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Engineering, Mathematics and Science
158
Plant sciences
Students who wish to study Plant sciences apply directly
to the Science degree (TR071) and may select Plant
sciences as their specialist area for the third and fourth
years.
Junior Freshman (first year) prerequisites: Biology 1101
& 1102.
Senior Freshman (second year) prerequisites: 4 of the
following: Biology BY2201, BY2202, BY2203, BY2204,
BY2205, BY2206, BY2207, BY2208, BY2209, BY2010.
For details of the first two years of the Science course,
including entry requirements, see page 139.
What is Plant sciences?
Plant sciences is the scientific study of plants. These studies are
pursued in the field, in the botanic garden and in laboratories.
Plants range from the largest forest trees to single-celled algae
of fresh and marine waters.
The study of plants is of vital importance; they are the source of
the food we eat, the oxygen we breathe, most of the medicines
we use, and are core to the understanding of the processes
of global climate change. Dealing with the threats from global
climate change will be one of the biggest challenges of this
century. Human manipulation of plants in the future will need to
provide food and energy for an expanding human population
whilst conserving the biodiversity of living organisms and
integrity of habitats.
What will you study?
Trinity College specialises in the study of the evolution and
conservation of all forms of plant life and their response to global
climate change impacts.
Courses include:
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Plant biodiversity and conservation
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Ecology
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Plant physiology and global climate change
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Long-term environmental change
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Plant molecular biology
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Pollination biology
The laboratories and greenhouses on Trinity College’s campus,
the College Botanic Garden and the internationally recognised
Herbarium support teaching.
All courses are derived from
active research lines and emphasis is placed on your own
research project in the Senior Sophister (fourth) year.
All students are given the opportunity to participate in
field
courses
which alternate between Europe and the Tropics.
Recent field courses have been held in Guyana, Thailand,
and Gran Canaria.
Career opportunities
When you graduate you can move directly into a career related
to plant biology, such as nature conservation, environmental
consultancy, environmental protection or agricultural research as
well as teaching at second-level. Alternatively, you might decide
to go on to take a higher degree in Trinity College or elsewhere.
The skills you acquire in the Sophister (third and fourth) years
are also widely applicable in business and industry.
Further information
www.tcd.ie/Botany
Tel: +353 1 896 1274