MSc Botany

Often termed as ‘nature’s alchemists’, plants are experts at transforming sunlight, water, and soil into an array of precious materials, many of them beyond the ability of humans to conceive. For students who are enthusiastic about plants and trees and have a fascination for exploring the natural world – whether climbing onto the hills or roaming in the rainforests for days. If you have the ability to keep up with the latest trends and development in the field are a natural fit for an MSc Botany course. Studying the relationship of plants to their natural habitats, botanists may also make a career as ecologists and strive towards creating a balance between the flora and fauna and also contribute to conserving the endangered species. The prime objective of the course is to produce intellectual and proficient botanists and enhancing the skills of students for utilization of botany theories and expertise in the life problems faced by the industry.

Course	MSc Botany
Full Name	Master’s in Science in Botany
Level	Postgraduate (PG)
Duration	2 years
Minimum eligibility	An aggregate of 50% score in BSc degree from a recognized board or university.
Admission Process	Entrance Exam and/or Merit-Based.
Entrance Exams	DUET, BHU-PET, AUCET, CUCET, LPUNEST, TUEE, and other relevant entrance exams
Average starting salary	INR 4.5 lakhs to 6 lakhs
Job Prospects	Research Associate, Botanist, Clinical Data Analyst, Medical Coder, Diagnostic Specialist, Professor, etc.

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Understanding MSc Botany 

With an aim to develop a deeper understanding of intricate subjects pertaining to Biology, this 1 or 2-year postgraduate program constitutes the theoretical as well as practical structure along with laboratory work to study plant life. Botany covers a range of disciplines related to Phycology, Microbiology, Plant Anatomy, Taxonomy, Genetics and Genomics, Plant Physiology, Molecular Biology, Reproduction, etc. Besides this, MSc Botany course offers specializations to the students in areas such as Forestry, Plant Anatomy, Morphology, Agronomy, Plant Ecology, Cytology, Genetics, Lichenology, Bryology, Plant Ecology, Phytochemistry, Palaeobotany, etc.

MSc Botany Syllabus

Although the syllabus of MSc Botany will differ from university to university and on the fact that whether you want to study in India or abroad. Having said that, given below is a general syllabus that you can expect to study while pursuing MSc Botany. 

Semester 1

• Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms, and Palacobotany
• Microbiology
• Practicals
• Algae and Bryophytes
• Fungi and plant viruses

Semester 2

• Genetics and Cytogenetics
• Soil Science and Phytogeography
• Practicals
• Angiosperms-I (Taxonomy and Biosystematics)
• Angiosperms-II (Morphology, Embryology, and Anatomy)

Semester 3

• Plant Biochemistry
• Plant Physiology
• Plant Ecology
• Elective subjects

Semester 4

• Molecular Genetics, Genetic Engineering, and Biotechnology
• Plant resource Utilization and Conservation
• Biostatistics, Cytology and Plant Breeding
• Elective papers

Top Universities Abroad for MSc Botany 

Whether you are planning to consider megadiverse countries like the US and UK, or elsewhere, studying Botany or Plant Science is strengthened by opportunities for real-world context. Countries like Australia and New Zealand are also famous for their unique flora and fauna, hence giving excellent and world-class opportunities to international students to study MSc Botany. There are various universities worldwide offering excellent MSc Botany and various specialized courses. Some of these have been listed below for you:

University	Location	QS World University Rankings 2022
The University of Queensland	Australia	47
The University of British Columbia	Canada	46
Australian National University	Australia	=27
University of Wisconsin	USA	=75
The University of Manchester	UK	=27
The University of Adelaide	Australia	108
University of Florida	USA	=173
University of Otago	New Zealand	=194
Oregon State University	USA	–

Top Colleges in India for MSc Botany 

Here is a list of top and high-ranking colleges in India that are providing a degree in MSc Botany.

1. Miranda House, Delhi 
2. Hindu College, Delhi 
3. Hansraj College, Delhi 
4. Sri Venkateswara College, Delhi
5. Osmania University, Telangana
6. Chandigarh University
7. Madras Christian College, Chennai
8. Lovely Professional University, LPU
9. Uttaranchal College of Science and Technology, Dehradun 
10. Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 

Find out everything about MSc Molecular Biology!

MSc Botany Eligibility Criteria

If you are planning to opt for a Masters in Plant Science or MSc Botany, you should have a good understanding of the scientific method and intricacies of scientific research. Other than this, there are certain university requirements that you must fulfill in order to get admission to your desired course. Some of the general eligibility conditions have been listed below:

Eligibility Criteria for Abroad 

• The candidate should have completed 10+2 or equivalent with a minimum required percentile from a recognized board.
• Other than this, you need to have a bachelor’s degree in a related field in Science like BSc Botany with minimum credits from an accredited institution.
• GRE Score
• IELTS, TOEFL or PTE Score
• LOR, SOP, and essay
• Previous work experience, if needed (attached with a resume)

Eligibility Criteria for India 

• A bachelor’s degree in biology/ botany or an equivalent degree from a recognized institute or university is required.
• The majority of institutes accept a minimum percentage of 50% in your undergraduate study.

Some universities also enroll students based on certain entrance exams like DUET, BHU-PET, AUCET, CUCET, LPUNEST, TUEE, etc.

Also Read: SOP Samples for MS

MSc Botany Future Scope

The MSc Botany program opens up employment opportunities in a wide range of disciplines. It also has a lot of potential in the future. After obtaining an MSc Botany degree, one may always pursue additional or higher education courses. For your convenience, a few of them are explained below:

• M.Phil in Botany: The M.Phil Botany degree is a two-year pre-doctoral degree in Botany. To pursue this program, you must hold a master’s degree in Botany with a minimum aggregate score of 50%.
• PhD Botany: This is a three-year doctoral degree that focuses on plant science and survival strategies and abilities. PhD Botany focuses more on research, with lecture-based sessions, field research, and lab sessions.

Career Prospects 

After completing this course, you will be able to pursue a variety of vocations and careers. MSc Botany opens the door to a broader range of career options and industries in which you may apply. Botany graduates have several job options in both the public and private sectors. Opportunities exist in the public sector in sectors such as public health, national park services, agriculture, forest service, conservation, and land management. Opportunities exist in the oil business, food industries, seed companies, fruit producers, and biotechnology enterprises in the private sector. Some of the famous job prospects include the following:

• Botanist
• Floriculturist
• Ecologist
• Environmentalist
• Plant Conversationalist
• Researcher
• Botany Professor  
• Data Analyst
• Medical Coder
• Incident Manager

FAQs

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Right from how plants function, what they look like, how are they related to each other, where they grow, their usage to how plants evolved – Botany is the scientific study of cellular and molecular plant processes. If you want to know about various other branches of Biology, besides MSc Botany, you can reach out to our experts at Leverage Edu. We can also help you choose the right the one according to our field of interest.