Graduate Courses
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Emily Laabs
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General Curricular Information
Availability of courses varies each semester. Many courses in the department are offered once per year in either Fall or Spring semesters, and some are taught less frequently. Consult with your advisor on course offerings each term and when building your plan for degree completion.
The Plant Pathology Proposed Course Rotation Schedule is intended to help you and your advisor plan your coursework schedule. Please consult the Course Guide for course descriptions; you may also consult Course Search & Enroll for information about courses offered during the current academic year.
Plant Pathology (Pl Path) Courses
For a list of courses in or cross-listed in Plant Pathology, consult the Plant Pathology Course Guide.
Plant Pathology (PL PATH)
PL PATH/​BOTANY  123 — PLANTS, PARASITES, AND PEOPLE
3 credits.
Explores the interaction between society and plant-associated microbes. Topics include: the Irish potato famine, pesticides in current agriculture, role of economics and consumer preference in crop disease management and the release of genetically engineered organisms.
PL PATH/​ZOOLOGY  154 — TINY EARTH: ANTIBIOTIC DISCOVERY RESEARCH
2 credits.
Learn basic methodology in scientific research and discovery, including laboratory techniques, quantitative reasoning, scientific communication, and collaboration. Gain hands-on laboratory experience working with microbes to test original hypotheses concerning the discovery of potential antibiotic compounds while addressing the world's antibiotic resistance crisis by contributing data to the global "Tiny Earth" network of researchers to advance potential drug development. Tiny Earth seeks to encourage students to pursue careers in science through real-world, applied research experiences and aims to address a worldwide health threat of the diminishing supply of effective antibiotics by "student-sourcing antibiotic discovery." Concurrent enrollment in BIOLOGY/​BOTANY/​ZOOLOGY  152 is required for permission to enroll.
PL PATH/​HORT  261 — SUSTAINABLE TURFGRASS USE AND MANAGEMENT
2 credits.
Sustainable use and management of turfgrass landscapes in urban and suburban environments, including home lawns, golf courses, and sports fields. Focus is on creating sustainable and attractive turfgrass landscapes through proper species selection, use of slow-release or organic fertilizer practices, and minimizing the use of pesticides and supplemental irrigation.
PL PATH/​HORT  262 — TURFGRASS MANAGEMENT LABORATORY
1 credit.
Hands-on turf establishment, cool- and warm-season grass, seed and weed identification, chemical application, and turf cultivation techniques and equipment use, plus field trips to major league sport facilities and golf courses.
PL PATH 289 — HONORS INDEPENDENT STUDY
1-2 credits.
Research work for Honors students under direct guidance of a faculty member in an area of Plant Pathology. Students are responsible for arranging the work and credits with the supervising instructor.
PL PATH 299 — INDEPENDENT STUDY
1-3 credits.
Research work for students under direct guidance of a faculty member in an area of Plant Pathology. Students are responsible for arranging the work and credits with the supervising instructor.
PL PATH 300 — INTRODUCTION TO PLANT PATHOLOGY
4 credits.
Economic importance, symptoms, causes, and methods of control of representative plant diseases.
PL PATH 311 — GLOBAL FOOD SECURITY
3 credits.
Isn't having enough food a basic human right? Exploration of the drivers of food insecurity: barriers to food production (pests, land availability, climate), barriers to food availability (politics, price, biofuels), and a greater need due to population growth. Examination of solutions to food insecurity.
PL PATH 315 — PLANT MICROBIOMES
4 credits.
Explore plant associated microbial communities (the plant microbiome), methods used to study them, and how we can use them to improve plant and ecosystem health in the face of challenges to agricultural and natural systems. Examples will be drawn from annual crop, grassland, and forested ecosystems. Use current molecular, bioinformatic, and statistical approaches to characterize rhizosphere microbiomes from samples collected as part of on-going research projects.
PL PATH/​SOIL SCI  323 — SOIL BIOLOGY
3 credits.
Nature, activities and role of organisms inhabiting soil. Effects of soil biota on ecosystem function, response to cultural practices, and impacts on environmental quality, including bioremediation of contaminated soils.
PL PATH/​BOTANY  332 — FUNGI
4 credits.
Growth, development, variability and dispersal of saprophytic, parasitic, and symbiotic fungi, with a consideration of their ecological and economic significance. Develop skills in microscopy with live fungal materials.
PL PATH/​BOTANY  333 — BIOLOGY OF THE FUNGI
2 credits.
Growth, development, variability and dispersal of saprophytic, parasitic, and symbiotic fungi, with a consideration of their ecological and economic significance.
PL PATH/​A A E/​AGRONOMY/​HORT  367 — INTRODUCTION TO ORGANIC AGRICULTURE: PRODUCTION, MARKETS, AND POLICY
3 credits.
Provides an in-depth understanding of the history of organic agriculture, its production, processing, marketing, and social dimensions, and its impact on environmental, community, and human health.
PL PATH 375 — SPECIAL TOPICS
1-4 credits.
Subjects of current interest to undergrads.
PL PATH 399 — COORDINATIVE INTERNSHIP/COOPERATIVE EDUCATION
1-8 credits.
An internship under guidance of a faculty or instructional academic staff member in Plant Pathology and internship site supervisor. Students are responsible for arranging the work and credits with the faculty or instructional academic staff member and the internship site supervisor.
PL PATH 400 — STUDY ABROAD IN PLANT PATHOLOGY
1-6 credits.
Provides an area equivalency for courses taken on Madison Study Abroad Programs that do not equate to existing UW courses. Current enrollment in a UW-Madison study abroad program
PL PATH 499 — INDEPENDENT STUDY IN ORGANIC AGRICULTURE
2 credits.
