Bachelor of Science BSc
A Botany BSc will provide you with basic training in plant biology and ecology, physiology, marine botany, mycology, plant diseases and biotechnology. You will also gain important skills that are transferable to any career; critical thinking, written and oral communication, information analysis and interpretation, time management, problem solving and lateral thinking.
More information on degree requirements is available on the University of Otago website.
Bachelor of Science with Honours BSc (Hons)
A Botany BSc with Honours provides the opportunity to get a taste of research. This degree includes an independent project enabling you to gain a greater experience of working in a research environment. Completion of this degree (with sufficiently high marks) provides professional training and research experience to undertake a PhD, should you wish to do so.
More information on honours degree requirements is available on the University of Otago website.
Postgraduate Diploma in Science (PGDipSci) in Botany
A Diploma in Science is completed in one year and the content is largely the same as the fourth year of a BSc(Hons) degree. It is designed for students with a three-year BSc degree in botany or related subject. Find the regulations for the PGDipSc on the University of Otago website.
Master of Science in Botany (MSc)
A MSc in Botany provides the opportunity to develop a research project to a greater depth than an honours project. The MSc at Otago can be taken after an ordinary degree as a two-year course (one year of classes, followed by a one-year research thesis). However, after a degree with a research-project component (eg Honours, Post-graduate Diploma) only the one-year thesis is required.
More information is available at the University of Otago's Masters' student page.
Doctor of Philosophy in Botany (PhD)
A PhD in Botany involves extensive independent research. Those awarded the degree will become the next generation of researchers, university teachers and leaders in science.
The PhD is a three-year degree by thesis only (though it is sometimes possible to include a particularly relevant class). University of Otago information for PhD students
Other closely related degree programmes
The Department of Botany is closely involved in the teaching of papers within several other degree programmes. Students can study BTNY papers and papers associated with these other programmes as part of the above Botany degree qualifications. The Department of Botany is the Administration Centre for the Ecology Degree Programme.
Ecology
Courses in Ecology (ECOL) are taught by staff from the Departments of Botany, Marine Science and Zoology. The Otago region encompasses a wide range of habitats, from marine to alpine and from semi-arid to perhumid. Many of the papers offered by the various departments have fieldwork components which will give students an insight into these habitats. Further information about the Ecology degree programme is available.
Genetics
The Genetics Programme (GENE) at the University of Otago has the benefit of being taught on an interdepartmental basis, with input from 7 departments across the University, including the Department of Botany. More information is available on the Genetics Programme pages.
Plant Biotechnology
Plant Biotechnology (PLBI) encompasses plant physiology, plant biochemistry and plant molecular biology. Plant scientists in Botany and Biochemistry teach the structure and function of the whole plant and how to apply biochemistry, molecular genetics and plant breeding techniques to manipulate plants of agronomic importance.
Additional information on plant biotechnology
If you have questions about studying botany at undergraduate or postgraduate level, please, direct your enquiries to botany@otago.ac.nz
International student information
If you are an international student thinking of studying Botany at Otago, please visit the International Office's page for enrolment information. The International Office's Enquiries page is available for submitting queries directly.