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Get Your Degree in Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences

Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences (PEPS) offers a unique, interdisciplinary Bachelor of Science degree focusing on environmental issues and management.

Core courses in PEPS deal with environmental sciences and identification and management of insects, weeds, and plant pathogens in tropical habitats. You will learn how to use (and maybe even help to develop) ecologically based strategies like biological control, cultural controls, integrated pest management, and new cultivars of plants to protect our natural, agricultural, and urban environments. With the help of our faculty and advisors, students create a program around their own interests, drawing from a wide array of upper-division classes and outside electives. This is real-world biology and environmental science at its best, with easy access to the vast array of agricultural and natural ecosystems found in Hawai‘i.

Work with Top Professors . . .
teacher and student. . . and join an international, award-winning group that includes world-renowned entomologists, plant pathologists, weed scientists, and toxicologists. Our faculty includes graduates of Cornell, Stanford, Purdue, and the University of California campuses at Berkeley, Davis, and Riverside. Get personalized attention from these world-class professionals in our small classes and through laboratory and field experiences.

Use Cutting Edge Technology . . .
. . . such as global positioning systems, photosynthesis analysis, digital imaging, actographs, DNA fingerprinting and sequencing, and gene-insertion techniques.

Team up with Award-Winning Students . . .
. . . recognized locally, nationally, and internationally for their achievements.

Open Doors to New Careers and Opportunities
students in the labPEPS graduates find career opportunities in national and international universities, research and extension programs, agricultural and agrochemical companies, state and federal agencies, industrial research companies, primary and secondary education, environmental and pest management organizations, and have also developed their own successful companies.


For Fun and Friends . . .
. . . join PEPS students in monthly volleyball tournaments, journal clubs, and pizza parties. The Ka Mea Kolo Entomology Club, which is recognized state-wide for its outreach activities with Hawai‘i’s school children, and the Plant Pathology Student Organization both welcome new members. In addition, the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources has numerous student organizations that provide you with the opportunity to meet new friends and participate in social, service, and field-related activities.

Are You Prepared?
To get ready for the Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences program, we recommend you take high school courses in biology, chemistry, and algebra. You should also work on developing your written and oral communication and leadership skills. Most importantly, come with enthusiasm, a desire to learn, and the goal of improving society by training for a great job.

Students transferring or planning to transfer from another institution, please contact one of the individuals listed below, who will provide you with a list of required program courses, or visit our website.


If you require information in an alternative format, please contact us at: ADA-contact@ctahr.hawaii.edu