Bachelor of Science degree in Plant Biology

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

North Carolina State University Raleigh

Program Overview

The Bachelor of Science in Plant Biology at North Carolina State University combines classroom, laboratory, and field-based learning to build a strong foundation in plant sciences, while allowing students to tailor their studies to their interests through flexible electives and specializations. It is well suited to students interested in plant research, ecology, conservation, biotechnology, horticulture, crop science, plant pathology, and other applied biological fields, with a required research, teaching, or internship experience providing practical preparation.

Curriculum Structure

First Year: Students begin by developing a foundation in biological and scientific thinking through BIO 181 – Introductory Biology: Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity, BIO 183 – Introductory Biology: Cellular and Molecular Biology, and CH 101/CH 102 – Chemistry - A Molecular Science and General Chemistry Laboratory. Mathematics, academic writing, and introductory life-science courses complement this foundation and prepare students for more specialized plant biology study.

Second Year: The curriculum moves into dedicated plant science through PB 250 – Plant Biology, alongside GN 311 – Principles of Genetics and statistics. Students begin selecting Plant Biology electives according to their interests, allowing them to explore areas such as plant physiology, ecology, diversity, biotechnology, or ethnobotany.

Third Year: Students deepen their plant-science knowledge through 300-level Plant Biology electives and an applied plant science elective, while also developing scientific communication and quantitative skills. Options include PB 321 – Introduction to Whole Plant Physiology, PB 400 – Plant Diversity and Evolution, PB 421 – Plant Physiology, PB 480 – Introduction to Plant Biotechnology, and PB 450 – Plant Ecology, depending on the student's interests.

Fourth Year: The final year emphasizes advanced study and professional preparation, including upper-level Plant Biology electives and a required experiential component such as PB 492 – External Learning Experience, PB 493 – Plant Biology Supervised Undergraduate Research Experience, or PB 495 – Special Topics in Plant Biology. Students can use this stage to build research, field, laboratory, or workplace experience and apply their knowledge to future employment or graduate study.

Focus areas:

General Plant Biology, Ethnobotany, Plant Physiology and Molecular Biology, Plant Systematics and Ecology.

Learning outcomes:

Plant-science knowledge, laboratory and field skills, research experience, biological analysis, scientific communication, ecological understanding, plant diversity and evolution, plant physiology, molecular biology, and applied plant-science skills.

Professional alignment (accreditation):

Institutionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award baccalaureate degrees; NC State's accreditation was reaffirmed in 2024 through 2034. The university's official specialized-accreditation list does not identify a separate programmatic accreditation for the Plant Biology BS.

Reputation (employability rankings):

NC State is ranked #272 globally in the QS World University Rankings 2026, according to the university's official rankings data. The university also reports #36 globally in Agricultural Sciences and #101–150 globally in Biological Sciences in the 2026 ShanghaiRanking subject results, providing relevant indicators of the university's strength in fields connected to Plant Biology. No Plant Biology-specific QS employability ranking is stated on NC State's official rankings pages.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The Bachelor of Science in Plant Biology at North Carolina State University gives students substantial hands-on exposure through classroom, laboratory, field, research, and internship experiences. Students must complete a substantive research, teaching, or internship experience, while many Plant Biology courses include laboratory or field components. The curriculum can also be tailored toward Ethnobotany, Plant Physiology and Molecular Biology, or Plant Systematics and Ecology, allowing students to build practical expertise around their interests.

Students gain practical experience through several program-specific opportunities:

