Undergraduate Programs - Botany

What is Botany?

Botany is the study of plants — green plants of all kinds, including algae, mosses, ferns, conifers and flowering plants — as well as fungi (from microscopic yeasts to mushrooms). Botanists study these organisms at the molecular, cellular, individual, population, community, and ecosystem levels of organization.

Botany at the University of Manitoba?

The Department of Botany is one of the few uniquely dedicated programs to the study of plant biology among Canadian universities. The program, housed under one roof, encompasses a coordinated and complete offering of courses from organism to cell to molecule.

Areas emphasized in the Botany program cover plant and fungal interactions, molecular plant biology, terrestrial and aquatic ecology, quantitative plant biology, forest ecology, toxicology, reclamation and phyto-remediation, systematic and evolution, microbial ecology (algae and fungi), developmental plant biology, economic plant biology, plant genetics and genetic signaling at the ecosystem, community, population, individual, cellular and molecular levels of organization.

Careers in Botany exist for very practical reasons and serve a range of human needs. Plants are vital to human-kind in many different ways. Plants harness the sun’s energy through photosynthesis and provide crucial oxygen to the planet. Not only are they a source of food, resulting from crop production by farmers, for humans, but also ultimately to all animals on the earth. They are grown as ornamentals by gardeners, provide chemicals for medicines, and health additives, and help to moderate our climate.  Plants further provide for recreational wilderness as well as timber for wood and fiber for cloth, rope and derived wood products. Mosses contribute significantly to the earth’s peat deposits, a source of energy and organic nutrients. Fungi and algae are among the true pioneers in both terrestrial and aquatic environments and enable green plants and associated animals to take up residence, obtain nutrients, succeed, and evolve. Plants and their allies, the fungi, are indeed, essential to the well being of the Biosphere and are important to study at all levels of organization for a range of career choices.

What careers are open to Botany graduates?

Graduate botanists can choose careers in teaching at the school or university level, in basic or applied research, and in the growing fields of resource management and environmental consulting. Botanical training provides a good entry into positions in molecular and experimental plant biology, plant genetics and developmental biology, agriculture, environmental conservation, park management and interpretation, landscape architecture, and wildlife and habitat management.

What is involved in studying Botany?

The Botany program covers a range of the study of plants and fungi. Plant biology includes study of the diversity, classification and identification, internal structure and morphology, workings and chemistry, genetics and developmental signaling, and evolutionary biology of plants and fungi. Undergraduate students in Botany can take a range of programs including:

• Botany Honours (4-year)
• Botany Major (4 year)
• Botany Minor
• Ecology Honours* (4-year)
• Ecology Major* (4-year)
• Ecology Co-op Major* (4-year)

* offered jointly with the Zoology Department

The Botany Department also contributes to the following interdisciplinary programs:

• General Biology Major (4-year)
• Genetics Honours (4-year)
• Environmental Science Major (4-year)
• Environmental Science Co-op Major (5-year)
• General Science (3-year)

How do I get into Botany?

You must first gain admission to University 1 and in this first year do well in Biology 1 & 2 BIOL 1020 /BIOL1030, and University 1 Chemistry CHEM 1300 /CHEM 1310 .  You will normally enter the Faculty of Science and the Botany program in second year. If you have at least a "B" grade in high school Biology 40S and a "B" overall high school average, you may be exempted from Biology 1 & 2 BIOL 1020 /BIOL 1030 and take second year Botany courses as a student within University 1.

Are there any general interest peripheral courses in Botany?

Yes. The Department offers two courses that have no Science prerequisites:

• BOTN 1010     Economic Plants*
• BOTN 3200     Introductory Scientific Photography

*This course satisfies the written English requirement in University 1.

As of Fall 2007, this course will no longer satisfy the written English requirement.

Mosses, Ferns and Conifers BOTN 2110 ; (which has a prerequisite of Biology BIOL 1030 ) and Biology of Fungi and Lichens (which has a prerequisite of Biology BIOL 1010 with a grade of 'B', or Biology BIOL 1030) are also of general interest as an introduction to these important groups of plants.


For further information

Please contact:
Dr. L.C. Graham or Dr. Judy Anderson
Telephone: (204) 474-9245
Email: lcgrahm@cc.umanitoba.ca

Note: In the event of any inconsistencies between the information provided here and the University's annual General Calendar, the Calendar entry shall prevail.