Provide students research and/or hands-on experiences within the organic sector in order to gain scientific knowledge and/or an in-depth understanding of the research and science of organic agriculture, its production, processing, marketing, and social dimensions, and its impact on environmental, community, and human health. Declared in the Certificate in Organic Agriculture
PL PATH/​BOTANY/​ENTOM  505 — PLANT-MICROBE INTERACTIONS: MOLECULAR AND ECOLOGICAL ASPECTS
3 credits.
Molecular and ecological aspects of the interactions between plants and microorganisms. Explores many of the themes, from genetic to integrative, of modern biology, and illustrates how study of plant-microbe interactions contributes to understanding of fundamental plant science.
PL PATH 517 — PLANT DISEASE RESISTANCE
2-3 credits.
Host resistance in plant disease control. Conceptual and applied aspects of resistance: how it works, why it sometimes fails, and the traditional and modern techniques used for evaluating host resistance and incorporating resistance factors into new plant varieties.
PL PATH 558 — BIOLOGY OF PLANT PATHOGENS
3 credits.
Explores biology of plant pathogenic fungi, oomycetes, nematodes, bacteria, and viruses, with emphasis on identifying: 1) key traits of each pathogen class, and 2) common strategies used by these microbes. Inquiry-driven laboratory will investigate diverse interactions between plants and their pathogens.
PL PATH 559 — DISEASES OF ECONOMIC PLANTS
3 credits.
Symptoms, epidemiology and control of diseases of crop plants; emphasis on disease diagnosis.
PL PATH/​BOTANY  563 — PHYLOGENETIC ANALYSIS OF MOLECULAR DATA
3 credits.
Theory and practice of phylogenetic inference from DNA sequence data.
PL PATH 590 — CAPSTONE IN PLANT PATHOLOGY
1-4 credits.
Synthesizing research-based capstone experience in Plant Pathology. Develop problem-solving skills, be exposed to multidisciplinary approaches, develop teamwork and interpersonal skills, develop information resources, consider societal, economic, ethical, scientific and professional aspects of the field, and prepare and present written and/or oral reports.
PL PATH 602 — ECOLOGY, EPIDEMIOLOGY AND CONTROL OF PLANT DISEASES
3 credits.
Environmental factors in the development and spread of diseases, pathogen variability, genetics of disease resistance, and principles of disease control.
PL PATH/​ENTOM/​F&W ECOL/​SOIL SCI  606 — COLLOQUIUM IN ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY
1 credit.
Current topics in molecular and environmental toxicology and problems related to biologically active substances in the environment. Topics vary each semester. Lectures are by resident and visiting professors and other researchers.
PL PATH 622 — PLANT-BACTERIAL INTERACTIONS
2-3 credits.
Physiology, genetics, taxonomy, and ecology of bacterial pathogens, epiphytes, and symbionts of plants.
PL PATH/​M M & I/​ONCOLOGY  640 — GENERAL VIROLOGY-MULTIPLICATION OF VIRUSES
3 credits.
The structure, multiplication, genetics, pathology and control of animal and plant viruses.
PL PATH/​BOTANY/​GENETICS/​M M & I  655 — BIOLOGY AND GENETICS OF FUNGI
3 credits.
Fungal genetics, genomics, and physiology using plant pathogenic fungi and the genetic models Aspergillus nidulans and Neurospora crassa as model systems to explore the current knowledge of fungal genetics and plant/fungal interactions.
PL PATH 681 — SENIOR HONORS THESIS
2-4 credits.
Individual study for undergraduate students in an Honors program completing a thesis in the area of Plant Pathology, as arranged with a faculty member.
PL PATH 682 — SENIOR HONORS THESIS
2-4 credits.
Second semester of individual study for undergraduate students in an Honors program completing a thesis in the area of Plant Pathology, as arranged with a faculty member.
PL PATH 699 — SPECIAL PROBLEMS
1-5 credits.
Individual advanced work in an area of Plant Pathology under the direct guidance of a faculty member.
PL PATH 799 — PRACTICUM IN PLANT PATHOLOGY TEACHING
1-3 credits.
Instructional orientation to teaching at the higher education level in the agricultural and life sciences, direct teaching experience under faculty supervision, experience in testing and evaluation of students, and the analysis of teaching performance.
PL PATH 800 — INQUIRY-BASED BIOLOGY TEACHING
1-2 credits.
Develop competence and confidence as teachers. Cover fundamentals of learning theory and practical strategies for teaching biology. Practice lecturing, manage classroom dynamics, and teach laboratory sections (optional).
PL PATH 801 — TEACHING BIOLOGY: SPECIAL TOPICS
1 credit.
Learn about mentoring and/or instructional materials. Practice mentoring undergraduate researchers with feedback and evaluation and/or develop and evaluate instructional materials.
PL PATH 875 — SPECIAL TOPICS
1-4 credits.
Topics of current interest to Grad students.
PL PATH 923 — SEMINAR
1 credit.
Seminar series on topics related to plant pathology
PL PATH/​BOTANY  930 — SEMINAR-MYCOLOGY
1 credit.
Topics, recent advances literature in the area of Mycology.
PL PATH 990 — RESEARCH
1-9 credits.
Independent laboratory research in preparation of a graduate thesis under supervision of a faculty member
Additional Information
- Overview – describes reasons to choose our department
- Applications & Curriculum – application materials, deadlines, curriculum overview
- Courses – list of when classes are scheduled to be held (Course Rotation Schedule), current list of Plant Pathology courses
- Funding – links to info on stipends, international applicant financial info, and the Grad School’s list of external fellowships scholarships
- Handbooks & Forms – MS and PhD handbooks; various MS and PhD academic forms
- Grad Student Orgs – lists graduate student organizations in the department