Supervised undergraduate research: PB 493 Plant Biology Supervised Undergraduate Research Experience places students in faculty-supervised research using NC State campus facilities and resources. Students complete at least 45 hours of research per credit, prepare a written midterm report, and give an oral presentation on their research.
External learning and internships: PB 492 External Learning Experience provides academic credit for an agriculture and life-sciences experience using facilities and resources outside campus. Students arrange the experience with a prospective employer and obtain approval from the faculty adviser, employer, teaching coordinator, and academic dean.
Field-based plant science: Plant Ecology (PB 450/PB 550) gives undergraduate students hands-on ecological experience by collecting real field data and designing independent research proposals.
Plant biology laboratories: PB 250 Plant Biology is offered as a laboratory course covering plant ecology, structure, function, reproduction, and evolution, giving students practical exposure alongside foundational plant science.
Controlled-environment research: The NC State Phytotron provides specialized Plant Controlled Environmental Laboratories where students and researchers can study plants under precisely controlled light, photoperiod, temperature, humidity, CO₂, water, nutrients, and soil conditions. The facility includes more than 70 growth chambers, four rooftop greenhouses, a biocontainment laboratory with an attached greenhouse, and the Plant Transformation Laboratory. Undergraduate students can access the facility through approved research proposals.
Plants for Human Health Institute: NC State’s Plants for Human Health Institute (PHHI) provides plant-science research infrastructure including scientific instruments, greenhouses, and growth chambers. Its controlled-environment facilities include more than 7,000 square feet of greenhouse space and eight growth chambers, supporting plant growth and research.
Research areas and laboratories: Students interested in research can work in areas including cell biology, cellular imaging, plant hormones, epigenetics, systems biology, genetic engineering, stress biology, phytochemistry, metabolic engineering, plant–microbe interactions, aquatic ecology, plant systematics, evolutionary ecology, and ethnobotany.
Digital learning tools: Moodle is used for current Plant Biology course delivery; for example, the Fall 2026 PB 493 research course lists Moodle among its course tools.
Research communication: The supervised research experience requires students to produce a written report and oral research presentation, helping them practice communicating scientific findings in addition to conducting research.
Plant Biology facilities: Students benefit from NC State’s wider plant-science infrastructure, including the Phytotron, Plant Sciences Building, greenhouses, controlled-environment laboratories, and research laboratories supporting work from molecular plant biology through ecosystem-level research.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The BS in Plant Biology at North Carolina State University combines classroom, laboratory, field, research, and internship experiences to prepare students for careers across plant science, agriculture, conservation, horticulture, and related life-science fields. Students can tailor their studies through areas such as Ethnobotany, Plant Physiology and Molecular Biology, and Plant Systematics and Ecology, while the required research, teaching, or internship experience builds practical preparation for employment or advanced study.

Typical job roles: Plant Scientist, Plant Biologist, Plant Research Technician, Conservation Specialist.

Career services: NC State’s Career Development Center provides one-to-one career counseling, résumé and cover-letter reviews, interview preparation, job and internship search support, career fairs, networking events, and access to ePACK, the university’s online career-management platform. CALS also has dedicated CALS Career Services to support students in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
Career preparation: The Plant Biology major requires a substantive research, teaching, or internship experience, allowing students to gain practical plant-science experience before graduation and work with faculty and academic advisers to identify opportunities aligned with their career goals.
Employment statistics and salary: NC State reports that 70% of undergraduate students completed an internship in its 2024–25 Future Plans Survey. The university does not publish a Plant Biology-specific employment rate or salary figure on its official career pages, so a program-specific salary is not stated.
University–industry partnerships: The N.C. Plant Sciences Initiative (PSI) brings together NC State, government, and industry to address agricultural and plant-science challenges. Industry collaborators have included Bayer, BASF, SAS, and Novozymes, with companies working alongside NC State researchers in the Plant Sciences Building on areas including plant improvement, data-driven plant science, and resilient agricultural systems.
Industry experience: NC State’s partnership with BASF has supported more than 100 research projects, nearly $6 million in sponsored research, and internships for dozens of students; BASF also works with NC State researchers on plant-science innovation and crop protection.
Long-term accreditation value: NC State is institutionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees. Its accreditation was reaffirmed in 2024 through 2034, providing continued institutional recognition and quality oversight for the degree.
Graduation outcomes: Graduates are prepared for advanced study in plant biology and related biological fields, as well as applied areas including horticulture, crop science, plant pathology, natural-resource management, conservation, health professions, and education.

Further Academic Progression: After the BS, students can progress directly into NC State’s Master of Plant Biology (MR), MS in Plant Biology, or PhD in Plant Biology, depending on their research and career goals. Eligible high-achieving undergraduates can also pursue the Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s (ABM) pathway, which allows up to 12 credits to be double-counted and can lead to a non-thesis master’s within 12 months or a thesis-based master’s within 18 months after the bachelor’s degree.