博士 植物生物学系的学生有机会参加涵盖不同学科的研究计划，包括生理学，发育遗传学，基因表达的分子调控，细胞生物学，植物-微生物相互作用，生态基因组学，系统和生物地理学以及植物种群和社区动态。研究生成为大学学院社区的成员，在那里他们经过培训成为植物科学领域的前沿研究人员和有效教育者。此外，佛蒙特大学在生命科学领域拥有活跃的研究社区，使学生可以与校园内的同事进行互动和协作。所有学生必须成功地完成总共75个学分，其中至少30个与课程相关的课程工作学分和20个论文研究学分。一年级的学生至少要参加研究实验室的两次轮
Ph.D. students in the Department of Plant Biology have the opportunity to join research programs covering a diverse set of disciplines including physiology, developmental genetics, molecular regulation of gene expression, cell biology, plant-microbe interactions, ecological genomics, systematics and biogeography, and ecology of plant population and community dynamics. Graduate students become members of a collegial academic community where they are trained to become cutting-edge researchers and effective educators in the plant sciences. In addition, the University of Vermont has a vigorous research community in the life sciences, allowing students to interact and collaborate with colleagues across campus. All students must successfully complete a total of 75 credits, including a minimum of 30 credits of program-related course work and 20 credits of dissertation research. First-year students participate in at least two rotations in research laboratories before committing to one laboratory for completion of dissertation research. Satisfactory completion of the written and oral components of a comprehensive examination are required for advancement to candidacy. A student's Ph.D. degree is culminated by satisfactory completion of a dissertation, a public seminar, and a private defense with their studies committee. In addition to research, all students must participate in a minimum of two courses of supervised teaching.