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Botany Graduate Program Proficiencies

 Overview



 Proficiency Areas

The following areas define a common core of knowledge that should be held by all botanists, regardless of his or her specialization.

Plant Diversity

You are expected to be familiar with the evolutionary diversity of the broad range of plants, including
  • algae
  • fungi
  • higher plants
The following course (lecture and lab) covers all of these taxa.
  • BOT 201 Plant Evolutionary Diversity (3) Significance of evolutionary trends in the plant world, including reproductive, morphological and life history adaptations by algae, fungi, and vascular plants.
  • BOT 201L Plant Evolutionary Diversity Lab (1) (1 3-hr Lab) Lab exercises in the morphology and systematics of land plants, fungi, and algae. 
As many students are very familiar with one or more of these taxa (for example, having taken a course), there are several ways to demonstrate proficiency to complete this proficiency.
  • Self-study and passing the Botany 201 exam covering the subject materials.
  • Taking Botany 201 and passing the relevant exam.
Note: The Botany Department policy governing the Plant Diversity proficiency is on this link.

Evolution and Genetics

Hawai`i is a special place regarding evolution and the study of the genetics of organisms.  For you to properly understand the context of much of the research that you will hear about in your graduate career, you are expected to have completed one course that covers topics in evolution and genetics.

Example of course that meet this proficiency include
  • BIOL 375 (Concepts in Genetics)
  • BOT 462 (Plant Evolution)

Ecology

Hawai`i has a rich range of environmental conditions, both in the variety of its terrestrial landscapes as well as in the variety of its marine habitats.  We are also located in the center of high-priority areas for conservation.  You are expected to be proficient in the broad field of ecology so that you can benefit from your graduate studies in this unique place.

You must be able to show proficiency equivalent to having taken one ecology course at the 400-level or above.  Example courses include
  • BOT 453 (Plant Ecology and Environmental Measurements)
  • BOT 454 (Vegetation Ecology)

Professional Presentations

All graduate students must take at least one offering of BOT 610. This satisfies the Graduate Division requirement of one seminar course.

All graduate students are to present a lecture in a course that is offered by the Botany Department faculty:
  • MS students – lecture one time
  • PhD students – lecture three times (preferably in different semesters)
There are several situations in which a student can substitute an alternative activity for all or part of this lecturing requirement.
  • An MS student who is a Teaching Assistant that conducts a weekly laboratory session can substitute this activity for the lecturing requirement.
  • A PhD student who is a Teaching Assistant that conducts a weekly laboratory can substitute this activity for one lecturing experience, and should lecture the other two times.
  • An MS student that presents a seminar at a public or professional meeting may substitute this experience for the lecturing requirement.
  • A PhD student that presents a seminar at a public or professional meeting may substitute that for one lecturing experience, but should lecture the other two times.
Lecturing opportunities should be decided by the student with his or her committee, along with those faculty members who are willing to have students lecture in their classes.

Lecture material should be that prepared by the faculty (i.e., an existing PowerPoint lecture) or mutually agreed upon by the student and faculty member who is in charge of the course.

Size of class should be a factor in determining what course a student should lecture in. PhD students in their third lecture should lecture to a large class audience, if available.

Note: the Botany Department policy governing the Professional Presentations is on this link.

Botany Fundamentals for Graduate Students


  • BOT 601 Foundations of Current Botany I (2) Integrative discussion of fundamentals and recent breakthroughs in modules spanning the diversity of approaches and topics in modern botany.
  • BOT 602 Foundations of Current Botany II (2) Integrative discussion of fundamentals and recent breakthroughs in modules spanning the diversity of approaches and topics in modern botany.

 Procedure to Demonstrate these Proficiencies


Subpages (1): Plant Diversity Proficiency Policy