staff biologists with state and federal agencies; and adminitration and sales with plant and plant product related industries. An undergraduate major in plant biology also provides a strong background for graduate-level study in plant biology and other biological sciences.

Agriculture Technician
Agronomist
Animal Technician
Biological Technician
Botanist
Chemical Analyst
Clinical Research Assistant
Conservation Technician
Ecosystem Manager
Educator
Environmental Consultant
Environmental Technician
Environmental Scientist
Field Research Biologist
Genetic Engineer
Horticulture/Agricultural Plant 
Industrial Ecologists
Breeder
Lab Equipment Sales Representative
Lab Technician
Laboratory Associate
Medical Lab Nurse
Medical Professional
Microbiologist
Nutritionist
Park Naturalist
Plant Ecologist
Plant Research Technologist
Project Coordinator
Quality Control Technician
Research Assistant
Soil and Plant Scientist
School Programs Coordinator
Wildlife Biologist

3M Company
Alliant Energy
BASF The Chemical Company
Biomedical and Pharmaceutical 
Companies
Biotechnology
Chemical Companies
Consumer Health And Safety
Cox Arboretum
Dow ArgoSciences
Food Safety
Food Technology
Genetic Engineering 
Georgia Department of Agriculture
Georgia Department of Natural 
Resources
Great Smokies Diagnostic Lab
Lab Technicians
Lockerly Arboretum
Marketing And Sales
Medical College of Georgia
Medicine
Natural Resources
Safety and Testing
Scottsdale Farms Nursery
The State Botanical Garden of Georgia
US Department of Agriculture
US Fish and Wildlife Service
US National Park Service
Zoo Atlanta

General Research Information:
  • Systematics
  • Molecular Genetics
  • Genomics and Bioinformatics
  • Fungal Biology
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Ecology
  • Cellular and Developmental Biology
  • Biochemistry and Physiology
  • Biology Education

Support Franklin College

We appreciate your financial support. Your gift is important to us and helps support critical opportunities for students and faculty alike, including lectures, travel support, and any number of educational events that augment the classroom experience. Click here to learn more about giving.