Plant Breeding 2 Fight Hunger
Credits: Certificate
MSU is offering a series of online courses to support prospective students and working professionals interested in gaining applicable skills in plant breeding, genetics and biotechnology. 
- Plant Breeding 2 Fight Hunger - This course will focus on conventional and modern plant breeding methods, tools and technologies available for crop improvement.
- Agricultural Data Analysis - This course will focus on the understanding and application of agricultural data systems, providing graduates the skills needed to support the long-term stability and efficacy of global farming systems.
- Plant Biotechnology & Gene Editing - This course will focus on conventional and modern plant breeding methods, tools and technologies available for crop improvement.
- R for Plant Breeders - This course equips plant breeders and researchers with the R skills needed to analyze complex data, evaluate germplasm, and make data-driven breeding decisions.
- Quantitative Genetics for Plant Breeders - This course equips plant breeders and researchers with advanced quantitative genetics concepts and modern analytical tools to dissect complex traits and accelerate genetic gain.
Registration and course information
All courses are online and asynchronous, meaning you can work at your own pace on weekly material. Each week new content is introduced with assignments due at the end of the week.
Plant Breeding 2 Fight Hunger
Course begins January 19, 2027 | Deadline to register is January 1, 2027
Instructor: Cholani Weebadde, Ph.D., Associate Professor - Plant Breeder for MSU International Programs
To feed an additional three billion people by 2050, food production needs to double—while using less land, water and other resources. The way forward? To improve crops so that they are resilient to climate change with resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses.
To achieve this goal, we need a well-trained workforce, equipped with a sound knowledge of the plant breeding process and the technologies that improve its efficiency. Plant Breeding 2 Fight Hunger will provide the skills and knowledge needed to start your own plant breeding program or support plant agriculture where you live.
In this course you will learn:
- History of plant breeding
- Plant breeding process and how traits are inherited
- Experimental design and heritability
- Plant reproduction
- Self-pollinated and cross-pollinated crops
- Genetic Engineering
- Regulations and regulatory approval
- For more information about the course please see this link.
Agricultural Data Analysis
Course begins May 17, 2027 | Deadline to register is January 1, 2027
Instructor: Sarah Lee, Assistant Professor of Technology and Occupational Sciences, Northern Michigan University
Gain the practical skills to analyze, visualize, and interpret data using Excel and R. Learn statistical analysis, experimental design, and data visualization through hands-on exercises, real-world datasets, and project-based assessments. This certificate is ideal for students, researchers, and professionals in agriculture, plant sciences, and beyond.
In this course you will learn:
- R Programming
- Data visualization, ggplot2
- Experimental design & hypothesis testing
- ANOVA & Post-Hoc Testing
- Correlation and regression
- Data cleaning
- Publication-Quality Graphs
- Interpretation & Communication of Results
Plant Biotechnology & Gene Editing
Course begins May 17, 2027 | Deadline to register is January 1, 2027
Instructor: Sarah Lee, Assistant Professor of Technology and Occupational Sciences, Northern Michigan University
Gain hands-on experience with molecular biology, DNA analysis, genomics, sequencing technologies, bioinformatics, and CRISPR gene editing through online laboratory exercises and real-world applications. Develop the knowledge and technical skills relevant to careers in agricultural biotechnology, plant breeding, molecular biology, genetics, genomics, bioinformatics, biotechnology research, and graduate education.
In this course you will learn:
- PCR & Primer Design
- DNA Extraction & Analysis
- RNA Analysis and qPCR
- CRISPR-Cas9 Gene Editing
- BLAST Bioinformatics
- NCBI Genome Databases
- Nanopore, Illumina, and Sanger Sequencing
- Genetic mapping and genomics
- Plant Transformation & Tissue Culture
R for Plant Breeders
Course begins August 31, 2027 | Deadline to register is January 1, 2027
Instructor: Drew Mitchell, Ph.D. candidate in MSU Soybean Breeding Program
This course equips plant breeders and researchers with the R skills needed to analyze complex data, evaluate germplasm, and make data-driven breeding decisions. This course will provide the skills and knowledge to advance research in plant breeding, crop science, plant genetics, agronomy, seed industry and sales and agricultural data analysis, while learning to apply that information to agricultural systems where you live.
In this course you will learn:
- Data cleanup and management
- Experimental design & analysis
- Mixed modeling and BLUPs
- Variance components and heritability
- Genotype-by-Environment analysis
- AMMI and GGE Biplots
- Multi-trait selection methods
- Spatial correction of field-trial data
- Simulation of breeding programs
- Genomic data analysis
Quantitative Genetics for Plant Breeders
Course begins May 17, 2027 | Deadline to register is January 1, 2027
Instructor: Drew Mitchell, Ph.D. candidate in MSU Soybean Breeding Program
This course equips plant breeders and researchers with advanced quantitative genetics concepts and modern analytical tools to dissect complex traits and accelerate genetic gain. This course will provide the skills and knowledge to advance research in plant breeding, crop science, plant genetics, agronomy, seed industry and sales and agricultural data analysis, while learning to apply that information to agricultural systems where you live.
In this course you will learn:
- Model optimization
- Genomic production
- GWAS and QTL mapping
- Handling problematic data
- SNP analysis
- Drone image analysis
- Two-stage analysis
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