Program Overview
Integrated Plant Sciences (IPS) is your gateway to plant and fungal research at the University of Georgia. You’ll have access to more than 93 faculty across the Athens, Tifton and Griffin campuses, and research that runs from genome to field. A hallmark of IPS is translational training, backed by a university that leads the nation in turning research into real-world impact. UGA ranks No. 1 in the U.S. for new products brought to market from university research, a title it has held four years running. Our students make discoveries in the lab, test them in greenhouses and field trials across Georgia, and see them reach growers and industry through UGA Extension and industry partnerships.
More Information
Two paths in. One goal: the right fit.
Rotation path: Explore before you commit. Complete three lab rotations in your first fall semester, which can span labs on different campuses and different stages of the research pipeline. You’ll also take a streamlined core curriculum designed to ease the transition into graduate research. Then choose your thesis advisor and one of our 11 participating PhD programs.
Direct admission path: Already know where you belong? Join your advisor’s lab and PhD program from day one and start your thesis research right away, with the full support of the IPS community.
Either way, IPS connects you with advisors and collaborators across three campuses and 11 PhD programs. That helps you find the lab, the research focus, and the career path that fit you.
Integrated Plant Sciences at the University of Georgia provides:
- Training at the nation’s No. 1 university for research-to-market products, where discoveries become the varieties, tools, and technologies people use
- Three research campuses: Athens, Tifton and Griffin, with access to field stations, breeding programs, and grower networks
- Flexible entry through lab rotations or direct admission, so every student finds the right fit
- Career preparation for academia, industry, government, and extension, with strong mentoring and a proven placement record
- Competitive financial support throughout your PhD
- Industry and extension connections through internships, partnerships, and collaborations with growers and agtech
- Plant-focused seminars, retreats, and symposia that build your scientific network across campuses and disciplines
- A collaborative plant science community that bridges fundamental and applied research