MSc in Plant Biotechnology

Objectives The M.Sc. program in plant biotechnology is aiming at contributing to the development of the country’s agriculture through the use of new tools and techniques in plant biotechnology.
The specific objectives of the program include:

• To train students that are well equipped with the skill and knowledge in plant biotechnology
• To conduct biotechnology based research that help in solving the the county’s crop production constraints
• To generate and desseminate new technologies that contribute to the improvement of the country’s crop production system.

Entry requirements   

• To be eligible for the M.Sc. program in plant biotechnology, students must have a Bachelor degree or equivalent in Biotechnology, Plant sciences/Crop sciences, Horticulture, Forestry,  Biology and Biochemistry,  with a minimum CGPA of 2.0, and
• Applicants must pass written entrance examination

Graduate profile
The graduates of the M. Sc. Plant biotechnology program are expected to be:

• equipped with the theoretical knowledge and practical  skills of plant biotechnology
• capable to carry out both basic and applied research in the area of plant biotechnology in academic and/or industry
• able to teach plant biotechnology course at an undergraduate level and give short term training
• work as agents in transferring plant biotechnology knowledge and skill and contribute to the developments and wider application of the technology in the country
• able to work as consultants and entrepreneurs 

Graduation requirement
To be eligible for graduation:

• A student must take a minimum of 24 credit hours course work
• A student must score a CGPA of 3.0, with a maximum of one course with a C grade,
• A student must complete his/her M.Sc. research work successfully

Degree nomenclature: Master of Science Degree in Plant biotechnologyCourse Breakdown: Plant biotechnology (M.Sc)Year- I semester- I

Course code	Course Title	Credit hours
PLBT 501	Principles of Genetics	3 (3+0)
PLBT 511	Molecular Genetics	3  (2+1)
PLBT 521	Biochemistry	3 (2+1)
PLBT 531	Biostatistics	3 (3+0)
PLBT 541	Techniques in Microbiology & plant-microbe interactions	2 (1+1)
	Elective 1	2 (2+0)
	Total	14 (16)

 Year- I semester- II                                                                            

Course code	Course  Title	Credit hours
PLBT 502	Plant Tissue Culture	3 (2+1)
PLBT 512	Genetic Engineering	3 (2+1)
PLBT 522	Molecular Markers & their Applications	2 (1+1)
PLBR 532	Advanced Plant Breeding	3 (2+1)
PLBT 542	Bioinformatics	2 (1+1)
	Elective 2	2 (2+0)
	Total	13 (15)

E* = elective

Year- II semester- I                                                                            

Course code	Course  Title	Credit hours
CPTP 582	CBTP	2 (0+2)
PLBT 601	Current topics in plant biotechnology	1(0+1)
PLBT 611	Thesis research	6(0+6)
	Total	10

Year-II semester- II                                                                        

Course No	Course  Title	Credit hours
PLBT 611	Thesis research (continued)

Elective courses

Course No	Course  Title	Credit hours
BLBT 552	Applications of biotechnology in medicine, industry, and environment	2 (2+0)
MBA 612	Entrepreneurship	2 (2+0)
BLBT 572	Biosafety & Intellectual Property Rights	2 (2+0)