Plant Science: Environment (Ph.D.)
Offered by: Plant Science (Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences)
Degree: Doctor of Philosophy
Program Description
**This program is currently not offered.**
The Ph.D. in Plant Science Environment is a research program offered in collaboration with the Bieler School of Environment. As a complement to the unit's expertise, the program considers how various dimensions (scientific, social, legal, ethical) interact to define environment and sustainability issues.
Students who have taken their M.Sc. degree at McGill University will be required to spend one term in study at another research institution.
Note: For information about Fall 2025 and Winter 2026 course offerings, please check back on May 8, 2025. Until then, the "Terms offered" field will appear blank for most courses while the class schedule is being finalized.
Thesis
A thesis for the doctoral degree must constitute original scholarship and must be a distinct contribution to knowledge. It must show familiarity with previous work in the field and must demonstrate ability to plan and carry out research, organize results, and defend the approach and conclusions in a scholarly manner. The research presented must meet current standards of the discipline; as well, the thesis must clearly demonstrate how the research advances knowledge in the field. Finally, the thesis must be written in compliance with norms for academic and scholarly expression and for publication in the public domain.
Required Invitational Seminar
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PLNT 690 | Research Horizons in Plant Science 1. | 0 |
Research Horizons in Plant Science 1. Terms offered: Fall 2025, Winter 2026 A series of seminars presented by invited speakers, staff and senior graduate students. The topics are selected to integrate the many fields of plant science. | ||
Required Courses (3 credits)
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENVR 615 | Interdisciplinary Approach Environment and Sustainability. | 3 |
Interdisciplinary Approach Environment and Sustainability. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Through a series of modules on current environmental and sustainability issues, this course emphasizes the value and challenges of an interdisciplinary approach by examining how different fields can work together to address these issues. | ||
| PLNT 701 | Doctoral Comprehensive Examination. 1 | 0 |
Doctoral Comprehensive Examination. Terms offered: Fall 2025, Winter 2026 An examination that must be passed by all doctoral candidates in order to continue in the doctoral program. | ||
- 1
Must be taken within the first year of registering
Complementary Courses (6 credits)
3-6 credits from:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENVR 610 | Foundations of Environmental Policy. | 3 |
Foundations of Environmental Policy. Terms offered: Summer 2025 Analysis of current environmental policies to reveal implicit and explicit assumptions regarding scientific methods, hypothesis testing, subject/object, causality, certainty, deities, health, development, North-South concerns for resources, commons, national sovereignty, equity. Discussion of implications of such assumptions for building future environmental policies. | ||
| ENVR 614 | Mobilizing Research for Sustainability. | 3 |
Mobilizing Research for Sustainability. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Through workshops and practice, students will develop communication strategies and acquire collaboration and leadership skills to foster innovation and help translate knowledge into action to address complex environmental and sustainability issues. Students will learn methods, build skills, and develop mindsets that can enable their research to have an impact on the most pressing issues in sustainability. | ||
3 credits from:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENVR 585 | Readings in Environment 2. | 3 |
Readings in Environment 2. Terms offered: Summer 2025 Interdisciplinary literature project/essays related to environment, enabling advanced-level study under guidance of Environment faculty in areas outside the scope of individual departments. | ||
| ENVR 630 | Civilization and Environment. | 3 |
Civilization and Environment. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Considers ways to reduce the human impact on Earth's life support systems through variables such as population size, wealth, technology, and conduct. Critically describes ethical frameworks for judging personal and policy choices, including post-collapse scenarios. | ||
| ENVR 680 | Topics in Environment 4. | 3 |
Topics in Environment 4. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Seminars and discussion of advanced, interdisciplinary aspects of current problems in environment led by staff and/or special guests. | ||
or 3 credits at the 500 level or higher recommended by the Advisory Committee and and approved by the Environment Option Committee.