Welcome to Botany
On behalf of the entire Department of Botany, welcome to a very exciting unit of the University. If you have recently declared Botany as a major, we believe you will find that your decision was a wise one indeed since the future looks very bright for students formally trained in the Plant Sciences. If you are undecided and still contemplating entering the field, we hope that you will be informed about what the discipline of Botany is, its place in education, and why you might wish to enter this exciting branch of natural history, either as preparation for meaningful employment or for personal satisfaction in being called a life-long learner. Feel free to get in touch with any or all of our faculty and staff to answer questions you might have to help with your decision.
In providing a quality undergraduate education to students of Weber State University, the Department of Botany seeks to maximize opportunities for the promotion of effective education and communication about the value and intellectual appeal of plants. We attempt to inspire students to pursue the study of plants as an intellectual endeavor in understanding life’s major component - the plants, with their physically and functionally dominant place in the world. In addition, botanists offer expertise about plants to policy-makers involved in agriculture, conservation, and environmental protection. We also believe that a more knowledgeable public will be able to make more informed decisions with regard to plant-derived products and environmental issues. This understanding should also lead to a paradigm shift that garners greater support for botany as a vitally important profession.
The Botany program at Weber State University is the only such program remaining in the state of Utah. We believe that such a unique program develops an important plant biology presence in the mindset of the students which is often lost in Biology programs where Botany is de-emphasized in favor of a pro-animal priority.
Whether you have chosen Botany or one of our Pre-Professional programs, rest assured that we will be available to serve you in any way we can. We are proud of the success that our graduates achieve when they choose to study for advanced degrees. They have been able to compete very successfully with graduates from other institutions. Former students who have completed PhD degrees constantly tell us that their undergraduate preparation for graduate school was the best it could be. The future looks very promising and we are certain you will find your experiences in the Botany program at Weber State University to be most rewarding and satisfying.